The San Francisco call. [volume], May 30, 1898, Page 2, Image 2

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

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2
IMAGINARY
FIGHT EXCITES
THE DONS
Madrid Celebrating a Great
"Victory Over Samp
son and Schley.
Press Gives Extensive Details of
a Battle in Which Cervera
Crushed His Foes.
MADRID, May 29.— El Progresso pub
lishes dispatches purporting to come
from Paris giving details of an alleged
battle near Jamaica in which, it is said,
two American warships were destroyed
and one Spanish warship was injured.
Although the account is very circum
stantial as to time, place, incidents and
results, it is received here with sus
picion.
The story is that Commodore Schley's
squadron parted from Rear Admiral
Sampson's off Cape Maysi, the eastern
point of Cuba, and steered toward the
Yucatan peninsula, followed closely by
Sampson's ships. Both were sighted
from the watch towers of Santiago de
Cuba. Rear Admiral Sampson arrived
off the Province of Puerto Principe,
continuing thence in the direction of
Jamaica.
Admiral Cervera left Santiago on
Thursday, May 26, at midnight, all his
lights being extinguished, with the Viz
caya and the Almirante Oquendo pre
ceded by the torpedo boat destroyer
Furor. He took a position in proximity
to Jamaica. Two hours later the re
mainder of Admiral Cervera's squadron
withdrew from the harbor of Santiago
and proceeded in a southerly direction.
On the morning of Friday the Furor
came up rapidly to the Vizcaya and the
Almirante Oquendo, advising Admiral
Cervera of the approach of the enemy.
Rear Admiral Sampson's ships steamed
with full speed toward the Spanish ves
sels, which accepted combat, but moved
in a southerly direction, to ' effect a
junction with the remainder of the
Spanish squadron.
Presently the battle raged furiously
on both sides. The Americans detached
CERVERA'S FLEET PENNED
IN SANTIAGO HARBOR
Contiued From First Page.
partment, he stated In a most positive
manner that he believed that the Span
ish fleet was at that point, and that
he Intended to destroy or capture it.
Communication with the insurgents de
veloped the information that he was
mistaken, and as soon as he satisfied
himself of its correctness he coaled and
sailed for Santiago. In his dispatch
to the department yesterday he did not
commit himself to the bald statement
that Admiral Cervera had not gone.
Perhaps he did not care to again put
himself in a false position, but the offi
cials with whom I have talked assume
that he is basing his future action on
♦he assumption that the Spanish fleet
is in the harbor. The officials profess
to be still ignorant of Commodore
Sohley's plan of ascertaining whether
Admiral Cervera is really in the har
bor, and of bottling him up if he is
there, but among members of the
Naval War Board much favor is ex
pressed for the proposition of sending
old hulks to Santiago de Cuba; of sink
ing them in the channel so as to pre
vent the egress of the Spanish fleet,
of mining the harbor near these hulks
so as to insure the imprisonment of the |
Spaniards and finally to leave one or I
two vessels on guard to fire upon any
expedition that may attempt to remove
the obstructions from the channel. No j
doubt exists that Commodore Schley's I
opinion on this plan has been asked, j
and if it should meet with his approval |
Instructions will be sent to Commodore j
Remey at Key West to load several old
vessels with stone or old scrap iron
and send them to Santiago de Cuba.
The reported departure of the troop
ship Alfonso XIII from San Juan, Por
to Rico, for Mayaguez, Porto Rico, is j
regarded with suspicion by navy offl- j
cials, it being their belief that Havana
is the real destination of the vessel.
Mayaguez is situated in the western
part of the island, facing what is gen- j
erally known as Mona Channel, and is i
but a short distance from San Juan, j
which is situated on the northeastern !
coast. The Alfonso XIII is an auxil- j
iary cruiser armed with 5-inch Honoria j
breech-loading rifles. When she left
Spain six weeks ago she had on board
half a million dollars in gold, a cargo
of supplies and 800 soldiers, destined !
for Havana, but so strict was the I
blockade maintained by the American ■
ships that she was unable to get
through and she put back to the Bar
badoes, subsequently proceeding to j
San Juan. It is supposed that she left j
the soldiers and gold at San Juan and j
will now attempt to get through the
blockade with provisions for Captain
General Blanco. The authorities have
ordered Rear Admiral Sampson to keep
a sharp lookout for the Alfonso XIII,
and she will be captured, it is confi
dently predicted, if she goes near the
blockaded section of Cuba.
ADVEHTISEMENTS.
Pears'
Soap for toilet, nurs-
ery, bath and shaving.
4 ' M atchless for the
complexion.'*
\
three cruisers and three smaller ships
to surround the Vizcaya and the Almi
rante Oquendo. The Furor, between
the crossfire of the enemy, made for the
American flagship, notwithstanding
the fire of the heavy guns. The out
come of the contest was that two
American warships were sunk and one
Spanish warship disabled in its steer
ing gear. The remaining vessels of the
American squadron were so much dam
aged that they were compelled to take
refuge in Haytien waters.
It is reported that the Cristobal Co
lon captured an American ship, which
had been disabled from a shot by the
Vizcaya, that perforated her side.
The Vizcaya risked destruction from
an American destroyer. It is believed
that after the combat the Spaniards
sailed for Havana, or, if the conditions
of the vessels or the presence of a su
perior force of the enemy required, took
refuge within Cardenas or Matanzas.
The publication of this dispatch from
Paris caused an excited discussion of
the conflicting reports from various
sources which completely absorbed all
sections of the press and all circles of
the public in Madrid. Speaking to-day
of yesterday's rumors of the defeat of
the Americans and the death of Rear
Admiral Sampson, Captain Aunon, the
Minister of Marine, without crediting
it in the absence of official confirma
tion, remarked that it was within the
limits of possibility. It is hoped that j
the result of to-day's Cabinet council
will disclose information confirming or
denying the report.
WASHINGTON, May 29.— The dis
patch from Madrid giving an account
r>f a naval battle between the combined '
squadrons of Sampson and Schley and
that of Cervera is absolutely discredit
ed by naval officials. Their advices j
show that it is not possible that a fight |
?ould have occurred.
AWAITS WORD
FROM SCHLEY
War Department Plans
As to Cuba.
PREPARING FOR INVASION
AEMY RAPIDLY BEING GOT IN
READINESS.
Will Move as Soon as It Is Definitely
Known That Cervera Is Cooped
Up in Santiago
Harbor.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
NEW YORK, May 29.— The Herald's
Washington correspondent telegraphs:
Much work has yet to be done before
American troops can be landed in Cuba.
The authorities are, however, doing all
in their power to have the entire in
vading army ready to move to the
point of embarkation as soon as Com
modore Schley definitely reports that
he has Cervera's fleet cooped up at
Santiago. Secretary Alger positively
stated to me that no troops would leave
the United States for Cuba until such
report had been received.
The Government has now chartered
all boats for the purpose that will be
necessary- Assistant Secretary Meikle
john ho assured me yesterday. The
process of transporting the army from
its present position to Cuba will occupy
•at least three days.
Admiral Sampson will command the
convoys that will accompany the
troops on their trip from Key West to
Cuba. This fleet of convoys will consist
of many of the most powerful ships
now doing blockade duty off Havana.
Some little fear is felt by the Gov
ernment that the troops will be attack
ed by Spanish soldiers while they are
landing in Cuba. The big guns on the
vessels of Admiral Sampson's fleet are
relied upon to afford protection and
every precaution will be taken before
any men are landed from the ships.
Sf-nor Quesado of the Cuban Junta
Informs me that the United States has
made arrangements with General Go
mez for an immediate junction with the
insurgents on the arrival of United
States troops in Cuba. Members of the
Junta claim also that the insurgent
force under General Gomez is 25,000
strong. They admit, however, that this
army is greatly lacking in arms and
ammunition. I am informed that it is
the purpose of the United States to
provide the Cubans with such ammuni
tion and arms as they actually need.
A SPANISH STEAMER
HAS A CLOSE CALL
Copyrighted, 1898, by James Gordon Bennett.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, May 29.— The
Spanish steamer Purissano Concepcion
arrived in Kingston from Montegro
Bay. Had the United States auxiliary
cruiser Harvard been called in time
she would have endeavored to capture
her.
L. M. Preval, formerly L>eputy United
States Consul at Santiago de Cuba, and
now clerk at the United States Con
sulate, has returned from a trip on the
Dandy to the fleet off Santiago. He
carried official dispatches and was ac
companied by Alberto Nunez, an expe
rienced Cuban pilot, v.-ho gave Commo
dore Schley much valuable informu
tlon concerning the harbor of Santiago
de Cuba and its approaches.
Preval and Nunez are aboard the
Harvard now, but for what object I
was unable to ascertain.
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL., MONDAY, MAY 30, 1898.
MARTIAL LAW
IS EXPLAINED
Instructions as to Con-
duct in the Field
ISSUED TO THE COMMANDERS.
A VERY CLEAB EXPOSITION OF
MILITARY USAGE.
Every Feature Covered in These
Bules, Which. Were Adopted by
France and Prussia
Years Ago.
Call Office, Rlg-grs House,
Washington, May 29.
General law No. 100, of April 4, 1863,
comprising' instructions for the govern
ment of marines in the field, has been
reissued and is being sent to the var
ious commanders far their guidance.
These instructions were adopted by
both France and Prussia in the war
between those countries five years af
ter the civil contest here, and were the
basis upon which a general European
conference afterward acted in drawing
up an agreement on this subject. The
instructions cover almost every con
ceivable feature of military conduct
and usage in time of war. They em
brace ten sections, as follows:
Section I— Martial law, military juris
diction, military necessity of retaliation.
Section 2— Public and private property
of the enemy, protection of persons and
especially of women, of religion, the arts
and sciences and punishment of crimes
against the inhabitants of hostile coun
tries.
Section 3— Deserters, prisoners of war,
hostages, booty on the battle-field.
Section 4 — Partisans, armed enemies not
belonging to the hostile army, scouts,
armed prowlers, war rebels.
Section s—Safe5 — Safe conduct, spies, war trait
ors, captured messengers, abuse of the
flag of truce.
Section 6 — Exchange of prisoners, flags
of truce, flags of protection.
Section 7— The parole.
Section B— Armistice, capitulation-
Section 9 — Assassination.
Section 10 — Insurrection, civil war, re
bellion.
Martial law is explained as simply
military authority exercised in accord
ance with the laws under usages of
war. It extends to property and to per
sons, whether subjects of the enemy or
aliens of that Government. Whenever
feasible martial law is carried out in
cases of individual offenders by mili
tary courts; but sentences of death
shall be executed only with the ap
proval of the chief executive, provided
the urgency of the case does not re
quire a speedier execution, and then
only with the approval of the chief
commander. Military necessity admits
oi all direct destruction of life or limb
of "armed" enemies and of other per
sons whose destruction is incidentally
"unavoidable" in the armed contests of
the war. Military necessity does not
admit of cruelty— that is, the infliction
of suffering for the sake of suffering
or for revenge, nor of maiming or
wounding except in fight, nor of tor
ture to extort confessions. It admits
of deception, but disclaims acts of per
fidy.
When a commander of a besieged
places expels the non-combatants in or
der to lessen the number of those who
consume his stock of provisions, it is
lawful, though an extreme measure, to
drive them back so as to hasten on
the surrender. Commanders, when-
ever admissible, inform the commander
of their intention to bombard a place,
but it is no infraction of the common
law of war to omit thus to inform
them. Surprise may be a necesssity.
Retaliation will never be resorted to aa
a measure of mere revenge, but only
as a means of protective retribution,
and moreover, cautiously and unavoid
ably.
A victorious army appropriates all
public money, seizes all public movable
property until further directed by its
Government and sequesters for its own
benefit or that of its Government all the
revenues of real property belonging to
the hostile government or nation. The
title to such property remains in abey
ance during military occupation and
until the conquest is made complete.
The United States acknowledges and
protects in hostile countries occupied by
them, religion and morality; strictly
private property; the persons of the in
habitants and especially those of
women and the sacredness of domestic
relations.
Deserters from the A/nerican army
having entered the service of the enemy
suffer death if they fall into the hands
of the United States. It is against the
usage of modern war to resolve in
hatred and revenge to give no quarter.
Outposts or sentinels or pickets are not
to be fired upon except to drive them
in, or when a positive order, special or
general order has been issued to that
effect. Whoever intentionally inflicts
additional wounds on an enemy already
wholly disabled, or kills him. or orders
that this shall be done, shall sufrer
death if convicted.
A LARGE NUMBER
OF NAVAL RETIREMENTS
Rear-Admiral W. A. Kirkland to Go
Out of Active Service in
July.
NEW YORK, May 29.— A Washing-
ton special to the Herald says: The
next six months will witness compara
tively a large number of retirements,
Rear Admiral W. A. Kirkland' com
mandant of Mare Island Navy Yard,
will retire on July 3. His retirement
will simply reduce the number of rear
admirals to that authorized by law.
Upon the retirement of Rear Admiral
C. S. Norton in August, Commodore P.
V. MeNair will be promoted, and Cap
tain W. T. Sampson will become com
modore.
Rear Admiral Montgomery Sicard,
chairman of the Naval Board, will
leave active service on September 30,
and Captain B. J. Cromwell be- pro
moted to flag rank upon the retirement
of Rear Admiral E. O. Matthews in Oc
tober. Rear Admiral J. N. Miller will
be relegated to retirement in November,
and Rear Admiral F. IL Bunce in De
cember. These retirements will pro
mote Captain H. F. Picking and Cap
tain Frederick Rodgers.
CUBAN WATERS TO BE
THOROUGHLY PATROLLED
A Hundred Men-of-War Will Soon
Be Employed for That
Purpose.
NEW YORK, May 29.— A Washing
ton special to the Herald says: Re-en-
forcements for the American blockad
ing squadron will soon be sailing for
Cuba, and before another month passes
there should be at least ion American
men-of-war patroling Cuban waters.
Most formidable of vessels soon to
be sent south is the protected cruiser
Newark, commanded by Captain A. 'S.
Barber. The Newark will leave Norfolk
Navy Yard next week and be assigned
duty as Commodore Watson's flaarshln.
MEN FROM THE
TWO DAKOTAS
Eight Companies Volun
teers Arrive Tuesday.
ANOTHER REGIMENT LATER
NATIONAL RELIEF COMMITTEE'S
PLAN IS INDORSED.
The Health of the Camp at Chicka
mauga National Park Is Re
markably Good.
PORTLAND, Or., May 29.— Eight
companies of volunteer Infantry from
North Dakota arrived here to-day In
two special trains, one coming by the
Northern Pacific and the other by the
O. R. and N. and Great Northern. Both
sections were transferred to the South
ern Pacific, and they left for San Fran
cisco this afternoon. The troops were
well provided with lunch during their
stay here by the ladles of the Oregon
emergency corps.
SIOUX FALLS, S. D., May 29.— The
First Regiment of South Dakota volun
teers. Colonel Frost commanding, left
to-day for San Francisco.
CHICKAMAUGA NATIONAL PARK,
Ga., May 29.— Lieutenant Colonel Hart
suff, chief surgeon on General Brooke's
staff, announces that he cordially in
dorses the plan adopted by the national
relief committee of receiving and dis
bursing supplies to sick and needy
soldiers contributed by friends at home.
He states that he himself received a
number of communications from var
ious States inquiring as to how sup
plies of the character mentioned might
be sent to the soldiers in camp here.
He therefore asks the Associated Press
to say that the committee organized in
Chattanooga will take care of and dis
tribute all contributions of this char
acter promptly and satisfactorily.
The health of the camp is remarkably
good, and It is believed that, aside from
the usual slight complaints incident to
these seasons the worst of it Is over
now with the men who have made such
a radical change in temperaure, water
and diet. There were three deaths to
day, as follows:
Pierce Collier, aged 18, Company H,
Fourteenth Minnesota, of Beaver Falls,
from pneumonia, contracted in campp
before reaching Chickamauga.
Harry O. Burnham of Lynn, Mass.,
Company D, Eighth Massachusetts,
pneumonia.
Ludwig Bohnert of Springfield, 111.,
Company D, Fifth Illinois, blood pois-
Two troops of cowboys arrived to-day
In command of Captain J. S. Gregory
from Fargo, Dak. There were 160 men
and 200 horses. These troops complete
the regiment of 1000 officers and men.
It is understood that the two army
corps, the First and Third, now being
formed, will be the only troops to oc
cupy the park territory. Negotiations
are now proceeding to lease a tract of
3000 acres just north of the park near a
body of fresh water. The Sixth corps,
to be commanded by General Wilson,
will occupy this site. The ground Is
high and rolling, a most desirable point
for the encampment of such a large
body of men.
ASTORIA, May 29. — Twelve recruits
for Battery A. Fourth Artillery, sta-
I tioned at Fort Canby, arrived from San
! Francisco on the steamer Columbia this j
: morning. ____________
TORPEDO-BOAT TERROR
ARRIVES AT SAN JUAN.
Succeeds in Dodging the American
Warships Awaiting to Inter
cept It.
PORT AU PRINCE, Haytl, May 29.—
! The Spanish torpedo gunboat Terror,
i according to a dispatch received here,
i has arrived safely at San Juan de Por
i to Rico, having escaped the American
I warships which have been on the look-
I out for her since she left Fort de
j France, Island of Martinique, where
j her boiler tubes were repaired.
The foregoing- dispatch confirms cable
messages on the subject received from
Madrid last night, announcing the ar
rival of the Terror at San Juan de Por
to Rico.
ST. THOMAS, Danish West Indies,
May 29.— The report that the Spanish
! torpedo gunboat Terror has reached
| San Juan de Porto Rico is confirmed.
She arrived there from Fort de France,
Island of Martinique, on Friday morn
ing. Her boilers are still said to be out
of order.
The Spanish transport Alfonso XIII,
chartered by. the Spanish Government
and loaded at San Juan de Porto Rico
with provisions for Cuba, is now said
to be scouting in the vicinity •of the
Porto Rican coast, her crew having re
fused to try to run the Cuban block
ade. The Alfonso XIII is also said to
be carrying freight between the differ
ent ports of Porto Rico.
It is rumored here also that the ves
sels of Admiral Cervera's fleet are not
at Santiago de Cuba. Some of them
either did not go there or have left
those waters, according to report.
Incendiarism is growing in Porto
Rico. . ;
»
REGIMENTS MUST FILL
TO THE MAXIMUM.
No New Ones to Be Formed Until
Those Already Organized Have
Full Complements.
"WASHINGTON, May 29.— About
twenty Goven . of States and Ter
ritories have replied to Secretary Al
ger's telegrams asking for their views
regarding the filling of the present vol
unteer regiments to their maximum
before beginning the formation of new
organizations. Some of these indicate
a preference for the recruiting of en
tirely new regiments, as under the first
call, leaving the present organizations
with the number of men now contained
in them, though practically all promise
the Government any amount of troops
that are wanted. It is the President's
desire, however, that the organizations
already formed shall be filled to their
strength as the law provides, and this
policy will be carried out in recruiting
under the second call.
The apportionment to the States has
been made up but not yet given to the
public. Through urgent representa
tions to Secretary Alger some of the
States were permitted under the first
call to furnish a greater number of
troops than they were legally entitled
to on the basis of population. Conse
quently, in raising the 75,000 men under
the second call, these inequalities will
be remedied as far as practicable, with
the result that some of the States may
not be called on to furnish any of the
men needed. This course, probably, may
give rise to discontent in States where
men are to serve, but it Is regarded as
the only fair way to Droceed.
LEGISLATION
OF THE WEEK
The Hawaiian Question
May Come Up.
WILL HAVE RIGHT OF WAY.
GENERAL DEFICIENCY BILL
MAY BE REPORTED.
Tlie War Revenue Measure Will Oc
cupy a Great Deal of l.me, as
Several Speeches Are Yet
to Be Made.
Call Office, Riggs House,
Washington, May 29.
The House will not be In session to
j morrow, having adjourned until Tues
day because of Memorial day. The con
sideration of the Hawaiian annexation
resolutions by the House this week is
I possible but not assured. Speaker Reed
stands ready to give the resolutions
full right of way in the House if they
! pass the Senate, but is opposed to
sending them first through the House
and forcing them upon the Senate, be
cause, he contends, it would precipitate
a fight there and would prolong indefi
nitely the session and end likely in the
whole matter going over to next win
ter. Especially is he opposed to forc
ing the Hawaiian issue to the front
until the revenue bill is through the
Senate. It is stated upon high author
ity that other Republican members of
the Committee on Rules are in accord
with the Speaker's position, notwith
standing they favor as he does the
non-annexing proposition. Considera
tion of the resolutions early in the
week is not to be expected and
consideration late in the week
Is improbable. There is still talk
of a Republican caucus to consid
er the question, and one may be held.
The general deficiency bill may be re
ported during the week, but owing to
the development of new demands upon
the War and Navy departments, not
ably the former, incident to the war,
the bill may be withheld until nearer
the close of the session. The bill so
far as it relates to ordinary deficien
cies has been ready six weeks. Confer
ence reports upon the sundry civil,
postoffice, Indian and District of Co
lumbia appropriation bills may be
expected at almost any date, although
the sundry civil bill is likely to be de
layed until after the revenue bill passes
the Senate owing to the demands
thereupon of the attention of Senator
Allison of the Finance Committee.
An effort to pass the anti-scalping
bill will be made during the week.
Bills of minor importance will be
pushed meantime by members gener
ally.
Having decided at the last moment
on Saturday to observe Memorial day,
the Senate will not be in session again
until Tuesday. The Finance Commit
tee will, however, meet in an endeavor
to perfect the revenue bill in minor de
tails.
There is still no certainty aa to when
the vote may be taken on the revenue
bill It looks as if the entire week
would be spent upon it, and none of the
members of the committee undertake
to predict the exact date of the Sen
ate's conclusion of its work. There are
still a number of speeches to be made
upon the bill, and upon amendments.
It is probable that there will be more
or less debate upon the Lodge amend
ment for the annexation of Hawaii,
and the Morgan amendment relating
generally to the government of the an
nexed territory. Both Senators Lodge
and Morgan announce their intenti<>:
to make speeches on the subjects in
volved, and Senators espousing the op
posite views declare their purpose to
reply if the subject is opened. Repub
licans generally predict that Senator
Lodge will refrain from pressing his
amendment, and it is the general opin
ion that he will at least not go to the
extent of asking a vote upon it and
thus subjecting the measure to a mo
tion to lay upon the table.
Whenever the final vote is reached
on the revenue bill there is no longer
much doubt as to the shape in whic
it will be passed by the Senate. Th
decisive vote of Saturday on the cor
poration tax renders it quite certai
that all the Democratic amendment
will be eliminated from the bill, am
the Republican suggestion for the is
suance of three hundred million bond
and one hundred million in time cer
tincates will be substituted for th
House amendment. The expression o
the Senate is that the House will accep
the Senate amendments and conse
quently the bill will not be long In con
ference.
With the revenue bill disposed of
there may be an effort to secure an in
j dependent expression on Hawaiian an
j nexation, but this will depend on the
future developments. The conference
reports on the appropriation bills will
also be in order. There will be several
of these, the sundry civil being the
most important.
THEOREGCN'S OFFICERS
AND MEN COMPLIMENTED
Secretary of the Navy Highly Pleased
With the Successful Voyage of
the Battleship.
NEW YORK, May 29.— A Washing-
ton special to the Herald says: Secre
tary Long has officially commended
Captain C. E. Clarke and officers and
men under his command for their ex
cellent work in bringing the battle-ship
Oregon safely to Key West. This com
mendation was given upon telegraphic
announcement from Captain Clarke of
his arrival at Key West, and not upon
his mail report, which is expected to
reach Washington on Tuesday. The
Secretary's letter is a pleasant state
ment of the facts concerning the cruise,
and highly compliments Captain
Clarke and his subordinates for their
work.
The assignment of the battle-ship to
Rear Admiral Sampson's command
gives that cfs eer off the northern coast
of Cuba three armorclads — the armored
cruiser New York and the battle-ships
Indiana and Oregon — besides four mon
itors and protected cruisers.
No surprise need be felt if it is learn
ed within the next few days, in case
Admiral Cervera's presence in the har
bor of Santiago de Cuba should be ab
solutely confirmed, that two of the
monitors have been ordered to Commo
dore Schley's assistance, these vessels
to relieve, perhaps, the lowa, which
may be returned to Rear Admiral
Sampson's immediate command.
Cornell Grants the Bequest.
ITHACA, N. V., May 29.— Cornell has
granted the request received from Yale
and Harvard asking Cornell to row the
triangular boat race on June 22 instead
of 23d or 24th. An answer to this effect
was immediately wired to the captains
of the Yale and Harvard crews, and the
gratification of the Cornell navy was ex
pressed for the courtesy shown by Har
vard and Yale in their efforts to arrange
matters satisfactorily to all Darties.
CRUISER AND
STEAMSHIP IN
COLLISION
British Vessel Foscolia Runs
Into the Columbia
During a Fog.
Badly Disables the Warship and
Is Itself Sunk in Nineteen
Fathoms of Water.
NETv" YORK May 29.— When the
United States cruiser Columbia, in
command of Captain Sands, anchored
off Tompkinsville, S. 1., this afternoon
It was seen that she had a large jagged
hole stove in her starboard side,
abreast the mast, and immediately for
ward of the after barbette. Above the
water line the hole extended about ten
feet In height and six feet wide. Just
how far below the water line the crui
ser was damaged could not be ascer
tained, and none of the naval officers
would give any information in regard
to the accident.
As soon as the vessel came to anchor,
the captain and crew, twenty-one in
all, of the British steamer Foscolia,
which left this port yesterday with a
cargo of machinery and general mer
chandise for Bordeaux, went ashore.
Neither the captain nor any of the Brit
ish crew would talk and they left at
once for New York to report the acci
dent to their agents. No one was al
lowed to go on board the Columbia, but
to a correspondent who rowed out to
the cruiser, the officers of the deck
made the following brief statement:
At about 7:40 a. m. the British ship
Foscolia, in command of Captain John
Evans, collided with our vessel during
a dense fog. We were then about eight
miles southwest, off Fire Island. We
lowered two life boats and rescued the
captain and crew, numbering twenty
one all told. We stood by until the Fos
colia sank at 3 o'clock this morning.
As soon as we arrived here we sent the
rescued men ashore."
Further information in reference to
the accident could not be obtained.
At 4 o'clock one of the navy yard tugs
steamed alongside the cruiser and de
livered some messages from Rear Ad
miral Bunce, commander of the navy
yard at Brooklyn. A few minutes later
the Columbia headed for the Brooklyn
Navy Yard, where it is supposed she
be drydocked and the extent of her in
juries ascertained.
Captain J. Evans of the Foscolia, af- j
ter reaching this city, said regarding i
the collision:
"The Foscolia cleared from this port j
at noon on Saturday with a general j
cargo of about 2200 tons. All went well i
until evening when a heavy fog set in. !
I was on the bridge and ordered the
lights up and the fog whistle kept go- j
ing. As the fog grew denser the speed ;
of the ship was reduced to one-half.
"At about 8 o'clock the lookout, John
son, on the forecastle and Thompson :
on the bridge, re.rorte* a steamer on j
the port bow. Our lights were burning
brigbtly and the fog signal was whist
ling. I looked up and saw a big ;
steamer with four funnels dead ahead.
As the steame- s were not 200 yards
apart, I saw that a collision was in- j
WAR REVENUE
BILL BLOCKED
Annexationists Delay the
Vote.
ADOPT PECULIAR TACTICS.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE
PRESENT CRISIS.
May Even Go to the Extent of De
priving the Government of Means
for Waging the
Conflict.
Special Dispatch to The Call.
NEW YORK, May 29.— A Washington
special to the Herald says: Were it not
for the Hawaiian annexation question
Congress could pass the war revenue
bill, finish the appropriation bills and
adjourn -within two weeks.
The debate on the revenue bill has
been practically concluded, and a vote
could be reached at almost any mo
ment but for the threat of Senator
Lodge and other annexationists to
press the annexation amendment and
precipitate a long debate. The oppo
nents of annexation believe they can
prevent this, however, by moving to lay
the amendment on the table after Sen
ator Lodge has made his speech upon
It. This motion is not debatable, and
could be brought to a vote at once. It
is understood a number of annexation
ists will vote for it on the ground that
it is not a proper, subject for incorpora
tion in a revenue measure.
It may be that the motion to- lay
Lodge's amendment on the table may
not carry, as the Senator by no menaa
stands alone in his disapproval of the
means taken and bargains made to de
feat annexation. Should the amend
ment not be laid on the table a debate
would ensue, the end of which it would
be impossible to foretell. Interests
which are opposed to annexation are
so strong and have been able to con
trol a number of Senators so absolutely
that they might even go as far as to
delay the passage of the revenue bill
until the Government is left without
means for carrying on the war through
complete exhaustion of the available
cash in the treasury-
Speaker Reed, who has become ac
customed to speaking for the entire
House of Representatives, has been a
party to the attempts to sidetrack the
Hawaiian resolution by an agreement
i that it should not come up in either
house during this session. He is
threatened with an even more serious
rebellion than when a large element In
| evitable. I blew three whistles and
i the approaching vessel answered with
! one blast. That was the tirst time I
heard tLe Columbia's whistle. Instantly
I ordered our engines full speed astern.
The vessels came together, however,
with a terrible crash, and the b<>w of
the Foscolia ran up on the cruiser'^
armor belt and then cut through her
sponsons. They remained locked for a
couple of seconds, but the backing of
the Foscolia'a engines tore off her bow
|as far back as th-> first water-tight
bulkhead. The wreckage stuck in the
cruiser's side above and below the wa
ter line and cauat.-d the Columbia t<> list
considerably. Had it not been for the
bulging of the sponson from the side
j of the warship, the Foscolia would have
Struck the Columbia only a glancing
blow. The bow of the Foscolia became
wedged between the sponson and hull
of the cruiser and the bow of my boat
I was completely wrenched off.
"It was dead calm at the time of the
I collision. After backing away I saw
i the injury to the Foscolia was serious
! and instantly ordered the lifeboats
I launced. They were in the water In
, Just four minutes and my crew were
j ordered' into them. I remained aboard
j the wreck with my five officers. My
I engineers, after trying the engines, re-
I ported them to be so badly damaged by
; the collision as to be incapable of work
i ing the ship. The Fnscolia was leaking
| badly and the pumps were started. The
i crew was sent aboard the cruiser,
j which had a hole in her starboard large
j enough to drive a team and carriage
i through. The pumps were kept wnrk
| ing until 10:30 p. m.. but the Foscolia
was getting lower and lower in the wa
ter.
"Two boats from the Columbia were
standing by me and Lieutenant Wil
liams asked me at that hour what I
intended doing. I replied that I would
! stand by my ship until she went down.
I Then I ordered the officers into the life
i boat and I remained at th.^ main rlg
! ging while the steamship continued to
j sink. I got into the small boat and re
i mained with my officers about fifty
I yards from the sinking shin.
"Exactly at 3 a. m. the Foscolla went
', down head first in nineteen fathoms of
, water. It reappeared again a few min
utes later and then disapp.-nred for-
I ever, stern first. None of my men were
hurt, but I cannot tell if all the men
ion the Columbia escaped Injury. I
think not.
"The Foscolla, which I commanded
for twelve months, was an Iron vessel
iof 9SO tons net and 1536 tons gross,
launched at Newcastle, England, in
1579, and her hailing port was London.
She was 252 feet long, 34 feet beam
and 22 feet 7 inches deep. She was
schooner rigged, had two masts, a
double deck, four bulkheads, compound
engines and carried water ballast."
the House practically compelled action
on the Cuban resolution, before either
the Speaker or the administration
wished it. This time the rebellious Re
publicans include nearly all the men
on that side of the House, and they
have the advantage of having the ad
ministration with them, instead of op
posed to them, as in the case of the
Cuban resolution.
ADVEBTISEMENTS.
A POPULAR SOCIETY
As well as the business man, or th«
man of fastidious taste in dress, al-
ways attires himself in the moat ir-
reproachable linen, as the customs of
good society demands. They have
found our establishment to be the
laundry par excellence for transform-
Ing their soiled linen into "a thing of
beauty" in color and finish, just like a
new shirt, collar or cuff.
United States Laundry, office 1004
Market street. Telephone, South 420.
Don't Permit Substitution^
\\ 1 1 '^ s adoption as a
| or as an option for
1898 by 75 of the leading bicycle
makers, who will furnish the Chris-
ty as an equipment to their wheeis
without additional charge. Insist
on the Christy. Avoid cheap imita-
I tions and permit no substitution.
Once a Christy rider always a
I Christy advocate.
A. G. SPALDING & BROS,
NEW YORK AND CHICAGO.