Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-17
A MYsTIFyING COMMUNICATION.
TornTs Surrender to "Hls Excel
Iency." and Other ''Grcat Graccs."

WASHINGTON. d. c., July 6.-The
War Department to-day posted the fol-
lowing from General Shafter:
playa del Este, near Santiago de Cuba,
July 1.-THE following letter has been
received: TO His Excellency, Command
Ing American Forces-Elcellent Sir:
am now authorized by my government to
capitulate. / have the honor to so ap-
prise you, and request that YOU desig-
nate hour and place where my repre-
sentatives shall appear to confer with
| those of your Excellency to effect the
articles OF capitulation on the basis OF
| what has been agreed upon tn this date.
| In due time ] wish to manifest my do
sire 10 know the resolutions Of the United
| States Government respecting the return
Of arms. so as TO note capitulations. Also,
the great courtesy Of your great graces,
and return for their great generosity and
impulse for the Spanish soldiers, and
allow them 20 ceiurn ~ the Ten'nsaiq
with the honors the American army 90
them the honor to acknowledge as dIti-
fully descended Jose Toral. general
commanding Fourth Army Corps. To
General shafter. commanding the Ameri-
can forces"
MYSTIFYING.
This remarkable letter Of capitulation,
addressed by General Toral to General
Shafter, and by him cabled to the War
Department this morning, had the initial
effect Of completely mystifying the reci-
pients Every reader gave different
Interpretation to the letter, and only on
one point cid they at first agree-namely,
that the translation was wretched. This
is not the first time that General Shafter
has failed to convey TO the department
clear understanding Of what he lad in
mind. but it was undoubtedly the very |
worst illustration he had yet forwarded
Thinking it over in the light of preced- |
ing dispatches, and especially in that Of |
the brief bulletin of the early morning, |
announcing the surrender of the Span
iards, the officials finally concluded that !
this letter, written yesterday, was simply
part Of the attempt Of the Spanish COM
mander to gain the best possible terms.
and that since then negotiations, appa-
rently left open at that time. had ad-
vanced to a conclusion.
Looking closely at the letter, and allow
ing for the difficulties of translation, it
was believed that even in this case the
Spanish commander had admitted his
surrender, and thrown himself upon the
of the Americans in the mat
ter of details
MATTER OF THE ARMS.
The main difficulty in his mind was the
contention over the arms of the soldiers.
If the Spanish soldiers possessed these,
even in packing boxes, upon their arrival
in Spain they might technically claim to
have only, evacuated Santiago. On the
other hand, returning without arms. it
would be understood they surrendered |
ana in General Torars mind, he would
be liable to court-martlal, and even to
he imposition of the death penalty.
However, that was his concern. and the
United States Government having de- {
,ided that the arms must be surrendered. '
General Shafter was so instructed, and
he Spaniards must submit.
1t is not doubted. in fact. from General
Skaters first dispatch, that they had 1
lone so, and his letter from Toral. which
lie submits, Is regarded, therefore, as
othing more than an illustration of one d
hase of the negotiations now passed. s