Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-05-13

the white feather, and the Cape Verde
fleet has returned to Cadiz, we are
left to subjugate" Cuba at our
leisure. Admiral SIMPSONS fleet
will return and be enabled to co.
operate with the land forces in that
laudable undertaking.
The government Of the Philippine,
has been considered 10y the cabinet
and there is a proposition under con
sideratiun for the establishment of Il
provost court at Manila with a compe
tent army or naval officer having jur
isdiction over the whole Philippines.
General Merritt may be chosen.
Anarchy exists at Manila, and
Dewey is, at present, powerless for re
storing order. The Spaniards refuse
to submit and Dewey is unwilling to
lombard the city. His policy is to
starve the enemy into submission, but
the Spanish are confident of intervcn.
ton ii they can hold out long enough.
Gen. Merritt, in accordance with
instructions from the War Depart.
mcnt, has issued orders for the regi.
ments of infantry of Washington and
Oregon volunteers, now being organ
lied at American Lake and Portland,
to proceed, by battalions, as mustered
into the service of the United States,
to the Preside, Cal, and then 60 into
camp.
The move on for Cuba will begin
very soon, that event having been has
tened by the retreat of the Spanish
fleet. Twenty-seven merchant steam
ers have been secured for the service,
capable of landing 10000 troops and
their equippage within a few hours, on
the island. The troops will embark
from Tampa, Mobile, New Orleans and
Galveston.
The Norwegian steamer Bratsberg
was captured Monday attempting to
run the blockade at Havana. She
had been captured a few days previ-
ously while trying the same game with
a cargo of cattle and taken to Key
West, but was released on condition
that the cargo be taken to Central
America. 1t will probably go hard
with her for a second offense.
A special dispatch from Cadiz, re-
ceived in New York Tuesday, says that
Spain is making preparations to send
II relief expedition of 5000 regular SOL
diers and two battalions of marines to
the Philippine Islands. Instructions
have been sent to Gen. August to hold
out long as possible, forty days being
required for the arrival of an expedi-
ton by way of the Suez canal and Red
Sea.
1t seems that our forces were worsted
in scrimmage in Cardenas harbor,
Wednesday. Reports say that the gum
boats Wilmington and Hudson and
the torpedo boat Winslow engaged
Spanish gunboats and land batteries,
much their superior in numbers and
strength, and five of the Winslow's
gallant crew were killed, but neither
of our boats were captured or de.
stroyed, while three of the enemy's
boats were sunk.
A movement by which the Com.
mercial Travellers Association can aid
the government was started in Port
land by Meyer Abraham. 1t is pro-
posed that each man in the associa-
ton contribute $40 toward the pur.
chase of war vessel. AS there are
$50, 600 members OF the association in
the United States it will be possible to
raise $1,000, 600, which will pay for a
first-class cruiser.
Maj. Gen. w. A. Merritt, now in
command of the Department of the
East, at New York, will at once pro.
coed to Manila and assume the posi-.
ton of Military Governor of the
Philippines, with Maj. Gen. E. l..
Otis, now commanding the Depart.
ment of Colorado, second in command.
An army corps of 10000 men will be
sent with them to establish and sus-
tain their authority.
This is the terse order from the
Navy Department which set the dogs
of war loose at Manila, dated Wash.
ington, April "a, and signed "Long"
Dewey, Hongkong, China: War has
commenced between Spain and the
United States. Proceed at once to the
Philippine islands. Commence opera.
lions at once, particularly against the
Spanish fleet. You must capture yes.
sells or destroy them. Use utmost en-.
deavors."
The American feet, under Rear AID.
miral Sampson bombarded San Juan
de Porto Rico, yesterday. The nine
warships which made the assault ar
rived in the harbor just before sunrise
The Iowa fired the first gun, which
took effect. The Indiana then opened
fire and in few moments the fortres,
was reduced to mass of ruins, ant
the population were flying, to the in
terror for safety. The Spanish steam
err Rita was captured by the U. S
cruiser Yale.
Italy is about as much distracted
by internal dissention as Spain