The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-19

COuII vi bHC ChAkNN oN"NNS
prize money case of the French steamer
Olinde Rodriguez, the first of the naval
prize money cases growing out OF the
Spanish war to reach the court Inc
decision was announced by Chlet JUS
tice Fuller and directed That the YES
sci, which was captured off San JUAN,
Porto Rico, on the 18th of July last
and has been held since by this gov
shall be returned to its own
ers, on the ground that it was not
proven that the steamers Officers IN
tended to enter the blockaded port. The
court held incidentally that the block
ade of San Juan was effective.
FOR BETTER PROTECTION OF
WASHINGTON CITY.
Extensive improvements are to be
made to the military post at Sheri-
dams Point, Va. The batteries at that
point, together with those at Fort
Washington, on the opposite side of the
Potomac river, form the main de-
fences of the national capital from at
tack by water. The secretary Of wal
has approved a recommendation Of the
Nudll Z ool SAiCA I'LL " cA
of $40, 900 for the construction Of suita-
BILE buildings at Sheridan's Point, and
it is expected that the work will begin
Immediately.
TO BE A REGULAR ARMY TRANS
PORT.
The steamer Crook is being converted
into a regular transport for the trans
portation of troops between this coun-
~-l 49, I"A~A ~1i II Sc vnnnfn
that the work upon her will be COM
pleted in time to permit her to leave
New York IN the oath instant. She is
under orders to proceed to Savannah,
Ga, to embark the Second United
States infantry for transportation to
Havana, and she will bring back from
that port discharged soldiers and a
numbe of horses which are no longer
needed there.
ADMIRAL KAUTZ'S REPORT.
Secretary Long today made public so
much of a recent report from Admiral
KautZ upon Samoan affairs as touches
the killing of a number of American
sailors by the Mataafa adherents near
Apia on April 1st.
The report is an elaboration of the
description of the affair which was
cabled at the time by the Associated
Press from Auckland. No mention is
made at any point of the reported par
ticipation in the ARRAY of the German,
Hufnagel, the manager of the planta-
tion where the fight occurred. 1t is
shown that the failure of the Colt gun
to work properly was in a large meas
ure the cause of the American and
British defeat.
Admiral Kautz says the expedition
was projected by Captain Sturdee, of
the POrpoise. =
For several nights preceding, the
s~entries had been fired upon by the ma
tives and it became necessary to drive
the aggressors away. Admiral Kautz
says that it was the opinion of all the
officers who had the matter in charge
that the force was ample to do the
work without risk, especially as it was
to move out along the beach and return
the same way, under the protection of
the guns Of her majesty's ship Royal
isl. 1t is safe to say, ays the admiral,
hat after LieutenantS Freeman and
LanSdale had conferred together, they
did what they deemed best under the
circumstances and the disaster that
followed could not be foreSeen.
Admiral Kautz appends the reports
of the surviving officers of the expe-
ditiOn, which were transmitted by Cap
tain White, of the Philadelphia. In this
letter of transmissa the captain COM
mends in the strongest terms the work
of Passed Assistant Surgean G.. A.
Lung. He says:
AT times when the fire from the con-
cealed natives was thickest and at all
times, by his example he encouraged
the young and inexperienced men to
the proper performance of duty. On
the completion of the work of his pro-
f~ession, he assumed command of our
bluejackets and marched them to the
United States consulate"
THE AMBUSCADE OF APRIL 1ST.
Captain White describes in some
length the happenings of April 1st, as
gathered from close examination of the
petty officers and men engaged in the
fight. He say that several excursions
had been made into the beach back of
Apia during the last ten days of March.
Very few natives had been observed
and when seen they always fled when
fired upon by the Colt automatic gun.
Lieutenant Lansdale set great store by
the gun and frequently operated it
himself Says Captain White:
He appears to nave depended great
ly upon the gun when the party was
ambushed on April LIST. Twice 1T did
not work and time was lost in over
hauling it and great delay was con-
sumed in trying to get it through the
wire fence. Lieutenant Lansdale was
loath to abandon it, but the fire was
so calling that before he was wounded
he was compelled to scatter the i'm
portant parts and leave it behind. Pru-
dence led him to deploy his men in
open order. The thicket was so dense
that after the order for retreat was
sounded it was not possible for the
groups to render each other mutual
p
Lieutenant Lansdale was wounded
below the knee soon after the Colt was
abandoned, n rendered incapable of
marching. He was assisted by his men,
one of them, N. E. Edsali. ordinary
seaman was MORALLY wounded while
doing so. 1t is not clear when Mr..
Lansdale received the wound in his
chest. 1t is in evidence most clear that
when Ensign Monaghan discovered
that Lieutenant Lansdale was wound
ed he used his best e~ndeayors To CON
vey him to h rear, and Selling a rife
from a disabled man made a brave de-
fonno h.A4 ..ndaI1hfodlr