The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-05

battle. The hospital ship Relief which
has been undergoing a thorough over
hauling at New York is about ready,
but owing to some delay was unable
to get off at hat time and will leave
today.
The Relief has been fitted on. in ar
admirable name for the treatment
of the sick and wounded and every
comfort possible will be provided for
the unfOrtunates. There is a
in charge with a full corps of compe-
tent assistants and a complete outfit
for surgical work in cases where this
is necessary. Accommodation for prob
ably 500 persons have been provided,
and in addition there has been INSTALL
ed in the ship a ~carbonating plant and
an ice manufacturing apparatus which
has facilities for making a great deal
more thar is needed 10 ship. The
surplus will be utilized in supplying
the hospitals ashore in the immediate
vicinity of the ship. OF course, the
greater number OF cases of sickness
and wounds primarily will be treated
in the re~gimental and the division
hospitals, while the relief will be util-
lied to a great extent in bringing
back TO the United States such cases
of convalescents and the more serious
cases of sickness which it is felt
should be brought here for treatment.
A DAY OF GREAT ANXIETY.
This has been a day of almost un-
paralleled suspense and anxiety. From
President Mckinley down through all
official Washington everybody has
been under a tremendous strain. It'd
ings from Shafter have been eagerly
awaited and m~omentarily expected
but save a brief word on the extent
of the loss yesterday, nothing came
from him during the day concerning
the progress Of the action at Santiago.
Just at the close Of the day the first
bit of information coming directly
to officials reached the president and
Secretary Alger. 1t was a private dis
patch, not primarily intended for
them, although it came through Off
cial channels. Briefly and expressive
ly it told the story Of a day of terrific
fighting. 1t was direct from the field
of action and was as late at 4 o'clock
p. m. 1t stated that the engagement
had been in progress throughout to-
day: that the dead and wounded were
being carried to the ear, and that the
American losses were heavy. The ex-
act wording of the dispatch was not
made known, but n Of the high Off
Gals who read it said that it convey
ed to him the idea of extreme tension
and of a battle in which all the fierc-
est elements Of warfare prevailed.
Until this came the officials We're
positively without a word as to wheth-
err the engagement begun yesterday
was continued today. They could only
speculate, some taking the view that
the assault yesterday had been follow
ed today by a storming of the city
itself, others maintaining hat Shat
ter'S troops, spent with the terrible
strain of yesterday, had paused long
enough to clear the field of the dead
n wounded. 1t was only by this
brief private message, which, under
ordinary circumstances, oul have
received little attention, that the pres
ident and his advisers were made
aware that the battle was still in prog
reSS and still without definite issue.
AS it was, the few words relieved the
suspense, but not the anxiety. Others
were far less hopeful in their views.
That a battle was still raging meant
that our men were passing through a
fearful ordeal, having been in action
now practically for thirty-six hours.
The mere fact that the dispatch did
not chronicle a decisive advantage by
he American forces was construed by
some officials as ominous.
Secretary Long said at the close of
office hours hat nothing had come
from Admiral Sampson, and in par
tiCular the secretary Of the navy dis
missed as groundless the rumor that
word lac reached him that MORO
castle had been demolished by the
American squadron. General Miles
was similarly without advices. At 3
O'Clock he Joined Secretary Alger in
the latter's office and the two confer
red for a long time on the military sit
uation. Neither the secretary nor the
commanding general underestimate
the great task before the American
army, with an enemy we'll e~ntrenched
in front of them, with Cervera's guns
pouring shot and shell into our lines
and with the possibility that Spanish
! reinfOrcementS have now swelled the
ranks of the enemy until they are
| greater than the combined forces I'M
der the American military commander
But all that the government in
Washington can do is being done and
done quickly. The great issue remains
for General Shafter and his forces tt
work out a conclusion. His call early
in the day for a large additional force
of medical officers was quickly re.
| sponded to. The hospital ship Relic
which left New York today vas giver
orders before sailing to stop on hel
way south at Fort Monroe, where the
extra force of surgeons will board her
She will reach Fort Monroe tomorrow
and take on board the physicians i'm,
mediately and then proceed hurriedly
to the aid of the wounded under Shat.
ter's command.
Surgeon General Sternberg, of thu
army. was unable to make orange
ments today for all the medical as
sistance which General Shafter asked
for. After considerable labor he go
physicians, and these, with the sur
together a force Of probably a dozer
geons already aboard the vessel, will
approximate about twenty in all
These General Sternberg hopes will b.
enough to supply the pressing wants
of the army. The Relief should reach
Santiago in fou or five days. If ad
ditional physicians are needed the,
will be sent, General Sternberg says
on the cruiser Yale. which is sche
duled to leave Norfolk about the mid
die of next week with a large detach
ment of General Garretson's brigad'
as reinforcements to Shafter.
Surgeon General S%ternberg left her
this evening for Fort Monroe, wher,
he will make a personal inspection o
the Relief before she starts on her tri]
to Santiago.
YELLOW FEVER AT KEY WEST.