The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-20

Washington, May 49, Secretary Long
gave out the welcome information to-
day that the battleship Oregon, the
second largest craft in the American
navy, had successfully completed her
long trip, from San Francisco, making
the entire circuit of South America,
and was now safe. Whether or not she
has joined Admiral Simpsons feet, the
secretary would not say. The rigid Sc
cery of the navy department was re-
Taxed only enough to make known the
best news the navy department had
received since the battle of Manila, as
it meant not only that the Oregon was
out of harms way from a concerted
attack on this one ship by the whole
Spanish squadron now in southern wa
ters, but also her great fighting
strength would add to Admiral Samp
sons force in the near future, if in
deed it had not already augmented the
admiral's strength.
The Oregon left San Francisco about
six weeks ago, before the war had
opened and at that time it was not ad-
mitted that she was to join the ships
in Atlantic waters. She stopped at
Callao for dispatches and then went
round the Horn and then up the east
coast Of South America. In all the
trip covered more than $4,000 miles.
Aside from this bit of information,
Secretary Long said at the close of
Office hours that there was no further
news to be given out. Late in the day
Secretary Long joined the war board
which had been in session for some
hours to participate in the discussion
of their plans, which are believed to
have been materially modified by the
news received from the Oregon.
The cruiser Charleston, which start
ed today on her long journey to meet
Admiral Dewey at Manila, should ar
rive there in about twenty-four days,
allowing couple Of days at Honolulu
for coal.
Admiral Dewey's cablegrams show
that he is able to maintain the ground
he has gained until reinrorcements ar
rive in the usual course, so that the
Charleston will get there in time to
serve his purpose. The stock of am
munition which the Charleston carries
now, the fierce engagement at Cavite
having consumed a large part of the
American admira1's shot and shell
Some little disappointment is felt at
the navy department at the singular
accident that happened to the revenue
cutter Gresham yesterday, when one
section of the ship was thrown into the
ST. Lawrence. The immediate effect
will be the loss to the navy of a very
efficient little gunboat.
There was a good deal of talk at the
war department today Of the possibili-
ty of an issue by the president Of an
other call for volunteers, but careful
inquiry tends to warrant the statement
that this is at least premature and that
no further call is likely to issue until
the aggregate number of soldiers al
ready called for have responded and
have been equipped for service. This
last matter, the equipment of the new
troops, is the main source of delay and
promises to become even worse in the
future.
The news bulletin issued by the ma
Wy department today contained the
following items:
An order has been issued by the de-
partment forbidding the presence Of
Sylvester Scovell, a newspaper corre-
spondent, aboard vessels Of the navy
or at any naval station on account OF
his conduct in slowing himself away
on board of the tug Uncas on the re-
cent trip of that vessel to Havana, he
having been refused permission to go
as a passenger.
Negotiations are in progress for the
exchange Of Thrall and Jones, newspa-
per correspondents, for Colonel Corti-
10 and Military Surgeon Julian, now
prisoners Of war in the United States.
The Adula, with refugees from Cien-
fuegos. left that port May 11th for
Kingston.
CUTTING OF THE CABLES.
The department also made public an
abstract of the mail report Of Captain
McCalla, commander OF the Marble
head, describing the cutting Of the ca
bles in Cienfuegos bay last Wednesday.
The main facts had been sent out in
the report already made by telegraph,
but a few interesting details are in
cluded in the abstract, which are as
follows:
At the recent action OF Cienfuegos,
Lieutenant Southerland commanded
the Eagle, Lieutenant Winslow the
steam launches and sailing launches
from the Nashville and Marblehead,
with Lieutenant E. A. Anderson second
in command. There were four boats
used and their orders were to drag for
and cut the cables of Cienfuegos under
the protection Of the guns OF the Nash
vile and the Marblehead. An infan-
try and cavalry force posted about the
cable house was first driven from their
position by the guns OF the Nashville
and the Marblehead- The four laun-
ches then dragged for and succeeded
in catching the cables. The cable house
was destroyed by the guns. A small
fnshore cable was found, but an in
fantry force with a Maxim gun. with
a distance Of only $50 yards. kept up
such a hot fire as to prevent this cable
being grappaed, particularly as the