The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-08

derly and self-contained. BY Havana
the city in general IS meant, and rrof
isolated cases of al-exCi icment-
The removal OF the embargo cousc-
quent upon quarantine laws gives rc-
lief 10 thousands: but the new trouhIe
arises OF lack OF transportation. Nc
doubt many will leave as the result of
a needless scare. since pro ably they
would be as safe here as anywhere. -
possible bombardment being left uni M
the account. Some OF the SpaniartS
still talk wildly about the United States
fleet being blown out OF the water 10y
fire from the Havana batteries on the
water front, but as careful practice
two days ago showed the inability of
the gunners to come ~tlthin q hundred
yards or a target on smooth water. at
a range OF two miles or thercatpoutzs-
naval men need not be apprehensive
Of the effect OF the Havana guns,
he story sent north that forty mines
had been recently sunk in the Havana
harbor is not verified. IL is improbabfse-
Likely enough, however. a single finc
and perhaps a double line OF torpt-doe=s
has been laid in the narrowest part
OF the channel near the entrance
NO TERMS WITH SPAIN SETTLED
Washington April 6.-The most cam
full investigation in official circles to
night failed to develop anything in sup
port OF the theory that the delay OF
| the presidents message was dlra tO the
situation at Madrid. When the an
nouncement was first made today tfEst
| the message had been withheld. the in
ference was drawn in some congress
| sional circles that the delay was par
| TALLY influenced by the attitude od the
| Queen-regent, who was reported will
| ing to yield everything demanded by
the United States, provided IL could
| be done without precipitating a popu-
| lar disturbance in Spain. Press dis
| patches of a pending cabinet crisis I'm
/ Madrid tended to confirm This. Those
closest to the president refused 10 dis
cuss the Madrid situation further than
| to say that there was no informa tiun
| from that quarter and that no fresh
| negotiations had been opened. 1t was
| reiterated that the cruX OF the sftua-
| ton was i'm Havana. This was con-
| firmed by members OF the foreign re
| latfons committee to whom this ex-
| plana tfon had been made in such forr.
| that they professed themselves salts
/ fled to accept Ii.
! THE QUESTION OF ARMISTICEs-
| London, April THE Madrid cor
| respondent OF The Times says: There
| is no definite news, but the situatfon
| becomes more stable in its gravity. The
| kilograms from Rome indicate that the
pOpe's mediation is or, perhaps 10y this
| time was indefinite and undeveloped
| and that the assent OF all parties CON-
| cerned it as yet not accorded. 1t IL
| said, Furthermore. that his holiness
| will ask the queen-regent to grant An
| armistice in CUBA. Her maj jeSty MAY
| do so; but, no armistice is reported to
| have been asked for from the rctsel
| camp, the granting Of ii Will not bc
| easy A ministerial crisis is talked Of
| No crisis Of this nature is in immedf-
| ate prospect, but the shades Of minis
| terial opinion are kpown to contrast
| with some sharpness.
The Madrid correspondent of The
| Daily Telegraph says: j am able to-
| assert that, in the opinion Of more than
one European government. a peacoa lie
settlement ON the basis OF Spanish Czpn-
| ce-sions could easily be secured. II a
| little time were allowed for reflection
| and discussion: but ,he rapfdtty oT
| events at Washington Is the mjst dam
1 gerous element of the situation. Ii is
questionable whether the Cubans zrG
/ ripe for independence and whether sssczs
! measure could possibly DE executed
| in a hurry.
The Vienna correspondent OF TYs>
| Times explains a plan Of settlerneu1
| which offers an acceptable cpnTr,ro-
| mise, " not too late, and which hzs
| already come under the notice OF onc
Of the parties concerned" He says
The scheme involves giving Cuba au-
| tomony, but placing the island in q re
lation toward Spain similar to thas
| which Egypt sustains toward Turkey
| Under this plan Cuba would pay an an
| nual tribute to Spain. while Americzz
would be entrusted with the control VI
| the Cuban finances and have the sExrse
standing there as England has an
Egypt. The United States would guar-
antee the Spanish loan. which. consider
ing Americas high credit could easily
be Issued at 3 per cent. interest. befnE
covered by the tribute. The proceeds
Of the loan could be divided. say one
third to Cuba and two thirds TO Spain
and thus both be rescued from financJn
| distress and an honorable peace Se
| cured, advantageous to both Auer5<z
| and Spain.
| The Times, commenting edFtoria1f,
on the scheme OF Cuban adtustmsynl
outlined by its Vienna correspondents
says II does not think the plan fesasSi,sr
ADDING: Spain appears TO remain prar-
tlcally unmoved and. despite the WI
come delay OF the presidents message
the situation IS still ambiguous am
| alarming
THIS LIE FROM MADRID
The Rome correspondent OF The Da5sv
News. describing the origin Of the sra sr
ment, that America sought the pr,y,r.,-
mediation. says: This lie from MAJ
rid.' as they openly call IL In the v.,s
can. has upset the calculations Of ~.
| pope and may cause the entire rn,r -
| the good offices OF the pontir. because -
the dislike. among Americans. of Intrr-
Venuoh py the pope. not only as the
CONTINUED on F,our,n p.~.N