Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-08-19

Spain has neither vessels nor money
tn mike any transfers. The President
has declined to supply either the boats
mr. thd cash and while he desires Spain
TO acdpromptly, he will give only rea-
sonable time for evacuation.
Col Theodore Roosevelt of the
Rough Riders, has succeeded in hurry
ing the movements OF the War De-
partmdnt in fetching Skaters army
away ftom Santiago, though in his dis
regard lof the conventionalities he has
drawn hpon his head rather sharp
rebuke from the Secretary of War,
who evidently regards the course pur-
sued bv Col. Roosevelt as being calcu-
lated I'd injure discipline, though in
spired BY the most worthy motives.
Secretary Long is now devoting a
/ good .partlof his attention to reducing
the expenses of the Navy Department,
which were so vastly increased by the
war. One Of the first steps adopted by
the Navy Department Is the reduction
of the fleet of auxiliary vessels. Such
of these as are unnecessary, but are
owned blythe government, Will be re-
tired from commission, while In other
cases, like the American liners, the
Navy Department will surrender the
vessels to the owners and cancel the
charters.
| The New York World prints the fol-
lowing: President Mckinley will soon
be asked to include among the provis-
ions upon which peace will be estab-
lished, one that will contain the free
ing of all Cubans imprisoned by that
country for offenses which may be
classed as political. In all the Spanish
penal colonies, Ceuta and the like,
there are about 500 Cubans who have
been captured during the last three
years. The horrors of these prisoners
have been described lately, and 1t has
been said that the punishment melted
out to these men Is altogether out Of
keeping with their crimes.
The war department has ordered the
regular fleet of transports to proceed
to Santiago to join with the transports
already there, in bringing Gen. Shat
ter's army to this country. There are
ten large transports with the fleet at
Ponce, some of them, like the Mobile,
| having a capacity of one thousand
men. All the rest have capacity of
! 654 men, This, with the ships al
lready at Santiago will give carrying
strength of over 10000 men at trip.
In addition to the transports announc-
ed by the war department. yesterday as
being ready at Santiago, it now ap-
pears that the OriZaba, capacity $50
| 10 ole ioh hn WOLF
also be brought in the service. At
present she is to be utilized in taking
Gen. Grants brigade to Porto Rico, af-
ter which she will return by way of
Santigo and take on load of Skaters
men.
| Impending peace negotiations have
caused a cessation of the efforts on the
part of the War Department to rush
supplies to the front. Upon the fall of
Santiago and the debarkation of an
/ invading force to Porto Rico arrange
ments were made by Colonel Smith, in
charge of the commissary stores of the
| Department of the Lakes, for the pur-
1 chase of vast quantities of ra-
tons, large amount Of which
| were forwarded to the seaboard
The increasing prospect for an early
peace, however, renders unnecessary
the amount of subsistence planned for,
and the stores are being held. At the
division headquarters here the big
six-story building is filled from garnet
to cellar with thousands of cases of
soldiers diet, ready for immediate
shipment in case sudden turn in af-
fairs should result in more extended
military operations.
The report that the Isle of Pines is
furnishing food supplies to Cuba is en-
phatically denied. 1t can be asserted
on unquestionable authority that the
island itself was denuded of its food
1 resources a month ago. Neuva Gero-
ma, it's capital, noted for it's salubrious
! climate, especially as consumptiye
cure, is now used by the Spaniards as
military hospital camp, and only
wounded soldiers are there. The rich
and poor have been fiocking thither,
and as a natural consequence yellew
fever and smallpox have followed and
NOW rage to an alarming extent. The
poor cannot procure medicines and the
government has no supplies ofmedicine
or food. The unfortunates die in the
streets, the authorities being virtually
compelled to bury them. The
residents declare that they have not
seen a steamer pass since the war be-
gan, and only few sloops and schoon-
ers. This statement has been verified
by information which came by the gum
boat Bancroft, and which the convert
ed yacht Eagle secured at an insurgent
camp visited by their commander
near by. The blockade of the ports
west Of the Island of Pines is now SO
well maintained that not even smack
could get through.
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