Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-27

craft to supplement the mosquito fleets on
the coast. Already the chief of the mos
quito fleets, Admiral Erben. at New York,
las submitted to the Navy Department a
list of over 100 such craft whicn have been
examined and found suitable. The depart
ment was prevented from making any pur-
chases on this score because il lacked the
necessary authorization, but now that Con-
gress has passed, and the President has ap-
proved, an act appropriating s3,OOO,OOO for
the purchase of such vessels, it will begin
"a once to acquire them. They are needed
vary badly just at present, not so much for
scouting purposes as for the protection of
the elaborate mine fields which the en-
g:neer officers have laid In almost all of the
Atlantic ports. The reckless conduct of the
commanders of vessels entering and emerg-
ing from these ports in disregard Of the
government regulations, and even causing
the less of several lives through their care
lessness. has determined the authorities
here to deal summarily hereafter with per-
sons who disregard the repeated warnings
which the local engineers have given the
shipping crossing the mine fields. The mos
quito fleet vessels will all be armed and if
any vessel disregards their warning and in
terferes with the mines, OF even ieopardiZes
their workings. it will pay the penalty.
A Report From Admiral Sampson.
The following bulletin was posted at the
Navy Department at neon today:
THE following is the copy of a report
made by Rear Admiral Sampson concern
ing the action off San Juan de Puerto Rico:
Upon approaching San Juan it was seen
that none of the Spanish vessels were in
the harbor. 1 was therefore considerably
in doubt whether they had reached San
Juan and again departed for some un-
known destination or whether they had not
arrived. AS their capture was the object
of the expedition, and as it was essential
that they should not pass to the westward.
1 determined to attack the batteries de-
Tending the port in order to develop their
positions and strength and then, without
waiting to reduce the city or subject it to
regular bombardment-which would re-
quire due notice-turned to the westward.
Il commenced the attack soon it
was good daylight. This lasted about three
hours. when the signal was made to dis
continue the firing. The squadron stood to
the northeast until about out of sight Ct
San Juan, when the course was laid to
the westward with the view of commune
eating with the department at Port Plata
and learn If the department had obtained
information of the movements of the Span
ish vessels. At Cape Haytien / received
word from the department that the Span
ish vessels had been sighted off Curacao
on the 14th instant. AS stated in my tele
gram, no serious injury was done TO any
of the ships, and only one man was killed
and seven injured slightly"
More TroOpships Chartered.
Oh, he md he
Colon of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany-were today chartered by Assistant
Secretary Meiklejohn of the War Depart
ment to carry troops to the Philippines.
The ships have capacity for $500 men, and
If they can be made ready in time Will
form part of the second expedition to the
Islands. Mr.. Meiklejohn succeeded in COM
municating with c. P. Huntington, presi-
dent of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany, by telegraph somewhere in Iowa last
night, while the latter was on his way east,
and secured the China and Colon in that
way. The Colon is at San Francisco. where
she is loading cargo for the orient, and
was scheduled to sail tomorrow. The
China, Mr.. Huntington says, will be due
at the Golden Gate city tomorrow AS
soon as practicable both ships will be turn
ed over to the agent of the quartermaster's S
department for such changes and altera-
tions may be necessary.
Five vessels are now available for the
second expedition to the Philippines-the
Centennial, the Zealandia, the Ohio, the
Colon and the China. Their combined ca
pacity Is approximately 5000 men, and the
opinion of the officials here is that they
may be ready to sail for Manila some time
next week.
The acquisition of the China and Colon
is a source of satisfaction to Mr.. Meikle-
john, and he says that the department is
in much better shape in the matter of
transportation than it has been. He ex-
plains that there is desire on the part
of the government to impress vessels into
it's service unless it is absolutely essential.
The government. the assistant secretary
explains, wants to be absolutely fair in its
terms of charter, but at the same time be-
heves that it Is paying for the vessels all
that their services are worth. 1t may be
interesting to vessel owners to know that
the decision has been reached by Mr.. Mel
klejohn in making contracts in the future
TO concede to them certain features relat-
ing to crew and fuel which were embodied
in the charter of the City of Pekin by the
Navy Department. Vessel owners were DIS
posed to hold out for these concessions.
which the secretary finally concluded to
yield.
An Offer to the Department.
Today an offer came from the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company Offering the de-
psrtment such vessels as they could con-
veniently spare from their line. The offer
oppressed the hope that the government
would not take such vessels as the COM
mercial trade of the country required to
conduct its business properly.
Meanwhile no further steps have been
taken by the War Department to obtain
the six ships of the Northern Pacific Com
pary, for which the agents are holding out
for larger amount of money than the
government is disposed to pay. Mr.. Mel
kIejohn declines TO give any more money
than last proposed. believing that the bene-
fits which would accrue to the ships from
an American register would more than
compensate them for the lower prices at
which their vessels are asked to be turned
over than similar American vessels.
HAS CERvERA LEFT SANTIAGO
RumOr to That Eject Published in