The San Francisco call., 1898-07-05
Series of Victories That Cause Americans to
 Thrill With Joy.
To Cap the Climax the Fall of " Santiago de Cuba Must
 Occur Very Soon.

WASHINGTON, July 4.-The com plete annihilation of the Spanish squad ron at Santiago and the capture of the Spanish admiral, Cervera, with 1900 prisoners: the demand by General Shaf- ter for the Surrender of Santiago by 12 o'clock tomorrow noon on pain of bCm- bardment; word from Admiral Dewey that the Ladrone Islands had been cap tured: that a Spanish gunboat had sur rendered. that a hundred or more Span ish officers and men were taken, and that our first Philippine expedition had 'landed-this is in part the thrilling rec ord of such a Fourth of July as has not been known since the bells of Inde- pendence Hall rang out the tidings of American freedom.
 It was day when one momentous event followed another in constant and rapid succession, each hour bringing forth some new feature more startling than what had gone before. The climax came at l o'cloc'- when, amid the wild est cheering, which fairly shook the great War, S-0' and Navy building to its foundation, Admiral Sampson's dis patch announcing his glorious victory and the. entire destruction of the Span ish fleet was given to the public.
 The White House was naturally the focal point of the enthusiasm and stir ring activity which marked official Washington. It was the busiest day the President has had since the war began. Conference followed conference with the heads of the military and naval departments, high officials of the service came and went in a constant and. steady stream, and as each hour brought it's added luster to the Ameri- can arms the crowd of officials in creased.
 The President had not a moments respite. Telegrams came and went without cessation, and the historic old mansion presented a scene such as has not been paralleled since the momen- toGs hours of the civil war.
 The story of the day is best told in the series, of official dispatches, each bearing date of July 4, from Sampson, from Shafter and from Dewey. Stir ring as they all are, that of Sampson was accorded the honor of chief inn portance, not only for the immediate re- suits secured, but also from the effects of this crushing defeat in weakening the defenses of the city of Santiago and in dealing Spain such a staggering blow that she is left practically without a navy.
 The admiraps dispatch is as follows:
 PLAYA, 1 VIA HAYTI.-To secre- tnry of the Navy, 3:15 a. m., Siboney, July 4.-The fleet under my com mand offers the nation as q Fourth of July present the destruction of the whole of Cervera's fleet Not one escaped. It attemptedNto es- cape at 9.3O a. m. and at P. m. the last, the CristObaI Colon, has been run ashore six miles west of Santiago and had let down her col Ors. The Infanta Maria Teresa, Oquendo and Vizcaya were forced ashore, burned and blown up with fin twenty miles of Santiago; the Furor and Fulton were, destroyed within four miles of the port. Loss, . one killed and two wounded. Enc my's loss probably several hundred from : .gun-fire, explosions and drowning. About 1900 prisoners, including Admiral Cervera. The American killed was George H. El- lis; chief: yeoman of the Brooklyn
 SAMPSON. :: To. this; President replied as fol- lows:
 To Admiral sampson, Playa del Este-You have the gratitude and congratulations of the whole American people. Convey to your noble officers and crews, through . whose vaIor new honors have been added to the Americans, the grate- full thanks and appreciation of the nation. WILLIAM MCKINLEY. F
 Although. brief Admiral Sampson's dispatch tells the story of fearful de- struction. Itnot only disclosed the tre- mendous prowess of the American fleet. but it again displayed the immunity which the American sailor seems to have in the midst of death and carnage. That but one of our sailors, yeoman on the Brooklyn, should have been kill ed in an engagement of this magnitude is without parallel in naval annals save in that other unparalleled record which Dewey made at Manila With the Spanish fleet destroyed the way is partly cleared for the advance of the American squadron into the harbor of Santiago. If Cervera's armoredl crui- sers could cross the mine field and clear the Merrinlac at the entrance to the harbor, the American ships can follow the same course. There are the inner fOrtifications and island Notifications still to be reduced, but theyhavepassed s--z------u-.---------------