Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-08-10
Straps and fatts.

of the other competitors for the trans
portation contract required until Sep
tember l to accomplish the embarka-
ton, which under the present arrange
ment, it is expected, will be completed
by August Is, or very soon thereafter.
- Captain Charles E. Clark, COM
mander of the battleship Oregon, now
in Cuban waters off Santiago, has been
invalided home. The news of Cap
tain Clark's illness came as shock to
his Washington friends, in and out OF
the navy, who followed with intense
interest his notable trip from San
Francisco around the Horn to Florida,
and noted with added interest his con-
duct of the Oregon in the battle with
Admiral Cervera's squadron. Definite
information concerning his illness is
not obtainable at the navy department.
Secretary Long said few nights ago
that Captain Clark had been granted
leave of absence on account Of sick
ness, but that he had no knowledge of
how sick he was or from what disease
he was suffering.
- Chairman Hull, Of the house mill
tary affairs committee, thinks stand
ing army of 100000 men will be neces-
sary after peace is brought about.
The status of the regular army will be
one of the important subjects to be de-
termined by the next session of con-
gress, and during the recess Mr.. Hull
will frame measure for submission
to his committee as soon as it meets in
December, so that early action may be
had by the two houses. He thought
when the army reorganization bill pass
ed last session that $4,000 men would
be the proper number for the standing
army of the future but within the
last three months conditions had aris-
en- which would put an entirely differ
ent face on the situation. Troops
would be needed in Cuba, Porto Rico
and the Philippines, and he now doubt
ed if $4,000 would be enough. In his
opinion 100000 regulars will be need
ed for sometime to come.
- The markets which are likely to
be opened in Cuba and Porto Rico to
American producers and manufacture
ers are the subject of much attention
and inquiry just now. Large num-
bers of letters reach the treasury
department and bureau of statistics
asking for information regarding the
class of articles imported into those
islands, and the countries which have
been supplying these articles. This
information will be given in elaborate
form in the next monthly publication
of the bureau of statistics, the Sum-
mary of Finance and Commerce, and
will show that Cuba has been, under
normal conditions, buying annually
about s25, 100000 worth of goods from
Spain, about $4,OOO,000 worth from
Great Britain, less than million dol
lars worth from Germany, while in
the United States her purchases have
ranged from SS, 100000 to $24, 100000
in value. The imports into Cuba have
been, of course, light during the past
year or more, and fair estimate of
her purchases can only be obtained by
examination of the figures of 1896 or
earlier years.
- The New York Journal prints a
cable from Hong Kong purporting to
give the text of a message sent by
Aguinaldo, the Philippine insurgent
leader, to Consul General Wildman.
The message is dated Cavite, July 80,
and in it Aguinaldo says it has been
reported he sis getting the big head
and not behaving" as he promised
Mr.. Wildman. "In reply" says Agui-
naldo, II ask why should America
expect me to outline my policy, pres
ent and future, and fight blindly for
her interests, when America will not
be frank with me? Tell me this, am
1 fighting for annexation, protection or
independence 1t is for America to
say, not me. l can take Manila, as |
have defeated the Spaniards every
where; but what would be the use :?
If America takes Manila l can save
my men and arms for what the future
has in store for me. Now, good friend,
believe me, 1 am not both fool and
rogue. The interests of my people
are as sacred to me as are the interests
of your people to you"
- A gentleman at a Washington hotel
the other evening was being congratu-
lated by a friend on having secured a
government contract for $65 900 worth
of gun cotton, says the Kansas City
Journal. The possessor of the con-
tract did not appear to be greatly
elated. "It is a dangerous business"
he said, "and, though the profits seem
large, when you consider the risks
connected with the production of the
explosive they are none too exorbitant.
My firm will make probably a net
profit of $4,000 on this order from
the government, but before the stuff is
delivered we may have two or three
men killed, and we have, of course, to
make a cash settlement with their
families. Men who are destroyed by
an explosion Of gun cotton are blown
into fragments, there being nothing
left of the remains for burial. 1t
amounts to complete physical annihi-