The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-29

proper in Cuba will no; be in full swing
before next fall when the rainy season
has ended. That belief. however. has
not prevented the officers whose duty
X IS 10 get troops together, from push
ing Their wu,-k with the great test en-
ergy. Thus. within twelve hours after
the Hun bill became law the de-
partment was able 10 begin 10 send on;
circulars prescribing the methods 10 be
followed in recruiting che regular army
up 10 its full war strength OF 81. 900
men. The enormous amount Of work
involved in thus increasing the army,
regular and volunteer. has caused Gen
era! Miles 10 abandon his southern trip
for the present
The officials Of the department were
overwhelmed today with all sorts OF
protests and appeals against their ac-
ton IN making the assignments of
troops among the volunteer forces and
many changes may be looked for.
NEUTRALITY PROCLAMATIONS.
The state department posted notice
today stating it had been officially ad-
Vised of the issuance OF neutrality or
derS by Italy, the Netherlands, SwitZ-
eT1and, Norway and Sweden, Russia
and Colombia. To these should be
added great Britain, that country hav-
ing issued a neutrality proclamation,
although the state department has not
been officially advised of the fact II
IS supposed also that the official notice
of Frances neutrality will be received
by tomorrow, as press dispatches an
nOunce that proclamation was agreed
upon al yesterdays cabinet council az
Paris. Up to tonight, however the
French ambassador NJ. Cambon had
not received any notice of such pro-
clamation. Including France, four out
of ~ 11.ac- IL
declared their neutrality, namely, Great
Britain, France, Italy and Russia
There remain of the great powers, Ger
many and Austria, neither of which
have yet acted. The delay of Austria
does not cause surprise, as AuStria's
sympathy with Spain is more pro-
nOunced than that of any other coun-
try Of Europe. 1t is not doubted, how
ever, that Austria Will assume a neu-
trail attitude sooner or later. Tne de-
lay of Germany is felt to be due solely
to Germany's consulting her own com
mercial interests before shaping the
exact terms of her neutrality prOcia-
nation.
OPPOSITION TO RIGHT OF SEARCH
From the first, Germany and Great
Britain have opposed the right of
search, as detrimental to British and
German commerce. Thus far Spain
has announced a much more radical
doctrine than the United States on this
matter. The Spanish order published
in the official Gazette last Monday, an
nOunced the purpose of exercising the
right of search of all merchant ships
on the high seas. The presidents pro-
clamatfon of yesterday qualified the
right oE search by saying that it lis TO
be exercised with strict regard to the
rights of nentrals and the voyages of
mail steamers are not to be interferred
with except on the clearest ground of
SrSp ciOn, etc" 1t is understood that
this matter of right of search is caus
ing the hesitation on the part of Ger
many, and that if it is satisfactorily
established that German merchant
ships shall not be subject to harass-
ment, Germany will adopt the same
course as other nations.
The action already taken by four of
the six great powers shows there Will
be no concert of interference either be-
tween the great powers or between the
three powers constituting the dreibund.
ATTITUDE OF PORTUGAL.
The attitude of Portgual is felt to be
more important just at present than
that of any of the great powers Of Eu-
rope, owing to the presence of the
Spanish fleet at the Cape de Verde is
lands, belonging to Portugal. Neither
the state department nor the Portu-
guese minister at Washing'tOn.N .NiscOunt
de Santo-Thyrso, had received word
up to tonight as to the purpose of Por-
tugal on the question of neutrality
This caused considerable apprehension
in official circles here, as it was felt
that PortugaIS vicinage to Spain might
incline her to withhold neutrality for
a time. She owns the Cape de Verde
group. the Azores and the Madeiras,
which would give the Spanish fleet
three very important bases of opera
ton. Late in the day the press dis
patches from Lisbon saying that the
cabinet council would declare neutrali-
ty tomorrow reversed this apprehen-
sion considerably. The effect of the
decree would be to compel the fleet at
Cape de Verde to leave Immediately.
1t is felt. however, that Portugal has
done her neighbor a good turn in de-
ferring the proclamation until tomor-
row, as the Spanish fleet has been lay
ing in stores and coal for several days
past and doubtless will be fully equip
ped and ready to sail before the neu-
trality proclamation forces them out
of Portuguese waters.
Columbia is the only south-central
American country which has thus far
declared neutrality. Spain has counted
much on the cooperation of Spanish
American countries, but there is no
reason to doubt that all of them VIII
adopt a neutral position.
Members of the diplomatic corps
dismiss the report coming from Eu-
rope that another move toward Euro
pean intervention will be made as soon
as Spain suffers a decisive reverse. This
is said to be purely conjectural and
no such move has taken form thus far
by the exchange of notes. 1t Is ac-
cepted as settled that no more ships
intended for the American navy can
leave the port of those countries which
have declared their neutrality. This
result is most serious in he case Of
the cruiser Albany. now at the Arm
strong yards, Ell Switch, England.
WANTS A BRIGADE OF IMMUNES.
The secretary of war is strongly in
favor of an amendment to the existing
volunteer law that will permit recruit
ing at least half a dozen special regi-
ments of yellow fever immunes for
service in Cuba. One such regiment
has already been recruited in Louisi-
ana and Senator Caffery today present
ed a letter at the war department.
from the son of General Hood, by