The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-29

| T9est, had become known in the publ
! cation of the material POINTS of the
court Of inquiry's report, ard little re-
| manned but to await calmly the sub
mission of the fulLrepcrt and the pres
| i16nt's Tessage to congress eaaly next
| week. SuCn cable communicative as
may have passed between Washington
| and Madrid in regard 30 the report
| were closely guarded by officials. 1t
wax known, however trat Minister
| WOodford had been cebled to notify
| the Spanish gov trnTnenJt as to the re-
| suits found by the Am -rTcan court
particularly thet the explosion was ex-
| tcrnal and that the responsibility for
| theeyteTnaE eX ploSion had melt been def
! nitely fixed. This cablegram, it can
! now be stated, was sent from Wesh-
| ington Thursday night. The fact that
it was dispatched before the arrival of
| Commander Manix, bearing the full
text Of the report and the evidence,
| appears on it's face to involve CONTRA
diction. Tt can be stated only that the
| cablegram was sent to Minister Wood
| ford directing him ITO give this notifi-
| cation to the Spanish government on
| Thursday might. 1t is believed that
| this dispatch went no further than di-
| recuing the results to be made known
| TO the Spanish government, with a view
| of leaving the responsibility with Spain
I
| prOpriate ON such an occasion. Up to
| tonight no action on the part of the
| Spanish government had been officially
communicated at Washington. 1t is
not doubted THAT the Spanish ministry
and Minister WOOdford had conferred
on the subject, but that any formal or
final course of action had been deter
mined upon lit is not probable Beside the
Maine event, the Spanish cabinet is
today on the eve Of a. fierce political
conflict which terminates tomorrow in
elections for the cOrte!s, SO that this
may cause some slight delay.
A QUIET DAY AT THE WHITE
HOUSE.
president Mckinley had a compara-
fiN ely cuiet day after the, excitement
Of yesterday. There were rumOrs of
special cabinet meetings, but these did
not occur. The ca binet officers devoted
.their attention solely to departmental
affaItrs. Secretary Long left his office
at $3.50 o'clock p. m. remarkIng that
hc had not seen the president in TWEEN
ty four hours and that his entire day
lad been given ITO detail. AS he left
the department, however, he went to
the White house and Joined THE prasi-
dent. Judge Day, likewise, started
e.bOut the same time fer the White
hOuse. 1t was stated that the confer
enceS did not rela tie to the Maine dis
alstar' far as Secretary Long was con-
cerned, as he carried a number of naval
acquisitions from the $50, 900, 900 defense
fund to receive the signature of the
president, no expenditure from this ex-
traordinary appropriation being made
until the president considers the item
and gives his written authority for 1T.
Before going ito the White house, Judge
Day had long conference with Assis-
talnt Secretary of State Adee, whose
particular forte is the framing of state
department papers ito meet diplomatic
requirements. Whether it related to
the Spanish matter could not he learn
ed, for on this Judge Day and all others
in the state department. maintained
complete silence. Judge Day declined
to say whether amy diSpatcnba had
gone to Madrid or come from there CON-
cerning THE Maine report or the Cuban
question.
EFFECT OF MAINE DISASTER ON
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS.
The Spanish minister did not call
at the state department during the
day, nor has he been there within the
last two days. Sir Julian PauncefOte,
the British ambassador, spent some
time with Judge Day during the after
noon, but it is understood to have had
no relation with the Cuban question.
1t is undoubtedly true, however, that
the British ambassador has learned
officially the essential conclusion reach
ed by the American court of inquiry,
and that the British government is ap-
prised of the facts. An official in high
standing referring to Sir Julian's call
stated that the Maine report was one
more factor toward inducing European
governments, particularly Great Bralt-
ain, to take cognizance of the dreadful
conditions of affairs prevailing in Cuba
and to look, at least with sympathy if
not with more practical means, to an
intervention which would put an enc
to such suffering.
The navy department as usual was
the most active center of the day.
Commodore Schley came to bid good
bye to Mr.. Long before going to Hamp-
ton Roads to assume command of fly
ing squadron. He leaves Washington
tomorrow and will raise his commo-
dores flag on Monday. His heart is in
this particular assignment, and he ex-
pressed the greatest satisfaction on
starting for this sea service.
FIGHTING COLOR FOR THE WAR
SHIPS.
Late in the day another shift was
made in the plans for painting the war
ships, and Captain Crowningshield final
ly determined that all the ships of the
navy should be painted dull lead COL
or. This was the color of all federal
ships during the civil war and is said
to rbe the best fighting color"
TORPEDOES ON REVENUE CUT
TIERS.
The naval bureau of ordnance is pre-
pairing new mounts for a number Ct
Whitehead torpedoes in order to place
them on the revenue cutters, the newly
acquired yachts and tugs. The torpedo
tubes were originally intended to go
below deck, but with the new craft the
tubes and mounts must be changed for
service on the upper decks. When this
work is done Captain O1Neil, head of
the bureau, expects to be able to equip
sixty craft if occasion demands, with
torpedo tubeS.
CONTRACTS FOR WORK AT TOR
TUGAS.
Tho contracts for thu, big steel pierS