The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-13

to be made and as Indication that
Spain has decided to let her West In
dian possessions go. h question is
generally asked: What possible use
has Spain for continuing a hopeless
struggle, as it is considered next to
impossible that she has any alternative
plan or that the retreat of the squadron
hides some strategic design.
The Madrid correspondent of The
Daily News says:
THE latest news Is good and bad.
The good is the rise in the peseta. Elk
change has dropped to so. The bank
refused 10 cash foreign checks until
the end of the week, not knowing
where exchange will be the next min
ute. In fact, exchanging money is a
pure gamble. The reason of the fall of
the peseta was the immense purchases
Of foreign bills by the Bank Of Spain
to meet the coupons. Nobody until
yesterday suspected how much gold ex-
listed in Spain. Yesterday morning
crowds might have been seen in front
Of the Credit Lyonnais and all other
foreign banks, consisting of Madrilinese
and p~rovincials, bringing for exchange
non-descript coins, twenty, fifty and
100 years old, Spanish. Portuguese,
French and English. The financiers
were taken completely by surprise and
probably there are substantial boards
still left.
The bad news is the bread agitation.
The rise in bread must be prevented at
all costs OF political grounds, and the
government is negotiating for the pur-
chanse of 100, 900 sacks of flour in Bel
GUM.
Atlanta, Ga, May 10.-A special to
The Constitution from Mobile says:
A second distardly attempt to poison
The infantry regulars at Camp Mobile
has been made. Several days ago some
soldiers found in the creek which runs
alongside the grounds a sack filled
with absorbent cotton which had
been saturated With arsenic and tied
down beneath a rock which juts out
into the stream at a point just above
the place where the soldiers get their
drinking water. BY accident a trooper
discovered the deadly trap, removed
the sack and upon the contents being
revealed, reported his find to the COM
handing officer. Strict orders were
given not to mention the incident and
SO the matter was hushed Up. Since
that day, however, the creek has been
closely watched and vigilance was re-
Warded when Corporal JON Sullivan
of Company A, Nineteenth infantry,
found a poison bag loaded with arsenic
and anchored down just as in the first
instance. The correspondent by chance
overheard two soldiers talking of the
plOt of poison, and instituted IN inves-
tigation. The officers preferred o to
discuss the matter, but among the
privates feeling is running high and
they do not fail to express themselves.
Spanish spies are known to be lurk-
ing in the neighborhood where a num-
Der of Spaniards reside. They are all
under strict scrutiny and sensational
disclosures are looked for. No one
doubts that the agents Of Spain are
| responsible.
London, May 11.-Adispatch to The
Globe from Gibraltar, says a British
steamer which has just arrived there
reports officially LAT she passed yes
terday evening a Spanish torpedo boat
destroyer which was guarding Algeci-
ras bay and straits. Shortly after the
steamer passed her, all the lights of
the destroyer were suddenly extin-
guished, a terrific explosion followed
Immediately and the destroyer disap-
peared. The disaster, the dispatch
adds, was apparently caused by the ex-
plosion of the boilers of the torpedo
boat destroyer. 1t is feared that all on
board of her have persisted.
London, May 1.-THE Spanish tor
pedo boat destroyer reported blown up
near Gibraltar is probably the Destruc-
tor.
1.-THE Destructor is classed as a tor
pedo gunboat. She was built Of steel
at Clyde Bank in 1887, and was 1872 feet,
8 inches long. She was of 45S tons dis
placement, had % feet beam and drew
seven feet of water. The Destructor
was driven by two prOpellers, a $500
horse power and was estimated to have
a speed Of about 22k knots. Her arma-
ment consisted Of one 3.5-inch gun,
four 6-pOund quick firers n four
Maxim guns. She had three torpedo
tubes, carried over 100 tot of Goa and
had a crew of fifty-ive men.1
London, May ia special dispatch
from Madrid says Admiral Bermejo,
minister OF marine, denies hat the
dir. He says: THE fleet is now
where it ought to be, according to the
instructions given it,"
Special dispatches from Madrid say
it is officially declared that the govern
ment of Spain has no intention OF al
lowing Rear Admiral Dewey to rest
upon his laurels. About 40, 900 of the
reserves of the Spanish army have
been ordered to rejoin the colors, and it
is added that a formidable expedition
is being organized for dispatch to the
Philippine islands.
GERMANY WANTS THE PHIL
IPPPINES.
A story 5 published here to the eff
feet that Germany is actively prepar-
ing to signify her disapproval of a
lasting occupation Of the Philippine is
lands by the United States. The Ger
man consul at Manila is said to have
been instructed to make representa-
tons to Rear admiral Dewey differing
materially in character from those of
the representatives of other powers.
Very heavy claims, it is said, are be-
ing encouraged upon the part OF Ger
mans who have suffered from the bonn
bardment Of Cavite, and Germany. it
is further asserted, proposes to obtain
control of the Philippine islands, guar
anteeing the payment Of SPANS in
demnity. 1t is believed this plan is &C
Captable to Emperor Francis Joseph. of
Austria, and it is understood to have
been passively accepted by France. in
the rehabilitation of Spain.
Thu Globe nllhlishAS this affarnoau