WILMINGTON, - N. C., SUNDAY, MAY $fc 1898. VOL. XI. NO. 126. PRICE 5 GENTS, ) I, V - -- v i r s I INTENSE Among Naval Officers at Key; West Over the Outlook on the: Seas. FLEETS PREPARED EOR BATTLE. ScrTycs Sqnadron Anchored Off the II arbor Remarkable Run of Cap ita Sigsbee in the St. Paul from Hampton Roads to Key West' Speculations as to the Anticipated Naval Battle and Where it Will Occur The Naval Battle of the War Ex pected to be Fought Within; Forty-Eight Hours from Last Friday. ' - Jacksonville, Fla., May 21. Key West, May- 19 via Jacksonville(Ielayed in ranshiission.). Tonight see the close of the most intensely anxious and most vexr . . atious day Key West has kriown since the, war 'beg'an. Everything-indicates the proximity of a big naval 'battle, 'but with an unseen oe, who may Appea r a t any one of several points, ; and possibly strike a blow and get away (before force can be massed to crush him.: At this h'our the. whereabouts df Schley' and Samp eon's squadrons are fixed qualities, in rhe equation, the " Spaniards are represented toy X. . ' (Daybreak (found Commander. Schley's squadron that -sailed from Hampton Roads on Friday, ' anchored off Sand Key light, six miles below Key West. They ..have joined Captain Captain Sigsbee' s bag greyhound, the, St. .Paul, which, leaving Hampton Roads a day later than tiry-, had beat them here almost a day and a hair, ine appearance of the flying squadron was supplemented about 8:30 -o'clock by two of the dispatch 'boats that had 'been with Admiral Sampson's fleet, tracing In neck and neck, the Associated Press (boat) . 3auntless in the lead. The necessity of cutting the cable at Santiago de Cuba has already beeni evidenced in 'Key West by several Madrid cablegrams -via London, sent after the foloody fight at -Cienfuegos last week, when the Marble-head"s- iboat crew cut the cable at that - Point. . .. M ... . , Admiral Sampson's fleet arrived here at CXast maAe, In these dispatches Sunday as ." -to the! whereabouts and intentions of these two fleets. Both 'had been slower ,"in arriving than well posted .naval offi-.-esrs had supposed -at fhat time. All 'this . was Interesting enough, but. -not a word -of It was allowed' .past the censor, and a score of correspondents- who had besieg .ed the cable' otffice. all he morning wilted down jrtto the hotel veranda chairs, out or tne Droning sun, helpless to get a word of the real news of the situation totheirj -; papers. , iNiaVal oif fleers for the most part . were as ignorant as the correspondents las to how matters stood In the wori4 out--side of Key West, and whether or not the matters being censored "had not already ... fleaked' ut ithrooigrh the less constricted channels at Washington : . v. SPIXSUL.ATION AS TO THE NAVAL . CAMPAIGN. . Naval men, however, had' less time, for 1 - sspecuEation, for the fleet! was busily 'engaged Avt preparing 'for some move, the details Kit w'hiCh ijsverei known only to fommodore Watsc and' those nearest "him. -Every of flcel- ashore was on the -alert for orders tol jhiurry aboard his ship?-'Such-last nig"ht w&s the fate of the ; men ttrom the liancroft, the Castine, the . 'Jlelena, and the Wilmington. "Hurry or ders;' reached them at 6:30. Bancroft's quartermaster was ashore, looking after .stores When word was sent to him to can--cel .-a provision contract and come aboard. The small fleet was already under way; when he reached her and the Bancroft's, sgig was snatched up to her davits, while he ,was steaming out .of the- harbor. Where the small fleet went Is still a mys tery, all beingitoo slow -to act' as scouts In the hunt 'for the Spanish fleet, and not -strong enough to do more than help at Havana; where there are already more ''boats than are actually needed. The most plausible theory advanced to account: for the quick departure was that they were to' Itform a -second Wne of scouts-to the south- west .waiere the Cincinnati and the Vesu xvius ere uppostil :to be wsatching" the ;narrowK of the Yucatan chamael. These t wo - vessels moved ut Thursday mornjng .nd disappeared at a leisurely pace to the isou t h west wa rd: It may ibe , candidly ad mitted Cfeat all discussion of fhe Spanish .-tfleet Jrom here is speculative. Key West xis lamenifeably isolateid from the current 'news,ase such as is furnished' by daily Jbulletins. The uhdenttanding- at the 4n ; . , iteration -here, however. , is that Sampson -anted xtnjfidently on. finding the Span-: jsn squadron bottled np in San aiuan as Q Dewey the Spaniards at Manila. - It not till davlieht ofr the moraine of the feombardarient that he 'learned the rbior was' empty. Measthne, accc-rding to th 'best Information here, : the rfleet of eleven Spanish ships, iprotoahly inciting -thfe Vjicaya, lOquendo, Cristobal Ctldn, Maria Theresa ja-nd three dtroyerv?, 4 as KLONDIKE To. the Front Again ! IN DAWSON CITY THEY HAVE to sprinkle the streets four times a day to keep down the gold dust. A man could be marto Rtnnp MTrirl - with thl . dust and get his eyes opened in Wil- mingtoni In the morning, in Dawson City, you find, a ton of ice on your door step free., of charge, in Wilmington you find a wet spot and a bill for two dollars. ! 0 - . . '' ' MORAL: Stay at Tiome and drink . AjSTha litdia water r-- - N : - ::: . : -'.i '.':.. Srhich ve deliver for 25 cents per gal lon and guarantee satisfaction or re-, fund the itioney. We have sold 80 bot tles per d?y since .last Monday. Call and see us. . AETNA il Till A WATER CO., Bunting" Pharmacy. , R. E. WARD, Agent. . ANXIETY been moving west .along "the southern shore of t?he Carribbean sea. Later re ports from Mole St. Nicholas, Cape Hay Itien, and other points, make it seem pro ibable that a second section of the squad ron, probably including- the Cardinal Cis neros, the Pelayo, ' and the Christina Regenta, are following In the wake of, the first. By keeping1 to the south shore of the Caribbean, the Spaniards avoided any chance encounter with Sampson off Porto Rico, and if-'they were "furnished news at cable paints of the weakened state of "the Cuban -blockade especially at Cienfugos, it showed a . tempting chance to make a" dash across at the south Cuban coast and wipe out the light vessels . theTe. This done, Chey could coal and proceed around the west of the island about 500 miles to Havana, if that as Is generally supposed here, Is their ultimate destinat4on. From the fact that-.no such attack, has yet been reported it is inferred itfhat the fleet is still holding. Its course west. . " Old pilots here say that a big squadron of warships might be easily worked west, and north just outside of the fringe of the keys on the Mosquito coast without dan ger of discovery before they- emerged f rom 'the north end of the Yucatan chan nel. From this point they would be al most equal distant f rom Key West and 'Havana, not 300 miles either way. If their object was to fbreak the Havana block ade; they could do it asily if they arriv ed before Schley or Sampson. - The feeling "here tonight is that the. navalbattTe of -the war may bef ought in forty-eight, ihours and probably 'between 'Key West and! the north. Cuban coast. Everything is at high tension ' and both offfcjers ana -correspondents are looking for -a dispatch boat tearing up the chan nel at any hour -with the news that the hostile fleet 'has oeen sighted within strik ing distance of Key West or Havana. It is impossible to . forecast the movements of-: eitherj Sampson or Schley, (but-the sup position among naval m'eh is that orders f rom Washington will direct a 'redistribu; 'tion Of the vessels to form a new flying" squadron to, make , a quick round up of the "west- 'Cuban coast, perhaps as fat around as Cienfuegos on the south, Reav ing a sufficient guard, of heavy vessels at Key West, where, after all, the great utfs afternn the heavv souadrons off battle -may be fought Sand Key were joined hy three big trans- pports -'the Leon a, the Iroquois, and the Cherokee! .Workmen were busily engaged putting in tenTporary hunks but no one was allowed to 'board them and no infor mation as to their hailing- point or desti naition would Te given. It is understopd, however, t'hey are from New York, hav-. ing started for Tampa to transfer troops a week ago, When the invasion of Cuba by a 'land force seemed imminent, i This plan, however, was evidently checked by the elusive movement of the Spanish fleet and Is considered in aheyance for the present. - . The St. Paul this1 VafterncJon finished coaling, and received permission to scout. She disappeared at sunset under a cloud of smoke heading southeast by south. Wake County Democrats Declare for J- Fusion (Special td; The Messenger.) . . Raleigh, N. ' C., May 21. At the Wake county, democratic convention today Ed. Chambers Smith reported the 'following resolutions : , "That we heartily endorse the letter ofVWilliam J. Bryan, and the address of Chairman Jones on the union of the silver forces, We favor co-operation of all citizens, regardless of party af filiations, ,who, having like sentiments and interests, seek 'to effectuate their common purposes try the same reme dial legislation, and we instruct our delegates to the state and other con ventions to use their utmost endeav-j ors to find some common ground upon which those having the same general principles and interests may act to gether io iaecure them under the motto of all consistent co-opetaiion, "In es sentials unity, in non-essentials liber ty, in all things charity A minority resolution was submitted as follows:: "Whereas, An invitation extended by our democratic executive committee is so broad am to sallow every one irt favor sof good govermnfat to take part in the primary, therefore . "Resolved, That ?ve are opposed to all 'entangling alliances, because they are calculated J to , vbreed distrust, apathy and- disorganfea tiori. y - 'K '"Resolved,3 That delegates tis the i 8tate conveution are instructed tr use J their best efforts to defeat any propo- sition looking to fusion with"" .any oth er party. . V: Minority resolution wasNieTeated by a . vote of 171 to 17, and the majority adopted without a vote against it.." -'. ' . ,M - y v Johnston Democrats Oppose Fusi on (Special to The Messenger.) N r Smithfield, N. C, (May ZL The Jo hu-' stofi county democratis convention, led by J. A. Narroni passed a resolution against fusion with tfche populists'bn any terms. The delegates are instructed. The Cuban question, and political Is sues sink into significance with the man who suffers from piles. What he most desires, s relef. , vOefWitt's Witch Hazel Salve cures piles.' For -sale hy B. B. Belamy. - - ' FINAL ORDERS TO TJIE FIRST The Regiment to Leave Camp) For Tampa This morning Offers From . Other States to Furnish our Quota of Troops or False Rumors j of our In ability to do so. . . j' (Special to The aiesenger.) I . Raleigh, "N. C, 'May 21. The irst regiment leaves, all via the Southern railway,- on a . special train of three sections tomorrow. Camp will! be broken, at 4:30 o'clock, fnhe first j sec tion of the train leaves at 7' o'clock and others at .fifteen minute intervals. There was ar great; crowd atfoaiup this afternoon; a nd tthere wfclU be an immense one at the depot in .the morning' to hid the troops farewell. The Second iregi ment will march to the station as an escort to "First. ' . ; ' " ; Governor Russell late this afternoon received a telegrahii (from Senator Pritchard sayin'g he 'had used, all his influence with the secretary of 1 war to delay the movement of either: the Fiirsit or the Second regiment from camp .here until -they were completely equipped and that the secretary of war said he would give the matter consid eration. ; . j: ;vv I Un:i teds States officers 'here say the First regiment .will lbe completely equipped in forty-eight hours after ar rival at Tampa.. There was marked enthusiasm among the officers and ?men of .the .(First when the news came fthat the movement was certainly to-be made tomorrow. : ; '..: : ; I The adjutant general this afternoon received! a tedegram from It. X3. A. Love, captain of the Waynesville com pany, expressing his regret at his fail ure to get in the Second regimen tj but saying he was recruiting, that his Imen are enthusiastic and that 'by (Monday he will be ready to come here -if needed. -v 1 Lieutenant S. B. 'Alexander, of Cap tain Gadd's company, at Charlotte, says he can bring 100 men in two day's on definite orders.. :. j - -News having been-sent out by some .unknown person ..that 'North Carolina was having great ! trouble in .raising her quota of troops, 'letters jare hieing received by the adjutant general from r JMPOETAHT EVENTS OF THE DAY. i Belated Cablegrams Announce at Key West on the 19th. Sigsbee in his Flyer, the St. Paul, 5 at Schley nearly two days and a half, ; V '"' - ' . r 'r THe First Regiment of N. C. Volu nteersiwas to Leave Ral$gh at 7 6'clock this Mornir g f of Tampa, ;'' ' "'. ' Wake County Democrats Declare .for. lusion'qf Free Sit -er. Men. i The 31onterey, the MostJ Formidable ofj our Monitors, isr-i dered to Manila. ' ; I: - - l:-r r : - ti t- Important Naval Developments are looked for at Tamp in 'a 'day or two. ; .. v --: ' 1 j'-' !' '- . ' , The Government Censorship over Telegraphic News ato the War is Made Stricter, : . ! j : A Passenger arid a Trodps Train Colli4e near Chattanoo $a-. One Man is Killed and Hanjf Wounded. ; j ' f if Captain Clark i of the (j)regon, was Opposed to Being"vRe stricted by Orders from Washington in hfs iLong Trip Around the Horn. - ;. j j'' .' J - The Dauntless Returns to Key West sifter Having Madehe , T ai uisc io Jrorjo iucu Willi Aumuai . . V ...... ... j, . j. . . Rumor says Admiral Sampson won a pecisive Victory Qier a he Snanish in the Winward Passage Yesterday. other states . offering ;troops, 'F. Oren-v chaw-i of Pike county, Ga., says he has 100 men ready-,. Georgia's quota being full. iFrank W. Vanness, of- Joplin, tMo., says he hears North Carolina needs troops -tand offers 100. Colonel G. K. FOx, of i Los Angeles, XJal., asks for permision to raise a company,' say ing lie can do so in 'twehty-f our hours. rJ- X. Phillips, of 'Philadelphia. Pa.. malkes the same request. A prominent citizen of Ashe ville to day wired that the lent the Asheville eompaiiy of the First regiment $500. Lieutenant Colonel Calvin D. Cowles telegraphed' the war department last week urghig that his regiment (the First) fbe arhied with calibre 30 rifles. He has received a letter saying the war depiartmen't has not yet decided' to issue .that dali1re to volunteers, and that -If rifles now in -use are '-unservice-able new calibre 45 Springfield s will be issued at Tampa'. AH rifles in use In the regiment 'are, pronouncer unservice able tby the mustering officer. ; ..The contract with the Southern rail way is to have "the regimenfj at Tampa in thirty one .ours, "but ttre railway's officials . say '. it will put them there In twenty-nine hours or two "hours under schedule time, it will cost -about $14.- 000 to move the regiment 'to Tampa.' The first section of the train will con fain the headquarters, and tfield music and first 'battalion; the. second section will contain second battalion and offi cers horses; third section will contain the 'third battalion. There will be a 4-urgeon anld two hospitate i- stewards cith each battalion En all there are fcree Pullmian. twenty-five -passenger cars; seven baggage cars iand one stock car. ' Twelve cars are in each: of the three sections. 1 By order; of the government the uni forms in the state arsenal, (297 in cum ber) were today issued to the (First regi ment. , IMustering Officer Oresham has requested the adjutarlt general to order no company here in future with less than 100 enlisted men, saying he will not receive a company or allow trans portation if it conies with a less nu'm ter. . . s ; - ": Twenty-five men from Oxford will arrive tomorrow to join Captain Smith's company of the First regiment from Greenville. ' - - . . The Oregon at Ilaribadoe. Ixndon, May 21. A speciaF dispatch frc"m Barbadoes da: fed Friday says: The Amrin. battleship Oregon arrived here yesterday ajl well. 1 : Tli Charleston Sails JSan 'Kri?nciseo, May 21.-4The eruiser Charleston IJed f ojr fhe PhUippines this afternoon, i J.'.; , . ... ! ACTIVITY AT TA3IPH "Tf - ; t - H Developments of a Highly Ii tportant Character Expected In the N ar Fut ureStrict Censorslilp on Telf grapliic Netvs.' 1 f ' -,'.". Tampa, Fla.; 'May 21. Ren Ved ac- tmty is noticeable at Port .Tampa, j where a fleet-of transports is Xng put in readiness. The Plant' X4 e boat. Olivette,' which, it is undersd, will tbe the .flagship of the transpo when the movement u'pon Cuba tak s place. has been placed in the slip- a5 jd is in the hands:, of the carpenters, yoideTgo ing alteration for her work asija. trans- port.; Otherlibig steamers ha'v e" arriv ed, including the Ward iLine lats Se- neca and Saratoga i r . Important, developments" of is highly important character are lookei'r for in the near future. That any om-rs look ing towards ' a movement of tU; troops toward Cu!ba 'has been receive'.,,- is .ex- tremely dbutotful. Neverthele,?,, every I one expects, prompt action her)' t follow ing a meeting between the r feets of Sampson r and Schley and the Spanish .flotilla, -whicii again looms upHs .-more vutxii pks-sa unity, tui news js yxn vu 1an waters i,s eagerly looked f f. Under -orders of . GeneraKrreeley, chief of 1 thie' signal depart Tfe-nt at Washington W. F. C Feller of 'the Western If nion'- Telegraph 'mpAny, was toaay 'sworn in as governna nt cen sor of ajl telegraphic tbusine -i except the newsparier' specials. The? will, for the present, continue to goJirough the hands oc Jjieutenant MiieyJB uen eral Shafter'js staff. The hour during which thei; newspaper correspondents rny have their matter passed ipon are limited on account of thev shrt time Lieutenant .'Miley has to devo&.to' his new duties iand for this reasoria .vig orous nrotesthas heen made. - It is veryf probable (that an? official censor- will be- appointed wi'thiyi a day or two anldithen the delays fhavoid able under i'the present arraigement done-away with. .-, '. . ll Wiir Astorl Chandler who . was ; recent ly appointed 3 k majoi4 of volunt(rs was trviflv jirtiihpd to the staff k? tMaior General Wheeler.- 'He lias turr,d over the command r f his band of Vo.unteiers to his brotjier, Wirithrop Ohandjer, who arrived in Tampa from New ork. . 2 Sampson's and Schley's Flc Its o s 1 oaiupuu succi. m - . P General' p. O. Howard,: whoi, for the past week has ibeen conducting;-religious meetiiigs among the tri'iops. at Tampa, wjll leave tomorrow iflight for Moibile, thence to Kentucky, .i'He will ibe accompnfed by Major D. 'j -Whet- J tie. ;ettelSlaf ter's Staft Tampa.j Jla., (May 21. In as general order! lsue' loday, Majar Gefral W R, Shafter formally assum-j- com mand of .thie 'Fifth army corpsAompos ed of the njted States forcesftk Tam pa and vijiity. He also announced the followftig officers as '. men; bers of his staff :8'f.. - . f. First LipLitehant R.".H. No.-5, first infantry- ajSae. lj i First Lie&tenant 'J. D. Miley second artillery, agde. , i i - 'Major S5 J. Groes'beck, judjf-advo-J caite and Acting adjuant genHfal. Major " W. Jacobs, shief r Quarter master. -.; 1 , ip . . 'Colonel OL. Wedton, a5sis,U com missary gtoeraUof subsisten, -' chief commissara. j t Major B.Ef. Pope, chief surgeon. . First "Lfieji'tenajit J. Thompson, crd nance depjRrbment. n. First X.ie tenant TGr?i3, sijnal of ficer, i attars jeld. il , ' Major Central- Wade with Ms 3taff officers leff? for Chickamaugt l4oday. Brigadier General Poland a d Bats also left foChickamauga, whte they .wili report Ro Major General Br ooke cf tne unrst a?my corps. K ' Xraiporte Reach Mobil V - Mobile, Jal. Olay GL The ti insporf Fanita arrived today. The tSmsport Orizaba islxpected from (Newrleans" with the 'fcifth cavalry. The iorpadTo 'boat Porteu fLleutenant FrenbntA in command. Harriyed up, this? iorning and has goae on the dock to bt ! scrap ped i and ihae ?. her keel straig tened, which wasvbent iby contact- witl. fa. reef off Cu1ba. ,yThe lighthotise. tenj.er Ar tous, is takgigon four miles of jubma rine ca-lle-toi ibe laid at -once jo con nect Fort gJorgan - with ancl island and Fort grain es on TXauphin island, and thencewith the main land $n the western shfre of the hay. . ', . Efforts th Locate tne Spanish JFeet " i . . - (Copyrigjit by Associated Phss.) . . Kingston Jamaica, May 21.-A pri vate telegraphic, : inquiry jcpierning Spanish sqwadron said to be afc; Santia go de Gub have failed to briijW any response Hljough the cable is twwork? ing order. - - j i;LI ; a' :"i . .- ANOTHER Rumors ot Another Decisive Naval Battle JEL the Windward Passage. TWELVE SPANISH SHIPS SUM, The Report Lacks Confirmation General Masso's Proclarhation to tliits; Cubans Prize Vessels Ordered to be Sold A Duel on the Tapis -Between Two Spanish Legislator The 3Ionterey Or- , dered to Manila No News at Navy Department as to the Fleets The Newark in Commission i Gen. Shafter Appoints Jlis Staff. , r . ' V (Copyright by Asociated' Press.) Cape Haytien, May 21. A passenger from Port de Paix, who arrived on the Haytien steamer today, brought a ru mor that a fight had taken place off Mole St. Nicholas, in which , twelve Spanish warships had been sunk: and two American, warships disabled. The report, however, lacks confirmation. 'Cape Haytien, May .21. It is reported here from a vague source that cannon ading was heard off vyie Mole to the northward yesterday, ceasing at night fall, and the firing was renewed early today and continued until noon J Mole St. Nicholas ,is the western point of Hayti, just across the Wind ward passage -from the eastern point of Cuba. Editor. Washington", May 21,-The confirma tion of the rumored engagement off Mole St. Nicholas had not been receiv ed at the navy department up to a late hour tonight, and naval officers are disinclined to believe that the Ameri can fleet has encountered the Span iards. - It was expressly denied at the , department that information even giv ing an ' intimation of a fight had been received and, further than that, it was stated that a meeting between the two fleets was hardly looked for tonight. This statement is significant, in that it indicates that, the opposing squad rons are not so close together as to jus tify -an expectation of immediate de velopments. r. -, " ' : A PROCLAMATION TO THE CU- , . BANS. - - ' ! " ,:' Jacksonville, Fla., May 21. A special to The Times-Union and Citizen from Tampa says: "The text of the proc lamation issued by Barthelmeo Masso, president of the Cuban republic, has reached here via New Orleans. In it' Masso' strongly urges the autonomists,' guerillas and Cubans leaning toward Spain to come over i to ' the Cuban ranks. He assures them that, with the aid of the United States troops, a decisive blow to Spain is soon to be struck' and that the Cuban cause will soon be won. He points out that all who fail to join the Cuban forces be fore it shall be too late, must, seek a home in some other country. PRIZE VESSELS ORDERED TO BE ; SOLD. '. Key West, Fla.,: May 21. In the 'UnU ted States circuit ; court today the Spanish prizes, Mathilde- Gandidato, Sofia and Argonauta, against which pro-conf esso was entered yesterday, no body' appearing to claim them, were formally condemned and ordered to be sold. The day of the sale was not set. The rifles and ammunition found yesterday in a secret chamber of the Argonauta are valued at $5,600. They also were condemned and order; ed sold - - . .... THE iNiEWS FROM MADRID. - Madrid, May 21. 3 p. m. The infor mation received here as to fhe'where ahouts of the Spanish Cape Verde squadron is contradictory. The gov ernment maintains absolute' secrecy on the subject, but - it . is officially de clared if the 'Americans cut the Cuban cable the (Spaniards will retaliate by cutting the Galveston cable, so-as to interrupt Southern 'Pacific, communi-' cation. ' - ( ' ; - ' -r 3 .p .m. There was a scene in1 the Chamben of deputies iodav. Sencr Boris, a- nephew: of SeaSr Ronero y Rohledo, branded a statement of the viscount i Pueste as baseless. -The latter requested' Benor Boris to leave t the chamber and, following him into the lobiby, told him) to consider his ears1 boxed. They have appointed seconds and expect to have a meeting tomorrow. . ; . Captain General IBlanco cables from Havana that "in. order to deceive the garrison of Guan tanamo" the Ameri can warships "hoisted Spanish flags. but were immediately recognized and repulsed. The captain general als6 re ports that insurgent bands have been defeated in the provinces of Matanzas and Havana and that several fnsur gents have been killed. ' : . Prices on the bourse her. today rose in expectation of favorable news. 9 p. m. iAdmiral "Camara, afte hav ing had several conferencss with the rminister of -marine, Captain Atmon, haaxeturned to Cadiz. The fleet com manded tby the admiral will, it is said, sail under sealed orders. : 8 p. m.-Great indignation i.s felt here over' the statement comtained in. Gen eral Blanco's telegram that the American- warships hoisted "the- Spaniaaj flag before r attacking - .Guantanamo. The newspapers contain savage attacks up on America, regarding the alleged ac tion of the United States vessels. Washington," -May 21. The .news event of the day at the navy depart nriATif ma iri dlRTvatch of the order io i the Monterey to proceed to Manila, to I reinforce Admiral Dewey's squadron. in herself and her addition to Admiral Dewey's force, together with the dis patch of thousands of troops to iManila is ample evidence that the adminis tration has assumed no half-hearted attitude toward the Philippine question and is - determined to take no chance of dispossession until such time as; the, VICTORY ' m ,. . . f - . ' - - 1 1 I ' r i " -; j -. - ' : ' . i '1. -. - - - ' . i United States itself -has arranged fo the disposition of the islands. . Tis& Monterey is. probably the most formuJ able 'monitor tin the world, yet she com defensive qualities of the monitor tyre. a sea worthiness that is almost pbe nomenal. The Monterey is describ ed technically as V ibarbette turreted. . low" free board .monitor of 4000' tona displacemnt.- She is 256 feet long ly 59 feet 3eam and. 14 feet 6 inches drafi She carries in two 'turrets surround eci " iby. .barbettes' two 12 'inch and two 21 -inch guns, while on her superstructure -'between the turrets are mounted siac i v6 pouhders and twoGatlings. The tur- " rets are IVz anid. 8 Inches thick and thi surrounding "barbettes' are 14 inches -and -11' inches of steel and against this armor all the 'batteries in (Manila, might thunder away without effecting: -an entrance. The Monterey's per sonnel is. 19 officers and-172 men and; once she is safely an the entrance ? .Manila -harbor, nothing in the Spanish j navy would be likely; to budge .near from her post. HerOis p atch", ther el ore may have lmportamr bearing upontlf plans of the Spanish government sa openly published, of sending reinforoe. ment to IMiahila. The only doutbt as fc the . feasibility Of seno!ihg the Monterejr is her small coal capacity. . iShe'has at ' nunker room for only 200 tons of coal, and though more anight .'be stored m ( Iher, deck, it is douhfUl w'hether stie . !Oufld,, at. the utmost, carry more tnAia enough coal to take her o HonOluia, one third' of the way to the CPhUippinesJ lit is probable that the Monterey will, go in convoy and after exhausting; the coal that she will take on in Honoluirat she must either (be towed aJboui. 2,lt& miles on her trip or perf orm t the difS cult operation of coaling at sea. v .-L i. NO NEWS AS TO THE FLEETS. The J navy department RSVe out news today touching the md vements ifi the American and Spanish' squadrons 1 in the neighborhood of s Cuba. It is plain to Tae seen, however, that the offi cials are expecting great events to oc . cur at any moment. : What they, most duced upon, our people by greatly x- Spanish sources of some great nayal ; .engagement in which . the. SpaniarfiA would claim the victory, tit is realiaSi! that the first, news of an engagement in the neighborhood 'of Cuba or to taa eastward may reach the United .States- through the Spanish cables via Madrid.. and these are almost certain, no mt iter what tbe result may ibe, to inaice -i such a claim ..'for victory for the Spam-, ish side, as is even now put forth s&y the Spaniards in Havana in the case of the hattle of Manila hay.! Obviousjr' the only manner in which the trntrv could be discovered would be througi. . our own official reports. The navy department is proud of tb& -record made 'by the Oregon from art engineering point or view, une repuris to the department from the ship sbour that she does not need fi ye cents worth' of repairs to her 'machinery, af ter Jtesr- -13,000 miles continuous run. The reccwifl: .-. is said never to have (been equa3eaL.i since the building of 4fhe" first iron war- ship:' : . " ' ' I IJ r"':" mor, given a good. 'battery of 5 ima , guns and, together, made' a very ef fective an&f modern cruisers This wiC'. .take about two months. I j f THE INEWAJRK IN COaCMISSlOX- -NorioiK, va., iw.ay 1. jie -ynirwa j and sixty 6 Inch shells, were tajce-rfc , from the magaziines in .'St'. Julian1' creek today and brought to the navyr: yard. 1A portion -of these were put oik '(board the United States i Steamsfoliar . iNe wark 'which, her repairs complete; . went into commission today fThe mainde'r were sent to ! Kewport Netc and put aboard the ST1: xie, whlctjv fer about completed and is at that place.--. . ! Five divers were sent takng stores; tO! (Key v7tSf.' tonight by order, of th'e secretary of thr navy. The cleaning : of the vessels bottoms, fouled hy long stay to. souttt ern waters is helieved to be the- reasex of this order. The Royal Is tfce highest r4 hMmg pow4 feaowa. ActaH tests sbewi it ges mug AbsclaW Pure ROVAl BM6MS MWCCA CO., fit YOfltC-' J- - -- -i - - u MjS f li