The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-14

method. This state of things is likely
to continue until congress meets.
1t is understood of the war depart
ment that the Spanish soldiers in all
places over which the United States
exercises authority will be virtually
prisoners of war and under the orders
of the United States officers in COM
mand.
STILL PREPARED FOR WAR.
The orders given last night for the
immediate cessation of hostilities
brought all military and naval move
ments to a halt and it now remained
only TO bring affairs back to a peace
basis. In this, however, the authori-
ties were acting on the theory that the
protocol Of yesterday was but the first
step towards peace and that not until
a final and lasting peace was secured
could there be an entire return to
peace basis. This was particularly true
as 10 the navy department In that
branch it WIS accepted that permanent
peace undoubtedly would be made and
yet instead of stripping our ships, re-
distributing them into squadrons on
peace basis, and returning them 10
their old channels. the naval authorl-
ties acted on the principle that the
present arHistice might end in re-
sumption of hostilities. For that
reason the four battleshipS and two
armored cruisers ordered north from
West Indian waters are to undergo
complete oVerhaHling, with a view OF
putting them in the pink of condition.
For many months they have been In
tropical waters; their bottoms are 1oul
and their engines and machinery need
careful Overhauling
AS soon as they reach New York, all
work at the navy yards VIII De SUD
ordinated to pushing the complete
ovarhauling of the big battleships and
cruisers.
Meanwhile the smaller warships in
West Indian waters have been ordered
to safe harbors, as the West Indian
hurricane season is near at hand,
while sufficient ships for police patrol
are left along the Cuban and Porto
Rican coast. The big, unwieldly monl-
tors will remain at Porto Rico ana
most of the blockading fleet Will enter
at Key West under Commodore Wat
son. The peace protocol viii give
breathing spell and time for bringing
every ship back to the highest state or
perfe ction. The complete return to
peace basis, the establishment OF peace
SQuadrons, etc, is a matter Tor the
future.
The American occupation of Manila
probably will result in the opening of
a direct cable communication between
that city and the outside world. The
only difficulty thus far has been that
the cable company would not recog-
nize American control of the cable so
long as our forces were not in posses
sion of the city.
The orders sent Admiral Dewey are
much more specific than those sent
other naval commanders. as the occu-
nation of Manila and the holding of
the bay and harbor involve more i'm
portant consideration than the mere
cessation of hostilitieS Arrangements
have been made to send large rein
forcements to General Merritt. With
the troops already at Manila and those
which will arrive within a very few
days, General Merritt will have 5000
men. The 900 troops at San Francis
co are to be sent as rapidly as trans
ports can be obtained. These trans
ports are nv on their way from Ma
gasak to : 1 Francisco.
The war department is canceling the
charters to the various vessels issued
for the transportation of troops. The
government purchased Is vessels and
chartered. ABOUT so. Already the char
tiers of the Iampasas and Louisiana
have been cancelled, and orders nave
been issued canceling those of the
Concho and Lenora as soon as they
arrive from Santiago.
Ships will be retained as long as
necessary to transport troops, but as
the necessity for rapid movement has
passed, fewer transports will accom-
modate the troops that are to be
moved at sea.