North Carolina Newspapers

r'CvKV cv . vs. Y M : IF f- 1 . s I - ? ' WILMINGTON, N. C, FRIDAY AUGUST 12, 1898. S1.00 PER YEAR. VOL. XXXI. NO. 4. V A PEACE PROTOCOL Including Evacuation of Cuba and Porto Rico is Agreed Upon. TWO IMPORTANT CONFERENCES The First Not Satisfactory At the Second Ambassador Cambon Recedes from His Demands and Agrees to the Protocol Terms of the Agreement An Ai mistice Conceded Only on Terms Names Suggested as Peace Commissioners More Troops to be Sent to Manila Naval Promo tions to be Recommended. Washington, August 9. More than twenty-four hours after it had begun to reach Washington, the Spanish note in answer to the president's peace con ditions was presented at the White house by the French ambassador. What the nature of the answer was con only be conjectured at this stage, the secre tary of state at the conclusion of the conference making the formal state ment that nothing whatever could be said upon the subject. The conference Lasted an hour and twenty-five min utes. This prolonged discussion was believed to indicate that the Spanish answer was not satisfactory in all re spects, though in just what points it fell short in the expectations of the president, it is impossible to say. It was felt by the observers that had the answer been a complete acceptance of our terms the result would have been made public. On the other hand, it would be a .strained inference to conclude that the answer was unsatisfactory entirely, for in that case, according to the pres ident's statement heretofore made, his offer would have been definitely with drawn and the war resumed with greater energy than before. It would seem that there could scarcely be a good reason in this case for withhold ing the result of the conference. On the whole it is rather to be con cluded that a middle result was obtain ed; that Spain was bound to have at tached certain conditions to her ac ceptance of the president's terms, but that the latter was not disposed to re gard the injection of the new matter as sufficient in itself to warrant an im mediate termination of the peace nego tiations. According to this view, the president has taken exception to some of the Spanish conditions, but has al lowed a last opportunity for them to be withdrawn or modified. THE REPLY LENGTHY. The reply of the Spanish government is understood to be a document em bracing about 1,200 words. It bears the signature of the Spanish minister of foreign affairs, and the form of statement throughout is that of her majesty's government, similar to the American terms, being in the name of the president. The copy delivered to the president was in English, the trans lation from Spanish to French having been made at Paris, and that from French to English having been made prior to the presentation of the answer at the White house. This obviated de lays, and gave the president and Sec retary Day an English text at the out set of the conference with the ambas sador. DIVIDED INTO FIVE HEADS. The Spanish reply is said to be divid ed into five points or heads, namely Cu la. Porto Rico, Ladrone Islands, occu pation of Manila and the appointment of a peace commission, which are treat ed in the order zvamed. So far as could be learned no mention is made of the Cuban debt. The retention of arms 5ind ammunition by the Spanish troops comes in for indirect reference under the head of Cuba. UNOFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE REPLY. In the absence of an official state ament it is impossible to give the Span ish position on the several American -conditions. But the following- is from the best information obtainable in -treating each subject. An acceptance in some cases is understood to relate to conditions somewhat different to those laid down by the American gov ernment. As to Cuba, the American terms demanded the evacuation of the island, without specifying the future lorm of government. The Spamh re ply is said lo accept the principle that Fpanish sovtreignty over Cuba will ter minate, but k is understood to take up the future government of the island, and because of the extent of the Span ish interests there, is said to take the view, either express or implied, that the United States should administer the affairs of the island. Am to the time" of evacuating Cuba, this Is a de tail which the Spanish reply Is said to regard as among many which can be left to the commission for final de termination. The American conditions as to Porto Rico, the Ladrones, Manila, etc.. are "believed to be accepted, but the topics are treated at some length, and it will require the full text to ehow how far the language used may be construed jas an acceptance. The provisions as to the commission assented to. The commission is to coexist of five commissioners on each ide, with Paris as the probable meet ing Tf.lace. The Spanish reply is said rto develop somewhat the scope of the commission, leaving to it not only the determination of the future of the Phil ippines, but also the details involved in the arrangement of a lasting peace. The outcome of the conference is un known, but the best opinion obtaina ble is that the matter is still open; that Ambassador Cambon will report o Spain the results of his efforts and the desires of this government and that another reply from Spain ag to some details will be necessary to a final conclusion. ' There were just four parties to the conference -President MeKjnley and Secretary Day on the one side, and M. Cambon, the French ambassador, and his first secretary of legation, M. Thie baut, presenting the case of Spain. The call of the ambassador had been al most momentarily expected from the moment the cabinet adjourned. The president was in readiness for the call throughout the afternoon, but toward 4 o'clock took a brief respite from his work, and gained a short nap. Several members of the cabinet called, but left after remaining but a few mo ments in the White house. Shortly af ter 4 o'clock Secretary Day drove over from the state department and imme diately joined the president, announc ing that he had received word from the French embassy as to an appoint ment and it was agreed the president should see M. Cambon at 5:30 o'clock. When the ambassador and his sec retary entered the White house, it was 5:40 o'clock. The president and Secre tary Day immediately joined them in the library. From then until a scant hour and a half afterward the four were closeted together, going over the answer of the Sagasta government. It was noticeable that neither Assistant Secretary John Moore or Assistant Secretary Adee, both of whom are au thorities on diplomatic phraseology, and one or the other of whom has been called into conference on previous oc casions, were present. When the meet ing ended it was 7:35 o'clock. Shortly after 8 o'clock Secretary Day went to his office in the state de partment, remaining there about an hour. In response to inquiries concern ing the result of the conference with M. Cambon, the secretary said no in formation could be made public to night. Further than that he declined to go. He could not discuss in any way, he said, the answer which had been submitted by Spain. Secretary Day returned to the "White house about 9:30 o'clock. Meantime Secretaries Alger and Bliss, Post master General Smith and Attorney General Griggs had arrived at the ex ecutive mansion. The five members of the cabinet remained in conference with the president until 10:30 o'clock. Assurance was given that the confer ence did not amount to a formal meet ing of the cabinet, although the reply submitted by the Madrid government was discussed. At tho conclusion of the conference Secretary Alger said that nothing could be given out tonight about the reply of the Spanish government, in dicating that it was a subject for fur their discussion than had yet been given Jt. It is stated at the war department that the difficulty regarding- the Wan derer has been adjusted. She arrived at Key West when she should have gone to Tampa. Correspondence be tween Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn and Dr. Wyman, adjustel the entrance of the Wandered at Ta.npa. NO JiORE TROOPS NEEDED IN PORTO RICO. The interesting feature of today's news of the war department was the cable from General Miles stating that he did not need reinforcements and ad vising that no more troops be sent to Porto Rico. The effect of this dispatch was to stop the embarkation of troops at Newport News and to stop General Wade's corps from sailing. The disposition of troops which are not now needed for active service was considered at once by the department officials and the determination was reached that there would be a general movement from the larger camps. Some of these troops will be sent north, where they will be in a cooler climate and stationed at camps which are un der consideration, tout which have not yet been definitely selected. Some regiments will be removed at once and those which cannot be moved probably will Toe orgdered to proceed upon practice marches, the object be ing to scatter the troops as much as possible and 'to relieve the several camps from the effect of concentration. The belief is now -general among the officials of the war department that concentration in large camps and com parative inactivity, together with the failure of troops to ta"ke rigid precau tions &b advised by the medical de partment, has been the cause of much sickness in the various camps. SURGEON GENERAL' STERN BERG'S DEFENSE. The following reply was today issued by Surgeon General Sternberg in de fense of the medical department of tf:he army, to Major General Shafter: When the regular troops were ordeT ed into the field, commanding officeis of regiments were directed to take with' them a complete field outfit and medi cal supplies for three months. I en close herewith a memorandum showing the medical supplies which have been sent to the Fifth army corps at Tampa and at Santiago. The only requisition for medical supplies received from the chief surgeon of the Fifth army corps at Santiago is one dated July 23, 189S, by cable, as follows: "Cantiago de Cuba, July 23, 1S9S. "July 23rd wanted urgently, quinine tablets 1,000 bottles; strichnine tablets, 100 bottles; calomel and soda tablets, 100 bottles; calomel, 200 grammes, ni tric acid in 2-ounce vials, 100; test tubs, 1,000; Fowler's solution. 1.000. "HARVARD. "Major, Surgeon, U. S. A., Acting: Chief Surgeon." The supplies asked for were eent by ! the Olivette in addition to a large ' conflict, a peace commissioner not al quantity of medical supplies of various J ways being welcome as a minister kinds which I had ordered to be put resident, particularly where he has on board that ship and delivered at ' been party to forcing an abnoxlous Santiago. See memorandum atached. I beg leave to remark that recent ad vices indicate that a majority of the cases of fever now occurring among the troops at Santiago are malarial in J aipiomacy is mat oi air. r,usus. ex character and that there has been an ambassador to France, whose staunch ample supply of quinine, which is the Americanism, combined with diplo principal remedy required in this form matic characteristics and legal ability, of fever. I have made every effort to are urged as fitting him especially for anticipate the wants of our sick and appointment as peace commissioner, wounded soldiers in Cuba without The fact that Mr. Eustis is a democrat rr.r. rniestin- hut aj? we. would not militate against his cnances, have had communication by cable, the - fault does not rest with me if, owing to the failure on the part of the Chiei , surgeon with General Shafter's armyk , to ask for necessary supplies, there has been a failure to meet the requir ments of the sick. The hospital ship Relief, which ar- rived at Siboney July 8th, had on board j medicines for twenty regiments for j six months, calculated upon-the basis or tne held supply table, ana large supplies in addition of the more im portant medicines, hospital stores, dressings, etc. If these supplies were inadequate there was ample time to in form me of the fact before the sailing of the Olivette July 26th. I enclose a copy of a letter, just re ceived from Captain Edward L. Mun son, assistant surgeon, United State3 army, which fully accounts for my deficiency of medical supplies at San tiago. Washington, August 10. The prelim inary negotiations looking toward the confirmation of peace advanced a long step today when the secretary of state and the French ambassador agreed upon the terms upon which future ne gotiations for a treaty of peace are to be conducted, and reduced these to the form of a protocol. This protocol, it is true, is yet to be signed and is to be eiihmittffl to tVi finanish fnvwnmpn t before the formal signatures are af- j fixed, but the administration's view as . to the progress made today was set out in Secretary Day's sentence: j "It is expected that this protocol will ; be executed." There is always the possibility in dealing with the Spanish government that it may recede at the last moment from an implied agreement, but it is scarcely probable that it would be will ing to involve the French ambassador in the difficulties that would follow what to the world wrould seem to be a repudiation of his benevolent efforts in behalf of Spain. There must be delay possibly from twenty-four to forty-eight hours be fore the next step can be taken and tne protocol maae Dinaing upon DOtn . the United States and Spain by the . a A, A. a l A A, n C A X. a M Z jim . A. - - f A. m. I auacuiiiexiL oi liic siKnaiures ui me plenipotentiaries Secretary Day for j the United States and M. Cambon for ! Spain. The delay will be largely at tributable to physical causes. The protocol is long; it must be translated and turned back and forth into' code and Simple language HO leSS than five times before it reaches Madrid through j me rrencu icMeigii uniutr. xms wui.( ing each a rear admiral, but with was not begun until late this after- j Commodore Schley ranking immedi noon after it had consumed the best ately below Admiral Sampson. Cap energies of Assistant Secretary Adee, tain Clark, of the Oregon, will be rec of the state department, and M. Thie- ommended for an advance of six num- baut, secretary of the French embas- J sy.in the preparation in formal shape of two copies of the protocol, one English and one in French. in These w-ere prepared very care- fully, the idiomatic variance in the two languages necessitating the great est caution in order that the identi cal character of the two copies should be preserved. The length of the pro tocol imposed a great amount of labor upon the cipher clerks, or whoever is charged with the work of rendering the original into cipher, so that alto- Secretary Alger said today that 2,000 gether it is apparent the consumption j troops, would sail at once. The de of time involved in purely mechanical partment has not sufficient transports functions will be so considerable as to make the rendition of a very early an swer improbable. TERMS OF THE PROTOCOL. As to the character of the protocol it can be stated on authority that the terms are in all practical points those I set out in the abstract of the presi dent's conditions published from the White house a week ago. From this fact it is deducted that the extra con ditions or qualifications sought to be imposed by the Spanish- government were abandoned, at least in large part, by the French ambassador. This deduction is supported by the circumstances that in the early morn ing, and before the conference between Secretary Day and M. Cambon, which resulted in the agreement, mere was a prevalent impression, based upon the utterances of public men who talked with the president, that the Spanish answer was unsatisfactory and that the negotiations looked as if they might terminate suddenly. As this situation changed so sud denly after the conference, it may be fairlv assumed that the ambassador abandoned the conditions which the president was reputed to have regarded as unsatisfactory. It is believed that the protocol carries within Itself pro vision for the cessation of hostilities. TO ADOPT THE NAPOLEONIC POL ICY. On this point the naval contingent is urgent that our government, adopt the Napoleonic policy of refusing to enter into an armistice without acquir ing some substantial pledge to secure the consummation of peace. What they particularly desire is that our government shall demand as a condi tion of a cessation of hostilities, the surrender to the United States military forces of Morro castle at the entrance of Havana harbor and some such points of vantage at the other important ports In the territory soon to fall un der our control. THE SELECTION OF COMMISSION ERS. The peace negotiations are now be lieved to be advanced to a point where t he president has felt warranted in tu.ming his attention to the selection .f f-l!?6!0 the United Stateh with the drafting of a tr eaty of peace. So far as can be gathered, but one name has been posi tively determined upon, namely, that of Secretary Day, who will head the commission. Beyond that point there is no certainty, although some promi neent names have ben brought for ward. Mr. .Woodford, Mir last minister to Spain. has been bo mentioned, though he is credited with entertaining o ..-tr-0 tr. upturn tn MaArM in the capacity of United States minister af- ter the war. The .two ambitions might peace upon the country to which he is to be accredited. One of the names that finds univer- sal approval among persons versed in as it is presumed that the president would rather prefer to make the com- J "1"It ,The naval officers have made up their minds that peace is at hand and are planning for a reduction of the na val establishment to a peace basis. The first step to be taken will be the retirement of the monitors from active sce. They are uncomfortable craft to live in and afford the men little op- portunity for general training. SPAIN RECEDES FROM HER DE MANDS. The answer of Spain to the terms of peace not being entirely satisfactory to this government, there was some apprehension early in the day that ne gotiations might be broken off or fur ther delayed. A conference between the French "ambassador and Secretary Day at the state department during the morning, however, seemed to re lieve the situation, as. this was fol lowed promtly by a call of the secre tary on the president with whom he remained some time. After this talk with the president the secretary said: "We have agreed upon a protocol embodying proposed terms for the ne gotiations of a treaty of peace, in cluding the evacuation of Cuba and Porto Rico and it is expected that this protocol will be executed." This was the first admission that the two governments at least had Dracti- cally come together on the basis of peace. It was intimated that what re- mained to be accomplished was purely formal in character and no doubt was entertained that the signatures requir ed would be attached in due time. NAVAL PROMOTIONS. Another matter which has received attention is the promotions to be ac- j corded to officers who have disinguish- i ed themselves during the hostilities. A i step was made in this direction today i by the submission to the president of ' recommendations by the secretary of the navy for the advancement of all of the officers of Sampson's fleet who distinguished themselves. It was an- nannrorl Rfme time a?n that a. board w0Uld be appointed to decide on all j I promotions to be recommended, but for some reason this plan seems to have nni en far snm nf ihe- chief officers were concerned. The nresident has determined to recommend to congress that .etiTur"! Rear Admiral Sampson be advanced j P?ffht numbers nnrl Cnmrnnrtnro SohlPV six numbers. This will result in mak- j bers in the captain's grade and Lieu- i tenant Commander Wainwright will ! go up eight numbers. Other promo- J tions throughout the fleet will be rec- J ommenaea. MERRITT'S FORCES TO BE IN CREASED. General Merritt's force in the Phil- i ippines is to be increased by the 7,000 troops now at San Francisco, which f will be sent as soon as transports can be obtained at hand to convey the remaining 5,000 at present, but the secretary says with those already arrived and on the sea, togther with the 2,000 which are to leave San Francisco at once, General Merritt will have a force of 18,000, and there will be no hurry for the embark- ation of the remaining troops. The de partment has had an offer of two ships to transport the troops, but con sidered the price asked excessive, and it is probable the return of the trans ports that first went to Manila will be awaited. The secretary today cabled General Merritt asking him when it was expected the transports would re turn to San Francisco, and if they are likely to reach that point within three weeks. Their return will be awaited, u win tflk1 lMS that iPnfirth of time to get new transports in readiness to carry the troops. EXTRA SESSION OF SENATE IN NOVEMBER. It has developed that just before the Spanish answer was delivered late yesterday President McKinley an nounced that an extra session of the senate would be held doubtless In No ! vember to consider any treaty of peace which might be agreed upon, TROOPS ORDERED TO DIFFER ENT CAMPS. The secretary of war has ordered one division of the First army corps from Chattanooga to Knoxville, Tenn., and another division of the same corps from Chickamauga to Lexington, Ky. A division of the Fourth corps now at Tampa has been ordered to Huntsville, Ala. The Second division (General Davis') of the Second army corps now at Manassas, Va., has been ordered to Middletown, Pennsylvania, The ad visability of marching the troops from Chickamauga to Knoxville and Lex ington is under consideration. The First Ohio and the Fifth United States cavalry ae ordered from Tampa to Montauk Point. The Fourth Ken tucky, Colonel Colson commanding, has been ordered from Lexington to Jacksonville and attached to the Sev enth corps. The movement of these troops is in accordance with the plans of the war department to break up the large camps and spread the troops about the country. THE THIRD VIRGNIA REGIMENT ROW. The officers and men of the Third Virginia are indignant because of what they say are false reports in re gard to a disturbance at Camp Alger Monday evening. They say that the trouble started in a report that a hos pital steward had been murdered by a colored man. The crowd which j crossed the sentry lines, they say. was ! composed of aeout thirty Virginia ?n. fifteen or twenty from the First Connecticut and tea-to fifteen soldiers from other regiments. This crowd, they say. was soon brought into camp by an officer of the Third Virginia. Afterwards a much larger number of soldiers gathered to learn the cause of the excitement, but there was no serious disturbance. General Butler, it is said, arrived on the scene near the close of the incident and. owing to highly colored stories that had reached him, took a serious view of the occurrence. A statement signed by twenty-eight officers of the Third Vir ginia say that great injustice has been done one of the best disciplined regi ments in the service by a statement that the Virginians would not obey their officers and were forced to re turn by other regiments under arms. R. E. Duff, the hospital steward said to have been killed by the negro, has not been seen since, but is not believed to have suffered fatal injuries. Two deaths have been reported since yesterday. They were Privates C. P. Van Buskirk, Company A. Thirteenth Pennsylvania, and Private C. J. Kurtz, Company C, Third New York. Despite fords waist deep and mud dy roads, the Second division yester day reached Thoroughfare Gap. Va., covering two days marches in one day. The troops were drenched and had to camp on ground made soft by rain. Under the circumstances the march was highly successful. The quartermaster's department performed its work well. Twenty-one typhoid fe ver patients will be taken to Fori. Mon roe hospital. AVITIIIN THE WALLS F flAMLt A Mjilit of Terror iDMirgeiifN Throw iiir Shell Iuto the ll) - lllou Frlslitcurd at Idea of a 4uTal A aault. (Copyright by Associated Press.) Manila, August 3. via Hong Kong, August 9. The rumor is current here that the insurgents, fearful that peace will be concluded between Washington and Madrid, and that the Americans will withdraw from the Philippines, are consequently the more strenuous i their desires and efforts to capture Manila. Sunday night there was ci heavy bombardment, with heavy mod ern shells. It is generally believed in the city that the Americans assisted, and the papers publish lists of Ameri cans alleged to have been killed, includ ing some names of rank. There i v'so a report tat half the Americans have succumbed to rever and this mistatement with others like it, encourages the Spaniards to main tain their suicidal resistance. On Sunday many shots entered the town. Several reached the citadel it self and it is reported that some ladies were killed. There was a. frightful pan Ic"Inside "the " walls, women .and chil dren shrieking and praying in their terror the whole night through. One shot caused twenty casualties at the Luneta battery, another exploded at the Malate barracks, killing five. The troops turned out just in time to save Malate fort and the magazine. The insurgents showered large and small shots with such precision that the garrison believed the whole army and fleet were concentrating their fire on the city. Many Spaniards had previously re solved to cease fighting the moment the Americans began, but the insur gents have subsided and the fort has been reinforced from the barracks. There has been little fighting in other directions. The total Spanish losses are probably 100, but many houses have been seriously damaged. On Monday evening there was a fu rious fusillade in every direction. Tel ephonic inquiries were sent out from headquarters to various outposts. No answer was received from El Paso, and accordingly a squad of horsemen hastened thither. In the darkness and storm the sentries fired and wounded two. A few such nights would drive the Spaniards inside the citadel and then there would be the ghastly pros pect of prolonged devastation and slaughter, with the inevitable destruc tion of the town and Its inhabitants unless the Americans hastened to close in. On Sunday 1,500 houses at Tondo were burned and the flames, driven by a strong gale, threatened the whole of Manila, but they were finally extin guished, mainly through the jforts of the fire brigade organized by the Brit ish merchants at Manila. The British consul here died of dys entary yesterday but his remains can not be buried in the protestant ceme tery on account of the insurgents. Wreck of the Steamer Jele Seattle, Wash., August 10. Details state that there were eighteen per sons on the river steamer Jessie, of the Columbian exploration Company, which foundered in the Kuskowim riv er, Alaska, during a severe storm July 28th. It is thought all were lost. The steamer Jessie at the time of the dis aster had in tow the barge Minerva loaded with supplies. Captain Murphy, of Bowling Green, Ky., who commanded the Jessie, got his license after coming here and Jt is said, never navigated a steamer be fore. The Third Virginian Demand Full Investigation. Richmond, Va., August 10. United States Senator Martin and Congress-r-an Lamb arrived at Camp Alger to day and other members of the Virginia de!egation are expected there tonf? row. Specials received here tonight say it is the determination of the offi cers and men of the Third Virginia regiment to force the fullest investi gation of the affair of Sunday night. Indor and Out "My health was very poor and I suffered from dizzy stalls, rheumatism and weak nerves. I did not care to live in such a condition. Hood's Sar saparilla has changed all this. It has completely cured me and I am now able to work hard indoors and out." Mrs. John A. Lively, Dallas, We Virginia. Hood's Pills are the favorite f cathartic. Easy to take, easy rate. 25c. mwi. ActMl tt aW it tkirtf fertfctr ta m itW Absolutely Pure wmm rr-tw rv. r Till: MTt' ATION AT MANILA 4 An ltrported to llir Luutlou Time b It "orreioutleut-llt Arrouut of llio SpauUli Attack ou Our Ltnr. London, August 10. The correpiond ent of The Times at Cavite, with Gen eral Greene's brigade, unuVr daw- of August 3rd, says: "A heavy monsoon has been blowing since Sunday, and deluges of rain have greatly increased tho difficulty of lar Jing and moving the United States troops and multiplied the disn-omforts in camp which were already mnt un endurable. "As I anticipated, General Grevn's brigade is the focus of the active land campaign. Already the troops are in constant and dope touch with the en emy. On Friday morning a battalion consisting of tho First Colorado under Lieutenant Colonel McCoy, with four guns of the Utah battery, commanded by Captain Young, grandson of tho Mormon prophet, occupied the line Uf ty yards in advance of the insurgents between the beach and Call a Heal, and 1,300 yards from a formidable earth work situated at the southern end of Malate. the foreign residential quar ter of Manila. After sixteen hours of continuous labor, the work of en trenchment was completed, the enemy not tiring a shot until tho Americans indulged in sharp shooting . "Saturday was comparatively quiet, and so was Sunday until nightfall, when the Tenth Pennsylvania, Colonel Hawkins commanding, occupied the trenches after some desultory picket firing. At 11:30 o'clock p. m. the ene my, estimated at L'.f.oO strong, opened fire vigorously, under cover of tho dense undergrowth. Their movements were further hidden by the floods of rain. The Pennsylvanians met the at tack with a succession of volleys, cov ering their right with two companies stationed in the swamp beyond the en trenchments. "After about three quarters of an hour, two companies of the Third reg ular artillery, under Major O'Hara, ar rived at double-quick to relieve the Pennsylvanians, whose ammunition was almost exhausted. They soon, silenced the enemy's fire. The first California, under Colonel Smith, and the First Colorado, under Colonel Hale, acted as supports. "The affair lasted two hours. But notwithstanding the tremendous fusil lade and the heavy shell fire only ten Americans were killed and forty-sir wounded, thouKh there were some cas ualties among the supports, while dur ing the advance of the relieving bat talions, the only officers wounded were Captain Richter, of the- First Califor nia, wounded seriously In the head, and Captain Hobbs, of the Third ar tillery, wounded slightly in the leg. "Although the engagement scarcely attained the Importance of a battle. It thoroughly tested the quality of tho United States troops and had an ex cellent effect, stimulating their zeal and enthusiasm, and inspiring them with confidence. "The Spaniards, whose losses in tho engagement are not known, are adopt ing tactics intended to Irritate tho Americans. Every nlaht they main tain an annoying lire. They have now, got the true range of the earthworks and their shell and shrapnel fire is very accurate. "On Monday night the American, losses were one killed and five wound ed, and on Tuesday night one killed and six wounded. This percentage Is heavy, considering that the men wero well entrenched and that there nan been hardly any fighting in the op-n.' Iteportjofihe Condition of the .Medl ral Department at ftantlrffo. . - fi Washington, August 8. Surgeon General Sternberg, of the army, ha received a report from Assistant Sur geon Edward L. Munon, concerning? the conditions at Santiago pertaining to the medical department about which so much complaint has been made. This report asserts that medical and hospital supplies were loaded on transports at Tampa in quantities suf ficient to meet the demands of the San tiago expedition; that the landinjc onv Cuban soil was made as rapidly as possible, but on account of lack of adequate transportation facilities only in limited quantities, and that after the troops left the ships, the latter only partially unloaded, proceeded to sea where they hove-to indefinitely. Reference is made to subsequent at tempts to get hospital supplies ashor rendered abortive for a time at J-asL by the inability t oobtain transporta tion. Tne Railway .flail ftervlee ILrneOt A ftoelatlon The United States Railway Mail Service Mutual Benefit Association will hold its annual meeting in At "mta, Ga., September 6th. Messrs. Jno. Albright and H. I). Burkhimer, of Mty. who are in the railway mail between Wilmington and Nor been appointed delegates to North Carolina section "''vision. v i ) 4 5 1 ! J i .j i ' 1 f I jr.- h