The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-28
MORE WARSHIPS At HAVANA
EUROPEAN POWERS ARE REPRE-.
SCENTED By THEIR NAVIES

This simpiifies Matters and Prevents Spain
Complaining Of Presence of the Maine.
Powerful Spanish Battleship. to Visit
our Ports-Additional Guards at Amer
lean Consulate-Spanish Naval Oficers
to Attend banquet by Lee
Havana, January es.-The German crus-
ser Charlotte (schoolship). .aAs just ar
rived here. a British warship has reach
ed here from Key West and some F'reicly
warshfps are expected from New Orleans
The government has REINFORCED the po-
lice at the American consulate, along
the wharves and on the principal streets
as a precaution against any attempts TO
provoke a COLLISION when the marines
and crew OF the United States warshap
Maine come ashore.
Madrid, january 2e.-The Spanish bat-
tlesihip Vizcaya, of 1000 tons disp!ace-
merit, has been ordered to visit American
ports.
SEM Sagasta, the premier. read to the
queen regent tOIay what is described
as a very satisfactory despatch" from
Washington.
Admiral Berrejo. minister of marine
has authorized the officers of the Span
naval banquet to be given by United
State Consul General Lee.
London, January 27.-The Madrid cor
respondent CT The Daily Mail says the
government Will ask the next cortes TO
vote 100000 pounds for strengthening
the navy.
Havana January 26-This afternoon
United States Consul General Lee visit
ed the Maine, returning the official visit
paid him yesterday by Captain Sigsbee.
He was accorded the usual salute
The local papers insist that the Maine
is here on a friendly visit and with the
view of ''offsetting jingo speeches in
Washington
Washington, January 26-The officials
here are pleased at the success attend
ing their movement in dispatching the
Maine to Havana and at the reception ac-
corded the ship at THAT port. The report
that British and French ships are to
join the American and German warships
in Havana harbOr are regarded here as
highly favorable. although TO official no.
tice of such intentions on the part of the
British and French governments has
been received. The presence of vessels
OF these naConaaIties alongside of the
United States warship will go far, it is
believed, to convince the people of Ha
vana and Madrid that there is no sinister
purpose in the Names arrival, while
it will make it exceedingly difficult for
the Spanish government TO find any rea-
SOnabe ground for complaint against the
United States government without laying
itself open to the Charge of discrimina-
tion, since the same objection must lie
against the presence OF the warships of
amy and all nations.
Secretary Long this morning received
q .t.eg1am from Admiral Sicard saying
that the North Atlantic squadron had
gone into the inner anchorage at Dry
Tortugas. The telegram was brought to
Key west by the Fern, which is serving
as a dispatch and supply boat for the
fleet.
Secretary Long said today that he had
received TO notice from the Spanish min
lister or from any other source that Span
ish men-ol-war have been ordered TO visit
United States ports. They were perfectly
welcome to come and go as they pleased.
he said, and SO far as he was concerned
he would be delighted to have them
come: spanish Warships have frequent
ly visited the United States since the
in5urrectionary movement broke out in
Cuba three years ago. without having
excited the least unfriendiy comment and
there was no reason why any significance
should be attached to their coming again
| whenever they felt disposed to do So
Secretary Sherman also said he saw no
reason why the Spanish ships should not
visit the United States and in fact he
would be glad If they did come. They
would be welcome
AN the advices received by the state
department and navy department from
Cuba today were salts sfactory. Genera
Lee at 2 O'Clock reported that all was
quiet and order prevailed in Havana Al
about the same hour a cablegram came
to the department from Captain Sigsbee
of the Maine, saying that general inter
est was manifested on the arrival of the
Maine in Havana haTbor, but there had
been no demonstration. He had been
ashore himself several times officially
and had been received with the greatest
courtesy. He expected TO visit the pal
ace tohOrrow.
The Information from Madrid by the
Associated Press that the Spanish gov
ernment had decided to send the warshiy
V1Zcaya on a visit to American ports
caused no comment in official circles. She
| Is a formidable craft, larger. faster and
more powerful than the Maine. Her
points are recorded here as follows
Length $40 feet beam 65 feet, draught q
| feet, inches; two propeliers. 13, 900 horss
| power. with a Pinch armor belt anL
| barbette 1O1z inches, and an armored
deck varying in thickness from 2 to :
| inches. Her battery is made UP of two
| ceTtimeter (all honoria guns made a
| SPAIN: eight 57-milimetre. four 37-milirne
| ter and two machine guns. There are SIX
| torpedo tubes. The ship was launched
/ in 1891 cost 8 900. 900, and is capable of q
| knots speed, while the Maine is but liz
| knots. Altogether the ViZcaya rs a for
| midable ship.
A substantial addition TO the relief fund
| being collected for the Cuban sufferers
| at the state department, was received 90
| day through Senator Hoar who handet
| to Secretary Sherman a check for 1904
| sent him by George II. Lyman. of Bos-
| ton. the trustee for a pubic collection IL
| that CitV.