The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-26

ponce anu tStOI ltu ~ HIS N1A Ia So 49,
stopped long enough to announce thaI
all of the men who formed the crew or
the Merrimac were safe and in the best
of health and that after he had made
his report to the navy department ne
expected to return to New York. Inc
officer was driven at once 10 the Army
and Navy Club and after brushing
himself up he drove over to the navy
department. This time he carried with
him under his arm a large official en-
VeIOpe which bore in the corner the
inscription, North Atlantic Squad
ron" AS he approached the office OF
the secretary of the navy there ensued
! another demonstration. A large crowd
had gathered about the doorway ana
| the hearty welcome it gave the young
| officer brought bushes TO his cheeks
Secretary Long stated that HobsOn
did not bring the long expected report
from Sampson and his brother officers
on the destruction of the Cervera fleet.
The exact purpose of his visit was ex-
planned by an order issued by Admiral
Sampson inStructing him to proceed to
Washington and inform the secretary
| of the navy Of the work done upon the
CristObal Colon. Lieutenant HObSOn
was instructed to be as expeditions as
possible in order that, if it is practi-
cable to do SO, this fine ship may be
saved to the United States navy.
About $50 o'clock Lieutenant Hob
! son, accompanied by Secretary Long,
went to the White house to pay his
! respects to the president. The presi-
| dent received them in the cabinet
room. He gave Lieutenant Hobson
| cordial greeting and paid him a high
! tribute for what he regarded as one
| Of the most conspicuous acts of gal
/ lantry in the history of naval warfare.
The lieutenant mOdestly acknOwl-
! edged the compliments Of President
| Mckinley and quietly turned the con-
| versation to the object of his mission
| to the United States at this time-the
! effort that is being made to save to
the navy of this country some of the
! vessels of Admiral Cervera's squadron.
! Lieutenant Hobson did not bring with
| him the report of Admiral Sampson on
! the destruction of the fleet of Admiral
! Cervera, but he was the bearer of
verbal message from the admiral to
! Secretary Long that the report on the
/ battle was in course of preparation and
: would be forwarded in a few days.
| Concerning the efforts that are being
! made to save some of the Spanish
, ships, he informed Secretary Long
| that two of the vessels, the Reina
Mercedes and the Infanta Maria Te-
resa, would be saved certainly and he
expressed the utmost confidence that
! the Cristobal Colon could be saved
| also. With respect to the Colon, Lieu
! tenant Hobson differs from the wreck
, ing experts who were sent from the
| United States to float the vessels if
| possible. They are Of opinion that the
! Colon cannot be saved.
! Lieutenant Hobson is enthusiastic in
! his efforts to save the ships and hur-
! ried back to New York to take up the
, subject of his mission with the wreck
| ing company. Secretary Long said to-
| night that if the Colon could be saved
| she would be.
| By direction of the secretary of war
| the construction corps referred to by
! General Miles was sent directly to
! Porto Rico, instead of to Santiago, as
, was proposed before the surrender of
/ the city. The secretary's orders were
issued after the surrender of Santiago
and without the knowledge of General
Miles.
| Washington, July 23.-General Miles
expedition in all probability is now in
, the Mona passage between Haiti and
| Porto Rico and will be in sight of the
landing point in the morning. While
! this is the expectation of Secretary
!, Alger, for prudenaitl reasons the war
| department declines to make any COM
| ment as to the accuracy of the various
| guesseS that have been made in the
! effort to ascertain just what point has
| been selected for the landing place
| There is likely to be a lapse of a day
! or two between the arrival Of the ex-
! peditiOn and the notification of the
| fact to the department. unless some
, merchant vessel crossing to ST. Thorn
! as should sight the American flotilla.
| After that, however, the department
will be in the closest communicati ton
| with General Miles, for it will possess
| itself of a cable connecting General
Miles headquarters directly with the
n oY.fr, ont orf Of fn
Rico expedition has been delayed for
a few days beyond the dates fixed for
| their departure but in view of the diff
| ficulties of handling large bodies of
men and the supplies for them, this is
not surprising. Thus Schwann's s
troops got away only today from Tam
| pa, though it was believed they start
ed yesterday, while the most numerous
| detachment of the whole expedition,
the First division, under General
| Brooke, will not be able to clear from
| Newport News before Monday. Still
it is believed that they will arrive at
| Porto Rico in good season and it will
| certainly facilitate an orderly and
comfortable landing of the troops to
| have them land in detachments, in
| stead of in one vast army, a. in the
| case of Skaters army at Santiago
Doubt is cast upon reports of recent
| exciting events among the Cubans at
or near santiago, OWING TO the failure
! of General Shafter to make any re-
| port upon them. and inasmuch as he
| has made less important subjects mat
| ter for dispatches it is hard to under
| stand why he should fail to mention an
| event of such Importance as the re-
! ported attack by Garcia upon Spanish
| troops on their way to surrender to
Shafter.
There was no health report received
| from Shafter today, but. so far from
| being discouraging. this is believed to
, indicate the continuance of the i'm
! proved conditions reported yesterday
| and the day before as TO the health
| of the camp
The war department is now. while
| keeping a close eye upon General
Miles expedition, looking with interest
| for detailed mail reports from Cen
eral Shafter, telling of the engagement
| preceding and leading up to the sur
| render of Santiago. 1t was reported
! today that Colonel J. J. Astor. of Shaf-