The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-27


assembling of congress.
RUSSIAN ORDER FOR AMERICAN
STEEL RAILS
Ambassador Hitchcock, at ST. Peters
burg, cabled the secretary of state to-
day that he has been officially notified
that a contract for $4,000 tons of rails
for the Eastern Chinese railroad has
been awarded to the Pennsylvania and
Maryland Company.
The gunboat Wilmington sailed to-
day from Norfolk. She will touch first
at San Juan de Porto Rico and then
proceed to the north coast of Brazil,
where she will enter the OrinOcO river
and ascend that stream some distance.
This will be. the first time in manv
years than an American war vessel
has foated in the Orinoco.
The Isla de LuZOn and the Isla de
Cuba, two of the vessels sunk by Dew
ey at Cavite and subsequently raised
by Naval Constructor Capps, have
safely made the voyage from Manila
to Hong Kong under their own steam.
They are to be docked and thorough
ly repaired at Hong Kong and, because
of their peculiar fitness for the service,
will be kept among the Philippine is
lands for some time to come. The Gin
cinnati arrived at Havana.
GENERAL MILES CALLED TO AC-
COUNT.
J General Eagan, commissary of sub
silence, gave out the following state
ment today in reference to his contem-
plated action on statements made by
General Miles, concerning commissary
supplies furnished the army:
General Eagan has referred to Cen
eral Miles the published article pur-
! porting to be an interview with Cen
! n rH tO n.
! plies asking whether the statements
! attributed to him (Miles) were made
, by him or any of them, or which of
; them, or to what extent the statements
! or any ports Of the statements are
! true.
| General Eagan does not purpose to
! discuss this very serious matter in the
| public press. but has asked, first, if
| General Miles avOws disavows this
| interview, and has, also asked the in
vestigating commission for a true copy
of the statements Chat were not
| sworn to, however) made by General
| Miles before it. General Eagan has
| also asked the investigating commits
sion that he be called before it for the
purpose Of rebutting or refuting the
| statements alleged to have been made
by General Miles and published in the
press that he may answer these, or
any statements made by General Miles
dIlu especially anu particularly " ulect
| the alleged charge of furnishing any
thing whatever under pretense Of ex-
| pertinent
Some days ago the secretary Of the
! treasury submitted to the attorney gen
| eral the question of the taxability Of
beer under the war revenue act. It is
understood that in the Forthcoming
opinion it will be held that beer in the
hands Of retailers on the date the act
went into effect is not subject to the
increased tax.
| GENERAL BATES ORDERED TO
CIENFUEGOS.
/ Major General John G.. Bates, who i:
now in this city, has been ordered tt
assume command of the new. military
department at Cienfuegos, Cuba. Janu
ary 1st, when the United States will
| take formal possession of the island
General Bates has recently been il
command of the First division of tn
First army corps, with headquarter
at Macon.
Brigadier General Joseph Sanger o
been temporarily assigned to the com
mand of the military department o
MataNzas, Cuba. These two assign
ments in Cuba under supreme com
command the various military depart
ments in Suba under supreme com
mand of Major General Brooke, who
now on his way to Havana to super
intend the steps attending the forna
surrender of the territory to the Unit
| ed States forces on January 1st