The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-22
MERCHANTS FOR WAR.
No Signs of End Of the Ipsurrectfon-Con-
gosto Stirred Up by m Of English
Aid for the United States

tbalt1-ncTS sun Special Seryfce-)
Havana, (via steamer to Key West.)
March 1S.-Spanisn merchants of Ha-
vana, who a few days ago were dis
cussing the ACCESSIBILITY Of getting up
a petition to be submitted to General
Blanco, in which would be set forth
the hopeless outlook for trade and
commerce and the future Of the island
If the desultory warfare OF the last
three years with the accompanying
starvation and depression continued.
have had a sudden change Of heart.
They are now for war with the United
States.
This attitude is not due to the fires
Of patriotism alone, but chiefly 10 a de-
sire that some solution Of the dark
situation be reached speedily. There
is a belief that war with the. United
States would mean a quick finish, and
though Spain might be Inundated, the
frugal patriots would be recompensed
by the establishment Of a stable gov
eminent and the subsequent increased
security of life and property.
The attitude of the merchants is the
reflection Of the feeling on ali sides
that an end Of some kind must come
soon. Genera misery, anxiety and
dissatisfaction have led to hopes that
the United States will intervene, in
which case even the most loyal here
would soon become to the
result, which they regard as inevitable
and at the same time as the most
promising for their interests. The LAND
is one of sorrow and d~esolation and
the busiest men in it are makers of
collins, diggers of graves and wan
priests who say masses for the dead.
END OF INSURRECTION NOT IN
SIGHT.
C1.o- - 49, ,o-tL af4ar -.
came to Cuba, wrote a report for
President Cleveland, in which he said
Spain could not quell the instruction
and the insurgents could not expel the
Spanish force from the island. He
thought, therefore, that there was
nothing to expect but a prolonged
struggle, both hopeless and ba1barous.
Yesterday he said that if he had to
write that report again today, he would
not change 1t by dOttlng an ~ or
crossing a st."
Representative Smith, of Michigan,
who is a member of the house commit
tee of foreign affairs, and who, with
Messrs. Cummings, Thurston and Gal
linger, has been visiting towns in Cuba,
said last night that he was satisfied
from what he had seen that Spain
could never regain sovereignty over the
island, nor could the insurgents win
u1dlUeu. "A 11OIS SuIpllSluS dSoCI
was hat many autonomist officials
whom he met are really in sympathy
with the insurgents, which fact he be
lieves increases the indifference notice
able among Spanish officers n SOL
diers outside of Havana.
Smith and Cummings, while coming
here on the train ~frOm~Sagua, attract
ed the attention of some Spanish sol
dies, who left the car, refusing to ride
- 4, A~o III ~ &c cn IN th q r tho | after
should b. in the cattle car. The gen
eral feeling, Mr.. Smith said, is that the
only hope for the island is interference
by some strong outside power.
CONGOSTO GETS AGITATED.
DR.. Congosto, Spanish secretary gen
eral, arrived at the Hotel ~Inglaterra
last evening in excitement, seeking tine
British consul, Alexander Collin, to
ascertain what that stole knew about
a story of England's expd essed deter
mination to stand by the United States
through thick and thin. DR.. Congosto
had heard from a source which he be-
lieved reliable that the Prince of Wales
had said the United States would be
perfectly justified in interfering to pre-
vent further b~loodshed here, n that
in so doing would have the moral sup
port of England and the aid of her
fleet and army.
It happened that while DR.. Congosto
was telling this story a man from
Washington was describing the recent
visit of AhmbassadQT PauncefOte and
the Japanese minister to the state de-
partment, and the gossip to the effect
That because of what was learned re-
garding the attitude of the United
States in relation to the Eastern ques-
ton England and Japan had agreed to
~ l. - A ~ 49, q 49, 40
ed struggle with Spain. The British
consul was highly amused by DIR. Con
gosto's story, and told it to General
Lee.
DR.. CongOsto said that the English
flags were flying in New York, bands
there were playing English airs, and
theatres producing English plays. Gen.
eral Lee, like the British consul, laugh
ed at the story, not thinking it likely
hat the Prince of Wales had said I'M
thing of the sort, or that much weight
would be attached to it if he had. The
source of the story was not disclosed
by DR.. Congosto, but it is probably
transatlantic.
SIGNS OF REPORT ON MAINE DIS
ASTER.
The real work of pulling the Maine
to pieces began today, when the pow
SAIol oppdA aus vi ltNC oCI 81 SuiC
was applied to Eft the heavier parts of
the wreck and give a chance to get at
the big guns. Already twenty-six shells
have been taken uneXploded from the
6-inch magazine and several more from
the 10-inch magazine. The sides Of
the ship not displaced by the explosion
will be tor off.
This plan leads to the belief that the
court of inquiry has no intention of
returning to Havana. A prominent
member of h court said before leav-
ing, in reply to questions as to the
courts future movements, that the
evidence aken was already very full.
The significance of this is apparent.
l was told after the III sailed that
it might complete and sign its report
on the way to Key West and submit
the report at once to Admiral Sicard
in order that Lieutenant Commander
Mark could catch the steamer Olivette
tomorrow at Key West and AXE it to
Washington.