The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-11
WAR PREPARATIONS
Continued from First Page.)

merchants in whose employ thew are
Others doubt this, but the ranking COL
onel of the volunteers assures Genera
that the consulate and the Ameri-
cans would in no event be the object
of a ~tiCn should any occur.
General Lee is no more anxious to
remain in a ~vexatious position than
any other consul in Cuba, but he has
no Of r~esigning nor N be-
lief that he will be recalled. He is COOL,
gOod-humOred and somewhat impa-
tient of the sensational and untruth-
ful reports emanating from Havan
or Key West. The volunteers are ap-
parently more quiet since they were Gj-
Sured by the government here anC ny
Madrid officials that there is no inten-
ton to disarm or disband the corps
The Havana battalions have been SUP
ported in their protest by comrades of
the same corps Throughout Cuba.
DEFINITE OFFERS FOR WAR
SHIPS.
London, March 9.-The indications
are that the United States government
will not wait for the arrival here of
Commander VIII. BroWnson, in order to
purchase Warships. Definite offers
have already been made for ships build
ing here with the view of fOrestalling
Spain, which is supposed to be bar
gaining Tor the same vessels.
New York, March 9.-Commander w.
H. B~r0wnsOn, U. S. ~, sailed for
Southampton on the American Line
steamer st. Paul today. He said to
a reporter: Il am going to England
under direct orders from the navy de-
partment, not from the president. My
mission is to prepare for the exigen-
cieS Of the situation and to see what
can be had and what can be done in
case Of war, the possibilities of which
/ think are very remote"
Charles H. Cramp, the shipbuilder,
also sailed on the st. Paul. Further
than to say that he was going abroad
on a business trip Mr.. Cramp refused
to talk.
WAR MUNITIONS FOR CUBA.
Madrid, March 9.-It became known
today that the Spanish transport
steamer Alfonso XII sailed for Cuba
from Barcelona on Saturday last,
having on board four officers, 900 SOL
diers and 4,OOO,O 900 Mauser cartridges.
1t is semi-Officially announced here
that the rumOrs in circulation of a re-
crudescence Of the rebellion in the
Philippine stands are without fOun-
LdatiOn.
BIG GUNS FOR THE GULF COAST.
Atlanta, Ga, March 9.-Five carloads
u lIjlCIIo IO1 N"lN OCNoIl Cbllu
three big 1O-inch guns bound for Pen
Sacola passed through Atlanta tonight.
In the Galveston contingent were four
steel mOrtars weighing III 900 pounds
and two carloads of gun powder. The
big gums for Pensacola weighed 81, 900
pounds each. All of the Way-bills for
these Instruments of war are marked
rush"
Boston, March "a consignment of
IN ,, r11,,,itiOn 1DpSistincr of r won't v-fO11r
tons of Shot and shell, came i'm over a
railroad today and is being transferred
by Fighter to Fort Warren and the for
~tificatiOn at Long Island head. This
week eight STONY guns are to Hbe talk
en from Fort Winthrop and shipped by
rail to some southern port.
Reading, Pa, March 9.-The Carpen-
ter steel works has been asked to bid
on over II 900 shells of various sizes for
the ~Overmmen The contract would
amount to nearly 81, $50, 900. The en-
tire plant is now working night and
day on a given contract involving the
expenditure of 81 900, 900.
Springfield, I'll, March 9.-Major Gen
eral Lee j. Kadeski, communicating
chief of the uniform, CATHOLIC knights
of America, stated to an Associated
Press that of the $4,000 members of the
organization, all we'll drilled men, TO-
900 could be put in the field Within
rtWenty-fOur hours i'm case of war.
LATEST EVENTS AT KEY WEST.
Key West, Fla, March 9.-The Brit
fish cruiser COrdeIia, of the North At
lantic squadron, arrived here this at
ternoOn from Belize, British Honduras.
No special significance attaches to her
coming. The COrdelia is about equal
in fighting capacity as the Raleigh.
The Mallory liner Nueces arrived to-
day with 5000 packages of provisions
for the starving Cubans and $40 cases
of ammunition. The ammunition was
transferred to the Marbleihead and will
be taken to the TOrtugas for distribu-
ton among the Warships there.
The dispatch boat Fern is hourly eX-
peCted from Havana. On her arrival
the provisions will be put ON board
and she will then proceed to Matanzas.
This afternoon the Nashville towed a
coal barge out to the New York. The
Detroit remains in the harbOr. TO1nOr-
row the torpedo boat Porter VIII leave
for the TOrtugaS with mail for the
fleet. She will probably return on Sun
day.
Two more bodies have been recovered
from the wreck according to adviceS
from Havana Amy that may be found
hereafter will be brought to Key West
on the lighthouse tender Mangrove in
stead OF the Bache.
tBrigadier Genera Wilson, chief or
the United States army engineer cOrps
returned to Tampa tonight after in
speeding the local for~tifications
Among the recent runlOrS was one
that Read Admiral Sicard had been re-
Viewed OF the command. This, how
ever, it denied, although Admiral
Sicard declines to discuss the proba-
bilfties of his resignation or the condi-
r -. l--1L w. Lf
fcers say it is only a question OF a
short time when he Will be relieved OF
the severe responsibility now resting
upon him.
NAVAL OFFICERS TO LEAVE HA-
VANA.
The mails are held here for the Gin
rinnati and Brooklyn and they are eX-
pected to join the fleet, A letter has
been received by a naval officer from
an officer in Havana, saying That tine
In fhof PiTV VIII