Evening Star Newspaper, June 4, 1898, Page 1

THE EVENING STAR. | Spee ?UBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 310] Fennsylvavia Avenue, Cor. llth 8t., by The Evening Star N Com * 'g. H. RAUFFMANN, Pree) —_—S Few York Office, 49 Potter Buildiny. ee The Evening Star Is served to scbscribers in the wiz by cirriers, on theie own account, at 10 cents per week or 44 cents * month. Copies at the ecctunter 2 certs each. y mail—anywhere In the United States «r Canada—postage prepald—60 cents per moath Saturday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with foreign postage added, $2. (Entered at the Po t Office at Washington, D. C.. matter.) 4 aid pacriptions must be pafd fn advance. Rates of advertising m tf Che Zvening Star. No 14,122, WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1898—-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. TWO CENTS. | THE STAR BY MAIL. Persons leaving the city for any period can have The Star mailed to them to any address in the United States or Canada, by ordering it at this office, in person or by letter. Terms: 13 cents per week; 25 cents for two weeks, or 50 cents per month. Invariably in advance. Sub- scribers changing their address from one Post-office to another should five the last address as well as the new one. MERRIMAC 1S SUNK Object Was to Obstruct Channel at Santiago, ——Se HER GALLANT CREW CAPTURED Lieut. Hobson and Six Men in Spanish Hands. THEY WILL SOON BE EXCHANGED Report of a Bombardment of the Shore Batteries. SUNKEN HULK BLOWN UP The Gate City and City of Macon were chartered today for transports to take part in the invasion of Cuba. It was officially announced that the District would not be included in the apportionment of troops under the recent call for 75,000 men. Reports have been received of the tutting of cables to Cuba, and that General Blanco is probably now iso- lated from communication with Mad- rid. The 34th Michigan Volunteers, or- dered to Camp Alger, have been or- dered to remain at their present camp for the present, it having been decided to send no more troops to Camp Alger until the conditions re- garding the water supply are im- proved. The President sent a number of army nominations to the Senate. Dispatches from Port au Prince report that the auxiliary cruiser Mer- Timac was sunk in the channel at Santiago de Cuba yesterday by a vol- unteer crew under Lieut. Hobson. The purpose was to so obstruct the harbor that Admiral Cervera could not get out with his ships. Another dispatch from Port au Prince says the shore batteries weré immediately bombarded after the sinking of the hulk, and that later the Spanish blew the hulk up with dynamite. The gunboat Marietta arrived at Key West toda (Copyright, 1898, by Associated Press.) On Board the Associated Press Dispatch Beat Dauntless, off Santiago de Cuba, June 4, via Kingston, Jamaica, June 4.—Rear iral Sampson, during Friday morning, ‘ecided to close the narrow harbor entrance of Santiago de Cuba by sinking the collier Merrimac, loaded with coal, in the channel. He called for volunteers to go to almost ain death, and 400 men offered them- selves. Lieut. Hobson and six men were chosen, and at 3 o'clock Friday morning the Merrimac, under her own steam, entered the channel under a terrible Spanish fire. ‘The vessel was riddied with projectiles, but she anchored and swung around. Lieut. Hobson then set off an internal torpedo with an electric attachment, there was an explosion, the Merrimac sank, the channel was closed, and, apperently, Admiral Cer- Vera will be unable to escape. How They Were Saved. Hobson and the hero crew of the Merri- mac were saved fn the following manner: Unable, after the sinking of their vessel, to make their way back through the storm of shot and shell, they rowed into the harbor to the Spanish flagship and were taken on board unharmed. The Spanish admiral under a flag of truce on Friday sent word to the American admiral that he offered @ exchange the prisoners, adding that in the meanwhile Hobson and his party would be treated with the greatest kindness. The only Hobson in the list of officers in the Navel Register ts Richmond P. Hobson, @ naval constructor, who is a lieutenant of the junior grade. He was appointed an assistant naval constructor in 1891. He en- tered the navy from Alabama. ——___—_+- eo INSURRECTION IN SAN DOMINGO. Ramor of a Success on Part of the Revolutions CAPE HAYTIEN, Hayt!, June 4—It ts rumored h2re that the insurgents in Santo Domingo have captured the town of San- tlago de Los Caballeros, on the Yaque river, 103 miles east of this place. ee President Hearcaux Assassinated. (Copyright, 1898. ty Associated Press.) CAPE HAITIEN, Haiti, June 4.—It is ru- mored ere that President Heureaux of Banto Domingo has been assassinated. BLANCO IS ISOLATED Cut Off From Cable Communication With Madrid. : SUCCESS OF GEN. GREELY'S EXPEDITION — Under Direction of Officers of the Signal Service. COMPLICATIONS UNLIKELY It developed for the first time today that an important cable cutting expedition, pro- jected by Gen. Greely, chief of the signal service, and in charge of the strategic supervision of cablé and telegraph lines, had met with success, and that Gen. Blanco was probably now isolated from the outside world, particularly from the Spanish au- thorities at Madrid. The advices received were independent of those by the Asso- ciated Press dispatch boat, via Kingston, but they bore out these dispatches and gave additional details. They show that the French cable, from Santiago to Hayti, was interrupted at 6:30 last night, and no messages have passed over that line since. Word has not yet come as to the interruption of the two British cables, leaving Cuba by way of Jamaica, but Gen. Greely is satisfied that these also have been cut. He conferred with Acting Secretary Allen at noon today, and the two exchanged congratulations on the indications that the plan of isolating Blanco had at last been accomplished. In Charge of Signal Officers. The expedition was planned eight days ago, and was entirely apart from the naval work in connection with cutting the cables. Authority was given Gen. Greely to fit out a ship and place {t under the direction of signal service officers, skilled in work on cables. Lieut. Col. James Allen and Capt. Martin Hellen, both of the Signal Corps, were placed in charge of the expedition. A steamship suitable for this kind of work was obtained in New York. It was equip- ped with the latest devices for grappling cables, and was as complete in its outfit as the cable ships used by the cable com- panies. She arrived at Key West the lat- ter part of last week, and last Sunday morn- ing the expedition started from Key West, the gunboat Dolphin acting as convoy. The trip to the east end of Cuba took a day or two, and the actual work of grappling for the cables began about last Tuesday. Within four days the work has been ac- ecmplished. The promptness with which this has been done is regarded as a tribute to the skill and expert knowledge of Colonel Allen and Captain Hellen. Colonel Allen has becn stationed at Key West for some time, and Captain Hellen is the signal off- cer on General Miles’ staff. Complications Unlikely. No apprehension is felt among. officials her: that any international complications can arise over the cutting of these cables, owned by British and French companies. There 1s good reason for believing that both the French and British officials ac- cept the vi2w that the cutting of cables is a war measure against which there can be no protest. Despite reports to the contrary, the French Cable Compary has been co-operat- ing with Gen2ral Greely and the authorities here to the fullest extent possible, and there has never been any friction, nor is there I'kely to be over this last phasa of the cable question. The only possible question which could arise is as to the right of cutting cables outside of the three-mile limit of Cuba. It is understood, however, that this point is not likely to be raised, as Colonel Allen and ‘aptain Hellen proceed2d with full knowl- edge as-to the desirability of performing their work inside of the hostile territory. — WILL OMIT THE DISTRICT. Official Announcement Regarding the Second Call for Troops. In an crder issued at the War Depart- ment today the official announcement is made that the following named states and territories under the President's first call furnished troops in excess of their com- bined quotas under the first and second calls: Delaware, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, District of Columbia, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and the Indian ter- ritories. These states and territories there- fore will not be included in the apportion- ment of troops under the second call for 75,000 men. The order for the organization of ad- Gitional companies necessary for the com- pletion of existing regiments to twelve companies under the new call is not to epply tocavalry. The recruiting to fill the existing companies and battalions is to be @one by a board consisting of an officer and four enlisted men, who are to do their work in localities where the organizations ere raised. Instructions for recruiting offl- cers and blank forms are to be sent to the adjutant general of the states. —— MORE TROOPSHIPS OBTAINED. The Gate City and City of Macon Chartered for the Cuban Invasion. Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn today se- cured by charter two additional transports for use in the West Indian campaign about to be undertaken by the army. These are the Gate Clty and the City of Macon of the Ocean Steamship Line, with their home port at Savannah. The assistant secretary says they are excellent vessels for the pur- poses intended. Each will accommodate about 900 men. The Gate City will arrive at Savannah tonight or tomorrow and the Macon will leave Boston tonight for the same place. Each of these vessels is over 2,000 tons burden, over 250 feet in length and 38 feet beam. The Louisiana and the Comanche, chartered by the War Depart- ment a few days ago, also have been or- ered to report to Savannah, where they are to coal and prepare for the work ahead. —————- 2+ _____ BOUGHT BY MRS. LEITER. Mr. R. O. Holtzman has sold to Mrs. L. Z. Leiter, through Mr. J. B. Wimer, agent for i F iN Wiig SFE SN MISS COLUMBIA: “I WONDER IF THEY TAKE ME FOR A SUMMER GIRL?” SITUATION IN EAST CUBA Spanish Troops Being Concentrated About Santiago's Defenses. Insurgents in the Interior Are Grad- ually Closing in on the Town (Copyright, 1898, by Aesociated Press.) On Board of the Associated Press Dispatch Boat Wanda, Bound for Santiago de Cuba, off Point Cayo Moa, on the Northeastern Coast of Cuba, June 2, via Kingston, Jamai- ca, June 4.—While steaming along at fifteen krots en nour today a small fishing smack was sighted creeping out of Sagua de Tanamo going east. Apparently frightened, she attempted to get back under the shadow of the mountains close in shore, but the Wanda soon overhauled her and ran alongside the small craft. She had cn board a crew of four men, one of whom spoke English. He came on board the Wanda and told of the situation in the interior of the eastern portion of the island. He had not heard that the Spanish fleet was blockaced in Santiago de Cuba, but he had heard a rumor that Spain would soon send forty warships to Cuba. “Are these ships really in Santiago?” asked the Cuban with the deepest interest. He begged to be taken on board the Wan- da, so that he might see a great battle. The Cuban also said the Spaniards had troops in nearly all the towns in the east end of the island; but, he explained, the insurgents were in the central part of the country and were gradually closing in on the towns. At Sagua de Tanamo, according to the Cuban, thers were 2,000 Spaniards, at Porto Del Padro there were 1,200 and at Gibara there were 4,000. He further said there were Spanish troops im Baracoa, Holguin and other towns. ‘The troops from the towns on the north- east coast, he asserted, were being rapidly moved to Holguin, the railroad point, and from there they were to be taken by rail to Santiago de Cuba. He had heard there was to be a general concentration of all troops in the eastern part of the island at Santiago de Cuba, but he did not know the significance of the movement until told that the Spanish fleet was there. General Garcia, he said, was at Bayamo with a good army and had issued a procla- mation, SS ie REPORT OF A BOMBARDMENT. Rumor That the Merrimac’s Hulk Has Been Blown Up. (Copyright, 1898, by Associated Press.) PORT AU PRINCE, June 4, 8:30 a.m.— Further news received here from Santiago de Cuba confirms the reports that the bombardment of that place began at 3 o'clock yesterday morning. After the ac- tion the Spaniards blew up with dynamite the sunken American collier Merrimac, and have since been at work clearing the chan- nel so as to, in all probability, permit Ad- miral Cervera’s fleet to put out to sea should the Cadiz squairon, under Admiral Camara, arrive in Cuban waters to relieve the blockaded ships. In the meanwhile the dispatches from Santiago de Cuba eay the Spaniards pay tribute to the audacity of the Americans in so cleverly attempting to block the chan- nel. “ According to the Spaniards, it would be foolishness upon the part of the Americans to attempt to force the harbor entrance, which is described as being long and nar- row snd thoroughly mined, secmingly forming an insurmcuntable barrier. ? There are a great number of insurgents in the vicinity of Santiago probably wait- ing for some decisive action upon the part of. the American fleet, which will undoubt- edly be the signal for a land attack upon MARIETTA AT KEY WEST Plucky Little Gunboatin Part After Her Long Voyage.- . Officers and Men Wese Pleased at the News They, Heard on Arriving. —— KEY WEST, Fla., June 4.—The United States gunboat Marietta, Commander F. M. Symonds, arrived here at 7:30 o'clock, this morning from San Franeisco, Cal., which rort she left on March 10. The trip was un- eventful and there was not even a case of sickness aboard. Much of the voyage was made in company with the battle ship Ore- gon, and the first question of the Marietta’s officers was as to the Oregon’s where- abouts. After the Marietta passed Cape Horn she kept a sharp lookout for the Spanish torpedo gunboat Temerario, which was sup- posed to be hunting for the Oregon. The Marietta’s officers were very anxious to meet the Spaniard, and they say that if a meeting had taken place they would have surely sunk her. During the entire voyage they sighted only half a dozen vessels. The Marietta left Rio Jane'~o on May 3. The men on board had heard no war news later than the first bulletin of Rear Ad- miral Dewey’s victory at Manila. The Marietta anchored on her arrival here and hoisted a flag for a doctor. Pend- ing his arrival, no one was allowed to leave or come aboard the vessel, and the corre- spondent of the Associated Press shouted a brief summary of the war news to the officers and men, the receipt of which caused much laughing ani rejoicing. The Marietta is painted black. Her course was through Providence channel, and she saw no warships. IS CERVERA’S FLEET DESTROYED? Rumor to That Effect Current at Cape Maltien. (Copyright, 1898, by Associated Press.) CAPE HAITIEN, Haiti, June 4.—A re- port, which cannot be verified, is current this morning to the effect that the Ameri- can fleet off Santiago de Cuba destroyed the Spanish fleet at that place- yesterday. But no direct news from there has yet been received. The accounts of the defeat of the Domin- ican revolutionists at Monte Cristo, re- public of Santo Domingo, are persistently doubted here. — THE HAWAIIAN QUESTION. It is Expected That i¢-W@l Be Taken Up Monday or- Tuesday. The expectation is that the Hawatian question will come up:im the House Mon- day or Tuesday, without-a gpecial rule. The exact time of taking it up #lepends upon. the action of the Senate en'the revenue bill. If the vote is taken inztheuBenate, as is expected, today, the “awatian question may be taken up by tii Huse Monday. It is intended to call t#up om the regular call of committees, thems bemg an under- standing to that effect. This course relieves ithe committee on rules from reporting aimule dor a purpose which the Speaker antagonizes, and will leave the way open for:freesiebate. It is expected that the debate will be quite ex- tended, and that there :will le no attempt to cut it off by a rule, -umless it is inordi- nately long. The opinion is expressed that “no rule will be necessary.” It is still being asserted and dented that there is u private agreement: between some senators on both sides that a vote is not to be.permitted in the Senate during this gession. The un- limited debate that is expected in the House may make it a week yet before the resolu- tion will be sent to the git CUBA IS NOW _ ISOLATED Last of the Cables Out by the Dolphin Thursday. This Means a Scrious Blow to the Spanish Forces on the Island. (Copyright, 1898, by Assoctated Press.) OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, June 2, 5 D.m., per the Associated Press dispatch | boat Wanda, via Kingston, Jamaica, June 4.—The last cable strands binding Cuba to the outside worid were cut this afternoon by a cable vessel convoyed here by the United States dispatch boat Dolphin. This black sea crab deived all day along the coast, hour by hour, and its powerful claws at length brought up the barnacle-clustered cable strands and snapped them, and to- night Cuba is wholly isolated. Kingston Line Cut First. The first cable picked up was that running to Kingston. It was found early this morn- ing. The ccast ioop connecting Santiago and Guantanamo was then cut. Proceed- ing to Guantanamo, the cable vessel finally grappled and severed the Haytien cable. ‘This ends the cable-cutting operations be- gun a month ago, when the Marblehead and the Windom lost five men in a fight off Cienfuegos, where three cables were crip- pled and several hundred Spaniards were killed by shells from the warships After- wards the St. Louis and the Wampatuck cut the San Juan de Porto Rico cable at Santiago. The strands cut today were the only ones remaining, except a few coast loops, and these will probably be severed in a short time. Serious Blow to Spanish, The cutting of these cables is almost as serious for the Spaniards in coast towns as the cutting of foreign cables, the land wires connecting th2 coast towns being waolly at the mercy of the insurgents. ‘Theretore, in the event of American troops landing iu Cuba the absence of the coast loops wiil serlously interfere with th: hasty moblliza- tion of the Spanish troops. The United States and Hayli Cable Com- pany and the Commercial Cable Company have not been notified of any interruption of the service, and th2y were still accepting business this morning for Cuba. ——— RECRUITING THE IMMUNES, Col. Pettit to Establish Headquarters in This City. Colonel J. 8. Pettit, 4th United States Volunteer Infantry, and Colonel H. H. Sar- gent, 5th United States Infantry, have been relieved from further duty in the office of the adjutant general and ordered to com- plete the organization of the regiments un- der their command. Colonel Pettit will make his headquarters in this city for a short time, and Colonel Sargent has gone to Columbus, Miss., to establish his head- quarters there. : The 4th Volunteer Infantry is to be re- cruited in the District of Columbia, Mary- land, Virginia and West Virginia. The 5th Regiment will be raised in the states of Ala- bama and Mississippi. Cap. W. P. Goodwin, 14th Infantry,is the mustering officer for the 4th Regiment and Lieutenant M. 0. Hol- lis, 4th Infantry, for the Sth Volunteer Regiment. ——__-2+_____ SAILED UNDER SEALED ORDERS. Five Transports Leave Mobile With Troops This Morning. MOBILE, Ala., June 4.—Five transports carrying the 20th-Infantry, Col. Wheaton; 8d Infantry, Col. Page, and Troops A, C, D, and F of the 2d Cavairy, steamed down Mobile river at 9:30 o'clock this morning, en route presumably to Tampa, but really. upder sealed orders. The transports are the steamers Matteawan, Stillwater, water, Aransas and Morgan. — Break-. Scenes of enthusiasm all along the river | ( |AT THE WHITE HOUSE The President Spends Much Time in the War Room. HIS INTEREST IN THE DISPATCHES What Was Said by Congressmen About Reports. THE MERRIMAC HEROES a Whether or not the President had re- ceived official news from the front, there ‘was a good deal of mystery and activity around the White House today. All of the official visitors noticed unusual bustle among the employes in the “war room” of the Executive Mansion, and commented upon this feature. The President received the morning’s press dispatches, and displayed deep inter- est in their contents. He spent some time in the war room himself, either sending or receiving dispatches. In going to the war rcom the President had to pass through the reception room, which was filled with con- gressional visitors waiting for a word with him. He remained some time, giving rise to considerable speculation as to his work. What Congressmen Said. A positive statement was made during the morning by two Congressmen that cipher dispatches of the greatest importance had been received by the War and Navy Departments. It was said that these tele- grams conveyed the news that Admiral Sampson had sunk the Merrimac in the Santisgo channel; that a short time later the Spaniards blew up the wreck of the vessel with dynamite and took other meas- ures for clearing the harbor, which indl- cated that they were expecting reinforce- ments and a battle. The man who gave this information was positive in his asser- tions and said that the Navy Department officials believed that the Spanish reserve Squadion was about to arrive to attack the Americans from the rear while Cervera would run out of the harbor and join in the battle. In some respects the information wa similar to the press news which had ar- rived during the morning, and this gave rise to a belief that the informant had fail- ed to distinguish between press news and official dispatches. Press bulletins are sent the departments through courtesy and the officials who receive them mention to call- ers that such and such news has been re- ceived. Many callers get the idea that the news is official and talk to their friends. The informant as to the dispatches said that he had no doubt that the departments had received official cipher dispatches. Sinking the Merrimac. Regarding the sinking of the Merrimac the opinion among White House callers was unanimous that the work was done in- tentionally by Admiral Sampson. They are sure it was not an accident or the unex- pected result of the fire from the Spanish batteries. There has long been talk that an obstruction cf some kind would be sunk in the harbor for the purpose of trying to imprison Cervera, but it was pointed out at the same time that the Epaniards could remove an obstruction-of this kind with More ease than it could be placed by the Americans. If the vessel was not sunk as an obstruction it was sent In as a sacrifice to locate the Spanish mines, it 1s said by experts and amateurs. Regarding the capture of the daring and heroic men who piloted the Merrimac to destruction, it is felt that the Spaniards would not dare to shoot them, knowing what the feeling of the world would be. It is suggested this afternoon that the Spaniards are anxious to make the Ameri- can government believe they are expect- ing reinforcements. If they could succeed in establishing this belief the sending of troops would have to be again delayed. The entire program recently made would have to be changed or indefinitely delayed, and unlimited suspense would characterize everything. . Shook Hands With a Drummer Boy. President McKinley yesterday shook hands with the youngest drummer boy in Camp Alger. He is Garfield Finlayson of Cempany A, 33d Michigan Regiment. He came to the city alone to see the sights, and took in the White House. Although thirteen years old he is small for his age, but bright, witty and anxious to fight the Spaniards. His father is dead and his mother allowed him to come on. He was the object of much attention, and a nym- ber of lady visitors at the White House teok great interest in him. One kind-heart- ed woman, with tears in her eyes, gave him two $1 bills, and others made contributions. The littie fellow is from Detroit and was ‘| a newsboy. He swears by Secretary Alger, because every Christmas General Alger gives each newsboy of Detroit a aew suit of clothes. There are over 500 of these hustling little fellows who are the recipi- ents of General_Alger's goodness. The Red Cross Society. Miss Clara Barton and George Kenyon of the Red Cross Society had a conference with President McKinley this afternoon re- garding the work of the society at the front. The conference is preliminary to a more definite understanding with the gov- ernment as to the field of work of the so- ciety, which has powerful backing in New York for whatever {t may undertake. The President will receive the new Bra- zilian minister on Monday morning at 11 o'clock. “= ——____o—______ THEIR ORDERS REVOKED. The Thirty-Fourth Michigan Volun- teers Not Coming to Camp Alger. SENT IN BY DESICN Why the Merrimac Was Wrecked, WORTHLESS FOR NAVAL USES Navy Department View of the Matter. EFFORTS T0 CLEAR THE CHANNEL Reward for the Men Who Risked Their Lives. SAMPSON’S REPORT RECEIVER es “The cork is driven in the bottle,” was the comment of the naval officers at the Navy Department this morning upon the news of the sinking of the collier Merrimac in the channel at the entrance of Santiago harbor, as described in the press dispatches, They were satisfied that the ship had been sent in by design of Schley to close up the channel and prevent the escape of the Spanish squadron, and that the undertak- ing was successful. If so, this will rank as one of the boldest achievements in naval history. It will almost equal Cushing’s famous attack upon the Albemarle with his little torpedo boat. That was the opin- ion at the Navy Department, at least. The officers said that Cushing had a fighting chance to escape after making his attack and he did indeed escape. There was no such chance for the men who took the Mer- rimac into Santiago harbor, under the guns which Schley’s report described as of great power and over nests of submarine mines, any one of which was sufficient to crush in the bottom of the ship. The Brave Volunteers. It 1s not possible now to learn who made up this crew that 1s destined to be famous in American history, for the opinion at the Navy Department is that Schley directed that no man be ordered into such danger- ous duty, but that volunteers be called for. There is no doubt, however, that at least two of the officers were aboard, namely, Commander J. M. Miller of Missourl and Assistant Engineer R. K. Crank of Tex: The captain could be relied upon, it ts said, to stick to his ship to the last, and from what is known of Crank’s character, he would not be likely to leave the ship, being the only commissioned engineer officer on board. There is but one opinion at the de- partment of the courage of the man who coolly stood at the engine levers down in the hold and directly above the bottom of the ship that he momentarily expected to come flying upward on the blast of a mine or torpedo. Worthless for Naval Uses. One of the reasons that formed the basis of the conviction that the Merrimac was purposely sunk in the channel is the fact that the ship was of little value as a naval vessel. She had broken down in her ma- chinery, and was kept at work only with a:fficulty. Some of Engineer Crank’s let- ters are at once laughable and pathetic in their recital of the trials and tribulations the young officer suffered (he is about twenty-five years old) in his efforts to make the machit.ery work at all. She was jvst the kind of craft that would be select- ed to block up the channel. She was of fron, 80 not likely to be easily removed by the Spaniards. Then she was empty, and so of no further immediate value to the fleet. The letters received by the Navy Depart- ment from the Merrimac show that she would be about the first ship chosen by the American commander to sacrifice. Owing to her sizc and coal capacity she cost the government considerable, something over $100,000. But it speedily developed that her boilers and engines were in such poor con- dition that she was in good shape to be condemned as worthless for naval uses. One of the letters from Engineer Crank describes in detail the first effort made to start the engines of the Merrimac. Al- though an official report, it is made in a humorous vein to Show the utter useles: ness of the Merrimac’s machinery. On the first start an eccentric band gave way, and everything came to a halt. Then, after the band was repaired, the letter re- cited that the huge boilers began to wheeze, snort and puff, and, with a mighty effor:, the engine turned over with a groan, whica sent the newly recruited firemen flying from the fire room to the upper decks. The report, although ludicrous in its descrip- tion, saiisfied the officials here that the Merrimac could readily be spared from the American fleet. The muster roll of the Navy Department shows that the Merri- mac carries forty-four men, not counting officers. As only six men were on board of ber when she sank, this is taken as an ad- diticnal evidence that she was about to be been taken off in advance. ~ Prisoners in No Peril. It Is said at the Navy Department that