The silver star., 1898-05-05
WAR NOTES.


The Spanish torpedo fleet left the
Cape Verde islands on the Goth. Where
they went is not known.
The torpedo boat Somers could not
get away from England before British
neutrality was declared and Is tied up
there.
The President issued n proclamation
on the Goth allowing Spanish vessels
until May 21st to leave our ports un-
m0lested.
Ten thousand guns Of an old style,
but In good order. have been shipped
South from the Rock Island arsenal
for the use of the Cuban insurgents.
The Red Cross Society's ship State Of
Texas. with nurses and medicines,
reached Key West Thursday from New
York She will proceed to Sagua In
Grande.
Miss Helen Gould has written to
President Mckinley offering n free gift
of 100000 for national purposes. She
offers to double the amount If 1t is
needed.
The governor of the Philippines. on
the 9th. issued proclamation max
ing very insulting statements about
warships.
Secretary Alger has practically de
cided to accept several hundred colored
volunteers from the southern states.
who are anxious TO participate in the
Cuban campaign.
All the European nations of promi-
nence but Germany. Austria and Por-
tugal have announced an attitude of
neutrality and Portugal. 1t is stated,
will soon declare herself.
The news of the safe arrival at Liv
erpool of the big American sailing ship
Shenandoah was gladly received at the
department. Consul Boyle ut Liverpool
forwarded the information.
The Port Royal dry dock. according
to welcome official information, will be
accessible to our warships. even the
biggest fleet. should they meet with ac-
cldent during the campaign.
The City of Paris was sighted four
miles of Fire Island at 2:41 Saturday
morning. Under the rules closing the
harbor at night she could not come up
to quarantine before morning.
The lighthouse tender Mangrove cap
tured the big Spanish steamer Panama
way from New York TO Havana with
passengers and n big cargo.
The government has broken the
backbone of the Missouri mule trust
by refusing to accept the bids recently
sent in for furnishing these animals
for the army. Now the owners are
scrambling TO sell at a lower figure.
Captain Charles Silva. who since the
beginning of the Cuban war has been
employed by the junta in plotting fill
clustering expeditions to the island. has
been ordered by the Navy Department
to report for pilot duty to Admiral
Sampson.
Contracts have been let by Major
Charles A. Booth. in charge of the
supply depot at the United States ar
senal, in st. Louis. to three firms to
make $1,000 pairs of trousers for army
use. Major Booth expects that the con-
tracts will be filled in three weeks.
The secretary of the treasury has
received from the secretary of war es-
Inmates of deficiencies In appropria-
tions for the use of the War Depart
ment for the remaining two months of
the present fiscal year, aggregating
$34, ,019 1897.
The Navy Department has complete
ly ceased its purchase of ships for con-
version into war vessels. owing to the
exhaustion of the SJ0.OOO.OOO war
fund. II is confidently expected that
Congress will come to the relief. as the
department is still in need of auxiliary
vessels.
Lloyds' advices from Manila say the
American bark Saranac, owned by
william Simpson of New York. which
was captured at Ilolo, Philippine Is
lands. by the Spanish gunboat El
Cano, was seized after she had unload
ed her cargo of coal at that port. which
was her destination.
Arrangements have been completed
BY this government to supply the Gu
ban insurgents with arms and ammu.
milton. The government Is preparing
now to land in Cuba from 25.OOO to 3d.
900 stands of improved Springfield
rifles, n number of artillery batteries,
rapid-fire Maxim guns and nm abun.
dance Of ammunition for the effective
use Of them.
There are many valuable vessels and
cargoes scattered over the ocean mt
the present time which Dfe destined
for New England, or which are owned
in New England, any one OF which
may fall into Spanish hands. The cap
tains Of many of them cannot posi-
bly, know that n state OF war exists
between this country and Spain. There
arc twelve barks, seventeen schooners,
several steamers and other craft.
Every endeavOr IL being put forward
by the War Department TO organize
the volunteer army and incrcnse the
regular army to It's full strength. Mus.
terIng rolls OF the companies Of the
volunteer army have been prepared In
the War Department nnd sent to the OF.
flcers who have been detailed to form
nlly induct the state troops into the
service OF the national government.
With few notifications they are the
same M those used In the late war.
Great things are promised for the
Holland submarine boat by Its invent
or, who proposed TO the government 10
20 to Key West. Join Admiral Snmp.
sons squadron. and with his own crew
enter the harbor Of Hnvnnn By night
md throw n lynnmito hopnL int, Mn,