Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1898-07-20
THERE IS A HITCH
Torai Asks That His Men ne Allowed to
Keep Their Arms-McKiniey says
unconditional Surrender.

Friday night at which three other
members of the cabinet were present,
Secretary Alger said:
The situation is just this: These
Spaniards at Santiago are prepared to
surrender, but they want to carry
their arms We have determined TO
grant no such concession nor any
concession except the generosity of
this government to transport them To
Spain"
Secretary Alger was asked II II was
! not the expectation that when IL was
known that 40 other terms would be
granted the surrender would take
place, and replied that such was the
case. In any event no other conces-
sion would be Afforded by this govern
ment
Ii was nearly o'clock when the con-
ference at the white house al iourned.
Besides Secretary Alger there were
present Secretaries Bliss and Wilson
and Postmaster General Emery Smith.
Aclt Gen. Corbin was present during
the last uous OF the conference.
Gen. Sbafter will be Immediately in
structed 70 carry out the determine
ton Vt the president. with whom the
matter mas been thoroughly discussed
Secretary Alger did not say how much
time would be allowed the enemy to
reach conclusion. but 1t is known
that the administration will make II
very short and submit TO no further
parley with Gen. Toral. The next
move is surrender upon the terms
which the United States government
propose or Immediate attack upon the
Spanish forces by the army aud navy.
At 1915 o'clock Saturday morning,
when Adjt Gen Corbin left the war
department for his home. he was yet
without definite information from Gen.
Shafter concerning the surrender of
Santiago.
In accordance with the decision
reached at the conference with the
president, he sent instructions to Gen
Shafter that nothing but an uncon-
ditional surrender by Gen. Toral
would be satisfactory to this govern.
ment
In view of Skaters last dispatch nc
fear is felt that the negotiations for
the surrender of the forces in Santi.
ago city will not be prosecuted to a
successful conclusion. Gen. Toral.
1T is known, at first insisted that
his men should be permitted &c
carry their arms with them to Spain.
This concession Gen. Shafter declined
to grant Toral has modified his de-
mand regarding the arms and has pre-.
scented n petition that the arms taken
from his men be returned TO Spain
with the troops. AS indicated in Sec
rotary Ayers statement above given
the petition has been denied by this
government
The unusual delay, which has pug.
zled the war officials, is accounted for
by the difficulty which Gen. Toral is
having in surrendering that part OF
the force under his command which
is not in the city of Santiago.
Gen. Shafter estimates that there
from $4,000 to $4,000 men in
Santiago and nearly as many
more in the province outside the city.
1t is believed that the delay in the
negotiations is made necessary in or
der to secure the surrender of the out
lying garrisons, some of which may
question Toral's authority to sur
render them without definite instruc-
tions to that effect from Madrid
There was entire willingness on the
part of Gen. Toral to turn over the
arms to Gen. Shafter at the time of the
surrender, but with this was TO be
the understanding that the arms were
to be returned to the Spanish troops
when Spanish soil was reached.
This was a condition which had not
been anticipated. The authorities here
did not regard il as serious, or as like
| ly to overcome final settlement. as IL
was attributed to the Spanish sensi-
tiveness against the humiliation in
volved in laying down their arms. At
the same time it was a point on
which neither side appeared to be
ready to yield.
One of the dispatches from the front.
after specifying that this difference
had arisen, added that il was believed
a settlement would be reached before
Friday closed. Gen. Shafter him.
self summed mp the situation 10y say.
ing: 1T can not be possible that
there will be failure in completing ar.
rangement IS. No question whatever.
has been raised as to the surrender il.
self Not only has Gen. Toral agreed
1T, but this agreement has been rati.
fed 10y Gen. Blanco at Havana and bv
the Spanish authorities at Madrid.
a cabinet official expresses doubt as
to the sincerity Of Gen. Toral. and
suggested that his negotiations for
peace were solely for the purpose Of
delay 20 enable him 20 strengthen his
position by reinforcements from other
points in the Santiago district
Fear We May Geta Footing Ia Porto Rico.
Madrid, July 16.-One OF the chief
reasons which has driven che govern.
mo HH