New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-14
TORALCONFERS WITH MADRID
ARMISTICE ENDS AT NOON.
SANTIAGO MAY SURRENDER IF THE
FORCES THERE ARE ALLOWED
TO RETURN TO SPAIN.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. ]


in order to give Madrid an opportunity to author
lie General Toral to accept the modified demand
OF the United States force for lie surrender OF
the city under the guarantee that all the Span
ish forces in the besieged city shall be safely
transferred to Spain. became known in wash
ington to-day after a protracted extraordinary
session OF the Cabinet. at which the desperate
condition of the besieged and the alarming san
itary situation Of the besiegers were carefully
weighed.
The ringing emphasis with which the Cabinet
on Saturday last approved General Skaters
demand for immediate and unconditional sur
render" had been founded upon enthusiastic re-
ports from the General that he had recovered
from his tedious Illness. that his siege guns and
five days rations with large supplies OF am
munition and effective achievements had been
brought to the front. and that his position was
not only impregnable. but that he could carry
the city by assault in a few hours whenever he
chose to begin His conference with Admiral
Sampson had given him confidence that the
fleet could shell the city over the hills. and the
marked cheerfulness Of his dispatches in strong
contrast TO their dolorous tone OF the previous
week. gave Washington every reason to beiieVe
that unqualified victory was at hand' WIN 'he
arrival Of General Miles on Monday the hopes
Of the authorities received another buoyant ten
dency; but yesterday, after two days or con-
tinuous rain on the field Of battle. the spirts
of the commanding generals began 10 droop
! again. and this morning came the climax IN INC
! reports that yellow fever had at last appeared
and while it had so far exhibited itself only IN
an extremely mild form, with the exposed con-
! dition Of the men in the trenches knee-deep In
water and fairly steaming in the Intense neat,
the conditions were most favorable for the rapid
Of he nd
ment into a malignant type OF the dreaded
scourge.
MAY SEND TORALs FORCES TO SPAIN
In these circumstances the authorities whiie
utterly repudatng the Spanish proposition I"
! surrender the entire Province OF santago' pro-
vlded Torars forces were permitted to with
draw unmolested TO the westward, took uhder
consideration a suggestion which was broached
nearly week ago in Washington and not sus-
gested by any Of the forces operating against
the enemy al the front This provided for an
3 agreement to the conditional surrender or all
the Spanish military forces in and around SAN
tiago Harbor with the guarantee OF 'he"
prompt and safe return TO Spain. Inc susses
ton grew out OF the anticipated embarrassment
which At the time seemed about to be torcea
upon the authorities by the acquisition OF an
excessively large number OF military prisoners
who would OF necessity have TO be brought 70
the northern part Of the United states ana
cared FOR until the end of the war.
!. became evident at the outset that in case
the Santiago garrison capitulated 1t would be
impossible TO control large number or
prisoners on Cuban soil, necessitating the main
/ tenance around II Of more American soldiers
| than could be spared. while Cuban troops could
| not be trusted TO perform the service Inc sug-
! gestion that the prisoners might better be sent
in neutral vessels TO Portugal for speedy de-
livery to their own country found great favor
as the best way out OF the predicament, and
tentative arrangements We're actually made To
put the plan into effect
This morning after learning Of the continued
exhibition by the Spaniards of a determination
TO stubbornly resist the demand for ''uncondi-
tional surrender" together with knowledge or
the horrors that the American Army was being
forced to confront by the exasperatins delay
the authorities consented to the revival Of the
| scheme as an alternative proposition TO the
terms offered by Madrid through Toral for the
evacuation of Santiago, and it was adopted
GIVING UP BY DEGREES.
As the matter now stands. Spain agrees to
surrender Santiago. the objective Of the Ameri-
can expedition, and the sole point OF diherence
is whether the Spanish force there shall be per-
nitted 70 march to the reinforcement OF Blanco
M Havana or shall be returned 70 Spain. II IS
claimed that the United States viii secure
everything that is desired If the surrender can
be speedily accomplished, ana portion at
least OF the Spanish troops are removed from
Cuba, for the original demand Of this country.
which precipitated hostlllties looked simply 10
the withdrawal Of the Spanish army from the
island
The future conduct Of the war especially for
the next few months Will depend In a great
measure upon the number Of Spanish prisoners
who are thrown uron the hands Of the United
States officials IL the tei MS submitted 10 Madrid
to-day are accepted. Should It prove true that
anv considerable number Of the defenders OF
! Santiago have escaped under the cover OF night
during the week more OF consecutive trups,
there will be little difficulty IN transporting the
prisoners to their European home. r. however.
fifteen or twenty thousand Spaniards are sur
rendered It will take all the transports now In
the possession of the United States until the
middle Of August TO prepare for tho voyage and
land their cargoes at Lisbon. and two three
more weeks must elapse before their return 70
This country and their availability for further
Use by the American Army. In the mean time
the Porto Rican expedition will be out Of the
question: there will be considerable difficulty In
bringing back from Cuba the unaccllmated
American troops, who could not be permitted u
stay there through yellow fever epidemic, and
very large part Of the naval force now en-
gagged in blockade duty would necessarily be
detached 10 convoy the vast eect across the
Atlantic.
MUST SURRENDER OR FIGHT TO-DAY.
Washington July 13-The War Department
has given out the following from General
Shafter: