Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1898-08-01
PEACE PROSPECTS
Are Promising, and Movements Are Max
ing to Reduce Army and Navy.
MUCH. HOWEVER. Is cosJrcruRr.

New YORK, Aug. IA special to
the Tribune, from Washington, says !:
Army and Navy officers consider the
war practically ended so far as actual
hostllities are concerned, and even if
peace negotiations are conducted in a
dllatory manner, which has come to be
inseparable from the Spaniards, an ar
mistice can hardly be delayed beyond
week or ten days, or by that time the
Spanish garriB0ns at San Juan and
Manila will have laid down their arms
as they did at Santiago. Necessity for
the
MAINTENANCE OF A LARGE ARMY
of occupation for Cuba and Puerto Rico
will initiate to prevent any reduction
in the military establishment for some
time to come; although most of the
volunteers who have not up TO this
time left American soil will probably
be mustered out of service within
month after the treaty Of peace has been
concluded. A regular army of $1,000
men will probably remain upon war
footing for several years, the country
having been awakened to the expedi-
ency Of maintaining greater standing
army at home, while enlarged response.
bilities in Alaska, Hawaii, Cuba and
Puerto Rico, and perhaps the Phillip
pines will imperatively demand consid-
erable force for garrison duty. For
some time at least Cuba cannot be
trusted to work out the problem of self
government without the guardianship
of at least $4,000 trained American SOL
diers. Puerto Rico will undoubtedly
require another ten thousand.
If the Philippines are to be held al
tremendous increase of the regular
army will be imperative as soon as Con-
gress shall provide the requisite au-
thority.
LEE WILL GO.
General Lees Seventh Corps, at
Jacksonville, has always been intended |
for duty in Cuba, late in the fall, and
will certainly 60 there at that time for
offensive operations in case Havana is |
not surrendered, or as army of occupa-
tion after peace has been concluded. |
more sweeping and immediate, it being
the intention to dispose of nearly all
vessels which were pressed into service
and impr0vised for various hostile
operations since the Maine was blown
Up. The frst step has already been
Saken by the orders issued yesterday,
tn ST. PAUL AND ST LOUIS
to New York as soon is they could
eave the West Indies. Their guns
will be taken off at once, their naval
officers detached, including Captain
Sigsbee and Captain Goodrich, and as
speedily as the vessels can be restored
to the condition they were in
when the Navy acquired them,
they will be delivered to
their former owner, the American
Line. The Harvard and Yale will be
Navy will cease paying $4,000 day for
these four vessels, which for the last
few weeks have been used exclusively
by the Army as transports. Perhaps
The Army will charter the vessels until
their owners consider it advisable to
the restoration of their
voyages. Naval author.
tiles have also shewn confidence in the
result of the peace negotiations, by
ordering at least three of the heavier
to
NEW YORK FOR REPAIRS.
The Texas is expected to 90 into dock
Tuesday, the Brooklyn a week later,
and the Iowa will be put into the new
dock, just repaired, as soon as it is
ready to receive her, about August 18th
The Indiana will also come north as
soon as possible, and even Admiral
Simpsons flagship. the New York, is
expected to go into dry dock about the
middle Of August.
SPAIN IS HOPEFUL.
PARIS, August lit was announced /
this afternoon, in dispatch from Ma
drid, that the Spanish cabinet was TO
meet, this afternoon, and draw up
SPANS reply to the United States
answer to peace proposals. 1t is be-
lieved that the Spanish government |
will accept the terms Immediately after |
official assent is given to them, and |
that hcstilities will be suspended in the
Antilles In conclusion, the dispatch |
says it is the general belief that peace
will be accomplished before August
18th.
DISCUSSION UNNECESSARY.
MADRID, August 1.-The Liberal
says, today, that Spanish-American
peace commissioners are to meet in
London, and the points which will be
discussed will be the disposition to be
made of the Philippine Islands, the
payment of the Cuban debt, the evacua-
ti0n of Cuba and Puerto Rico, and the
ownership of war material in the An
titles.
NOT MADE PUBLIC YET.
WASHINGTON, August LIT has