The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-30
Congress Will Have to Pass a Law Looking
to Their Settlement and Payment.
TO PAY THE CUBAN SOLDIERS.
Money
fort Payo ed-The
AcuteThe in Possession of Iloilo
Issue O be Forces
Insurgents..TI Regiments
o be

Washington, December 2S.-Immedi-
ately upon the ratification of the
peace treaty by the senate, the presi-
dent will recommend to congress the
enactment Of legislation, looking to the
settlement of the claims Of American
citizens for damages sustained in Cuba,
Porto Rico and other Spanish posses
sons which formed the seat of war.
These claims, to the amount Of $26,000,
900, on this score have already been
lodged with the state department. 1t
is true that an unknown portion Of
these are claims based on depredations
committed by Cubans, for which it is
questionable whether the Spanish gov
ernment could be held responsible. On
the other hand, it is believed that there
are many claims for large amounts
that have not yet been presented, oW-
ing to the inability of the claimants to
secure the necessary corroborative evi-
dence during the Spanish occupation OF
the evacuated territories, or because of
the belief that it would be fruitless to
present any claim SO long as Spanish
sovereignty was maintained. Now,
however, by an article in the treaty
of Paris, the United States has as
sumed liability for all claims preferred
by it's citizens on account of depreda-
tions, or in fact on any proper score.
In their turn the Spanish assumed liza
bility for any claims that might have
been made on account of Spanish citi-
zens or the Spanish government itself
against the United States. What such
claims would have amounted to can
not be estimated Meme were flied with
the United States government prior to-
the declaration of war. But it is re-
called that there was much criticism
on the part Of high Spanish officials of
the alleged failure of the United States
government to observe the require
ments Of the neutrality laws and more
than one statement to the effect that
the Spanish government intended to
present I'll claim for a round number of
millions on that score.
THE SOLDIERS HAD GOOD BEEF.
William w. Hill, assistant secretary
of the war. investigation commission,
and who served in Company L. District
of Columbia volunteers, as first SER
Seant and acting quartermaster SER
geant, the only witness before the
commission today.
Colonel DENLY, who presided, ques-
toned the witness regarding the moot
ed question of the canned beef furnish
sd the volunteers. Mr.. Hill discOun-
tenanced the complaints made by the
men. He said they came from those
who would complain against anything.
He said the health of his company was
excellent at Tampa and he credited it
largely to free use of lemonade. The
canned beef first furnished the men
he said, was lean, dry and hard, lack
ting nutrition, though later it was con-
:Siderably improved He believed the
canned beef, which, he explained, was
canned just after being boiled, was
perfectly fit to eat" though once il
a while he would receive a can that
was spoiled and smelled badly. He
knew a large lot Of spoiled canned beef
had been found at Tampa before his
company sailed for Cuba. The ner
seemed to like the canned beef, he
said, but later became surfeited with
it. The refrigerated fresh beef
he said, had no evidence of chemica
treatment and had natural appear
-slnce. The trouble with the refrigerat t.
ed beef, he thought, was that the mer
overfed themselves and ate it hal
cooked.
THE TROOPS TO BE MUSTERED
OUT
1t is said at the war department tina
mo change in plans as TO the mastering
sOut of troops will be made as a resul
sof the threatening ,eutlook in the PHI
zippines. The secretary of war hal
zmade some progress n designating tn
volunteer regiments to be mustere;
-<out, but no announcement will be mad
until the list is completed 1t is be
1ieved, however. that the list WIFI in
-clude the Thirry-first Michigan. nor
satyE~noxville; the Second Tennessee, a
Columbus. Ga: the Third Tennessee
= sat Admission, Ala; the Third Mort!
Gard;ina (colored3. at Macon, Ga, tn,
Sixth Virginia (colored) at Macon
Ga, and the First West Virginia a
Columbus. Ga. These regiments woui,
eonstitute good part OF the volunteer.
to be mustered out, for the entire mum
Der viii not run very high, owing to TIA.
purpose to first muster out the volun
teers at Manila and reduce the regu
lars down to the number contemplated
by law when the war closed
NEW COMPLICATIONS IN THE
PHILIPPINES.
A dispatch was received at the wa
department from General Otis toda.
informing the officials of the captur
of Iloilo by the insurgents. 1t appear
that the American forces which wer
dispatched there arrived too late, aut
that the insurgents had added to TIN
difficulty of the problems already pre-
sented by hoisting their flag over tn.
city, which they have been besiegfns
for months. The neys was contained
in the following message from Genera
Otis:
Manila, December 81
"Ad3utant General, Washin ,gton:
-"Sent Colonel Potter on fast vesse
to Iioilo on December oath to commu,