OFF THE ROADS
Four Spanish Warships
Were Seen Near
Fort Monroe.
WERE HEADING SOUTHWARD
Caught by the Searchlight Battle
Ship, Two Cruisers and Torpedo
Boat The Blgnal for Activity at the
Fort and on the Vessels In the Bay.
Newport News, Va., June 11.
A dispatch just received fiorn Port
Monroe says: Intense excitement was
caused at Port Monroe Friday night
shortly after 9 o'clock by a dispatch
received from the signal station at
Cape Henry, stating that Spanish war
ships were lurking in the vicinity.
A short time late; a message , was re
vived from Washington instructing
the commander of the fort to be on the
alert. Reports as to the uninber of
ships seem to conflict.
A lieutenant, who was seen after
midnight, said that he had been in
formed that a Spanish battleship, two
cruisers and a torpedo-boat had been
caught under the searchlight of Cape
Henry, steaming from a northerly di
rection. As soon as it waa reported that the
enemy's warships had been sighted
there was great activity at the fort
The big searchlights began to sweep
across the bay, and signals were flashed
to the cruiser Minneapolis, auxiliary
cruiser Dixie and dynamite cruieer
Buffalo, which were anchored off Old
point.
Quarters were sounded, and the
crews hastily prepared the ships for
Action. The gunners took positions
at their posts, where they were ordered
to remain during the night: The
ship's searchlights were kept playing
on the water.
At the fort ammunition was hurried
to the long guns, and the troops were
ordered to the posts. Some of the
officers were with their families at the
hotels, and buglers were dispatohed for
them. The men scurried out of the
hotels half dressed and hastenedd to
the fort.
In the camp of the Maryland troops
orders were given for the men to sleep
in their clothes with their guns close
by. '
STRONG CONVOY.
Slxteen Warship Go With Transports,
Headed by the Indiana.
Washington, June 13. Out of the
Diaze of doubt and contradiction as to
the disnatch of the first nrmv of invas
ion to Cuba, one thing stands out clear
ly, namely, that the government, feel
ing strong in its present position and
plan, is moving cautiously and with
the deliberation which it believes will
secure success unattended with dis
asters.
With this main purpose in view,
the army and navv are co-operating
toward the dispatch of the troops, same
23,000 in number, under escort of a
strong fleet of naval convoys, made up
of 16 warships, headed by the battle'
chip Indiana. Unattended by this
strong fleet the troops might have left
last Friday, when one strong naval
convoy was ready for this service.
Since then, howevei, reports have
8KCBETA.BT OF WAB ALGETV,
come as to the presence of Spanish
ships in the North Atlantic. Realis
ing that nothing was to be gained by
haste, and that the war was progress'
ing steadily toward success, it waa da
termined not to take the one small
chance of having our troop transports
menaced by some scouting shipa of the
enemy.
Aa a result, the troop transports have
not proceeded to Cuba, either yester
day or the day before, aa has been re
peatedly asserted. They are in read!
i) ess to go, but will not move until the
naval convoy is ready to accompany
'them, assuring safe conduct from Plori
da to the point of destination. Wheth
er that will be today or tomorrow, the
war department deolines positively to
ay.
The completeness with which the
transporting of the troops has teen
planned is shown by the list of trans
port vessels given out at the war de
partment today. Of this list, 84 steam
ships, varying from 1,400 tona down to
600 tons, are at Florida porta ready to
carry troops to the point of invasion,
The entire transport fleet of about 50
steamships, augmented by the fleet of
IS naval convovs, will make a form id a
Lie marine procession, exceeding in
magnitude the notable spectacle of the
naval review in the world a fair Tear.
COAST IS CLEAR.
American Troops Will Land in Cuba
Without LMtflculty.
Kingston, Jamaica, June 13. The
navy awaits the army. The fighting
ships of Rear-Admiral Sampsons and
Commodore Schley have battered down
the coast defenses of Southern Cuba,
and have sealed up Admiral Cervera's
fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba
by-sinking the collier Merrimac in the
channel at its entrance, with guns of
the fleet covering it. Boats running
under the shadows of El Moro have cut
the Haytien cable, and now hold 35
miles of the coast east of Santiago de
Cuba, including Quantanamo harbor.
Under the cover of tle gnns of the
fleet, Eastern Cuba may be safely in
vested by land and sea, Admiral Cer
vera's fleet annihilated and the entire
province and ita town and harbora
seized and held, after a short cam
paign. The harbor of Quantanamo is a fine
basis for land and sea operations. The
arbor is capacious, and has 40 feet of
water. The land approaches are not
so precipitous as at Santiago de Cuba.
The low-lying hilla can be easily reacb-
GE!f. NEI.SOS A. MILES.
ed with trains of siege guns, and there
are level reads to Santiago, 33 miles
distant, where a few mountain batter
ies, beyond the reach of the fleot, will
be taken to an eminence commanding
the city and the Spanish ships.
Guantanamo is an important place.
It has six miles of water barobr, and
will be of great value to the United
States navy and army as a supply sta
tion, coaling depot and cable terminus.
The Spaniards have but Blight do-
fen ee. Their batteries were silenced
by the Marblehead in a few minutes'
firing at 4,000 yards. A small Spanish
gunboat ran away. The Oregon, Mar
blehead and Yankee bold the harbor,
waiting to land marines.
The navy's work has been done well.
Day and night ships patrol the 80
miles of coast within easy gun range of
the shore. The officers and men are
ever ready and impatiently say: .
What more can be done? We have
opened the way; where is the army of
invasion? '
The answer seems neat at hand.
ENGAGEMENT AT GUANTANAMO
Cruiser Marblehead In Fall Possession
of the Hay.
Washington, June 13. The first
official confirmation of the engage'
ment at Quantanamo came to the naval
department today and was made the
subject of a bulletin. The tonus in
which Admiral Sampson described the
affair tended strongly to take away the
large importance that had been given
it in the unoffioial discussion. There'
waa a notable failure on the part of the
admiral ' to mention anything like a
landing, although a statement that the
Marblehead now holds the lower bay
by implication may carry with it the
idea that her marines are ashore. The
cablegram follows:
June 9 Admiral Sampson ordered
the Marblehead, Commander MoCalla,
and the Yankee, Commander Brown
son, to take possession ofthe outer bay
of Guantanamo. These vessels entered
the harbor at daylight on the 7th,
driving the Spanish gunboats into the
inner harbor, and took possession of
the lower bay, which ia now held by
the Marblehead."
PUT BACK FOR COAL.
Monitor Monterey and Collier Brutal
Arrive at Ban Diego.
San Diego, Cal., June 13 The
United States steamer Monterey and
her coal consort, the Brutus, supposed
to be speeding on their way toward
Honolulu and Manila, were sighted at
noon today, steaming south toward San
Diego, at a good rate of speed, the
Monterey leading. They arrived off
the harbor mouth at 8 P. M. and sepa
rated, the Brutus going about five
miles south and anchoring near CorO'
nado island, while the Monterey came
In rapidly and dropped her anchor at 4
P. M. off the coal bunkers. A great
crowd was on the wharf to receive her
Paymaster Rogers stated briefly that
they had simply come in here for coa
and water, and would sail tomorrow
afternoon for Honolulu.
Germany'! Interest In It.
Madrid, Jnne 13. It is reported that
Germany will propose a meeting of the
European conference to discuss the
Question of the Philippines.
A dispatch from Blanco at Havana
says the Spanish torpedo-boat destroyer
Terror u in Porto Rican waters.
Ship Sterling Wrecked.
Seattle, Wash., June 13. The
steamer Eodiak, which arrived here
this afternoon from Southeastern
Alaska, reports that the ship Sterling
ran on a reef and was wrecked in the
Nuaheyok liver, about 65 milea from
Ita moutn. Her crew ana passengers
were landed at Earluk. The Sterling
left San Francisco April 27, with aup'
plies for the cannneries in Southern
Alaska. She carried 175 passengers,
150 of whom were Chinese.
A HARBOR MAP
The Insurgents View
the Spanish Fleet
in Santiago.
IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH SCHLET
Give Very Definite Information Regard
ing Cape Verde Flees Entire Span
ish Force at Santiago Numbers But
0000 Poorly Fed Soldiers.
Off Santiago de Cuba, via Kingston,
Jamaica, June 11 After di'ving the
Spanish fleet at Santiago de Cuba into
morel protected position in the har
bor, by the bombardment of Tuseday,
Commodore Schley opened communica
tion with the insurgents 18 milea from
Santiago to the east. They were urged
to obtain, if possible, the names and
umber of the fleet inside the harbor,
as the contour of the land at the en
trance made ft impossible to accurately
determine by the view of the fleet just
how many vessels of the Spanish squad
ron were there.
On Friday afternoon Lieutenant
Sharp, of the Vixen, went to the place
of the rendezvous, and secured from the
inanrgenta a map of the harbor, show
ing the entire Cape Verde fleet, with
the exception ol the destroyer Terror,
inside, and close to the city under the
p rot action of the guns on Blanco bat
tery at the northern extremity of the
barber. The ships there, according to
this chart, are the Cristobal Colon,
Vizcaya, Almirante Oquendo, the Ma
ria Teresa and the Reina Mercedes (de
stroyed by the American warships
since this dispatch waa written), all
cruisers of the flist-class, and heavily
armored, together with three torpedo-
boats. The defimteness of this infor
mation naturally gave Commodore
Schley great satisfaction.
With Admiral Sampson's arrival.
Wednesday, the blockade was much
Strengthened, and the plana to starve
the fleet were pushed vigorously. Just
how long Santiago can stand beseiging
is a matter ol conjecture. ine coun
try about the city is unproductive and
mountainous, and he insurgents camps
are so close that there is little or no
communication between the city and
ita environs. The railway service is
not carried to a distance mnoh beyond
10 miles from the town. Since Sun
day last, when Cervera's squadron waa
penned up by the flying squadron un
der Commodore Sohley, nothing haa
been- done since the auxiliary cruiser
St. Paul captured abont 4,000 tons of
coal consigned to the port. - It is thor
oughly believed that only a short time
will be needed to bring Santiago to a
starvation basis. Naturally the fleet
has a supply, perhaps for two months,
but the Spanish soldiers cannot be sus
tained on this. An important fact was
learned today from the insurgents on
shore, with whom communication haa
been opened up. There are not 20,
000 soldiers, as has been stated, in
this part of the provinoe of Santiago de
Cuba, but only about 6,000. Even
these are badly fed and much disheart
ened.
CENSOR'S WORK.
nomnsDii os. United States Troops Are
Hept Secret.
Washington, June 11. It became
apparent thia afternoon that the war
department, through the energetic
offices ol the censor, haa succeeded en
tirely in its purpose to keep the move
ment of troopa a secret, for beyond
question at the close of the day it waa
impossible to learn the wbereabonta of
the United States troopa, which had
for weeka been gathered under com
inand of General Shatter in Florida.
Stories of a mysterioua warship in
Cuban waters floated through the navy
department during the day. The off!
cers quickly condemned them, declar
ing that if the boats were Spanish
iney were notning more tnan some
armed launches and were not to be
feared by any transports convoyed by
sucn nne gunboats aa the Helena and
liancrolt But when these stories
reached the war department they were
received in a different spirit. Nothing
Isjmore helpless in warfare than an un
armored troopship full of soldiers. She
would fall an easy victim to the email
est gunboat, and the soldiers, knowing
their weakness in this respect, are loath
to unberdtake to cross the Florida
straits until these disagreeable visitors
have been removed from the pathway
Without respect to the charaoter of
the strange craft that are said to be
dodging the blockaders at Havana, they
will be removed from the scene of ac
tton on short notice, as it ia expected
that Sampson has been made acquaint'
ed with the situation, and ia , expected
to redeem hia promise to provide safe
conduct lor the army when called upon
Hc,hai ample force to conduct the op
erations at Santago to a successful
issue and still spare vessels of any
power desirable for use in the Florida
straits.
Patriotic Phlladelphlant.
Philadelphia, June 11. The Press
thia morning states that agents of tl;
government secret service are in pos
session of information indicating that
hundreds of tona of coal have been sup
plied to Spanish agents by brokers in
this locality, and that prosecution
which may send several prominent
coal-dealers to prison are imminent.
A 28-pound ball fired by an English
man-of-war in 1813, waa recently on
earthed near Alexandria, Va.
THE TORPEDO ATTACK.
nceaging Tlgllanoe Saved the
Amer
lean Warships.
Off Santiago, via KingBton, Jamaica,
June 11. The firing by the New York
and New Orleans briefly reported last
ight, was directed against the Spanish
torpedo-boat destroyer, probably the
Furor or Pluton.
The character of the vessel was not
definitely known until the next day,"
when the torpedo-boat Porter found
two loaded torpedoes floating off shore.
Neither of them had been discharged.
One sank, but the other was hauled on
board the Porter. It exactly fitted the
description of the torpedoes carried by
the Pluton and Furor.
It la believed the torpedo-boat de
stroyer escaped. She waa seen by the
New Orleana when too far away for the
latter to do any damage, and the heavy
fire must have driven her back.
The daring attempt of the Spaniarda,
which waa fortunately frustrated bv
the vigilance of the New Orleans'
lookout, is the first instance of its kind
since the beginning of the war. Aa
seen from- the flagship, the scene was
brilliantly dramatic. ; The New York
was lying several miles to the east of
Morro Castle. The New Orleana waa
on her starboard hand., close Inshore.
ready to pounce upon "toy craft which
attempted to steam out under the
shadow of the hilla. Shortly after 10
O'clock the New Orleana flashed her
private signal, and in a tew minutes
colored lights sprang up in the dark
ness from the New Oilcan's deck.
They signalled that the enemy waa in
eight. . "
On board the flagship men and offi
cers had scramlbed out erf bunks and
hammocks in response to the call "gen
eral quarters." They stood on deck
around the gnna watching the short.
sharp flames which showed the activity
ol the New Orleans' rapid-fire bat
tery. The flagship was then too far
away to see the object of the fire.
A dim object like a small boat con
cealed , in smoke waa seen on the port
hand from the signal bridere, and En
sign Murlin reported to Captain Chad
wick "a torpedo-boat one point for
ward on the port beam beaded this
way." Captain Chadwick and Bear-
Admiral Sampson, waa on the forward
bridge. Befoie a shot waa fired from
the flagship, thia curious looking ob
ject disappeared. It must have been
two or three milea away from the New
York and the same distance from the
New Orleans. When a mile away and
close to Morro, an object was seen
against the cliffs.. It was thought to
be a torpedo-boat, and the New York's
forward 8-inoh fruna bellowed out.
making a hideous noise in the quiet
night, lighting the air with bright
smoke. On shore a few sparks closa
to a dark object showed where the
shells struck. The four-inch and six-
pounders followed suit, and for a few
minutes a sharp fire was kept up., The
boom of the Oregon a big guns waa
twice heard to the Eastward.
"Cease firing" was then eoondod.
After a careful watch, the New York
steamed back to her station and the
men went back to their hammocks.
Tnere bad been no firing from tiro torts,
and accounts differ aa to whether the
torpedo-boat did or did not fire.
CHASED FOUR WARSHIPS.
American Gnnboat Deports a Singula
Ftcapade Off Havana.
Key WeEt, June 11. Four auspi
cious looking vessles, thought to be
Spanish warships, are or have been at
tempting to elude the blockading
squadron off Havana and enter the
poit When last seen on the night
before last, they wore in Nioholaa
channel, about 80 miles off Havana,
and heading in the direction of Hav
ana. A government tug from Cardenas
joined the fleet yesterday bringing mes
sages for the commodore from an auxil
iary gnnboat. This was to the effect
that on Tuesday night the gunboat
sighted four vessels thought to be a
battle-ship, two cruisers and a dispatch-boat,
between Salt Cay and
Piedre del Cruz light
The gunboat followed them and
when within speaking diatanoe hoisted
the private signal. The strangers re
plied with three masthead lights,
which was not the required signal, and
immediately thereafter they put out
their lights. The gunboat cruised
after the , strangers for two or three
miles, once approaching within 2,000
yards, but eventually abandoned the
chase and reported to the nearest ship
of the fleet. Advices were then sent
to Commodore Watson by the govern
ment tug and be dispatched a ehip to
Key West
The commander of the gunboat
which followed the vessela is satisfied
that they were Spanish warships either
trying to get into Havana or lying in
wait for transports. The affair, how
ever, ia involve! in doubt.
The British cruiser Talbot left Hav
ana on Tuesday, and she may have
been one of the vessels sighted by the
gunboat '
Her Case Hopeless.
London, June 10 The Madrid cor
respondent of the Daily Mail says:
There is little doubt that Spain, see
ing the hopelessness of further continu
ing the war, is approaohing the power
with a view of obtaining an honorable
peace.
Vancouver, B. C, June 11. Sir
Charles Mitchell, governor ol the
(Straits Settlements, arrived on the
Kin press of Japan with Lady Mitchell.
Mi. Mitchell tells of the torturing of
Kling women for religious purposes in
the streets of Singapore. A number of
Kling women were marched from the
temple in Desango on the road to the
temple in Link road with lances
through their tongues, lipa and cheeks,
their eyes being thrust out. The men
who accompanied them threw water in
their faces.
A RAIN OF BOMBS
American Fleet Shelled
the Town of Cai
nianera. SPANIARDS ABANDONED FORTS
Many of the Shots Demolished Bouses
In the Town Spanish Commander
Threatens to Bnrn the Place Inhab
itants Fled to the Hills.
Cape Haytien, Hayti, June 10 It ia
reported here that a great battle haa
taken place at Caimanera, in the bay
of Guantanamo, which ia 40 milea east
of Sanitago de Cuba.
At 5:80 o'clock Tuseday morning
five ships of the American squadron
opened a heavy bombardment of the
fortifications of the town. There waa
a perfect hail of bomba in the bay,
striking and demolishing many houses
beyond the fortificationa.
On the Spanish side the military re
plied vigorously, making for some1
time a stiff resistance. The fire from
the warships, however, never slackened
for an instant. It waa regular and well
directed, and a great majority of the
shots proved effective. The Spaniarda
were forced to abandon their positions
on the shore and retreat to the town of
Caimanera proper. It is supposed that
the inhabitants also fled.
It Is said here that the Spanish at
Santiago and Caimanera are preparing
for a final desperate struggle, and are
determined to resist the assaults of the
Americana to the last extremity.
The commander of the district issued
an order yesterday to burn Caimanera
before yielding it into the banda of the
Americans.
The latter forced the entrance to the
bay of Guantanamo, and, according to
the latest advices, it was feared that
the Americans would make an effort to
land forces thia afternoon. Measures
to prevent this, if possible, have been
taken by the Spaniards. The Ameri
can fleet returned to ita usual post.
. The report of the bombardment at
Caimanera came by cable. The bom
bardment destroyed a little house
which sheltered the French cable at
Caimanera. The cables uniting the
main cable with the office at Caima
nera and the town of Caimanera with
Santiago were cut, thus accounting for
the prolonged absence of intelligence
here aa to operationa in that vicinity.
Even before the cables in Guantamo
boy had been Injured eo that they
could not he worked, the operators at
the Caimanera station were forced to
flee by the Are from the ships. Dp to
thia hour, 0:15 V. M., there has been
no direct cable communication from
Santiago since Monday at midnight.
The United Statea dispatob-boat Dol
phin arrived at Mole St. Nicholas this
morning and fired a salute of 17 gnna.
SAILED FROM TAMPA.
Twenty-Seven Thousand Men Left tot
Santiago Thursday Noon.
London, June 10. The Washington
correspondent of the Daily Chroniole,
with the approval of General Greely,
cables:
"The army sailed from Tampa at
noon today. The foroe numbers 87,
000 men, oomposed of infantry, cav
alry, artillery and engineers and signal
corps.
"The Infantry consists of 27 regi
ments, 16 regular and 11 volunteers.
Of the regulara there were the First,
Second, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh,
Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Twelfth, Thir
teenth, Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-first,
Twenty-second, Twenty-fourth
nd Twenty-fifth regiments.
"Of the volunteer regimenta there
were the First New York, Thirty-second
Michigan. First and Fifth Ohio,
Second New York, First District of
Columbia, Fitth Maryland, One Hun
dred and Fifty-seventh Indiana, and
Third Pennsylvania. The total in
fantry force ia 21,600. In addition
there are a battalion of engineers, a
detachment of the signal corps, five
squadrons of cavalry, four batteries of
heavy artillery.
"General Shatter la in chief com
mand of the foroe, which ia conveyed
by the battle-ship Indiana and the
gnnboat Helena.
Has Manila FallenT
Hong Kong, June 10. A report here
is that Manila has fallen, ' It ia said
to be occupied by the Philippine in
anrgenta, commanded by Aguinaldo.
The rebel junta and wealthy Philip
pine islanders resident here are jubl
lant over the news, and the United
Statea consulate has been crowded all
day. The American consul, Mr. Wild-
man, tins been the recipient of bun'
dreds of telegrams of congratulation,
giving him also aa much credit for the
reported capture of Manila aa thoy
gave Agulnalilo himself. Bince Mr.
Wlldman has been there, he haa aJ
vised them in all their plana. Consul
Wildman does not credit the report
that Manila haa fallen, but thinks a
successful landing will be effected by
Saturday.
Shot by His Partner.
The Dalles, Or., June 10. Word
haa just been received from Antelope
of a shooting affray that took plaoe
there early yesterday morning. While
trying1 to atop a row in the Eureka
saloon, Murdock McKay, one of the
proprietors, waa shot in the abdomen
and dangerously wounded by bia part
nei, William Koiff. It ia claimed the
shooting was aocidental. Medical aid
waa summoned from The Dalles. The
courier that brought the news did not
think It possible that he coul 1 live.
WENT DOWN IN A GALE.
Barge and Crew Lost Off the Atlantis
. . Seacoast.
Charleston, 8. C, June 10. A barf-
laden with war supplies and a crew of
five men, in tow of the steamer Leoni
das, was lost laat Saturday night be
tween Norfolk and Charleston. The
Leonidaa and her charge were en route
from Norfolk to Key West to eupply
the army and navy. The losa of the-
barge and her crew waa reported today
by the pilot-boat B. H. Cowan, which
waa hailed off the jetties by the Leon
idaa and given dispatohes to send
north. The pilot-boat was given but
little Information of the destination,
the full details of the telegram being
sealed. From what could be learned.
the vessel encountered a severe storm
last Saturday night off the coast of
North Carolina, and during the gale,
th hawsers parted and the barge went
down. The barge was iron and
Bchooner-iigged. The steamer ia en
route to Key West with ammunition
and auppliea for the United Statea war
vessela and army. JThe cargo oi th
Leonidaa required an immediate deliv
ery, and her. master found it impossi
ble to put into port to wire the report.
Baltimore, Md., June 10. Five
men were picked up from off a drifting
United States barge off Hatteras, Mon
day, and were landed in thia city to
day by the steamer William Lawrence.
CENSUS BILL PASSED.
It Received the Unanimous Support ot
the Senate.
Washington, June 8. A bill provid
ing for the 12th census was passed by
the senate today, after a debate which
occupied the greater Dart of three daya.
Several years ago a census bill waa pre
sented by the committee having the
matter tn charge, but the measure was
so unsatisfactory that it was recom
mitted to the committee. The bill
passed today was in lieu of that which
was recommitted, and, as slightly
amended, received the unanimous sup
port of the senate. Uuder it, if It
should become a law, a director of the
census, and assistant director and five
expert stisticians will be appointed irv
order to make the preliminary arrange
ments for the census of 1900, in ac
cordance with the outline presented in
the bill, which haa already been fully
presented by the Associated Press. A.
determined effort waa made to provide
that the employes of the oenaua burearr
should be examined and certified by
the civil service commission, but it
failed by a vote of 18 to 331. A pro
vision was inserted that no more than
two-thirds of the supervisors and
enumerators should belong to one
political party.
The house today disposed of the sen
ate amendment to the sundry oivil bill .
and agreed to a further conference.
The conference report upon the post
office appropriation bill was adopted
without donate, and the house proceed
ed to consider the bill to provide for
participation of volunteer soldiers in
congressinoal elections. Adjournment
waa taken pending disposal and it will
come up tomorrow. The session began
and ended today with a Hawaiian inci
dent, Grosvenor, a leader of the annex
ationists figuring in each instance.
These grew out of the action of those
who want early consideration leat
the opposition win a victory and effect
nndue delay if not the defeat of the.
resolutions at this session.
IN THE SPANISH LINES.
Lien tenant
Henry Whitney
His mission.
Complete
New York, June 10. Lieutenant
Henry Whitney, Fourth United State
artillery, who has twice penetrated into
the very heart of Spanish territory.
once in Cuba and lastly in Porto Rico,
arrived here today on the British
ateamer Ardenrose, from Porto Rico.
Through him, the war department will
soon be in possession of important ami
accurate information concerning the
military strength and defenses of the
island. The Porto Rioan mission waa
undertaken under orders from the de
partment to travel through the moat
strongly fortified places and the head
quarters of Die military bodies and ob
serve their atrength and the prepara
tions the commanders had made to re
sist occupation by the American troops.
lie made the journey with great expe
dition. He found 6,000 volunteers and
4,000 troopa in and abont San Juan.
The soldiers wore sickly, however, and
discontented for lack of pay. Food ho
found to be scarce.
nun ting ton Koads Sued.
San Francisco, June 10. The Unit
ed States government today filed a'
suit in the circuit oourt against the
Southern and Central Pacifio railway
companies, the Metropolitan Trust
Company, of New York, and others t
recover 117,088 alleged to be due on
7,195 acres of land northwest of Sacra
mento. . -
Ready to Sell the Bond. '
Washington, Jnne 10. Preparations,
are substantially complete to invita
offera for the bonda for carrying on tb
Spanish war, as soon aa the bonda ar
authorized by congress. There will
not be s delay of more than two day
in issuing a circular stating the terms
under which the bonds are offered,
and inviting bids at par.
Comptandi Colorado Department.
Denver, Col., June 10. Brigadier
General Sumner waa notified today of
bis appointment as permanent com
mander of the department of Colorado,
including also the former colonel of
the Seventh cavalry, stationed in Ari
zona. New York, June 10. The auxiliary
cruiser St Paul sailed at noon today
under sealed orders. She haa taken,
aboard nearly 6,000 tona ol coal and
25,000 gallons of water.