The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-11

LcnOCp. March 9.-The Madrid cor
respondent of The Times says: Owing
TO war runners, bread riots and other
disqufeting circumstances, the Span
ish provinces are in such an i1ysterical
state as TO distract attention from the
coming elections and TO make predic-
ton Of the results a difficult matter.
The government ought to secure a fair
majority. The carlists, will only Contest
the seats they are confidtnt of gaining.
The republicans are undecided and the
conservatives are 50 broken In doctrine,
spirit and numbers that they are pow
erleSS greatly to turn the scale either
way"
THE COURT OF INQUIRY.
Havana, March S.-The court of in
quiry did little today. Consul General
Lee was very briefly examined and also
one diver. Considerable time was spent
ON the wreck Captain Sampson listen
ed patiently to various theories pro-
pounded by newspaper men and others
as tp the causes of the explosion and
also to statements as to lhawSerS found
in the harbor and boiler irCn On the
shloae. Evidently he attached little i'm
portance ito any of these stories, but
he intimated that he would investi-
gate any that he deemed worthy.
The Spanish divers put i'm a good
days work, examining chiefly the for
ward part of the wreck, ON the star
board side. Captain Peral, Of the Span
iisih court of inquiry, was at the wreck
in "a boat for some time during the
afternoon.
NOTIFIED OF THE MONTGOM-
ERY'S COMING.
The orders ro, uhe Bache We're chang
at IT.,
tugas instead of Key West. If there
Were significance in the change. it was
not made public. captain Sigsbee has
advised admiral Mancerola, as did also
Consul General Lee, of the expected
incoming of the cruiser Montgomery,
and a buoy has been assigned to her.
where the Fern was mOOred. The buoy
is near the wreck, for the convenience
Nf Captain Sigsbee and Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright, in their su-
pervision, of the divers and wreckers
"A small number of tourists, who have
been detained by the health regulations
expect to leave by the Olivette, but
there VIII be NO general exodus of
Americans.
THE ESTHER RELEASED.
The American schooner Esther, cap
itured by the Spanish gunboat Ardilla
in am inlet near Casilda, ON the south
coast of Cuba, was towed to sea by the
gunboat, after repairing her rudder,
and released, and has sailed for ia
maica.
Senator Proctor, Miss Clara Barton,
Mr.. Parker and DR.. Egan returned to-
night from a very interesting trip to
'Sag'ua Ia Grande and Cienfuegos. Sem
ator Proctor says he feels confident
THAT he has induced Walter B. Barker
Ito Withdraw his resignation as United
States consul ait Sagua Ia Grande and
The will be very much pleased If - Mr..
Barker continues i'm that capacity, as
the considers him a valuable man. Sen
ator Proctor, with his friend, Colonel
Parker, expects Ito leave for Washing
tom tomorrow on the OEivette. His
"trip, he says, has been productive of
much useful Information.
Key West, March S.-The Iowa will
leave during the might or early to1nor-
row for the TurtugaS. 1t is said Of
fcially that she lis going there to coal
and is expected to return here.
Washington, March 9-The feature
of the days events was the prompti-
tude wGth which the senate passed the
house oell carrying the appropriation
of $5O,O0O,000 for the national defense,
Through the formal proceedings, en-
crossed and signed by the president.
While tlle maitter has been considered,
it cam be stated that the fund has mot
vet befn allotted among the various
brallolIeS of the government service.
Each of these had prepared roughly
and tentatively an estimate of the
funds could dispose of TO advantage,
but uTpn looking over the ground the
presid4nt concluded that it would zoe
well ptrhaps to avoid making the al
lotnnent until the necessity became APP
parent The reason back OF this is
that TIE sum that can be prOfitably
spent for WarshipS cannot even be
guessef at with approximation to ac-
curacyl just now. AS the ships are to
be first choice in the steps for defense,
until their cost is ascerta ned it is not
possible to divide the remainder of t'he
appropriation among the other branches
of the military and naval services.
The secretary of the navy is making
every tffort ITO secure from our naval
attaches and diplomatic officers
abrOadl all information Obtainable re-
spectint the number Of ships building,
their pfice and other data. This does
not NECESSARILY interfere with the exc
cutiou IF the plans confided to Captain
Brown On, who sailed for ,Southamp
ton to- tay. but rather promises to as
sist hih materially in making speed
with hi inquiries. Up to this moment
not onls has the United States govern
ment tpught no warships, but it has
not even secured am option on one.
There are MANY applications coming TO
the department. from persons and firms
who desire to sen ships to the govern
ment, hut in most of these cases one
or two fatal obstacles are encountered
to ths consumgnatiOn of the sale.
Either she craft offered is not suitable
for naara needs or the date OF possible
compile ton is so distant, from three
months upward, that it cannot be re-
garded as worthy Of purchase to meet
an eznsfgency.
Thera is less difficulty experienced
in securing tenders OF war material,
such al shot and shell and powder.
and tht navy department has almost
assured itself of an abundant supply of
certain kinds OF srnolzeless powder
abroad at short notice. The officials
rf tho k1orsa1-tr1enf are dai1v in cOrre-