III?
qr
I
M
DOINGS OF THE WEEK
What Has Happened In the
Civilized World.
GIVEN IN THE 1'RESS DISPATCHES
A Complete Review of the New of the
"t Seven Days in IhU and
All roMl(D lutt,
Leal nd sugar are advancing rapidly
in Lionuon owing w tne war.
Secretary Alger ha submitted natt
niato of 184,000,000 to cover addition.
I army expense to July 1. Thl will
b Included in the general deficiency
bill."
The committee on military affair
ha favorably roimrted Uio administra
tion bill auspendlng Important law
governing the ciunrtormastor'a depart
ment in tlia army.
The emergency war measure wa
pd In the iioitM on the 88th by
unanimous consent. It repeal the
limitation upon the purchase of qusr
. termnater' (upplieadurlng the existing
war with Spain,
Minister Clayton communicated to
the foreign department ol the govern
mwnt at Mexico the revolution of the
American congress declaring war with
Spain. Minister Marfscal, of the for
eign department, replied, assuring the
American minister on the authority of
President Dim, that Mexico will main'
tain the etrloUwt neutrality, .
Oriental advice received by ateamer
In Vancouver, B. C., tell of a shocking
in a mho re which occurred near Tiiljw.i,
China, at the houae of one Yang Kin
hung. A party of over 20 robber
entered the house and murdered Yang,
Ilia Wife, bia mother and vhildieii and
servants, IS perirons In all, who rcalst
ed them In tlielr attempt to loot the
house and attack the daughter. When
the raideri had butchered all the in'
mate they act tlia home on fire.
The lue packing-houses of the At'
lantlo Powder Company, near Dover
N. 3., containing high explosive for
the Unitorl Btate government were
blown op and two men are known to
have been killed. Several are missing
and a number were Injured. The ex
plosion is believed to have been the
work of 8panish apina. Suspicion
characters bad been aen around the
building for several day.
The large Spanish steamer On I do,
bound from Corumnt for Havana with
large cargo ol provision and money
for the Kpaniwh tronta, wit captured by
the United State monitor Terror. The
capture took place 10 milotofl! Car
dnnaa, after desperate chase, daring
which the monitor Terror und the gun
boat Mitch iaa fired aeveral shot, almost
blowing the Spaniard' pilot house into
the water. One man in the pilot houae
wan seriously Injured. It la estimated
that with her cargo ahe la worth nearly
1500,000.
Eleven people were killed by an ex
plosion at the Santa Crua, Cat., powder
: work. ' .. ,
The treaaury department hits ordered
the Saturna, a Spanish vessel seized in
Itiloxl harbor, released. '
; In storm off the Atlantic coast an
unknown vessel was wrecked. An
other vessel wa reported signalling for
help.
The monitor Terror captured the
. Spanish coasting steamer Anibrotio
Uollvar with tOO.OOO In silver on board,
oil the Cuban coast.
Troop are oon lo be landed in
Cuba. The plan la to establish base
of operations, open communication with
Gomes and feed the reconeontrados.
Dispatches from Matanzas say an
American torpedo-boat destroyer ha
twice entered the port of Matanzas.
The second time six shots were fired at
bur and she retired.
, The harbor of Ban Juan Is being
pieced in state of defense by the
Spaniards. A new battery la sot up at
the east of Han Cristobal cuhIIo and
aubmarine epxlosives have been thickly
planted at the harbor entrance,
Secretary Long hits announced hi in
tention of purchasing the Holland sub
marine torpedo-boat, on Assistant Boo
eretary Roosevelt's recommendation.
Ill proposition i to utilize the boat in
blowing op Morro castle.
Secretary Xiong deoluree Havana will
not be bombarded until serious dangor
from attack by the Spanish fleet Is
eliminated. He say the United 8 talcs
cannot afford to risk the loss of a war.
ship until the armadas are destroyed or
are no longer a menace to be greatly
feared. ,
The three days' debate on the war
revenue bill begun in the houae
Wednesday. Dingloy opened the de
bate and waa followed by Bailey, who
opposed the measure and proposed to
substitute for It taxes on Income and
bank deposits and coinage of ailver
seigniorage.
General Mile and the Cuhan repre
sentative held an important confer
ence in Washington, D. O., and went
over the plan of operation. It is un
derstood that the insurgent will be
fully equipped by the United States,
and will move on Havana, co-operating
with our fleet.
Minor News tteme.
A newly discovered spot on the sun
visible now, i said to be 80,000 mile
in diameter. -
Tho sale of suit is a government mo
nopoly in China, which yield a yearly
revenue of 111,000,000.
Jew have become farmer In Main
In such nuiuhors as to be recognized a
a fnotor in trading.
The contributions to the Jame Ru
ell Lowell memorial fund in Boston
now amount to 133,078.
LATER NEWS,
The Spanish admiral of the Philip-
tune acknowledges that his fleet bat
ueen oompiotoly demolished.
( It is claimed at Madrid that no Span
in warsnip urremloreu, and that
majority of them perished. The Span
lh losa i estimated at 400 men killed
A Hong Kong dispatch say the bom
uartimont of Msnlla ha begun. Tho
tniiahltatit are fleelnif to the country.
The operators in tho cable station in
the midst of the forts have fled to save
thoir live. Cable communication
interrupted.
A special to the Chicago Dailv New
from Washington yi The president
ana cabinet nave received Information
that the (Spanish governor-general of
ine i'lilllppines lias sent a nag of truce
to Commodore Dewey. This act ll
Interpreted to mean the capitulation of
die Bpanlsli roioes.
A terrible storm passed over Booth
Dakota and Iowa. South Dakota re
ports a death list of 18, and a property
lof of 1100,000. In Northwest Iowa,
the town of l'rlnghar, Hartley and
CurluW wore badly wrecked, Hartley
twin almost completely destroyed,
Several people In that section are re'
ported killed. The town of Macedonia,
i. car Council Bluffs, is badly wrecked,
but no loss of lite Is reported there.
, Governor Lord, of Oregon, ha desig
nated the following a field officers of
tho regiment of volunteer raised In re
spouse to the presidential call for
troops: Commander Colonel O. Sum
met, of Portia' d; lieutenant-colonel
George O. Yoran, of Eugene; senior
major 0. U. Guntenbein, of Port
land; second major P. G. Kastwlck,
of Portland; third major Percy Willis,
of Salem'; chaplain W. 8, Gilbert, of
Eugene. ''
The navy department ha received
official confirmation of tho arrival of
the battle-ship Oregon at Bio Janeiro.
Tliis wa the subject of general satis
faction, for it means very material
atieiiKth for Admiral Sampson's fleet
within a fortnight. The Oiegon baa
been making 18 knot, or about 31)0
miles a day, and it ia calculated that
she will cover the 8,000 miles between
Kio and Cuba in 10 day. She must
coal, however, before starting north
ward, and this will take aeveral days.
Once with the blockading fleet, Ad
miral Sampson's first line will be of
(our tapcrb battle-ship of exactly the
can. a stiength and equipment.
Detail of the battle of Manila have
been received at the British colonial
offloe. They came in two cable messages.
Tho first dispatch announced that the
American fleet entered Manila harbor
at daybreak, stationing itself opposite
the city. The foits opened fire on the
American ships, whereupon they shifted
thoir position to Cavite, Manila bay,
engaging in a fierce light against both
the forts and the Bpanieh fleet. The
engagement here lasted two hours, ana
res a I ted -in the annihilation of the
Spanish Soot. This dispatch adds that
tho American ship withdrew to their
mngaxine vessel in the center of the
roads lor the puriiose of coaling. One
American vessel, name not mentioned,
ia said to have been disabled.
Alter the naval battle Commodore
Deweey requested the British consul to
convey message to the Bpanieh gov
ernor-general, demanding the surrender
of all torpedoes and gun at Manila,
and the possession of the cable office,
saying that unless these term were
complied with, be would proceed to
bombard the oity. The Bret cable mea.
sage end with the statement that the
Spanish official were conferring with
the British consul and telcgrapn com
panies, and that pending a decision be
ing arrived at the cable weie not per
mitted to handle message. The tt) ond
ra' lo dispatch . announced that
the Fpanlsh, governor-general refused
to surrender the torpedoes and gun
and cable offloes, and that he had pre
vented the agent of the telegraph com
pany from conferring with Dewey.
The senate hits adopted the confer
ence report on the naval appropriation
bill.
The harbor defense plana of San
Franoisoo are said to bo in the band of
the Spanish.
A New York Journal dispatch says
the government is preparing to seize
several small islands in the South At
lantic a a base of supplies.
, Blanco, in hi report of the Matanias
bombardment says the French and
English consul have entered protest
on the ground that no previous notice
wa given. .-
From Key West come the report
that the gunboat Newport oaptured the
email Bpanisli - sloop Engracia off
Cabana, and aent her capture Into port
in charge of a prise crew,
It was officially announced at Madrid
that the fortification of Matansaa have
not suffered, In spite of 800 shells fired
by the American fleet, and that not one
man was killed or wounded thereby.
The stories of the bombardment received
from the United Stnto are received
with ahouts of derision.
Spanish mail has been ordered confis
cated by the postofflce department. In
the first batch received at the dead let
ter offloo, the discovery of numerous
contraband letters, soma of whioh are of
great importance to the naval and mil
taty authorities, has demonstrated that
the order is not only justified, bnt
wise precaution. '
At Roubaix, one of the socialist
strongholds of France, the 11,000 pub
lic school children reooivo free food and
olothing jat the expense of the town.
The late Mr a. Julia W. James, of
Boston, left nearly all her estate, val
ued at 1543, 0G9, to theMusenmnf Fine
Arts and the Institute of Technology.
Cores' first railway, SB mile in
length, i being constructed by Amer
ican contractor. It is to extend from
Chemulpo, on the Yellow sea, to
Seoul, th capital.
SPANISH DEFEAT
Met With Heavy Loss
at the Philippine
Islands.
AMERICAN LOSS WAS LIGHT
Three Rpanlih CruUers Destroyed Only
Nwi Comet Through Madrid and Is
Colored American Ships BuoMeded
In Lauding Their Wounded.
Madrid, May 8. Advice from
Manila aay that the American squad
ron, nnder Commodore Dewey, ap
peared ' off tho bay of Manila at 5
o'clock thl morning and opened a
strong cannonade against the Spanish
squadron and fort protecting the har
bor. The Spanish second-clas cruiser
Don Juan de Austria, was severely
damaged and her commander was
killed. Another Spanish vessel was
burned. . The American squadron re
tired, having also sustained severe
damage.
A second naval engagement followed.
in which the American squadron again
differed considerable loss and the
Spanish wasship Mindanao and Ulloa
were slightly damaged. , During this
engagement the Cavite forts maintained
steadier and stronger fire upon tho
American squadron than in the first
engagement.
Admiral Berraejo, the minister of
marine, has expressed himself a highly
pleased with the heroism of the Spanish
marines, and ha telegraphed congratu
lations to Admiral Montejo and the
valorous crew of the Spanish squadron
under fire of superior warships.
The Uffielal Report.
The following it the text of the offi
cial dispatch from the governor-general
of the Philippine to the minister of
war, General Correa, a to the engage
ment off Manila:
"Last night, the batteries at the en
trance to the forts announced the arrival
of the enemy, forcing a passage under
tho obscurity of the night. , At day
break the enemy took up position,
opening with a strong fire against Fort
Cavite and Tardenal. Our fleet en
gaged the enemy in a brilliant combat,
protected by the Cavite and Manila
forts.' They obliged the enemy, with
heavy loss, to maneuver repeatedly.
At 9 o olocK the Americans took
refuge behind the foreign merchant
hipping on the east aide of the bay.
Our fleet, considering the enemy'
anvwii'inrttt. natnrulltt liiffftMil a anVdrt '
loss. The Items Crlatina is on fire, and
another ship, believed to be the Don
JuRn de Austria, waa blown op. There
was considerable loss of life. Captain
Cadareze, commanding the Belna Cris-
tina, is among the killed. I cannot
now give further detail. Tne spirit of
the armv, navy and vohinteera is ex
cellent,"
When the United State fleet arrived
at Subic, at 4 o'clock yesterday after
noon. Commodore Dewey sent scouting
vessel to examine these waters for the
enemy, and Immediately sailed In tne
direction of Manila.
Notwithstanding the severe damage
the Spanish snip suffered, naval om
cer here consider that the future oper
ation by the American squadron will
be oondnoted under great difficulty,
owing to their having no base where
they could repair or coal, or obtain
fiesh supplies of ammunition.
Another account Bays the Mindanao
and Dlloa were severely damaged in
the second engagement.
Mutterlnsa In Madrid.
The town is greatly excited by the
serious news from the Philippines, and
there i an immense crowd gathering
the Salle de Savilla. The civil
guard on horsebaok were called out to
preserve order, and all precautions have
been taken. There ia much mattering,
but np to the present, nothing more
serious has occurred.
Late official telegram say Admiral
Montejo be transferred his flag to the
cruiser Isle of Cuba, from the cruiser
Iteina Cristlna, whioh is completely
burned. According to onicial tele'
grains, the spanisu oraiser Castllla
was also burned.
The other ships retired from the com
bat, some being sunk to avoid their
falling into the enemy's hands.
The second engagement was appar
ently begun by the American after
landing their wounded on the west aide
of the bay.
A cabinet minister speaks of serious
but honorable losses."
SPANIARDS' CRUSHING DEFEAT.
That Is About All the Dlapatehe Make
- Clear.
London, May 8. Whllo it is quite
clear that the Spanish squadron has
offered a ornehing defeat, the d la
patches do not leave clear the interest
ing question whether the American
squadron ha suffered damage.
Probably, therefore, the United
States squadron will be obliged to make
for Ban Franoisoo, as the entrance to
Manila bay wa heavily mined with
torpedoes. .
Commodore Dewey displayed great
pluck and daring in making for the
nnor harbor. According to private
advice reoelved from Madrid, the Uni
ted State cruisers Olympla, Raleigh
d two other other vessels, the name
of which are not given, entered the har
bor. No dispatches give detail as to
the vessels engaged on either tide.
ST. HELENS, OREGON, F1IIDAY,
MAY END THE WAR.
The Probable IITact of Dewey's Victory
at Maulla.
Washington, May 8. Washington is
rejoicing tonight. Dot since the dark
day of a third of century ago have
tho people of thl city been to pro
foundly moved by war new a they
were this evening.
The first battle of the Bispano
American war ha been fought and vic
tory lie with Admiral Deweey' squad
ron under the Stars and Stripes. That
was enough to set the people of Wash
ington almost in a frenzy of enthu
eiustio rejoicing.
For days, they, in common with the
people throughout the country, have
bo.-n waiting news from the Philip
pines, as everything pointed to a battle
at Manila that might be a derisive con
flict of the war. When the news came,
indicating a great victory for the
American squadron, the enthusiasm of
the people was let loose, and the
streets of the city have rang with
cheers throughout the night. ,
The first news of the battle received
in Washington came in a brief cable
gram to the press from Madrid about 8
o'clock tliis evening. As the night
wore on, the cable continued to sing
the now of victory tor the squadron of
Admiral Dewey, and the interest grew
into tremendous exoitement.
As bulletin after bulletin woe posted
in front of the newspaper offices,: each
successive one conveying information
more gratifying than it predecessor,
the crowds in tiie street became up
roarious. Good, a well a bad news.
spread rapidly, and by 10 o'clock, the
streets were crowded with people, all
discussing the one exciting topic of the
hour. Hundreds gathered in front of
the bulletin boards, end evry scintilla
of news and It wa all glorious was
reeeived with eutbosiastio cheers,
While victory had been expected,
the news of it, coming, as it did come.
from SpnniBh sources, gave a vent to
the! patriotism of the people, which
has been pent np for days. It was a
spontaneous outburst of patriotic feel
ing that scarcely knew no bounds. ; Ad
miral Dewey's name was on every lip,
and ills praise were sung in the re
joicings of the people.
The absence of any statement of spe
cific injury to the American vessels in
the Madrid advices was constured as
convincing indication that they had
not suffered appreciable injury and
this was especially pleating to the
students of the news. -
Not only was the preservation of the
American ship and men considered in
itself a happy outcome, but waa com
mented upon aa Indicating clearly that
Admiral Dewey and bis associate offi
cers and the men under their command
had discharged spendidly their several
duties in directing and executing the
fight.
in this connection it was x)inted ont
aa little Ices than marvelous that the
American sqnurdon escaped withont
ieveie injury, because, notwithstanding
J ,t- l i .L.
the diaparity in the naval forces, the
Spanish fleet, assisted by the (bore
batteries, should have been able to
effect severe damage before it wa de'
Stroyed. its failure to do so waa ex
plicable only upon the hypothesis of
perfect and swift work by the American
squadron.
May End the War.
An opinion freely expressed tonight
by naval officers is that the very de
cisive victory of Admiral Dewey's fleet
will mean probably an early end of tbe
war without further naval battles of
importance. The American fleet, it is
suggested, is now supreme in the waters
of Spain's Pacific possession, and indi
cations point strongly toward the wrest
ing of the Philippines from their con
trol. It Is said that only by acceding
to oar demands in Cuba could tbia loss
possibly be averted. Spain, it is
argued, is confronted with a situation
which promises naught save disaster in
case he elects to force more fighting.
Tbe superiority of tbe American fleet
has been demonstrated in tbe Pacific,
and the same it is contended woujd be
inevitable in the Atlantic in case the
clash come.
From whatever point of view it is
considered, the policy of more fighting
on tiie part of Spain promises nothing
but more Spanish misfortune. Navy
officers think this view mast prevail
with the Spanish government, and be
lieve an end of the war, on the basis
of Cuban independence, in to follow
soon, and that, too, without further
notable opportunity for the American
navy to prove its power and distin
guish itself.
It is regarded by some as likely that
the decisive victory gained by Admiral
Dewey' squadron may open the eyes
of Spain to the seriousness of the con
flict upon which she has entered.
In official circles it iB regarded as al
most certain that resalts of a most
serious nature will oonfront theSagasta
oahinet within Spain's own borders.
It is laid that the Spanish people have
been led to believe that their navy wa
invincible, and the bitter disappoint
ment over the first engagement of the
war Is likely to precipitate internal dis
6enaion, if not revolution.
I'robable Result at the Victory.
Another result of Admiral Dewey'
victory, it is thought, may be action on
the part of the power of Europe to in
duce Spain to abandon what ia regard
ed as a hopeless contest.
In the dispatches from Madrid, the
statement was made that Admiral
Dewey effeoted a landing on the west
side of Manila bay for the men of his
fleet who were wounded In the engage
ment. A soon as the junction of the
American and insurgent forces the
one at tea and tne otner on land is
effected, a demand is likely to be made
tor the surrender of tho oity, and, in
the event of refusal, combined attack
will be made on It.
MAY C, 1898.
A DASH TO CUBA
Transports are Char-
tered to Take the
Army Across.
MAY LAND AT MAIANZAS
Secular Troops How on the Way to
Tampa Object Is to Strike a De
cisive Blow Before the Rainy geaeoa
Sets Ia Work In War Department,
Washington, April 80. A rather
striking signification of the invasion
of Cuba was made today in the charter
ing of eight large steamers, of an aver
age capacity of about 3,000 tons, and
able to carry from S00 to 1,000 passen
gers each. These are to be need as
transports for tbe conveyance of the
first military expedition to Cuba. Tbe
names of tbe bout are the Olivette and
the Flordia, of the Plant line, now in
the Gulf; the Southern Pacific Com
pany' steamer Aranzaa; the New York
& Texas Company's vessels Comal, now
at New York, and Alamo, now en route
to tbe Golf, and three fine ships of the
Boston Merchants' Sc Mariners' line,
in Baltimore, the Allegheny, Berkshire
and the Decatur Miller. The price
paid for those vessels is from $10,000
to $15,000 for the 30 days for which tbey
are chartered. They will be taken
charge of by the quartermaster depart
ment at tbe earliest possible moment.
' General Shatter, in command of the
troops now concentrated at New Or
leans, has been in consultation with the
Officials today as to the execution of
plans of campaign, but tbe orders given
him cannot be made public
The president and cabinet will con
sider the large number of applications
that have been made for the appoint
ment to the posts of major-general and
brigadier-general, and there is some ex
jiectation that be will be able to nouii
nate a few of these officers soon.
General Fitzhagh Lee arrived here
today, after a 10 days' visit to Vir
ginia. With him came Miss Cisneros,
tbe young Cuban girl rescued from Ca
banas, who has been the guest of Miss
Lee. Tbe general shared the keen pub
lio interest in the report of the shelling
of Matanzas. He has visited that city
frequently, and was familiar with tbe
lay of the land and defenses. He said
tiie batteries were antiquated and were
no longer able to offer any formidable
resistance.
Every endeavor ia being put forward
by the war department to organize the
volunteer army and increase the regu
lar army to it fall strength. Muster-ing-rolls
of the companies of the volun
teer army have been prepared in the
war department and sent, to tbe offi
cers who have been detailed to form
ally induct the state troops into the
service of the government. With a
few modifications they are the same as
those used in the late war.
Tbe question of arms and equip
ments for the volunteer army is now
receiving the attention of the ordnance
department and tbe quatermaster-gen-erul's
department. As soon as infor
mation is received as to the exact num
ber of aims needed for the volunteers,
they will be shipped to their state
rendezvous for distribution.
The three independent regiments of
cavalry authorized by the volunteer
army act, and which are to be com
posed exclusively of frontiersmen, are
to be known as the First, Second and
Third regiments of United States vol
unteer cavalry. They are to be com
posed of 18 troops eaoh.
Off tor the Front.
Chickamanga National Park, Ga.,
April 80. Tbe two companies of tho
Njnth (colored) cavalry, which arrived
in Chattanooga late this afternoon.
were stopped after having started to
Chiokamauga, and switched into the;
Western & Atlantic yards. Orders are
said to have been received to have the
troops proceed as rapidly as possible to
Tampa, Fla., to which point tbe troops
from Mobile have also been ordered,
and tbey will leave before morning.
It is currently reported that the com
panies of the Ninth regiment now in
camp here will be shipped at once to
Tampa, as well as the Twenty-fourth
infantry (colored). Offloers of the
Ninth have been making every prepar
ation for departure.
Another Letter Held Cp.
Washington, April 80. The poet-"
office department has information of
another letter being held op because it
contained treasonable matter. The
postmaster at Santa Crua reported that
a letter to Senor Sagasta, Spain; had
been mailed there, and, under direc
tion of Assistant Postmaster-General
Tynan its contents wore examined. It
was mailed by a woman who gave an
address wheie an answer -would,, reach
her, and contains information in regard
to the fortifications of San Francisco,
where guns are located, etc The let
ter will be referred to the war depart
ment "
Bnsaeoted Spanleh Spy.
Laredo, Tex., April 80. When the
Geat Northern mail train arrived this
evening a stranger on the train was ar
rested by an officer from Fort Mcintosh,
and from what could be learned he is
thought to be a Spanish spy, who has
been under surveilanoe all the way
from New York. He was bound for
Mexico. The prisoner ts at the post.
but nothing further of a definite nature
could be leajrnod tonight.
WAS IT A SPANIARD?
BunoilDe; Attempt Made to
Torpedo Beate.
Blow C
. Portland, Or... May 2. A bungling
attempt to set Are to the shop or fright
en the workmen on torpedo-boat 13
and 18 wa made nnder the wharf of
the Wolff & Zwicker iron work about
11 o'clock last night
Wliile nothing could be learned of
the perpetrator, a Spaniard or a Mexi
can who was seen hanging about the
place all day and who had been several
times ordered away is suspected by tbe
police.
The late workmen, wb't were just
quitting the building, were startled, as
the whistle blew, by a dull report ap
parently just below the wharf on which
the torpedo-boats are building, which
shook the structure to its foundation.
The Madison street bridge night watch
man also beard the detonation ami saw
a blinding flash directly nnder the torpedo-boats.
Three of the workmen seized lantern
and hurried beneath the whaif. Just
as they reached the ground, a second
report, like that of a shotgun or re
volver, was heard, and they saw a light
flash for an instant, but that was all.
Groping about by the dim light of their
lanterns, tbey were unable lo find any
thing which could have made an ex
plosion, and tbey finally decided to
abandon the quest till daytirenk.
The Spaniard whom the police sus
pect of having set off the explosion,
either with the deliberate purpose of
blowing up the torpedo-boats or set
ting fire to tbe building, or thinking to
terrify the contractors, had been slink
ing about the place all day.
Whatever was the purpose of the
man who set off the explosion, be
failed to do any more barm than to set
the town agog, for the wharf and boats
were unscathed.
ALLEGED GERMAN NOTE.
Rumor That She Will Not rrr.nlt the
Boiubardineut or Manila
Madrid, May 2. A great impression
has been produced here by a rumor
that the German government has is
sued a note declaring that it will not
oppose the landing of troops in the
Philippines but will not permit a bom
bardment, owing to the important Ger
man mercantile interests in all the
towns of the island. Germany's
omision to declare neutrality is bold
to be the cause of the rumor. . -
Japan has requested permission for
Japanese naval officers to watch tbe
operations in the Philippines from the
Spanish headquarters.
The United States fleet is not expect
ed to reach Manila until Tueslay. Tiie
Spanish fleet has been divided in two.
It will be reinforced by a large auxil
iary cruiser.
According to dispatches from Ma
nila, the Voa Espanoia describes the
port of Manila as impregnable. Tbe
paper also says that the forts of Mule
ton, Sud Malatea, Pastel, Mirallas und
St. Lucia Pilar bristle with gnns,
chiefly Kruppe.
PORTUGAL'S NEUTRALITY.
Officially Announced In a Proelauiatlon
In X.libon
..I Lisbon, May 8. The official gazette
today publishes the neutrality decree of
Portugal in the war between Spain and
the United States.
It is similar to the decree ifrsul at
the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian
war, and contains the following six ar
ticles:
First Forbidding the equipment of
privateers in Portuguese waters.
Second Forbidding ' the entry of
privateers into Portuguese waters.
Third Permitting belligerents ' to
make a short stay in Portuguese ports,
Fourth Defining legitimate trade as
regards the belligerents and forbidding
trading in goods consider contraband
of war.
Fifth Warning Portuguese end for
eigners in Portugal against - action
contrary to the security of the state.
Sixth Refusing protection to any
infringers of the decree.
COST OF THE WAR.
Bon Needed
for Additional Anny
. , ..Expenses.
Washington, May 8. The secretary
of the treasury today received from the
secretary of war estimates of defi
ciencies in appropriations for the ex
penses of tbe war for the remaining
two quarters of the present fiscal year,
aggregating $34,019,987. In his let
ter. Secretary Alger says that the nets
of congress approved April 22 and 28,
1898, authorizing the enrollment of a
Volunteer army and placing the regular
army on a war footing, will necessitate
this increase for the organization, sup
port and maintenance of the new
forces.
This estimate, which will be trans
mitted to congress, is entirely inde
pendent of the allotments made by the
president to the war department out
of the-$50,000,000. This will indicate
that np to July I next (two months)
the incieosod expenditures on account
of the war will be approximately $90,
000,000. .
The Spanish government officials are
bewildered at the attitude of . Great
Britain. , Tbey believe the government
and people of Great Britain hold
divergent opinions, and that the official
acts of Great Britain are due to a secret
oompaot with the United States.
Washington, May 2. Secretary Al
ger this morning issued a most sweep
ing order directed to all bureau chief
of the war department and all officer
on special duty, from highest to low
est, instructing them, under no cir
cumstances, to give information to the
press on any subject connected with
the war. A similar order already ex j
ists in the navy department
Manila, May 8. The government i
has forbidden the use of cipher dia
patthes. . , . ...,'r ; V.' '". . i
NO. 20.
FORT BOMBARDED
New York, Puritan and
Cincinnati Fire on
Matanzas.
SPANISH RETURNED THE FIRE
Great tamae;e Pone to the Fortifica
tions of the Cuban Tort Believed
There Wa Aim Loee of Lire No
Dimie Hone to American Xt arehlpe.
On Board the Flagship New York, off
Matanzas, April 29. The New York,
the Puritan and tbe Cincinnati bom
barded the forts at tbe month of Matan
zas harbor this afternoon. There were
no casualties on our side, but it is be
lieved that tbe bail of iron which
pounded in the forts must have caused
loss of life to the Spaniards, though
nothing ia known definitely.
The engagement commenced at 12:57,
and ceased at 1:10. The object of the
attack was to prevent the completion of
the earthworks at Pnnta Gorda. -i
A battery on tbe eastward arm of the
bay opened fire on tbe flagship, and
this was also shelled.
About 12 8-inch shells were fired
from the eastern forts, but all fell
short.
About five or six light shells "wero
fired from the half-completed battery.
Two of these whizzed over the New
York, and the others fell short. The
ships left the bay for the open sea, the
object of discovering the" whereabouts
of the batteries! having been accom
plished. , v
In the neighborhood of 800 shot
were put on land from the three vessels
from a range of from 4,000 to 7,000
yarda. -
Bear-Admiral Sampson, when asked
if he was satisfied with the result,
said: . .-.
"Yes, I am. I expected to be."
The half-completed Spanish earth
works and battery were apparently
blown up by the shells.
All the ships engaged showed ex
jellent markmanship throughout tbe
engagement, and when they were firing
at the shortest range, nearly every
shell took effect
The forts which were bombarded
were on a low-lying point, and were
considered merely earthworks. They
did not make a good target, yet when
tbe big buns were fired at tbe shortcut
range, ' portions of the forts could be
seen flying in the air at trvery shot..
The flagship returned to Havana, and
the Puritan and Cincinnati were left
on the Matanzas station. . "
Department Kot Informed.
Washington, April 29. So far ai
could be learned, the officials of the
administration were not notified of tbe
bombardment of Matanzas yesterday
afternoon. The navy department keep
a telegraph office open in tbe building
all night and a confidential official re
mains at tiie department all night to
translate the messages ga receive.
There was considerable business done
over the wires till tbe early morniuit
hours, but none of the dispatri.es were
sent either to tbe Whits. House or to
the secretary of the navy. . ;
BOMBARDMENT OF HAVANA.
Mot the Preeent Purpose of the Government-
: 1 i
Washington, April 29. The war sit
uation la substantially tbia: '
The blockading squadron remains
passive before Havana, with no present
purpose of bombarding or of drawing
tbe fire of the shore batteries. , The
strategic purpose of an effective block
ade of the Cuban coast is being accom
plished to tbe entire satisfaction of the
authorities here. There is no indica
tion that a part of the Sent will be
withdrawn for the purpose of affording
additional protection to North Atlantic
ports. .
No word had come to the department
up to the close of office hours of the ar
rival of the Montserrat at Cienfngos.
The offloials are inclined to believe that
if she has gotten into port site did so
before the blockade of Cienfugoa. had
begun. '
The very faot that the Madrid offi
cials have rather ostentatiously de
clared that the Spanish fleet has Railed
to bombard the cities on tbe North At
lantic coast is taken as a certain indi
cation at the navy department of the
ntter improbability of such a movement.
If this were contemplated, the Spanish
officials would be the very last to inake
their purpose pnblio.
The navy department, as yet, iias
made no arrangements for the care of
prisoners taken by our warohips, but
tbe legal officers of tbe department
think they should be sent to Boston
naval prison. - ,
The state department posted notion
today, stating it bad been officially ad
vised of the issuance of neutra'it or
ders by Italy, the JJetherlauda, Switzer
land, Norway and Sweden, Itussia end
Colombia. It is 'supposed airo that
official notice of Great Britain's and
Franco's neutrality will be received by
tomorrow. Including Frauce and Owiit
Britain, four of the tlx great powers of
Europe, have dmtiared tnelr neutroHty
Great Britain, IuUJ, i u. .' t ",
I?W85il. '.-.'