The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-31

The work OF mastering the volua-
teers into the service Of the unitrsp
States under the presidents first can
for troops is practically comp,eteri-
| A~djutant General Corbin nnounced
late tonight that the number OF volun-
teers so far reported mustered in WAS
lls,W0 and that enough were prepared
FOR muster 10 swell the number e. be-
tween III. 900 and l22, 600. II is not cx-
pected by the war department officials
that quite the full number called for
VIII be mustered into the army. as
nearly all of the states are short from
twenty-five TO n loo men OF the num-
Der called for by their quota.
WHEEL-ER'S AND LEES con-
MANDS. -
Tampa, Fla. May 26.-The formation
OF all the regular and volunteer truous
massed in Florida into corps. divisions
and brigades was completed today in
a general order issued by Major Gem
eral Shafter, commanding the Fifth
army coprs.
The Fifth army corps. which win
probably be the first TO land on Cuban
soil, is made up entirely of rcgular
troops with the exception OF two rcri-
ments OF volunteers at Lakeland. the
Seventy-frst New York and Second
Massachusetts. The Fifth corps also
embraces the cavalry division ompos-
ed Of the First and Tenth regiments
at Lakeland and the Third. Sixth and
Ninth at Tampa undc command og
Major General Joseph Wheeler. the
artillery brigade under os
Lieutenant Colonel w. +. Randolph
and the signal corps, in all nearly 49,
600 men.
The Seventh corps, under command
of Major General Fitzhugh Lee. en-
braces all the volunteer troops AT
Tampa, V regiments in all, and The
troops at Jacksonville. or between
5000 and 5000 men.
DIFFICULTY IN SECURING COAE
San Francisco, May 26.-Ohicers 81
the United States steamship Alert sax
that vigorous measures had to be TAX
en- by the old cruiser 10 secure coal on
her recent trip up from South Ameri-
ca. At Acapulco, a Mexicon town OK
which. half the inhabitants are Span
ish, the captain applied TO a steam
ship company for coal. He was told
that he could have coa at the rate or
$50 per ton in gold, provided he took
it himself, as the mpa could NOT
deliver it. The captain accordingly
took possession of a lighter n sent
the ships marine guard TO protect the
coal passers. When they arrived at
the wharf it was w with ma
tives who attempted to prevent the
coal leaving the dock. The marines
cleared the wharf with a bayonct
charge and then stretched a %
across, loaded their rifles and inform
ed the natives that the first one to-
cross the rope would be shot. After
that $50 tons were loade on the ship
without further molestation.
Previous efforts had been made
through the consul TO secure coal, but
without success.
AMERICANS SOON TO BE ESTAB-
LISHED IN HAVANA.
London, May 27.-Thc Paris CORE
%spondent Of The Daily Telegraph re-
ports an interview he a with Or.
Betanes, representative Of the Cuban
republican government In Paris. DR..
Betanes expressed the firm conviction
that the war will be over sooner than
is thought in Europe. The Amcri-
cans he says, will experience no
difficulty in landing troops who will at
once be Joined by insurgents, who arc
much stronger than lis generally sup
posed. Nor is there any doubt that
Rear Admiral Sampson Will strike "a
heavy blow shortly. The insurgents
would rather accept annexation by the
United States than the autonomy
which Spain would grant. Before an
other week the Americans will be- mas
ters of Havana and firmly established
in Cuba" -lx. xarl