Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-07-05
GLORIOUS NEWS.
Not So Excited
Since the Civil War.
After the Magnificent Events Of the
Fourth Of July
Fall Of Santiago. Havana. Manila and
Camara Will Soon Come.

Washington, July 4.-The annihila-
tion of the Spanish squadron at San
tiago and the capture of Admiral Ger
vera with 1900 prisoners: the demand
of Gen. Shafter for the surrender of
Santiago by T. o'clock, tomorrow noon
on pain of bombardment: word from
Admiral Dewey that the Ladrone is
lands had been captured, that II Span
ish gunboat had surrendered, that a
hundred or more Spanish officers and
Philippine expedition had landed-that
is in part the thrilling record, such a
Fourth of July as has not been known
since the bells Of Independence hall
sang out the tidings of American free
dom.
1t was a day when one momentous
event followed another in constant
and rapid succession, each hour bring
ing forth some new feature more start
ling that what had gone before.
The climax came at o'clock, when
amid the widest cheering. which fairly
shook the great war, state and navy
building to it's foundation. Admiarl
SIMPSONS dispatch announcing his
victory and the entire destruction of
the Spanish fleet was given to the pub
lie.
The President had not a moments
respite. TelegramS came and went
without cessation and the Executive
mansion presented a scene such as
has not been paralleled since the mo-
mentous hours of the Civil War Stir
ring as are all the official dispatches
received. today, Simpsons dispatch
was accorded the chief honors.
Admiral SIMPSONS dispatch not only
disclosed the tremendous proWess of
the American fleet but it again dis
played the strange immunity which
the American sailor seems to have in
the midst of death and carnage. That
but one of our sailors, yeoman on
| board the brooklyn, should have been
| killed in an engagement of this magni-
nails save in the record which Dewey
made at Manila.
4 Sna nj !, 1actrnVp1
way is partly cleared for the advance
| of the American squadron into the har-
| Dor of Santiago. If Cervera's armored
cruisers could cross the mine field anc
| clear the Merrimac at the entrance OF
! the harbor, the American ships car
follow the same course. There are the
inner Notifications and the islands
forts still to be reduced, still they have
passed through a large baptism ol
| fire recently and are little more thar
ruins.
Thus with Shafter's guns laundering
on Santiago from the land and Samp-
sons fleet from the harbor, the fall OF
the city is assured beyond further
| question. The authorities here mill
tary and navy, say that.rSantiago has
already made it's best fight and that
it's occupation is only question OF
very brief time.
! Gen. Skaters strong position was
shown in a series of dispatches. In onf
of these he says: u feel that l an
master Of the situation and can hold
the enemy for any length of time
| In another dispatch, Gen Shaftel
states that his demand for the surren-
der of Santiago is still being consid-
cred by the Spanish authorities, whicf
indicates that the refusal of the Span
;sh commander to capitulate was mo-
final. In any event, II O'clock on Tues
| day. marks the limit of Skaters con
! Continued on page 81