The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-22

wreck. He inclines to the belief that
a larger number has been recovered
than has been stated, but VIII know
positively as to this in few days.
La Lucha says of Miss Rartons Of
fer TO build houses for me sufferers
that ''in time these might grow into
yankee colonies with the stars and
stripes floating from each house" The
editorial is written in a good humored
tone.
THE COURT IN SESSION.
Key West, Fla. afarch 19.-The
United States court Of inquiry into the
loss Of the 'battleship Maine continued
IT'S session today on board the battle
ship Iowa.
The cruiser Montgomery sailed this
morning from the Tortugas with L.
inch shells for the fleet. The battle
ships Massachusetts, and Texas will
leave the Tortugas islands today for
Hampton Roads. Judge Advocate
Mark came ashore later in the day.
The court apparently held a short ses-
sion. Fourteen enlisted men from two
batteries o. artillery stationed here left
tonight for Tampa. They are going to
Fort Henry to become part of new
regiment.
THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION
BILL.
Washington, March 19.-The naval
appropriation bill was practically COM
pleted today by the subcommittee
and will be reported to the full COM
mittee on Monday. The bill Will ap-
propriate 5000, 900 to be expended during
the next fiscal year on each of the five
dry docks authorized by the bill. Half
a million is appropriated for each Of
the three battleships.
A WONDERFUL TORPEDO BOAT.
New York, March ia Willets
Point special to the Brooklyn Eagle
says: Officials expect great things
from a new torpedo or more properly,
a small torpedo boat, that has reached
this place. 1T is the invention of Lieu
tenant Nicholas ]. Halpine and is an
electric boat with sufficient power to
carry it thirty five miles. 1t is expect
ed to prove Of great value in coast de-
fenSe service The vessel was built at
Dorchester, Mass, and after trial by
naval officers was sent to this place.
Tt is twenty six feet long and twenty
four inch in diameter. Including tor
pedoes and other equipments, it weighs
about 1900 pounds. A speed Of twenty
knots an hour is claimed for it. A $50
pound torpedo contained in the inter-
ior, loaded with gun cotton and explod-
ed rby clock work, it is the chief power
of destruction. Submerged, it passes
below all torpedo nettings. A cable
from the land regulates it's movements
and its speed and returns 1t to land If
not successful.
RUSHING WORK ON TORPEDOES.
Newport, r. L., March 19.-Great ac-
tivity is displayed at the torpedo sta
tion here. Since the Maine disaster up
to yesterday, the station has gone on
as usual and there was no evidence OF
warIfNe preparations. This, however,
was changed by the receipt Of an or
| der from the navy department. with
rush instructions to get in readiness
| for shipment of shells of the dynamite
cruiser Vesuvius and to fill at once the
| war heads of all torpedoes on the is
| land and of those that would be ship
ped to the station daily until the out
| fits for all cruisers and ba'ttleShips
| would he completed and a number of
spare ones for whatever auxiliary
curisers may Fbe purchased by the navy.
A DEATH DEALING MACHINE.
In addition ito the torpedo outfits the
men at the torpedo station are work
| ing on death dealing engine in the
shape of a buoyant mine. This is an
| organ shaped hollow affair. The mime
| opens in the center and into one half
| is fitted a square frame. In this
| frame, secured in place, are four cans
| filled with gum cotton, the whole dis
| charge being equal to four service tor
| pedoes, of sufficient power to blow the
| largest battleShip out of the wat The
| upper half of the mine is then clamped
! and through the water-tight, rubber
| packed hole i'm its top, run four wires
! connected with the gun cotton. Two of
| the wires connect with the shore and
| two contact wires project above the
ls,i& NI,a oTf1l
is to be rnoored a few feet below the
| surface of the water by means of a
! mushroom anchor.
| AS soon as the rush" torpedo orders
| are completed, which Will require ten
! days at least, the whole force at the
| station will be put upon the buoyant
| mines. The entrances to Narrangan-
| sett bay, both east and west, have
| been plotted for mines by the United
States engineer office.
Baltimore, Md, March 19-The new
| United States torpedo boat Rodgers
| sailed at noon today from the Colum-
| bian iron works dock, where she was
built, her destination being Norfolk.
BLANCO ANXIOUS FOR PEACE.
New York, March IA dispatch to
The World from Madrid, says: Cap
tain General Blanco, from Havana
has given proof that he is as anxious
for peace as the Madrid ministry. He
cabled from Havana advising the gov.
ernment to postpone THE departure OF
the Spanish flying squadron of torpedo
boats. He advised that it should moi
I on any account proceed further toward
the United States than the Canary is
lands The order to hold the flee
there was not, however, sent wholly
| at General Blanco'S request.
Army Headquarters In Atlanta
| Atlanta, March 19.-The headquarter.
| of the department of the gulf has beer