Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-08-05

| portunity for Blanco to spread discon-
tent among Gomez followers.
The defense works are being actively
pushed at all the Spanish ports. The
Madrid newspapers assert that the I'm
II tied States intends to demand an enor-
nous indemnity Sin order to have the
pretext to seize the Philippines as a
guarantee" The supposed American
peace terms are greatly exciting the
public and the opinion Is expressed
among the people that war to the death
would be preferable to the ruin Of
Spain.
| The Buffalo, the cruiser bought by
| the United States from Brazil, will be
/ repaired, fitted out with guns and sent
/ into the war. She has been ordered
i to New York. Commander Hemp
/ hill. who will command the Buffalo,
1 will be in charge of the work of fit
4 ting her for service. After inspect
] ing the vessel, he informed the navy
| department that with a competent
crew he could make all the necessary
repairs.
/ Arrangements are being perfected by
the War Department for the establish
ment of a military garrison at Homo
! lulu Orders have been issued for
/ battalion of the Second Regiment of
Volunteer Engineers to proceed to
Honolulu in company with the First
/ Regiment New York Volunteer Infan-
try. Colonel Barber, commanding
which Is to constitute the first garri-
son Of United States troops stationed
on this newly annexed territory Of the
United States.
| It is said at the War Office that q
complete plan has been devised for the
maintenance of military control of
Santiago province. General Shafter
remains until the Spanish troops are
deported. 1t Is possible that some of
the troops now there will be engaged
in operations around Havana, moving
westward at easy stages as the season
| advances, holding them on the high
ground. A port will be taken on tho
north coast as a base Of operations.
With the approach of cooler weather
operations will be pushed around Ha-
vana.
An official report received at the
navy department through Admiral
Sampson, tells of a startling occur
renee on board the Indiana during the
recent campaign against Santiago.
Late one night when no firing was go
ing on, shell dropped on the deck of
the Indiana and burst. The explosion
destroyed the ceilings of several state
rooms, but nobody was wounded.
| Where the shell came from is mys-
! terry, as the SpaniArds used no mortars
and none of the caliber OF the mystic
rious shell were taken in Santiago by
Gen. Shafter.
| One hundred and eighty-flve wound
ed Spanish troops were sent into Ma
Mia under the Red Cross flag. They are
part of the fruits of the campaign that
the rebels have conducted against Ma
Mia for seven weeks past, and their re-
moval was relief to themselves and
| their captors. That many of them liv-
ed to get back to- their beloved Manila
is due almost entirely to the sacrifice
of the surgeons from the American
cruisers: DR.. c. H. Brownel of the Pc
! trel, Dr. D. N. Carpenter Of the Con-
cord and DIR. J. B. Greene Of the Nc
Culloch, who gave up much of their
| time to the Spaniards under orders
from Admiral Dewey. Other fleet
surgeons also assisted.
Further inquiries by the Associated
Press in official quarters as to the al
! legged complications between the Unit
! ed States and Germany in the Philip
pines failed to elicit anything that
| might serve as a foundation for the
reports of such complications. On the
contrary, it Is learned that there have
been recent communications between
| the two governments of a decidedly
friendly nature, and at no time, since
| the war began has there been greater
reason than now existing for confidence
in Germany's neutrality In the war be-
tween the United States and Spain.
Reports Of Misunderstanding in the
Philippines or elsewhere should not be
too readily assumed as basis of in
ference of national unfriendliness.
Indeed, 1t is believed to be the desire,
as it Is also the interest of both gov
ernments that the relations Of tradi-
tional friendship between them should
remain unbroken.
The authoritative statement has been
made that the island of Porto Rico is
to be held as price of the war. The
subjoined practically official statement
was made to the Associated Press:
porto Rico will be kept by the Unit
ed States That is settled and has
been the plan from the first Once
taken it will never be released. It
will pass forever into the hands Of the
United States, and there never has
been any other thought. It's possess
ion will go toward making up the
heavy expense of the war to the Unit
ed States. Our flag once hoisted there
will float over the island permanent
ly." The same authority says the
future of the Philippines Is matter of
development, and that so far there Is
no certain policy finally adopted re-
garding these islands. They are sub