The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-18
EXPEDTTING WORK ON THE
WRECK.

With the arrival of the big derrick
Chief and other machinery the wreck
ing work already shows signs Of prog
ress. The naval divers are still work
ing about the wreck, under the direc-
ton of Captain Sigsbee and Iieuten-
ant Commander Wainwright, with En-
sign Powelson, to make any changes
in the drawings which may be called
for by new discoveries.
SPAIN NOT AFRAID OF WAR.
La Lucha in its leading editorial this
afternoon says it IS unable to explain
the bellicose attitude of the United
States and inclines to the belief that
this is the fault of business syndicates
like the sugar trust, or due to some
new desire to annex Cuba which has
Changed the physiognomy of the
American people" 1t claims that
Spain has done nothing to hurt the
pride of the United States and refers
to the friendhness of Spain for the
American colonies when they were
fighting England, and also to the
''strict neutrality maintained during
the civil war" La Lucha says it can
only explain the helping of the insur-
gents from American sources during
the present insurrection in Cuba by
defective law, varying in the differ
ent states of the American union"
The editorial concludes: THE end OF
the journey will show which nation has
the more to lose in a contest that may
come now. No doubt Spain does not
fear war Public opinion, if not de-
manding, does not repel hOstiMties. 1t
is believed by many that this way is
the only means of reaching an end of
the present knotty state of affairs"
HEADQUARTERS AT ATLANTA.
Atlanta, Ga, March 16-Brigader
General William H. Graham the COM
mander of the new department of the
south, and his chief of staff, Lieuten-
ant Adams arrived i'm Atlanta today.
General Graham will, it is said, at once
establish his headquarters and remove
the offices of himself and staff from
San Antonio.
Munitions of war are passing through
Atlanta to gulf and Atlantic ports daily
Railroad men expect thirty cars OF
war material during the balance of the
week.
London, March 16.-The final contract
providing for the sale of the warships
AInazonas and Almirante Abrouall, to
the United States has been signed. The
price us something over 100000 pounds
sterling ($2, 10000 for both ships. AN
American crew lis expected here from
Lisbon tonight, to take possession of the
AmazOnas on Friday.
TENSION GROWS SERIOUS AT HA-
VANA.
Havana, via Key West, Fla, March
1e-With the departure of the court
OF inquiry, after second visit to the
scene of the wreck of the Maine, the
tension grows serious. The court, a
body like a grand jury in it's functions,
is nearly ready to report. Unless there
are new discoveries here, which is un-
likely, there is nothing to be DONE but
for the members to seclude thmselves
in the Iowa and formulate the convic-
tions already firmly held.
There is no reason to change the be-
lief that the court will find that the
disaster was caused by am explosion
outside the Maine. The chief officers
have been absolutely discreet while
talk of the divers has been contradic-
tory. From bits of evidence that have
| come out during the three weeks ex-
animation it seems as sure as anything
| in this latitude can be that the plans
! before the court show that the ship was
! broken in two and the forward part
rent asunder by an explosion from the
! outside. Captain Sampson intimated
| to the correspondent yesterday that
| the testimony was "gratifyingly COM
| plete." This might mean that an acci-
| dental cause had been discovered but
| the indications are all the othe- way.
| No one believes that any Spanish Of
| ficials or officers of rank will be impE-
Gated, whatever may DE the findings
| Of the court. Captain Sampson, before
leaving, said the courts departure was
| not due to orders received, but was
| decided upon solely by the members
| themselves.
The wrecking work has been very
| slow, but lit is hoped that now, with
the added facilities and the others that
| are to come, work will be advance l
| With greater rapidity.
The volunteers are apparently more
| quiet, though many of the leaders are
| angered 10y private advices from Mad
| rid to the effect that Senor Sagasta is
| as firmly resolved as ever on their dis
| armament.
ADVISED TO LEAVE CUBA.
This correspondent has seen cable
messages from London to several Eng
lish tobacco merchants telling them tC
| leave the island at once and limiting
| that war seems inevitable.
| The Associated Press correspondent
| at Matanzas tells a said story, not only
of the suffering there, but of the diff
| cuhties which the bureaucratic methods
of the Spanish officials place in the
| way or the relief even of those who are
| actually starving. For instance, q
| bridge has to be crossed in conveying
| the stores from the vessel to the
| warehouse. The local authorities ae-
tually tried to charge a toll for eacf
| cart load and were only prevented by
an order from the governor. In the
| hearing of the Associated Press cor
respondent at Afatanzas a custom
| house officer on the wharf called on
to crowd of starving people who wee
| crying for food: DO you think tit
Americans sent this food? Well, they
| did not. 1t was sent You by the ricf
| Spanish in New York city,
CUBANS TO RAID HAVANA.
Important advices from the insur
gents show that General Maxine Go
meZ has sent a mission to the insurgen
| chiefs in middle and western Cuba tell
ing them of a great movement that j:
likely to go through successfully. Gen
eral Pando, from Santiago de Cuba
ordered the Spanish generals, Castel
lanos and Tenquo, to entrap the in