The Portland daily press., 1898-07-15
THE FALL OF SANTIAGO.
Continued from First Page.

Juan. There L., however, always the
prospect that peace may ensue before
hostilities have progressed against Srain's
| easternmost West India island. Rumors
were af1oat this afternoon to the effect
that the Spanish government at last had
made oyertures in that direction, but
their basis probably was the current be-
| lief that one more reverse to the Spanish
arms would be sufficient to compel the
| Spanish government to sue for peace and
this reverse was furnished by the sur
render of Toral's army. The navy depart
ment has not been affected by these
rumors to the extent of relaxing any Of
its precautions or abandoning any of it's
plans, for Secretary Long stated I'M
equivocaily today that Commodore Wat
sons eastern squadron would certainly go
to Spain as soon as 1t could sail.
The number of Spanish soldiers to be
sent to Spain is estimated at ten
thousand. The extreme length of the
tract surrendered by General Toral is
stated here to be about ITO miles and the
extreme width about fifty miles, tapering
to less width and making in all about
5000 square miles. 1t is a rugged, noun
famous country with very few towns of
any size. Mr.. II. J. Allen of Kansas City
who had just come from Santiago, was
with Secretary Alger this afternoon. He
said the surrendered country was so wild
and rocky that 1T afforded practically no
camping ground for considerable body
Of troops and there was not point in it
suitable as basis Of operations for an
army. Except the Spanish force at
| Santiago, numbering about 10000 men,
Mr. Allen stated that there were no
Spanish troops within the surrendered
zone as it had been overrun by Garcia's
forces. The Spanish garrisons were at
Manzanillo and Holguin to the west of
| the surrendered zone. These garrisons did
| not exceed COCO.
| The navy department. has not heard up
to the close of Office hours to what extent
the American fleet was participating in
the Spanish surrender. With Santiago in
our hands, the way will be clear for Adj
miral SIMPSONS fleet to enter the harbor
and proceed to the wharves, as soon AS the
torpedoes and mines at the harbor en-
| trance are removed. The Qualifications of
Moro castle, zocapa, Csyo Smith, and
others are included in the surrendered
| zone. The possession of these fine
fortresses, particularly Moro Castle will
afford valuable garrison points for large
| number of men. The terms under which
these strongholds are surrendered is not
yet known in detail, but it is regarded as
likely that their big guns pass with the
surrender. While the feet will soon be
free to move up to Santiago city, some
doubt is entertained in naval circles
whether any good could be accomplished
by such move, as 1t might subject some
of our sailors to the contagion existing
within the city.
Great attention will be given to the
care of our sick and fever stricken
soldiers on the island. In the opinion of
the army surgeons, the sick can be best
treated by removal to the high ground
back of the SO uthern coast where the heat
proceed without the fear of communicate
| ing disease to the rest Of the army. Score
tary Alger is anxious to bring the entire
! army back as soon as 1t can be done with
safety to themselves and without jeopardy
to the other troops in Florida and to the
general public. The active preparations
made to deal with the emergency are such
that it is felt the question of disease can
be COPIED with successfully now that the
military situation has been simplihed.
In the matter of transports, the depart
ment is fully prepared for the next move
The acquisition recently of a number
of atlantic liners capable of carry
ing several times as many men as the
smaller transports, has put it on an excel
lent footing and it was announced today
that no more ships were being bought
for the Atlantic coast. The ships avail
able by the department are distributed as
follows:
| Twenty-Five at Santiago, IL at Tampa,
80 at Charleston, at New York, 4 at
Key West and Others en- route to and from
different ports.
Tho p1ap of the war departrnept for ra