Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1898-04-29
BREVITIIS.

Theodore Roosevelt, assistant secre-
tary of the navy department, has re-
signed and has been named as lieuten-
ant-coloncl of one of the regiments Of
mounted riflcmcn to be raised in the
Rocky mountains.
The president a few days ago
issued IL proclamation sitting that,
"thc United States of America has in
stituted and will maintain a blockade
Of the north coast of Cuba, including
the ports on the said coast between
Cardcnas and Bahia Honda and the
port of Cicnfuegos on the south coast
Of Cuba aforesaid in pursuance of the
laws of the United States and the laws
of nations applicable in such cases.
The following decree was gazcttcd re-
Gently by the Spanish cabinet: "Diplo-
matte relations are broken off between
Spain and the United States, and the
state of war being begun between the
two countries. numerous questions of
international law arise, which must be
precisely defined, chiefly because the
in iustice and provocation comes from
| our advcrsurics and it is they who by
their dctcstablc conduct have caused
this great conflict
1t is said the editor of the Army
and Navy Journal. the organ Of the
volunteer and regular forces of the
United States. declares that war with
Spain will probably drag on for many
years. Or we shall at least be in a
state of quasi war for many years and
be compelled to maintain the army
and navy on 4 war footing. Spain
may be driven from Cuba. but we cam
not compel her to acknowledge defeat
or make peace with her.
The first gun was fired when the
u. s. cruiser Nashville captured the
Spanish ship Bucna Ventura. 1000
tons. having on board Il cargo of lum-
Der. She was on her way from the
coast of Texas. The cruiser fired a
six-pounler and the Spaniard sur
rendered. The Nashville lowed her
prize into the harbor of Key West and
put prize crew on board. The news
of the capture Of the Spanard set peo-
pie crazy with enthusiasm. All work
was suspended and the docks were
crowded with people.
Key West dispatch: The flagship
New York, of the blockuding squad
,,y 1),.1.
Spanish frcightcr of /. S22 tons. and
she was sent to this port in charge of
a prize crew. Later. the gunboat He
lena captured the steamer Miguel Jov-
or, $500 tons. The latter is estimated
to be worth 100000. her cargo alone
beng worth sl5O,OOO. Another prize
just brought in is the Catalina. cap
turcd by the cruiser Detroit. The
steamer Saturn was captured by the
revenue cutter Wisdom and the Onadi-
dia was captured by the gunboat Will
nington.
The presidents recent call for vol
untcers concludes as follows: "Now,
therefore. I, William Mckinley. pres
idcnt of the United States. by the
power vested in me by the constitution
and laws. and dceming sufficient occa-
sion to exist. have Thought fit to call
for and hereby do call for volunteers
TO the aggregate number of 1a5, 900, in
order to carry into effect the purpose
of the said resolution (rccently passed
by congress), the same to be appor-
toned as far rs practical among the
several states and territories, and the
District of Columbia. according to pop
ulation, and to serve for two years un-
less sooner discharged. The details
for this object will be Immediately
communicated to the proper author
tiles through the war department"