The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-15

of Havana Our is moved
to make this proposal to remov the
Spanish forces TO Spain through a
strong desire to close up the operations
at Santiago at the earliest possible mo-
nent.
YELLOW FEVER IN THE ARMY.
This desire has been materially
strengthened by the appearance OF yell
low fever within the American lines.
II was at first supposed that he men
were falling i'll with malaria climatic
fever, SO the cases were reported as
simply suspicious. Now. however,
comes the final admission that they are
genuine yellow fever cases. Their ap-
p~earance has determined the authori-
ties upon a more active prosecution Of
the campaign. Es1
NO MORE PARLEYING.
Orders either have or soon will go
Onward to General Shafuer to discuss
no more with the Spanish commander
the terms of surrender, but TO proceed
to assault that town with all the force
at his as soon as the present
truce expires. 1t is expected by Shat
ter that the navy will cooperate and,
while Secretary Long has received no
direct advices on that point from Ad-
miral Sampson, he fully credits the
expectation. Reluctant as the war
department is to sacrifice the many
lives that might be lost in an assault.
it is considered better policy to make
it than allow the men TO rot away
with fevers and other diseases during
the long period that would be required
to perfect the reduction of the city
by steady investment. An expectation
is still entertained here, however, tha
this assault will be unnecessary
through TOral surrendering before il
begins 1t was perhaps the spread of
this belief caused by a knowledge Of
the more energetic steps in prospect
that tended to remove largely the feel
ing of depression manifested at the
opening OF the day upon the circula-
ton of rumOrs Of the appearance of
fellow fever in the American camp.
IMMUNES ORDERED TO THE
FRONT.
Regarding the future of Santiago
nothing has been officially stated. but
it is significant that orders We're issued
from the department this afternoon to
prepare the First and Second regiment
of vpunteer immuneS for immediate
departure for the front. This would
seem to be Indicative of a purpose on
the part of the government to garri-
son Santiago with the fever proof men,
after its capitulation, thus permitting
NIAS Al Oil III NAC iNo nc (lOoDo ~
more healthy points.
MORE GOOD NEWS FROM DEWEY.
Turning to the far east, it was re-
freshing to receive today good news
again from Dewey. In fact. it is be-
ginning to be remarked thai tina Off
Ger is usually able to make felicitOus
reports. The administration is very
much pleased with the readiness
shown by the admiral in meeting the
~r1Ir. ----1 - - III
bay, and just reported, as he did. Ma
val officers, too, were not a little graf
flied at the retirement of the German
| cruiser Irene after the appearance of
the Raleigh and the Concord. A COM
parisOn Of the ships shows hat the
Irene was much the superior to either
of the two American vessels and in
tonnage was almost as large as the
Raleigh and the Concord together.
From this it is inferred that the re-
tirenent of the Irene was from a mo-
tive of general policy, rather than
from any indispOsitiOn to try conclu-
sion with the two American ships. The
Irene is a protected cruiser, quilt of
steel, with three screws, two tunnels
and two military masts; 400 tons.
Her protected deck is of steel three
inches thick. Her consists
of fourteen 6-inch guns, eight 1-pOund-
ers, four torpedo tubes and one torpe-
| 90 V1OeIte BOAT. Inc HalelSn IS OF
| 3,1S3 tors and the Concord Of LOO tons.
The Raleigh has a protected deck of
IA inch and the Concord
protected steel deck of IA inches. To-
gether the two American boats have
about forty guns, four Gattling guns
and eight torpedo tubes. In armOr the
| German ship is much stronger thar
the Americans, but in guns the Amer
leans had the advantage in number
! and general effectiveness.
NO MENACE FROM GERMANY.
In official quarters here there ap-
pears to be no disposition to look upon
| the action of the Irene as a menace
which will require explanation. It was
thought at first that this first out
ward show of force on the part Of the
German ship might lead to an inquiry
by this government as to the purpose
! of Germany. Thus far, however, there
is no disposition to make such inquiry
or to attach serious Importance to the
| incident.
BLOCKADE RUNNER WRECKED.
Captain Sawyer, signal officer at
Key West, has reported to the war de-
partment that the ship San Domingo
vas wrecked off the Isle of Pines, Gu
ba, while trying to run the blockade.
Her nationality is unknown, Captain
Sawyer reports, but he believes she
was one of the vessels secured by Cen
eral Blanco to run the blockade and
furnish food supplies to his army