Warren sheaf., 1898-12-08
PEACE OVERTURES.
Spain Takes Steps to Bring About
Close of the War.


The annihils.tion Of Admiral Cerveras
feet, followed by the capitulation Of San
tiago, having brought to the Spanish gov
ernment realizing sense of the hopeless
ness of continuing struggle now becoming
wholly unequal, it made overtures of peace
through the French ambassador, who with
the assent of his government, had acted as
the friendly represen tative of Spanish in
terests during the war. On the 26th of July,
NJ. Cambon presented a communication
signed by the duke Of Alrnodovar, the Span
ish minister of state, inviting the United
States to state the terms upon which it
would be willing to make peace. On July
30, by a communication addressed to the
duke of Almodovar and handed to M. Cam
bon, the terms of this government were an
nounced, substantially as IN. the protocol
ish reply. dated August 7, was handed by
M. CambUn to the secretary of state. II ae-
septed Internationally the terms imposed
as to Cuba, Porto Rico and an island Of the
Ladrones group. but appeared TO seek to
introduce inadmissihle reservations in re-
gard to our demand as to the Philippines:
could neither lie practicable or profitable,
directed that in order to avoid misunder-
Closed t1a BY p proposng % the o ebodiment M in ia
formal protocol Of the terms in which the
negotiations for peace were to be under
tons of the Spanish note could not be ac-
cepted, the only reply being to present as a
virtual ultmatum a draft of protocol en-
Spain in our note Of July 80, with added
stipulations of detail as to the appoint
ment Of commissioners to arrange for the
evacuation of the Spanish Antilles. On
August y NJ. Cambon announced his re,
ceipt of full powers to sign the, protocol
noon Of Of August p, NJ. Gambon. as the
plenipotentiary Of Spain, and the secre-
tarX Of state, as the pleripotentary Of tie
United States; signed protocol, provid-
ing:
The Protocol. --.
."Article 1. Spain will relinquish all claim
Of sovereignty over and title to Cuba
States the island of Porto Rico ard other
islands now under Spa anish sovereignty in
the, West Indies, and also, an Island in the
"Article 8. The United States will oc-
cupy and hold the city, bay and harbor Of
Of peace which shall determine the con.
tyoI ID; disposition and government Of the
The fourth article provided for the ap-
pointment of joint commissions on the part
Of the United States and Spain to meet in
Havana and San Juan, respectively, for
the purpose of arranging and carrying out
the details of the stipulated eyaeuaten alto o; OF
Cuba, Porto r Kico al and 90 other Spanish is
The fifth article provided for the ap-
pointment of not more than five commis-
later than October 1, and to proceed to
the negotiations and conclusions of
treaty Of peace. subject to ratltlcaIon ac-
cording to the respective constitutional
forms of the two countries
The sixth and last article provided that
upon the signature of the protocol nos
tilities between the two countries should be
suspended, ard that notice to that eifeet bt
| each government to the commanders of Its
military and naval forces. --s -.
| -, Hostilities Suspended.
Immediately upon the conclusion of the
| protocol issued a proclamation Of August
! IL, suspending hostiities on the part of the
| United States. The necessary orders to
that end were at once given by telegraph.
| The blockade of the ports of Cuba and San
, Juan de Porto Rico was in like manner
raised. On August IS the muster out Of
! 100, 900 volunteers, or as near that number
as was found to be practicable, was or
dered. On December 1 1O1, ,165 officers and
| men had been mustered out and discharged
| from the. service, 9,G02 more will be mus
tered out by the 10th of the month. Also
| a corresponding number of generals and
general staff officers have been honorably
discharged from the service