The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-06

Otis teIegraphed today to the war de-
partment from Manila hat the trans
port Indiana, with the headquarters
and two battalions Of the Kansas vol
nuteers, arrived there this morning.
There were no deaths during the voy-
age and but little sickness aboard
Major General Lee, commanding at
Savannah, has t~elegraphed' the war
department as follows respecting
the departure Of the transports Mani
toba and Chester today with troops
aboard for cuba:
Manitoba, with General Snyder and
the Fourth Tennessee cleared here at
S:45 o'clock this morning. The Ches-
ter, with the Fifteenth infantry, left
her anchorage six miles below the city
about the same hour and is probably
now on top Of the sea sailing for Gu
ba. She might have been at the bot
tom Of it if she had gone out the day
she started. The Panama is still here"
CHINA WANTS AN EXTRADITION
TREATY.
The Chinese government, through its
minister, Mr.. WI Ting Fang, has
brOachetd 10 the authorities here the
willingness of China to negotiate an
e~XtraditiOn treaty applicable to all
criminals, but intended in particular to
reach the "h~ighbinders." This fra
ternity has spread terror through the
far west. The Chinese government
finally determined to take ~COgnizance
Of the subject as the agitatiOns in this
country operated quite as much against
the IaW-abiding Chinese and against
the Chinese government itself as it did
against the parties to the secret crimes.
1t was, therefore, represented to the
officials here that as the highbinders
had proved such Il difficult class for
the local police authorities in this cOun-
try to deal with, China would assume
the burden of the detection and pun
ishment if an eXtradition treaty could
be negotiated. The purpose, it was sug-
geSted, was to have China assume all
the cost of experimenting n trans
porting the guilty parties. While will
ing to get rid of Chinese "highbinders'
and all other Chinese criminals, the
authorities here fOreSaW serious legal
objections to such q treaty. The meth
DDS Of trial and punishment in China
are very summary. The proposal,
therefore, was pen to the objection
that this country vas Surrendering
persons domiciled within it's borders to
4 foreign country, for harsh and un-
usual prosecution and punishment. Lit
tie doubt was entertained here that if
China once secured possession Of the
'hiGhbinderS" short work would be
made of them, owing to the prejudice
they have brought upon the govern
ment. China was ready to overcome
this objection as far as possible by
providing for a full hearing or trial in
this country before the parties We're
turned over to the Chinese officials for
deportation home. This, however, did
not fully meet the legal objections
against the proposition. Moreover. it
was believed hat the senate, to whom
such a treaty would have to be referred
for ratification. would not act favor
ably on it and that it would stir uO
animOsitieS and agitatiOns on the Chi
neSe question in general, rather than
accomplish any special good in the di-
reCtiOn desired. The Chinese authOri-
ties have not. therefore, gone farther
than to breach the subject to the Of
ficials here and learn how such a
treaty would be viewed. although they
stand ready at any time to resume the
burden of dealing with the "highbind-
ers" and other Chinese criminals if a
naturalization treaty should give them
Jurisdiction over the offenders.
MORE PROPOSITIONS FROM SPAIN
Paris, December 1~.-AlthOugh both
are anxious to complete their work,
the United States and Spanish peace
commissions did not hold a joint SEES
sion today. Their next meeting will
be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow after
noon. This delay arose from the fact
that the Spanish commissioners at
yesterdays session offered several ur-
gent propositions which called for Spe-
cha elaboration upon the part of the
Americans. Spain asks the United
States to grant for a term of five years
to Spanish ships carrying Spanish
goods or products to Porto Rico and
Cuba the same privileges as American
vessels engaged in the same trade may
have, and she qualities this request by
a provisO that trade privileges be eX-
tended to Cuba so long as the United
States government is dominant over
the island. In support of this request
the Spanish commissioners say that
Spain cannot, without vital harm, m
mediately abandon or cut the business
relations so long maintained between
the mother unit and the West In
dian territories. They declare that
family ties and social relations, added
to affairs of trade, maintained through
centuries, require gradual dissolution.
They invoke the terms of the treaty OF
1919 by which the United States took
over Florida from Spain, the fifteenth
article of which granted Spain TOR
twelve years the right to send her
goods and products to Florida on the
same terms as the ships carrying
thither goods and products of the
United States. The Spanish commits
sioners cite. further, the fact that the
treaty of 1903 with France for the ces-
sion of Louisiana granted French and
Spanish goods and products the same
terms as American in New Orleans
and other ports in the coded territory.
Finally Spain points to the American
proposed open door policy in he
Philippines, and asks a guarantee of
the same advantages in her late West
indian colonies, until trade relations
can by degrees accustor themselves
to the "AapSe Of sovereignty.
The proposition and the arguments
by which it was supported are consid-
cred strongly stated, and the American
commissioners desired time for DELHI
Grafton. Thus, though busy until nearly
2 o'clock this afternoon, Judge Day
sent a message to Senior Montero Rios.
requesting that the joint session fixed