The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-29

ountr greatly irritating the CarliSts.
Tonight Madrid is absolutely unmoved.
The capture of the American bark
Saranac by a Spanish gunboat near
Manila caused a momentary excite
ment, but the town is expectant of the
result of the action likely to occur off
the Philippines and awaits the outcome
with perfect confidence.
This confidence in the navy is an ar
tice of faith with the S~paniards. The
papers politely chaff the Americans on
their want Of dash in capturing only
fishing boats and ocean tramps."
There is a strong expectation of Eu-
ropean complications n an increasing
doubt in the assumed neutrality of
England" 1t is believed she would
join America tomorrow were she not
deferred by a fear of uniting the pow
ers in a crusade against the Anglo-Sax-
ons."
THE ASIATIC FLEET SAILS.
London, April 2S.-The Hong Kong
correspondent of The Times says: The
American fleet, headed by the flagship
Olympia, sailed at 2 o'clock this after
noon wednesday, direct for Manila.
The British cruiser Immortalite will
follow the American squadron.
Gibraltar, April 27.-S:15 p. m.-All
day long a Spanish warship and a tor
pedo boat destroyer have been cruiS-
ing the in the straits of Gibraltar, evil
IDENTIFY on the lookout for vessels car
rying the American flag. Late this af-
ternoon the torpedo boa destroyer an
chOred off Ceuta, Morocco, opposite Gil
braltar. The warship proceeded west
ward.
London, April 2S.-The Hong Kong
correspondent of The Daily Mail says:
United States Consul General Williams.
after spending the evening ashore with
- 4-A@- H~--
panied the American squadron. Thir-
t. insurgent leaders here wanted to
accompany it, but Chief Aguinaldo
goes as their representative. He will
take charge of the insurgent forces at
Manila. Admiral Dewey has issued
strict orders that no barbarous or inhu-
man acts are to be perpetrated by the
insurgents.
The primary object is the capture of
tho Spanish fleet, which Admiral
Dewey thinks more important than
capturing Manila. He is determined to
prevent it's preying upon American YES
sells. On reaching Manila he will de-
mand it's c~apitulatiOn within half an
hour of his arrival. His men are in the
best of spirits and excellent health.
There have been nine assertions, in
Guiding six Cinnamon, one Italian and
one German, during the fleets stay at
Hong Kong. Every preparation has
been made. The ships are cleared and
painted for battle and the general opin-
is that the fight in these waters will
result in an easy victory for America.
Her ships carry 122 CUR as against SO
or Whereabouts in the Spanish fleet.
The cooperation of the American
fleet with the rebels has been kept a
strict secret. The latter await the ar
rival of the fleet, when Manila must
soon succumb. It's defences are in a
Wretched state. The Americans in the
Philippines are anxious to see British
rule established here and the proposal
has been f~avorably received here. The
Manila press, on the contrary, says
there is great enthusiasm among the
population of Spain n that an Obsti-
nate resistance will be offered to the
Americans, but the papers qualify their
bold allegations by referring to the
'phlegmatic character of the natives
which prevents any excited expression
of opinion" The journals, say, too,
that the treason of a few hundred or
a few thousand of the rebels does not
affect the virtue of the race, and they
haughtily add that the Philippines will
prove worthy Of Spain.
The governor of the Philippines has
issued several ~proclamations. One re-
quired all able bodied S%paniards to en-
roll themselves for military service, and
dCCOIuS %poTIQlSSlOn 10 10
join. Exemption is granted to all
American citizens. One extraordinary
proclamation has excited great dis
trust here. 1t asserts that "the Amer
lean people are composed of all social
eXcrescences, who have exhausted our
patience and provoked war with their
perfidous Vaccinations, their acts of
treachery and their outrages against
the law of nations and international
conventions" The proclamation pro-
ceeds to say: "A squadron manned by
foreigners, possessing neither instruc-
tions nor discipline, comes to this arch
ipelago with the ruffianly intention of
robbing us of all that means life, honor
and liberty. The aggressors shall not
prOfane the tombS of our fathers. They
shall not crafty their lustful passions
at the cost of your wives and daugh-
ters. They shall not cover o with
dishonor or appropriate the property
your industry has accumulated as a
provision for your old age. They shall
not perpetrate any of the crimes inspir-
ed by their wickedness and c%ovetous-
ness, because your valor and patriotism
will suffice to punish this miserable
people, which, claiming to be civilized
and cultivated, have exterminated the
unhappy natives of North America, in
stead of bringing to them the light of
civilization and of progress"