The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-08-02

| cypher clerks and then 10 the tele-
graph office. In this expectation AS
sistant Secretary Moore went out of
town on an afternoon train and Secre-
tary Day, as he went to the White
house to meet the ambassador, tossed
| his gripsack into his carriage in the
firm expectat ton of being able to catch
| the $50 o'clock train for Atlantic City
| to meet his wife. The ambassador
came on time, accompanied by his
| secretary, but as the minutes ran along
! into hours without the temperance
| of M. Cambon, it was surmsed that
something had happened to disarrange
| the original plan of this meeting. 1t
| was after a stay of two hours and
quarter that the French ambassador
| terminated his visit.
| While it continued Secretary Long
| and Admiral Sicard. of the naval
| board, and Assistant Secretary Adee,
of the state department, were called
| in to consultation. The newspapers
| had been led by promises made earlier
| in the day by members of the cabinet
| to expect that a statement would be
| given out explaining the nature of the
| answer to Spain, but to the disappoint-
ment of their reporters, it was an
| nounced by Secretary Day that this
| had been abandoned for the reason
| that to make any statement at this
point would involve a serious breach Of
| diplomatic etiquette that might embar
rass the future negotiations.
| The extended stay of the ambassa
| dor with the president opened up
| wide field of conjecture, but in all Off
| cial quarters there was reticence as to
| the nature of the discussion. From re-
| liable quarters, however, it was learn
ed that the conference did not result in
| any change in the conditions already
| laid down, but that it was devoted to
| an explanation of them in detail. 1t
| was said that no new condition of af-
fairs had arisen by reason of the am
! bassadOr's call, and that there would
| be no need of another cabinet meeting
! to consider new factors. The case re-
mained, it was said, as fixed by the
cabinet early in the day, and the next
! move was to transmit these terms to
! Spain and await her reply.
In this connection, also, it was said
F.! that the terms given in detail in the
| Associated Press dispatches were cor
rect in all essential particulars, the
| only features remaining being those Of
| relatively unimportant detail.
| Immediately following the long con-
! ference the French ambassador and
! M. Thiebault returned to the French
| embassy, and then began the hard
| work of reducing to cipher the Amer
the results of the conference, and
| transmitting the same to Madrid. The
! ambassador was smiling and apparent
ly we'll pleased with the result of the
| conference. All the staff of the embas-
sy were engaged on the cipher work,
as it was a long and intricate process.
Allowing for the difference of time be-
| tween Washington and Madrid, the
terms could not reach the Spanish cap
ital before midnight tonight, and would
! not get before the Spanish ministry
| before tomorrow.
PROGRESS ON RAISING THE MA
RIA TERESA.
| There was little news of interest
from the field of war today. An agree
! able item was the announcement that
| the wreckers had practically succeed
! ed in their efforts to save the Spanish
| cruiser Maria Teresa. Lieutenant Hob
son has already started for his home
in Alabama and will sail in day or
two from Tampa directly for Santiago
! to endeavOr f. raise the Colon.
General Miles made no report today,
| but, as cable instruments have been
sent to him from ST. Thomas, it is pre-
sumed he will make more frequent re-
| ports by direct cable in the course of
a day or two.
The secretary of the navy has COM
| menced to retire from active service
| such vessels as auxiliary cruisers to
the navy as can be spared in order to
save expense. The beginning was
! made today when the Inquirer was or
dered out of commission.
M. CAMBON CLOTHED WITH POW
Err TO TREAT.
Events of the most momentous char
| acter occurred at the conference al
the White house this afternoon between
| the president, Ambassador Cambon, OF
| France. and Secretary Day. carrying
the peace negotiations far beyond the
| mere submission of terms of peace by
the United States, and reaching the
point of a preliminary basis of peace
between the government of Spain and
the government of the United States
needing only the ratification Of the
| Madrid cabinet in what was done to-
| day to bring the war to an end. This
| was accomplished on the part of Spain
| when AMBASSADOR CambOn presented
to the president the credentials he had
| received from the Spanish government
appointing him envoy extraordinary
and plenipotentiary, with complete in
| structions as to the manner of acting
| upon every one of the peace conditions
presented by the United States in
cluding the disposition of Cuba, Porto
| Rico. the Philippines, the Ladrones.
! indemnity, armistice, and all other
| questions likely to rise in the course Of
| the negotiations.
| With these credentials, authorizing
him to speak as plenipotertiary for
the government of Spain and with full
| instructions on every point at issue.
| Ambassador Cambon, in behalf of
| ,0k ov,I1 hn