The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-19

/; der stopping the transport. f sosdrG
| officers agreed that the sale of oCzs 90
| any vessel flying a foreign flag ocus1
not be denied or restricted untR n xsz1ar
of war was declared and coal made
contraband article.
| The Sioux one OF the tus. boats Of teae
Musquito fotiila, newly conNerten
reached here hast night and anctsoEs,n
near the squadron. It's commafccr- =
naval cadet, reported TO Cngn rnsoS~G
Scihaey that the boat was not IN -a-
worthy condition. it's boiler not fcsnS.
set to stand neavy sea roflsng. oas <nasy
for smooth water. He was Caught an
, a very heavy gale and the boat came
! very nearly being wrecked. The en-
gine drain tubes and escapes arc ar
ranged only for smooth water TEE
| engineer of the Brooklyn ordered sonsr
I improvements made and Cosr.nodo<~
| Schley said TO the young cofnSnAnors-
! Never mind, my boy. when You fex tn.
| fighting. you'll look upon these tronoteS
as mere nothing"
/ All the vessels OF the squadron wfl
be coaled by noon tomorrow. No evernx
OF any consequence occurred TODAY ss1sc
no orders have been received
! Norfolk. Va. April l6-The British
steamer Hampstead, Captain Blanc
f, was stopped from loading coal F,riday
at Lamberts Point, when IL was found
that she was loading for st. Vincent
Cape de Verde islands, at which pork
two of Spains crack cruisers are now
living. and that the flying squadron IN
der Commodore Schley was being de-
y layed in its coaling until this carge OF
5000 tons was completed Evidently
hasty wires worked between Norfolk
New York and Washington. for after
a short time the loading was resumed
and the full cargo finished-but the
J steamer did not go. Orders putting
her at indefinite stay were received
and today Captain Bland took his
clearance papers to the custom house
here and delivered them up.
The naval inspection board paid a
visit to the Hampstead. thoroughly in
| spected her and the chief engineer ev-
identity voiced the satisfaction and de-
cision Of the board, when. on leaving
the vessel. he remarked to one OF the
officers: Make yourself perfectly
easy, your ship won't leave Norfolk"
Captain Bland said tonight: II con-
slider the vessel as good as accepted
by the United States"
1t is now expected that the vesseI
will be ordered to the navy yard
Monday. -.
ANXIOUS FOR WAR.
Port Tampa. Fla. April 16.-At Key
West the situation remains practically
unchanged, so far as the position OF
ships and disposition Of officers and
men are concerned. Eagerness for ac-
ton grows more patent hourly so that
each shot aimed at an old hull or n
dancing target is freighted with a wish
it had a Spanish destination. Even
the coal passers "a sturdy lot with
muscles like armor plate) discuss the
| chances Of action and with wild whoopes
| give vent to their desires for vengeance
on the murderer OF the poor fellows
| down below in the Maine" Yet the
wisdom OF careful provision and pro-
vision Is recognized by the thoughtful
commanders who will have posts Of
equal danger and greater responsibfii-
ty. 1t is at night that the scene ia
most warlike. for while there liz no
booming Of guns there is a constant
interchange OF signals over ten miles CT
more and now and again a search ligfss
shows a torpedo boat, ugly as a devil
fish and far more dangerous than amy
creature Hugo could imagine. steaiisse
quietly along from ship to ship ON ixzx
way to open sea and patrol reaching
mayhap, to within sight OF the big gurzs
at the vivado. Habana. On the nayxz
docks the hustle ends only with dark
ness and while we are told everythfnr
is in readiness and has been for n ves-k.
the thousand and one duties left ovx<-
or partially sighted call for constant
activity.
The Associated Press correspondents
was talking with Kester recently-Ko-
ter. chief engineer OF the torpedo ne<s
and probably az well posted there ane1a
as any man in the service. He hnR
had thirty months torpedo duty and
the world cannot show an equal W.
cord. To the query: isn't II a p1y
we haven't more torpedo boats destrvy-
ers?' the bronzed. keen-eyed YONG
officer replied: "Oh, yes. I suppose -
But. after all. they may not be 80 das-
gerous in real war as many are inclkn-
60 suppose. You see. they have never
been thoroughly tried as destruyen
AS for me, give me a destroyer aftsxr
torpedo boat and I would rather IN.
on the smaller craft" -
Isn't that a queer choice?"
l.. III tell you why I would make n
The destroyer. running thirty knoeS
gets after the torpedo boat, rnnsnk
twenty-five. Did you ever see either
under full headway? tell you the Dr.
stroyer carries perfect wall Of wafszr
ahead So does the smaller craft. ba1
the destroyer's big gun Is forward
while the torpedo boat has hers-ouly
little one to be sure-aft. where th9e
Is no wall OF water and where the mEs-
| ton Is much less perceptible. The mxE
on the destroyer might be up to his
neck in water when he fired III h.
hit the little fellow IL wouldsbe all dsy.
sure enough. but the little fellow h1S
a bigger target, a chance for stead1er
aim and IL he can't see the hull OF ths.
-twtt