Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-08-12
War Notes.

Desultory hghtlng continues IN
Porto Rico.
An American dollar in Santiago is
worth two Spanish dollars.
The hopes of the Washington troops
for active service will probably be
doomed to disappointment with the
dawn of peace.
The Eighth Illinois Infantry, COM
posed of colOred troops, has been or
dered to Santiago to replace the First
Illinois Infantry. which will be re-
moved to Long Island.
The Merritt Wrecking Company has
received advices from Santiago that
makes it certain that the Maria
Teresa is now floating and is said to
be in a fairly good condition as to her
machinery and boilers. She will soon
depart for Norfolk under her own
steam.
The United States has magnani-
mously offered to parole the 1900
Spanish naval prisoners taken at the
destruction of Cervera's fleet, with the
exception of the officers who are en-
joying American hospitality at An
napolis. The bulk of these prisoners
are confined at the naval station at
Portsmouth, where they have the
liberty of a large, picturesque island
and comfortable quarters. Spain does
not possess a single American prisoner
to offer in exchange for the Spaniards
who have been captured in the Philip
pines, rs well as in the West Indies,
and this inequality makes the present
offer OF parole all the more charitable
on the part of this government.
Spain has refused the offer OF the
United States to surrender to her
Admiral Cervera and all the naval
prisoners at Annapolis, Portsmouth
and the naval hospital at Norfork.
The reason given for this refusal is
that the Spanish government did not
consent to the acceptance of the
paroles of Admiral Cervera and the
officers OF the Spanish fleet. Just
what connection there is between
approval by the Madrid naval au-
thorities of the paroles and the offer
of the United States to release the
officers and men on condition that
they be taken back to Spain is not
clearly understood. Naval officials be-
lieve that the Spanish navy must
secure the permission of the ministry
of marine before they can give paroles,
but nobody is certain that this is so.
The real reason for the refusal is be-
lieved to be Spanish unwillingness or
inability at this time to pay for the
transportation of the 1000 officers
and sailors.
Spain's acceptance of the American
peace conditions was so equivocal that
President Mckinley determined to
compel assent to a protocol fixing def
mite terms, and the answer given to
NJ. Cambon practically amounted to
an ultimatum. 1t is understood that
unless the protocol is 81 gned immedi-
ately all negotiations will be suspended
and the war vigorously continued.
The United States will not abate it's
terms by one iOta. 1t is believed that
the protocol to be submitted to Spain
carries within itself n provision for the
cessation of hostilities. On this point
the naval contingent is urgent that
our government adopt the Napoleonic
policy of refusing to enter into an
without requiring some sub
stantial pledge to secure the consum-
nation of peace. What they particu-
larly desire is that our government
shall demand as condition of the
cessation OF hostilities the surrender
to the United States military forces of
Moro Castle, at the entrance of Ha-
vana harbor, and some such points of
vantage at other important points in
the territory soon to fall under our
A dispatch dated Hongkong, the
9th. brings the news of an engagement
ut Manila, on the night of the 3Ist
ult. The information was brought by
The steamer Petrarch, which sailed OH
the 9th. She reports that the Span
sh soldiers at Manila attracked the
American camp on the night of July |
81. The Spanish forces were over g.
200 strong. They charged the Ameri-
can line several times. The fire of
The American troops broke the Span
lsh center and they retreated. Later
they made a second charge, but shortly
retreated to the bushes, keeping up an
Incessant fire. Eleven Americans
we're killed, and thirty-seven wounded.
Spanish losses reported great. During
the fight the insurgents remained |
On the night of August l
the fighting was renewed, but the
enemy had been taught lesson, and
made the attack at long range with
heavy artillery. The Utah battery
replied, and the artillery duel lasted
an hour. Fred Springstead, of the
First Colorado, was killed, and Others
wounded. On the night of August 2
the artillery duel was renewed. Two
men were badly wounded, and are re-
ported dead, which brings the total
dead to thirteen, with ten still in the