mm
LAST EDITION, 4:00 A. M.
RALEIGH. N. C. SATURDAY. MARCH 19, 1898.
NO, 9
.
' .- ....
THIS MAY BE AN
EVENTFUL
And Spain is Likely to Hear Some
thing Drop" in Washington. .
ADVANCE REPORT FROM BOARD ENQUIRY
Has Bce:i Formulated and Despatched to the President, and is
Expected to Reach Him Today.
DESIGNED TO PUT ADMINISTRATION ON GUARD
jnd f'y Acquainting. the President With the Nature of the Final and
F rmal Report of the Court of Enquiry Enable Him to Wake His
Plans Accordingly No Doubt of Its Stating that the Explosion
Which Wrecked the "Maine" Occurred From Without the Ship, But
Doubtful Whether the Blame Has Been Fixed Should It Show Offi
cial Spanish Complicity There is a Hot Time Ahead for Spain Final
Heport Expected During the Coming Week-
Morning1 Post.
I'l l.. M;irch is. The naval
h-Ii another meet-
!,,:,,, i t!.'- Iow-ii" today, but of
i s y.-.-i .;t proceedings are not
!.'.. i.. out si'it-rs.
, sti current here to
v. v v' i . t lint a special advance
h ,.- ); i ("..rwarded to the Pres-,):-
th.it it will be in Washing-
l. tuiii "t" the cruiser "Montgom-
!!"
..:-v" fr- ni H.ivjma this morning with
,, ;t ;. i-l-'nt. and without any of the
.y.,.: rp w that remained there,
was h- naval cvt'nt of the day.
The
"J'ritLroI!lT'
in Havana.
officers report all quiet
The arrival ' f the torpedo-boat
"Foot?" Rives a tlotula of six to (Jorru- in
modon- Kimball, all in perfect condi-
tioa. .
UEP0U1 TO BE MADE TODAY.
Board of Enquiry Has Prepared and Already
Despatched a Special Seport to the Pres
fdent bhicrt WIN Reach Him Today.
;;. il Iwpatch to The Morning Post.
U';ishin:;t(.n. March IS It is definitely
i ..!; ! to. lay that the Naval Court
"f hii'iMlty now at Key West, which
f"i" a ia..nt!i has been investigating into
t! " an:-.- .! ( a usrs which produced the
that Mew up and wrecked
Hi- Virt.-i Stat-s cruiser "Maine" in
Havana liarl..r and sacrificed the lives
i.i.rnii .Is of its officers and crew,
!' :'"t -iimlate'1 a special report to the
1'!'' -itin! . whiih they have already
'i ! it ii, ,i to Washington and which
v,!ii " i'i th- liands of the President
t!iTV..V.
' this
lull
i"po;t will not be a full
one of the court's findings,
and comprehensive enough
Ue the reasons and evi
: r
tatmu. what the ultimate
"rt will ),..
1"X 1 M THE OUTSIDE.
CM'!.
1 1 v. '
main sufficient evidence ad-
:v tl- i ..urt by the witnesses
t Haana to prove that the
tnr.-d from outside of the
it un-cked. and doubtless
i Kt -!. and prepare the
' iif administration, as
i t" what is to come when
hnal. more elaborate and
rt
i me court is made in
s. . as to enable the ad
take such steps in the
snaii deem necessary or
i t Tinal report of the
will be submitted to the
' -Navy, and this, it is
rst ,
5 w ill be in the latter'
- th,
coming week, most
is here, the Naval
;ais. ex-Secretary of
"ntly returned from
il..
' 'si;
in this city today who
' n to express an intelli
t he nature of the special
re tomorrow, all unite
;V have not the slight-
in- r.-port will state, un
t the explosion occurred
''."i the wrecked vessel,
:r- That mu,ch may be
;is a fact.
xplosion was the result
;'"-al "mpiicitiy or, more
whether the Board
1 t ermine that it was
: 't-nvtr. No one knows at
' t!-r the report will ex-
' " tnat point
or re-
v. uh
inference to it
ncwn nt tv,a i.tl
v mh: uuui nils I
1 Whether i j . !
I'tihli,
!'t. or
.ur i i rsiueni i
the contents of tho
my part of it. '
DAY
There are good reasons why he should
not, especially if it is of the character
anticipated or more definite than may
now be supposed. But, still, it is pos
sible, of course, that the administration
may deem it the part of wisdom to give
out an official statement in reference
to its contents.
MOVEMENTS OF THE ARA1Y.
Uncle Sam's Blue Coats Hurrying
South Atlantic Seaboard.
to the
By Telegraph to The Morning Post.
Birmingham, Ala., March 18. Battery
F, Fifth Artillery, U. S. A., passed
through Birmingham tonight, from
Fort Riley, Ark., en route to Tybee
island, ua. Lieut. JMewcomD, wno is
command, said tnat at every place
tney stopped on tne trip tne greatest
entnusiasm was snown oy tne crowds
at the 'depots.
By Telegraph to The Morning 'Post.
Cincinnati, Ohio, March 18. Battery
F, Fourth Artillery, U. S. A., 75 men
strong, passed through here tonight, on
their way to Fort Monroe, Va., from
Fort Riley, Ark. Ten thousand people
here and in Covington lined the tracks
and cheered the soldiers.
Atlanta, Ga., March 18. Company B,
United States Army, stationed at Fort
McPherson, near this city, will leave
Monday for St. Augustine, Fla. The
commanding officer said that in a week
or two only a few soldiers would be left
at the post here; that the remainder
would be sent to reinforce the artillery
troops on the coast.
BLUE JACKETS ON "AMAZONAS."
Litest Foreinn Acquisition to U. S. Nvy
Formally Turned Over to Uncle Sam In
London Yesterday
By Cable to The Morning Post.
London, March 18. The Brazilian
cruiser Amazonas was lormaiiy turn
ed over to the United States this morn
ing, Lieut. Colwell receiving the war
ship on behalf of the Government.
This afternoon the cruiser "San
Francisco" arrived at Gravesend, and
saluted the fort, the salute being re
turned. Th sailors aboard the "San
Francisco" for that purpose then
boarded the "Amazonas" and took pos
session.
SPAIN GETS ONE ALSO.
By Cable to The Morning Post.
London, March 18. A despatch from
Rome says that Spain has purchased
the new Italian cruiser "Varese."
The Italian armored cruiser "Varese,
said to have been sold to Spain, is of
steel, has 6,840 tons displacement, is 238
feet long, and has 59.8 feet beana. Her
maximum draft is 24 feet, she is driven
by two propellers, has 13,000 indicated
horse-power, and is estimated to steam
twenty knots an hour. The cruiser has
an armored belt of six inches of Har
veyized steel, and she has six inches of
Harveyized steel over her gunpositions;
with deck plating one and one-half
inches thick. Her armament consists
of two 10-inch guns, ten 6-inch quick-
tiring guns, six 40.7-inch guns, ten 2.
inch suns, ten 1.4-inch guns, and two
Maxim rapid-fire guns. Her normal coal
supply is 1,000 tons, and she carries
complement of 470 men.
"Oregon" Sails for Key West Today.
By Telegraph to The Morning Post.
San Francisco, Cal., March 18. Al
the preparations have been completed
fnr th saSliner nf thf hatt!shin "Hre.
- -
con" tninnTTOw.
- ---
All on board are confident that she is
to loin the sauadron in Cuban waters-
PICK OF NAVY AT HAMPTON ROAD
That the Most Strategic Point-The Btg
Monitor "Puritan" Nearly Ready to Pro
ceed to Key west.
Special Despatch to The Morning Post.
Norfolk, Va., March 18. The bi
monitor "Puritan," which is the most
powerful warship in smooth water in
the world, and which is now at the
Gosport navy yard here, will soon be
ready to go to Key West "according to
orders from the Navy Department.
To assist her on guard she will have
the double-turreted monitor "Mianto
nomah" and the monitor "Amphitrite."
The two last named vessels are now at
League Island and Port Royal, re
spectively. The naval orders of yesterday will
result in the gathering at Hampton
Roads of the pick of the navy, that
point being the best strategically on
the Atlantic coast. It is centrally
located and vessels there can reach any
point on the Atlantic coast in very
short order, which is just now con
sidered very desirable in case any fast
Spanish cruiser or torpedo destroyers
should turn up with the intention of at
tacking American cities.
HIGHLY IMPORTANT TISCOVERY
Made Yesterday at the AUlhe Wreck High
est Explosive on Board Found Intact.
By Cable to The Morning Post.
Havana. March 18. Among today's
discoveries in the "Maine" wreck is the
startling one made by Gunner Morgan.
He found a lot of gun-cotton in the
crystal tubes in which it was kept. The
tubes Avere intact "and the gun-cotton
was absolutely dry. This was the high
est explosive on board the battleship,
and yet it is intact. '
Your correspondent saw some of the
tubes today in Captain Sigsbee's state
room on the "Fern."
WAR PREPARATIONS TO CEASE ?
Statements to That Effect In a Washington
Paper Which are Apparently Contrad'cted
in the Same Issue.
Special Despatch to The Morning Post.
Washington, March 18. The Post this
morning states tnat tnere are reasons
for belieying that the "Washington ad
ministration has reached some sort of
agreement with the administration at
Madrid looking to acessation of hostile
preparations by both counties; that the
agreement has advanced far enough to
make that result probable already;
that as an outcome of negotiations
which are to be entered upon at once
the Spanish flag will continue to float
it
over Cuba, etc.
The halting of the Spanish torpedo
flotilla at her Canary Islands andthe
orders issued yesterday dividing r the
formidable fleet of U. S. warships at
Key West, as stated in these despatches'
last night, is declared to have been a
part of the program in carrying but
this policy.
These statements, however, have been
read with a great deal of mental re
serve by those in a position to know
of such developments had they actually
occurred, as is the additional statement,
on the same authority, that Spain is to
be allowed to still further experiment
with its scheme of autonomy, which, as
Senator Proctor yesterday declared to
the United States Senate, is the "worst
misgovernment he ever saw," and
which has been characterized by the
newspaper correspondents at Havana
as an utter, total failure so far.
As indicating how much credence
should be given the above statements,
the fact may be again noted here that
a bill (referred to in last night's des
patches to The Morning Post) for the re
organization of the United States army
on a war footing of 105,000 men has been
ntroduced in both houses of Congress,
and that it is done with the full en
dorsement of the administration.
The generally accepted theory here is
that the White Squadron at Key West
was divided into three divisions in order
to better protect the Atlantic coast
cities, as stated last night in these
despatches.
THE STORY DENIED.
At 2 o'clock this (Saturday) morning
the following cablegram from Havana
was received by The Morning Post de
nying the above story:
Havana, March 18. According to a
despatch from Madrid tonight, the Gov
ernment denies that negotiations are
pending between Spain and the United
States for the withdrawal of the Ameri
can squadron from the vicinity of
Cuba, and for the cessation of war
preparations in both countries. The
Government says, also, that the tor
pedo boat flotilla's trip to the Antilles
has not been suspended. All the news
papers here attack President McKin
ley's policy with regard to Spain.
ANOTHER DENIAL OF THE ASSO
CIATED PRESS STORY.
By Cable to The Morning Post.
London, March IS. A despatch to
The Standard from Madrid says, that
Prime Minister Sagasta has contra
dieted the reports about Spain's pur
chase of warships, and the indefinite
postponement of the departure of the
torpedo flotilla from the Canary Islands.
The despatch does not state what war
ship are referred to.
Another Fatal Spanish Explosion.
By Cable to The Morning Post.
Madrid, March 18. An explosion ct
tire damp occurred today In the mine
at tseimez, near uoraova, causing a
large loss of life. Seventy bodies have
already been recovered, and It Is feared i
that many more are still in the mine,
Kit CAPITAL BUH
- .. . ... - s . '
Latest' Washington Develop
mints as Wired The Post.
MpDillS ARE UNABATED
Commander Slcard's Illness Will Compel
the Designation of Capt. Sampson to
Command the White Squadron roast
Defense Work Being Vigorously Pushed
and Uncle Sam's Blue Coats Hurrying to
the South Atlantic Seaboard Coast As
soclated Pres Story That War Prepar
atlons Were to Cease Printed Yester
day, Shown to be Worse Than 'nUue.
By telegraph to The Morning Post!
Washington, March 18. Midnight.
There is no cessation of the efforts of
the Navy Department to buy ships and
war munitions.
Enlistments are being made in the
army and navy, and ships are being
distributed where they will be most ef
fective. Wprk on the coast defenses is being
pushed vigorously. Both the cavalry
and. infantry are being moved to the
Atlantic seaboard .as rapidly as cir
cumstances Will permit.
The purchase of the torpedo boat de
stroyer "Tupy" from Brazil is now
practically assured. The United States
is lit need of such a craft, for they are
veryeffective, and Spain has several of
theiti already.
JjpOMMANDER SICARD ILL.
Tbje condition of Commander Sicard's
health has given the Navy Department
greit concern recently and it is proba
ble hat Captain Sampson, of the
"Iowa," will succeed to the command of
the .fleet should hostilities break out.
The announcement that the "Massa
chusetts" and the "Texas" had been
withdrawn from Key West and sent
to Hampton Roads, was a subject of
enqjiiry at the Cabinet meeting today,
andimost positive assurances were giv
en by Secretary Long that the orders
were not due to any sugggestion from
Spain.-.
t -
There, is no intention, it was ex
plained, to detach the North Atlantic
squadron from Florida waters to satis
fy Spain's qualms in the pending emer
gency. ' '
The President today authorized the
allqtment of $2,975,000 for use in the en
gineering branch of the army, in con-
strncting seacoast defences, mounting
with .that department. '"-
The (War Department has. answered
all inquiries in reference to new coast
defences with the statement that no ad
ditional projects Will be considered. The
funds which the President will author
ize that department to use are to be
applied to the completion of the works
already under way.
Contracts were made by the War De
partment today for the delivery of a
large quantity of armor-piercing and
deck-piercing steel projectiles of large
calibre. The contracts wvere distributed
among three companies, in quantities
suited to the capacity of each plant,
in order that the ammunition may be
delivered at the same time, and as early
as possible.
A FORMAL REPORT EXPECTED
MONDAY PRESIDENT'S PLANS.
By Telegraph to The Morning Post.
Washington, March 18. The situation
growing out of the critical stage of the
Cuban question is still surrounded, in
mystery and uncertainty. As the crisis
approaches the very air becomes filled
with rumors mostly startling but large
ly untrue.
The latest rumor was that the dyna
mite cruiser "Vesuvius," which left St.
George, Fla., last W ednesday, was
steaming up the Potomac river, having
on board the members of the Naval
Board of Enquiry, with the all-im
portant report in its inside vest-pocket.
The "Vesuvius" has reached port but
the officers and the report did not ar
rive.
The fact is that the formal report will
not be in Washington until next week
probably on Monday.
The President will demand repara
tion before sending in his message to
Congress. He will set forth the text ef
his communication to Spain, but it is
the opinion of those who are well-in
formed that he will confine his state
ments and recommendations to the
"Maine" incident, postponing the gen
eral phase of the Cuban question until
later on. .
Some of the Cabinet officers who
think Spain has been dealt with too
leniently, say that the present plan
would prolong the starvation of the
Cubans, and postpone the prospect of
Cuban independence.
Those who favor the enforcement of
a radical policy believe now is the time
to act, not only with regard to the
"Maine" incident, but also with the
question of ending the war and giving
Cuba her independence.
If the government had heeded the ad
vice of the late Samuel J. Tilden In 18S5
in regard to coast defense the present
administration would not be so pressed
tn maVo ndwiuate DreDaxations for
'meeting possible hostilities with Spain.
IN THE CONGRESS YESTERDAY.
Postofflce Appropriation BUI Will Carry
$223,000 for Pneumatic Tube Service In
Large Cities Date for Inaugurating the
President to Be Changed. Etc.
By Telegraph to The Morning Post.
Washington. March 18. After agree
ing to the conference report on the
Agricultural Appropriation bill, the
House today, in Committee of the
Whole, resumed consideration of the
Postofflce Appropriation bill..,.
The appropriation of $225,000 for the
pneumatic tube service was retained
in the bill by the vote of 108 to 65.
All the amendments to cut don.or
limit the expenditure of J30.500.000 for
railroad transportation were futile.
An amendment was agreed to, mak
ing it a misdemeanor to "pad" mails
during the quadrennial weighing.
The House adjourned with the- bill
uncompleted, and it will come up again
as unfinished business.
Washington, March 18. The Senate
Committee on Privileges and. Elections
today ordered a favorable, report on the
joint resolution proposing an amend
ment to the constitution changing the
inauguration day from March 4th to
the last Wednesday in April.
GEN. WHEELER'S RESOLUTIONS
Following is the text of resolutions
ntroduced in the House by Gen. Joe
Wheeler, of "Wheeler's Cavalry" fame.
who for many years has been a member
of Congress from an Alabama district:
"Resolved, That a joint committee.
consisting of five members of the Sen-
te, to be appointed by the Vice-Presi
dent, and five members of the House,
to be appointed by the Speaker, be
created to report without delay to the
two houses an address to the govern
ment of Spain, declaring in firm, and
diplomatic language, that Americans
and American interests in Cuba" must
be protected, and that the atrocities
now being perpetrated in that island
must cease.
"Resolved. That the Executive be re
quested to immediately transmit this
address to the government of Spain by
such methods as he may deem most ad
visable, together with a letter of en
dorsement and approval of this action
on the part of Congress."
NORTH CAROLINA POSTMASTER."
A Batch of New Fourth-Class Ones Named
by the Postmaster General Yesterday.
Special Despatch to The Morning Post.
Washigton, March 18. The following
fourth-class postmasters were today
appointed for North Carolina:'
John T. Johnson, Belleport, Beaufort
county, vice Swindell resigned.
Jacob A. Dore, Caldwell, Mecklenburg
WRtyeJETjioX; resigned. . ;-
i Jaa, ' Gatling, Eva, Perquimans coun
ty, vice Farmer removed.' -
Rufus A. Lockey, Fallston, Cleveland
county, vice W D. Lockey removed.
J. T. Horner, Farmer; Randolph
county, vice Newby resigned.
' James M. Graybeal, Graybeal, Ashe
county, vice Elishu Graybeal resigned.
Hanna J. Pate, Hope Mills, Cumber
and county, vice Judd removed.
T. A. Hinnant, Mocksville, Wilson
county, vice Barnes removed.
Grandy Gallop, Riddle, Camden coun
ty, vice Torlessey removed.
Hugh Cameron, Swann Station,
Macon county, vice Waddell removed.
W. R. Beal, Timberlake, Person coun
ty, vice Timberlake removed. 1
Jas. O. Parsons, Weaversford, Ashe
county, vice Debord removed.
Buckley Walker, Woodsdale, Person
county, vice Robertson removed.
THE RALEIGH POSTMASTERSHIP.
Senator Prltchard Expects to Select His
Candidate Today, and to Select Durham's
Postmaster Also.
Special Despatch t'o The Morning Post.
Washington, D. C, March 18. Sen
ator Prltchard, says that he expects to
be able tomorrow to arrive at a deter
mination as to whom he will endorse
to the President for appointment as
postmaster at Raleigh and at Durham.
Most of the candidates for both of
fices are here and will have a confer
ence with the Senator then.
FRANCE'S ULTIMATUM TO CHINA
In Which Seven More Days are Given the
Celestials to comply wun certain w
mands.
By Cable to The Morning Post.
Pekin. March 18. France has given
China eight days to meet these de
mands 1st. China shall not alienate any ter
ritory south of the Yang-Tse-KIang
valley, this being a check to Great
Britain's needed extension.
2d. A railway concession and pro
longation of exclusive mining right 3 In
Lung-Chau and lunnan.
U. vuaiiii5 3wcvvm - - -
direction of Imperial postal service,
transierrea 10 r rent-mum.
WINSTON DEAOCRATS
Decide to Nominate Candidates for City Of
flees by the Primary Plan
Special Despatch to The Morning Post.
Winston. N. C March 18. The Dem
ocratic Executive Committee of the
town of. Winston today decided to hold
TirimaHwi in each ward o nthe third
Monday In April, for the purpose of
nominating candidates for mayor and
aldermen, of which latter there will be
fifteen
D. II. King was elected chairman of
the committee. .
WITTW
Financial Report of Dun arid'
Bradstreet's.
THE SOUTH HAS THE BEST OF IT
Outoo of Cotton Surpassed All Expecta
tions Although the Price Had Advanced
Activity of Southern Steel Trade Bio
Fruit and Vegetable Shipments The
Eastern Fellows Hold Of f on Account of
War indications and New York Banks
Lost a Million to the Interior. But Re
covered Through Gold Importations
Demand for Cotton Goods Increasing.
By Telegraph to The Morning Post.
; New York, Mrch IS. Bradstreet's
tomorrow will say:' The aggregate vol
ume of the country's business continues
sufficiently large to allow favorable
comparisons to be made with past
periods.
Aside from the quieting In demand
at a few leading Eastern markets,
where the uncertainty as to the out
come of the foreign complications is
advanced as the reason for the unwil
lingness to embark In new business,
the situation is one possessing nearly
all of the favorable features noted
for some time past.
Better weather has improved the re
tall trade at the South, while the
wholesale business is maintained at a
satisfactory volume.
New Orleans reports a trade In excess
of that of last year, and the outlook is
encouraging.
Southern iron manufacturers are ac
tive, and the fruit and vegetable ship
ments promise to be early and heavy.
The other favorable features are
summed up in th liberal shipments of
the leading cereals, the unprecedented
totals of exports at New York, the
fewer business failures, and the slight
ly larger bank clearings.
Cotton and print-cloths have declin
ed, the position of the latter being very
depressed, and prices during the past
week reaching the lowest quotation on
record.
Dun's weekly report Of business will
say tomorrow:
Neither peace nor war reports have
changed the onward current of bust-
ness. Orders for more than S25.500.000
of gold from Europe have blocked any
drift toward stringency In the money
rates.' ; ' 'S
Exports of productahave continued...
at a rate considerably Increased,' and
the demand ' for products of , the great ,
industfies shows a steady expansion.
The backbone of the situation is, that
the excess of merchandise exports is
again more than 41,000,000 fn February,
with an Increase of 2,600,000 of miscel
laneous products 2,100,000 provisions,
4,500,000 cotton, and 7,000,000 in bread-
stuffs, compared with last year.
The out-go of cotton surpasses all
expectations, though the prices are
stronger than last week .
Receipts from plantations continue'
much greater than at the corresponding
date for the largest crop ever hereto
fore produced, so that guesses about
the future crop are' now the main re
liance of speculators.
Wheat also moves. In spite of all
speculation. Atlantic exports have
been 1,824,569 bushels, against 1,253.390
last year; and from Pacific ports 1,371,-
826 bushels, against 268,505. Prices
closed Va higher for the week.
Little encouragment appears . In the
market for cotton goods, with print-
cloths one-sixteenth lower than a week
ago, and standard grades undersold by
many of less note. The demand is
large, but not large enough.
In woolen goods, on the contrary, a.
material advance in prices has raised
the only obstacle to increased trans
actions.
Bessemer pig iron and grey forge are.
both slightly stronger than Pittsburg,
the proposed combination valley fur
naces helping; but pig Iron is not
changed in price elsewhere, nor are
finished products at any point, except
wire nails and steel rails.
The New York banks lost about Jl,
000,000 this week by transfers to the
interior, but gained much more largely
by the receipts of gold from Europe.
The stock market was affected all the
wefck by the anxieties regarding foreign
affairs, and at one time railroad stocks
averaged 1.43 per cent, per share less
than a week ago, but recovered all the
loss.
Railroad earnings continue 7.9 per
cent. larger than last yean
The failures for the week were 20i.
in the United States, against 218 last
year. .
Wilkes Railroad Bond Case Again Post
poned. .
Special Despatch to The Morning TosL
Winston. N. C, March IS. Ex-Judge
Avery came here this afternoon for the
purpose of arguing the Wilkes county
bond case before Judge Starbuck.
His Honor is sick, however, and con
fined to his room at Chester, S. C, and
the hearing was consequently postpon
ed until next week, when it will com
up before Judge Starbuck at Morgan
ton Court.
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