The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-09
SPANS PEACE PARTY !
Greatly Strengthened, and Madrid
ssxaaa. Is Still Tranquil.
THE CABINET LESS RADICAL.

Even Those Members who Have Been
Most Strongly Averse to Peace pro-
posals Are Becoming More Concilfa.
tory-Strengthenlng Coast Defenses
London, July ga special dispatch
from Madrid says: There are numer-
:. GUS evidences that the peace party is
greatly strengthened. Madrid Is tran
quill and the expected disturbances
have not occurred. Probably It Will
embolden the government to yield to
the strong diplomatic pressure that is
being exerted to bring the war to q
termination.
As El Nacional remarks Spanish
ministers who expect prodigies Of valor
from the army in Cuba cannot compel
the Americans to fight there. The
Americans prefer to Sttack Porto Rico
and the peninsula, and, as El Nacional
says. having succeeded, they might I'M
pose still more distasteful terms.
Then, discussing Captain Aun0ns
reliance upon the third squadron, Ell
Nacional criticizes the vessels COM
posing 1t, showing that nothing can. be
/. hoped from that quarter. The increas-
ing dificuty Of telegraphic communi.
cation with the colonies is adding to
the governments embarrassment. since
1t cannot ascertain what Is needed for
defense. The march Of events and
the fate of vessels sent out with pro-
visions, with much else that 1t is alb
solutely Indispensable should be known
If the conflict ia to be continued, Is
with difficulty ascertained. All this
makes for peace. ..-
The frequent cabinet discussions OF
the peace question have been without
result, except that the ministers who
had most strongly advocated war have
assumed slightly more conciliatory
attitude, and the field of discussion Is
somewhat narrowed. The idea is that
owing to the immense difficulties Of the
campaign in Cuba, the United States
will probably abandon the system OF
storming fortified places and will adopt
the plan Of starving garrisons out by
blockading the whole island.
The government would probably pre-
fer suing for peace to suffering an in
definite blockade but it fears the large
body Of patriotic opinion in favor OF
resisting to the bitter end If Cuba Is
blockaded. 1t is to be hoped that the
Americans will find some means Of
controlling the ferocity of their savage
allies. A profound impression has been
made here by rumors that the Ameri-
cans had handed over Spanish prison.
ers to Cuban insurgents, who behcaded
them.
In the meantime there is no relaxa-
in ha Sf ctranrt hnninp the
coast defenses. Even the heavy ar
tillery at the formidable French from
tier forts has been withdrawn and
sent to the seaports.
Current gossip credits the Infanta
Isabella to assume the regency She
has visited the barracks and addressed
inspiriting words to the officers and
men. 1t Is rumored that the queen
regent would not be averse to such
change, on the ground that Isabella,
being "a Spaniard, could better sign a
disastrous peace than herself maria
Christina) who is often taxed with
being foreigner.
Soldiers Sending Their Money Home.
Chckamauga Park. July 9.-The gov
ernment paymasters have almost COM
pleted their work, and will leave for
camps further south tonight. The
amount paid out here will run to nearly
2,5OO. 600. each regiment averaging $685.
COO. Many Of the men have sent their
money home. The Camp Thomas post
office has averaged $4,000 a day on
money orders since the beginning of
the week, and several additional clerks