The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-14
HAS FALLEN.

! Toral was received about 2:30 o'clock
in the brief dispatch from Gen. Shafter.
| The president was the first to be made
| acquainted with the action of the
| Spanish general, the dispatch making
| the announcement being sent direct to
| him in accordance with previous in
structions.
The president was alone in the pri-
| vate apartments of the White House
conversing with Mrs. Mckinley when
| the operator handed him the dispatch.
| He quickly reat it aloud to Mrs. McKin-
ley and then Immediately sent for Sec
| retary Alger and Adjutant General Cor
bin. Meantime an instant after it's re-
ceipt by the president, the dispatch was
sent to the Associated Press and flash
ed to every quarter of the world.
Secretary Alger and Gen. Corbin re-
mained with the president scarcely
&, quarter of an hour discussing the
! agreement and the terms to be arrang-
ed at the meeting of the commissioners
at 2:30 o'clock, Santiago time.
Message From Gen. Miles.
Washington, D. c., July 1.-THE war
department has. received the following
dispatch from Gen. Miles, written ap-
parently before the final surrender at
Santiago at o'clock:
Playa, July 14.-Secretary OF war,
Washington, before Santiago, July II
Gen Toral formally surrendered the
troops of his army-troops and division
of Santiago, on the terms and under
standing that his troops shall be re
turned to Spain. Gen. Shafter will ap
point commissioners to draw up the
conditions of arrangements for carry
ing out the terms OF surrender. This is
very gratifying and Gen. Shafter and
the officers and men of this command
are entitled to great credit for their
sincerity and fortitude in overcoming
the almost insurmOuntable obstacles
| which they encountered.
A portion of the army had been in
fected with yellow fever and efforts
will be made to separate those who are
infected and those free from it and to
keep those who are still on board ship
| separated from those on shore. Ar
rangements will be Immediately made
| for carrying out further instructions of
| the president and your self. CSigned)
NELSON A. MILES,
Major General of the Army"
Sampson Cables.
| Washington, July 14.-Secretary Long
| received the following cabIegram from
| Admiral Sampson, dated off Santiago,
2 p. m.-"Santiago surrendered"
The Days Anxiety.
Washington, July 14.-News from the
front was awaited with the greatest
| anxiety all morning. Cvershadowing
! even the interest felt in the condition of
| the fever patients was the subject Of
| surrender. The dispatches from Shaf-
| ter and Gen. Miles received last even
! ing made it evident that in the opinion
| of these officers the end was near. 1t
| was not however until about IL o'clock
| that word came from the front that the
! Spaniards had proposed a commission
! to adjust the final terms of surrender.
| This is said to be no novelty in war
: fare and especially in such cases as
| this where complex considerations are
| involved.
The proposition to remove the Span
ish army in the province of Santiago di-
| vided between towns, remote from one
| another, to secure the removal of dan
! gerous distractions in ports and to ar
| range the details of transportation of
| this army, involves so many factors
/ that considerable time might very
| properly be expended in adjusting
| them. In some quarters it was declar-
| ed that the Spanish proposition was
| simply another scheme on the part of
/ Gen. TOral, to gain time, he being fully
| aware of the uncomfortable and dan
! gerous position Of the American troops,
from a sanitary point of view and real
izing that every days delay but added
| to their misery. If that is his purpose,
he is not likely to succeed in his object.
| Secretary Alger declared most en-
| phatically that no further time would
be granted for decision upon the main
! Observation-Disclosures if by noon
today the Spanish general had not de-
cIared his willingness to do this, the
attack on Santiago would We resumed
An enormous number of transports
/ would be required to carry out our part
of the obligation to return the Spanish
army to Spain. Some idea of the size
of that feet may be gathered from the
mere mention of the difficulties that
Shafter experienced in landing in Cuba
his first detachment of $1,000 men,
though he had at Tampa all the con-
veniences of a well equipped American
fort.
1t is estimated that there are in San
| tiago province not less than $1,000 Span
ish soldiers and to transport these men
| to Spain, allowing for the presence on
each of the transports of a suitable
guard from the American army there
would be required no less than 45 large
| steamers, number in excess of the en-
| tire fleet of transports now available
/ in southern waters.
Not Entirely Settled.
! Washington, July H.-Secretary AL
| ger returned to the war department
| from the White House shortly before 3
! O'Clock. He expressed his qualification
| at the latest reports from General
Shafter but apparently desired to take
/ a conservative view of the matter as