The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-16
THE CONTRACTS AWARDED
For Construction of the
Three Battleships
PEACE COMMISSIONERS

Secret-Japan FavOrs Retention of
Observation-Disclosures by Cuban Au-
thoriues.
Washington, September 1.-THE con-
tracts for the three new battleships
have been awarded. One vessel goes
to the Cramps, another to the Newport
News ~Shipbuilding Company and the
third to the Union Iron Works, San
Francisco. They will be of i, 800 tons
displacement, with a cOaling capacity
Of 1000 tons and a speed of eighteen
and one-half knots.
PEACE COMMISSIONERS IN CON
FERENCE.
Three members Of the peace commits
sion-Secretary Day, Senator Davis
and WhitelaW Reid-Were in conference
for two hours at the state department
today. Senator Frye, it was stated,
would arrive tomorrow morning, and
join in the conferences Of the COM
missioners. The plans Of Senator Gray,
the fifth member, are not exactly
hIDHH, dIJIOuSA ic. lCO, 10 CApCCICd
80 join his associates in conference to-
morrow. The president will give a
dinner at the White house tomorrow
night. at which the commissioners will
2 be the principal guests. The commits
slOners will leave here Friday in order
to take the Campania on Saturday.
The meeting at Secretary Days Of
fee today was for the purpose Of going
over the whole question Of the peace
settlement. 1t was the first time Mr..
Reid had exchanged views with his
colleagues on the subject. The same
rigid reticenCe which has thus far pre-
vailed continues to be observed, and
as the commissioners came from their
two hours meeting they positively de-
clined to discuss any questions relat-
in gtO the commission.
Leading members of the commission
stated positively that all reports rela-
tive to the Instructions of the commits
%siOnerS, or the attitude of the United
states, were purely cOnjectural. 1t is
pointed out that the interests of this
country might be seriously ~prejudiced
if it's attitude was mad known in ad-
vance of the meeting at Paris. 50 that
the commissioners have agreed among
themselves to authorize no statement
of their views as a body or as individ-
uals.
There is little doubt that a general
pine policy vas agreed upon between
the tesident and his cabinet at their
meeting late yesterday afternoon, but
there is good reason for believing that
the assertion that the decision was
definitely in favor Of not permitting
Spain, under any circumstances, to re-
tain sovereignty in any part of the
Philippine islands is based on a, mis-
conception.
- -; -. J.,lA-1 49,. 49, $500:
sion will start the negotiations at
Paris with the assertion that we have
conquered Spain in the Philippines and
that Spanish sovereignty has already
been forfeited there. This will not,
however, necessarily signify that it is
the purpose of the administration to
retain possession of the entire group
of islands or to permanently deprive
Spain of all her possessions in the Pa
CitiC. 1t is not believed that the ad-
ministratiOn has gone beyond the de-
termination to retain the whole of the
island of Luzon, but it is understood
to be the intention of the president to
establish at the outset the right of this
government to determine the fate of
the islands and to make the conditions
under which a government shall be es-
tablished there. The matter of relin-
gushing possession of the rest of the
islands is involved with so many con-
a ditions to be considered that it is re-
kalized that it may, by force Of circum-
= stances, become necessary to deprive
Spain permanently of all her possess
siOns in that quarter. 1t is understood
not to be a matter of policy to acquire
all this territory, but it may become a
necessity.
The commercial and trade side of the
question, as involving the development
and expansion of our in the
Pacific jS ~nccnnVinO chief attention in
connection with determining our pol
icy.
JAPAN FAVORS OUR RETENTION
OF THE PHILIPPINES.
The newspapers reaching the state
department in the official mails from
the east show that the almost univer-
sal expression in the public press of
Japan is in favor of the United States
holding permanently and governing the
Philippine island The position taken
is that this will be in the interest of
peace and m and good govern
ment. The editorials insist that this
is the only issue of the matter that will
satisfy the highest interests of the is
lands and the demandS of civilization.
The papers declare that the United
States in assuming the control of the
islands will receive the moral support,
if not the active cooperation, of ia
pan and Great Britain.
Secretary Gonzales Quesada. of the
Cuban delegation. today gave out sew
eral documents relating to Cuban af-
fairs. They included a letter written
by General Miles while in Porto Rico,
40 General NuneZ, which Mr.. Quesada
J REGARDS a tribute from the command
Ming general of the American army t.
the good services of General Garcia
and the Cuban at Santiago. The let
ter speaks in high terms of Genera
Garcia and those under him
Mr.. Quesada has received the follow
ing proclamation of amnesty issued by
the Cuban authorities at CamaSuay:
THE government council in today
session Ordered:
Whereas, Hostilities a " been sus-
pended and orders which hinder the
movements of those charged witt
bringing about peace should not be en-
forced when the independence of Cuba
has o1rao1u boon 'recoppiza6 nv SDair