The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-12
GERMANY'S ATTITUDE
Toward the Hispano-American Cootro-
ver.y-Spain's Anxiety for European In.
tervention-Empero williams Proposed
visit to the Holy Land


German commercial interests. espe-
cialIy are in VOWED. Th, newspapers.
although still hoping that peace Will
not be broken, are beginning TO discuss
The probable effect OF war upon trade.
Public opinion is much divided, many
Of the papers expressing the opinion
that the United States ought TO be sat
isfied with the concessions Spain is
offering, others declaring, however.
that the United States is right in de-
manding the absolute independence of
Cuba as the only means Of proven ting
q recurrence OF the disturbances and
quieting the just Indignation in Amer
iya at Spanish misrule.
Hardly anybody in serious p1lit;cal
circles doubts tha- war is coming, the
points at issue being deemed irreco1-
cilable, although every paper does fun
justice to President Mckinley's mode
ration and evident desire for peace.
The national conservative newspapers
have taken the occasion to point out
that in the event of war, Germany
ought to seize the opportunity to at
tain objects which her politicians have
been aiming at for years. The Deutcne
Zeitung the leading organ of this par
ty, expresses the hope that the Ger
man foreign office is arranging u "ap-
propriaIte Samoa, drive the Americans
from there and take posse sSion of one
or more of the Antilles. if pOssibl the
DANISH islands, as Germany, after Gu
bl has become American or independ-
ent. will require a cOaling station in
those waters for her navy and mer-
chant marine
1. is learned ait the foreign office mere
that the Cannamaba incident has been
satisfactorily settled, Spain agreeing 10
pay 450, 600 pesetaS damages for the de-
struction of German property and the
lives taken by the insurgents in that
part of Cuba. In consequence Of ,his
settlement the German warShiD Geier
has been ordered to Brazil instead of
going to Havana for the purpose OF
collecting an indemnity and furnishing
the perpetrators of the outrage. The
newspapers, however, call upon the
government to send at least one war
ship to protect Germany interests in
case OF hOStiltiies, and it is understood
the navy department has instructed
the officials at Kiel to send vessels
across the Atlantic. In the event of
an outbreak the official attitude of Ger
many VIII not be changed. Under no
circumstances will she depart from the
StricteSt neutrality. The spanish am
baSsador here, Senior Mendenz de Vigo,
made another attempt during the past
week to secure Germany's intervention
or mediation, while Emperor Francis
Joseph, of Austria, renewed his per
sonal and confidential solicitations on
the same subject with Emperor VIII
liam. 1t is said on unexceptoinal au-
thority that the Queen-regent is the
initiator of the movement to enlist the
pope in Spain's behalf and Emperor
Francis Joseph aided her, but Emperor
William warned them that the step
was likely to meet with the decided
disapproval Of the majority of Ameri-
cans.
"A diplomat al the Spanish embassy
in an interview said: Spain is ready
for war, if it comes. While it is true
that q large number of the Spanish
people are anxious for war, the govern
ment is trying to avoid it. In the eve1t
of war the Spamairds can be depended
upon to stand by the queenregent ana
young king, in spite of all the demo-
cratic conSpiring which is going on. 1t
would be cCWardly for them TO act
otherwise. The yankee republic viii
find the present generation of Span
iards as chivalrous as their forefath-
erS"
Commander Willard H. BrownsOn.
department in Europe, has been given
authority to issue instructions to al!
the United States naval attaches in
Europe, according to the requirements
of the situation. In fact, there is even
a possibility that they may all be re-
called home.
On strictly reliable authority, il is
learned that all the United States ma
val attaches have been ordered TO end
~
warships, munitions of war, etc
The reason for this is that the time is
regarded as too short to allow for the
transportation Of the purchases to the
United States before war is declared.
The same authority says heavy pur-
chases have been made Of war material
the nature of which is kept a profound
secret, but which, in the event OF hos
tilities, will play a most important role.
A member OF Emperor Williams
household furnishes some interesting
details Of his majesty's trip to Pales-
tine. He has finally decided TO leave
the empress behind. her physician for
bidding horseback riding and as driy-
ing in Palestine is impossible, she had
TO reiinquish her trip, much to her re-
gret. The emperorS programme, be-
sides the dedication of the German
church ait Jerusalem, includes laying
the cornerstone Of the German school.
parsonage and hospital. The latter
Will be erected on the ruins OF the
Murstan, in the heart Of Jerusalem.
A curious insect, called the nonnen-
raupe, Is threateing the emperor's fine
estate at Rorninten. a large section of
the forest is hopelessly ruined and the
entire estate would have been laid ~
waste, but for the prompt measures
taken. whole battalion OF soldiers
from koenigsburg has been working
for weeks past in destroying the insect
A great sensation has been caused
by the report showing that the nation
al mortgage and credit society, OF
Stettin whjch IS supervised by a royal
commissioner, and patronized by the
nobility and big land owners of the
eastern provinces Of Prussia, has be-
come practically bankrupt. 1t has
been horribly mtsmanaged. Several
millions OF marks have been lent oH
estates beyond their proper value.
It is a great leap from the old fash
ioned doses OF blue-mass and nauseoIs