The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-09-08

interview. q letter was received from
General TorHi Of which the following 10
q literal translation:
"SANjTIAGo De CUBA, July u.
"Geueral-in-chief OF the American
forces:
aHonored slr:-Hls Exceuency, the
general-in -in-chief OF the army IN Cuba,
telegraphs from Havana yesterday ct z
p. m. the following:
Believing the business Of such i'm
portanee as the capFtuiation OF that
place to be known and decided upon by
the government Of his majesty, give
you notice that have sent the condi.
tionS Of your telegram asking an imme-
dlate answer and enabling you also TO
show this to the general Of the Ameri-
can army to see II he would agree TO
await the answer Of the government,
which cannot be as soon as the time
which he has decided, as communica-
ton by way Of Bermuda - more slow
than by Key West. In the meantime
your honor and the general Of the
American army may agree upon copf-
ulatlon on the basis Of repatriation ire
turning to Spain).'
II have the honor TO transmit this to
you that In case you may consider the
foregoing satisfactory that he may des-
ignate persons in representation OF hini-
self who with those In my name, may
agree to clauses Of the capituhtion
upon the basis Of returning to Spain,
accepted already in the beginning by
the generaI-ln-chef Of this army.
Awaiting reply, / am, very respect
fully your servant, JOSE TORAL."
At the meeting on the following day,
General Toral stated that he was pre-
pared to surrender with the approval OF
the captaIn-genernl OF Cuba, but II
would require q little time to have his
acts confirmed by the homo govern
ment; that in the meantime he was pre-
pared to appoint commissioners to ar
range the clauses Of the capltuiGtion.
Not only this, he offered to surrender
the balance OF his command, which had
not been under FIRE during the COM
paign. The remarkable ofler was on
his motion and was in the nature OF .
surprise to the American general pres
ent. However, at the conference OF
the day previous Gem Miles had re-
minded him that he had been rendered
the most liberal terms ever offered to
an enemy; that his tieet was destroyed
and they were 5000 miles from home.
Toral's offer could be accounted for in
one Of two Wayg-either that the troops
were wanted at home and regarded this
as the only. means Of doing 80 at the
expense Of the United States. Whether
Bianco and the rest Of the Spanish
forces In Cuba would have surrendered
on the same terms Is not now and per-
haps may never be known.
Tho Por o RiCan Expedition.
The place of landing the Porto Rican
expedition had been 80 thoroughly ad-
yertised in communications sent over
the French cable and in the newspapers
OF our own country and teiegraphed TO
MADRID and from there to San Juan,
that not having received the necessary
appliances with which TO di5embarR,
General Miles decided after leaving the
WindWard Passage 10 change his course
and land on the south side OF Porto Rico
WNher the SpaniardS were the least pre-
pared and the least expecting to receive
him, and where he knew the diSem-
barkntlon OF the troops and supphes
could be most easily effected. From the
time OF Decentralization, during the tol-
lowing nineteen days OF the campaign,
he kent the SpRnIards guessing what
the next move would be. Then they
withdrew along the military road be-
tween Ponce and San Juan, they de-
struyed the bridges, obstructed the
roads and fortified strong positions IN
the mountains passing and then were
surprised that one column Of his army
was sweeping around the west END OF
the road, capturing the principal cities
and while another had passed over the
mountains on q trail which the span.
Iarrds had supposed impossible, and
therefore had not fortified or guarded II,
and the first they knew OF the march OF
the American army was the appearance
OF q strong brigade within twenty miles
Of the northern coast at the terminus
OF the railroad connecting San Juan
with Areciabo, The island OF Porto
Rico was fairly won by the right OF
conquest and has become part OF the
United States. The sentiment OF the
people was in no sense outraged py IN
yaders, but on the contrary was sue
cessfuily propltlused. A people VINO
have endured the severity o. OF spIIlsI p,Nst
rule for four centuries hall with denght
the protection Of the great republic, one
OF the richest sections of the Country
over which our flag now floats has been
added and Will be Of lasting value 10
our nation, politically commerclaIty,
ard from q military or strategic point
Of view. Possession of that Island has
also rendered any further resistance OF
the Spanish forces In Cuba hope!esaI
and Gen. Miles, firmly believes that by
fair and just treatment the people OF
a. 4. friendly ally and neIghbor or to
become u part OF our country RS Porto
Rico. -. ,,..
as long as he deemed his presence nee
essary for carrying out the wishes or
the President, and now returns to the
United States, bringing with him
DeaFty 1000 men who are no longer
required there being some 1900 sttil
remaining, amply sufficient for AL
purposes. He returns at once TO- WASH.
inEfon. where he believes he can be most
useful as he considers the most impor-
tant need Of the hour now to be the
Immediate reduction OF war expenses
and tho return OF az large portlonl, OF
those in the military service az poSsi,p'e s,I'',
TO their former occupations, where they
are most needed"