Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-06-25
Straps and facts.

of the other ships.
- The newspaper readers of Madrid
have been informed that Theodore v.
Roosevelt is the commanderin- chief of
the American army that he was for
merly a New York policeman, who
was born near Harlem, but emigrated
to America when young, and was edu-
Gated at Harvard academy. Harvard,
it is added for the edification of the
credulous Madrilenians, is CONNER
cial school, there being no universities
or colleges in America.
- The weather bureau, in its report
of crop conditions for the week ending
June 20, says: The week has been
exceptionally favorable for cotton, and
the reports indicate decided improve
ment in the condition of this crop gen.
orally throughout the cotton belt. In
portions of Mississippi, Louisiana and
Texas, however, it is grassy and in
need of cultivation, while some COM
plants of lice are received from North
Carolina.
The British marine disaster repor.
ted to The ENQUIRER by telegraph
last Tuesday was not to launch of
the battleship Albion but at the
launch of that ship. The Albion is
big battleship just finished, and was
launched at Blackwell, London, last
Tuesday morning. Hundreds of peo-
pie had posted themselves on insecure
staging to watch the ceremonies. AS
the ship went down into the water it
raised mighty swell which overthrow
the staging and hurled hundreds of
people into the water. Just how many
people were drowned is not known /;
but it is certain that the number was
somewhere been 40 and so.
- A New York dispatch, alleged to
be based on advices from Santiago,
says that Admiral Sampson has been
informed that Admiral Cervera has
gotten his ships in readiness and is
awaiting favorable opportunity to
make dash into the American fleet.
The information is alleged to come
from Cuban spies who have acquainted
themselves thoroughly with the situa-
ton in Santiago. 1t is now an estab-
lished fact that the sunken collier
Merrimac does not completely block
the harbor entrance against warships {;
but as to whether Cervera really in
tends to make bold dash against the
American fleet, is matter for future
development.
Says E. NJ. Fin, in the New York
Sun of Friday: "The terms fleet, fo-
tilla and squadron seem to be regarded
as identical by the average layman.
A fleet is composed of twelve battle
ships. A mosquito fleet is composed
of twelve or more small boats. A
squadron is composed of less than
twelve battleships, and is often part
of a fleet, such as the van, centre or
rear squadron. A tlotilla is composed
of twelve or more men of-war, some of
which may be battleships. Hence the
United States has no fleet neither has
Spain. Admiral Dewey commands a
squadron. Almirante Montejo also
commanded a squadron. Acting Ad-
mirsi Sampson commands fotilla.
Alr rante Cervera and Almirante
Camara each command a squadron.
- The launches of the cruiser Mar
blehead and the gunboat Dolphin de-
voted last Tuesday to dragging the
channel leading to the town of Caima-
nera for mines. They found seven of
these mines, all of the contact variety,
and each containing 112 pounds of
guncotton. Investigation showed that
all of the mines had been hit by one
or the other of the boats, and if they
had exploded the consequences would
have been something terrific. But the
mines had been in the water for a long
time and they were thickly covered
with baruacles. 1t is thought that
these barnacles interferred with the
action of the plungers to such an eX-
tent that they would not work, and
that is why there was no explosion.
The work Of dragging for the mines
called for great courage. 1t was done
by marines under Eusigns Cole and
Gherardi.
- The fleet of 81 transports, which
conveyed Skaters army to Santiago,
made the trip from Tampa in just six
days, arriving on last Tuesday, in
stead of Wednesday. The total num-
ber of men aboard was very close to
10000 AS they came within sight Of
SIMPSONS fleet, the sailors set up a
cheer that could be heard for miles
over the water, and this was answered
by the soldiers. The condition of the
soldiers generally was good with the
exception of II cases of typhoid fever
and few cases Of measels. The fever
cases developed on ships that were
carrying horses and mules. A few of
the soldiers were landed during Tues
day and Wednesday; but the general
landing was deferred for several days.
During Tuesday, Admiral Sampson
and General Shafter went to the camp
of General Garcia, about II miles west
of Santiago and had quite an extended
conference with the Cuban leader.
- An officer in the ordnance bureau
of the war department spoke in high