The evening times., 1898-11-02
PACKING UP THEIR PAPERS
Spain Making Haste Slowly to
Relinquish Cuba.
ARGUMENT AT ITS ENDING
UItimatum of the American Govern
ment Accepted Under PrOtesf-Ofh-
ciaI Business In Havana to be
Brought to n Close in the Present
Month-The MarianaO Pier.

New York, Nov. 2-The Heralds cor
respondent at Havana telegraphs as fol-
lows.
Regarding my forecast OF yesterday.
as TO the date OF the cessation of Span
ish sovereignty In the island being left
ntely fixed as January /. and that IN
that day the American flag Will be hoist
ed on the palace of the captain general
an the American administration take
charge members of the American Conn
mission still decline to say that such is
the case, but my authority for the fore
cast makes the fact undeniable. Gen.
Clous said TO me this afternoon:
II can say that a note passed today
in reference TO the date of evacuation.
but l am not at liberty to state its con-
tents. | can neither deny nor affirm chat
it was a demand of the American Com
missioners that the date be settled as
January L.
The note referred To was stated in
the dispatch of yesterday, formal re-
quest, in the nature of an ultima .um.
that the day of final evacuation be nam
ed as January l. 1t was courteous in
tone referring to the nature of the itffi-
culties in the way of the Spanish admin
stration. but stating that the American
Government could allow no further de-
lay; that the latest date that would be
agreed to would be January l, and ask
ing that the date be settled Immediately.
| so that no further delay would result.
| The Spanish Commission received the
note late in the afternoon and no reply
has yet been made. II is said the mem
| bers of the Spanish Commission state that
| in view of this decisive notification they
| can only accede, but will only do so un-
| der protest, as 1t is utterly impossible TO
| have their troops out of the island then.
| and that to hoist the American flag with
| Spanish soldiers still in the territory will
| be more in the nature of a capitulation
| than treaty of evacuation.
The Spanish authorities are nevertheless
| preparing to close all matters of the ad-
| ministration of the island. A decree has
| been issued by the minister of finance
!, stating that October 81 was the last day
| for the inauguration of new business, and
| that all current affairs would be ended
| during the month of November. when in
| ventories of the different departments
| would be completed and filed and packed
| to be sent to Spain.
At the request of the Spanish
| Commissioners a letter has beer
| addressed To Gen. Wood AT San
tago by the Americans requesting that
he afford every facility for the remova
| of the bodies OF Gems. Vara del Ray anc
Santoscildes, the commission to remove
which will leave Havana shortly.
A formal note has passed giving D.
Laine permission To visit the military nos
| pitais Admiral Sampson has decided no
| to leave Havana during the work Of th'
Commission. The work of cataioguins
| military property is proceeding rapidly
! 1t is expected that ii will he finished Fri
day The construction of the pier at Mar
| ianao has been TEN porarily suspended ow
| ing to the rough weather.