New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-02
HITCH IN PEACE WORK.
SPAIN DECLINES TO GRANT
THREE MERICAN DEMANDS.
ONE is FOR A CABLE AND COALING STA
TION AT CEUTA, AND TWO RELATE
TO THE CAROLINES - TRADE
PRIVILEGES ASKED IN
WEST INDIES.

PRIVILEGES ASKED IN
WEST INDIES
Paris. Dec From information which comes
70 the correspondent Of The Associated Press
<-or, a weN-authenticated source late this even
,nr Il seems unlikely that the Peace Commits
s,ons will finish their work soon as had been
sxnected 1t is probable that the negotiations
will last considerably longer
Madrid has Instructed the Spanish Commits
s,orers on three points. to which the Americans
attach much mportan These are the cession
q. an island IN the Caroiines, the granting OF
religious freedom over the whole Of the Caro-
lines and the cession OF cable ard coaling
station az Ceuta.
Tho Sranish Cover lmeat has instructed Senior
Nontero Rios 10 grant none Of these. and while
snain may ultimately yield them all. 1t Is ad-
,o,,;ed that the American Commissioners have
,o mover to enforce their demands on points
rot covered ny the protocol Refore Spain does
,,e,d the negotiations are likely to be prolonged
o,d tho United states may have 10 give sub
stantial quid pro QUO
PLEA FOR TRADE PRIVILEGES.
arxious as both are to conclude their work
the Peace Commissions did not hold joint ses-
sion to-day Their next meeting will be held at
. O'Clock tomorrow afternoon.
This delay arose from the fact tfat the Span
fish Commissioners at yesterdays session offered
several urcen. propositions which called for
special del!Ne:at.cn upo1 the part OF the Ameri-
cans spain asks the United States to grant
for term o. five ears to Spanish ships carry
ing Spanish goods or products to Porto Rico
-i,.;io Ay,Na
sells engaged In the sane trade may have. and
she Qualities this request by proviso that the
trade privileges be extended to Cuba so long
as the Unitc4 States Government is dominant
over that island
IN support Of this request the Spanish Com
rnssoners assert that Spain cannot without
vital harm. Immediately abandon or cut the
business relations 50 long maintained between
the mOthe- country ana the West Indian terri
tories. They declare that family ties and social
relations. added to affairs Of trade maintained
through centuries require gradual dissolution
They Invoke tho te-r's Of the treaty Of 1919. by
which the United States took over Florida from
Spain, the fifteenth article of which granted
Spain for twelve years the right TO send her
goods and products to Florida in Spanish ships
on the same terms the ships carrying thither
goods and pvoducts OF the United States.
fact that TIE treaty Of 1903 with France for the
cession Of louisiana granted TO French and
Spanish goods ard products the same terms as
American in New-Orleans and other ports in
the ceded territory.
FINALLY Spain points 10 the Americans pro-
posed "open-do policy in the Philippines. and
asks a guarantee Of the same advantages In
her late West Indian colonies. until trade rela-
tions can by degrees accustom themselves TO the
change Of sovereignty.
CONSIDERING SPANS REQUEST.
This proposition and the arguments by which
It was supported are considered strongly stated,
and the American Commissioners desired time
for deliberation Thus. though busy unit! nearly
O'Clock this afternoon. they were not fully
prepared. and Judge Day sent a message 10
sehor Montero Rios requesting that the Joint
session fixed for this afternoon be postponed un
Ill tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the Spanish Commissioners had
been preparing a lis, Of subjects for negotiation,
supplemented by suggestions counter TO and
amendatory Of the subjects the Americans sub
mitted yesterday. This came to the American
Commissioners to-day in Spanish rendering it
even more desirable to postpone the Joint ses-
sion in orde~ 10 give time for translation and
consideration. The translation is being made
this evening and the subject will be laid before
the American Commissioners tomorrow morn
ing
General Wesley Merritt, who arrived here yes
terday from London. leaving his wife conva
lescent there, was IN cons ut4ticn with the Amer
ican Commissioners ali this morning. relative
10 the conditions nd necessary measures in the
Philippine Islands
General Merritt exp ;c.s TO sail for NewYork
on December 10 and hopes TO resume his duties
in California or New Ycck until his retirement,
eighteen months hence.
AGUINALDO's PRISONERS
Major Hale, Of General Merritt's staff. who Is
now here. believes the United States. having
taken the Philippine Islands. will now have no
trouble in securing the release of the Spaniards
who are he'd prisoners by Aguinado.
Ceuta where according 10 the Paris dis ortch the
United States desires cable and coaling station
IS fortified seaport town the north coast OF
Africa. on the Mediterranean. opposite Gibraltar
which Is seventeen miles distant. II IS in Morocco
but has belonged Spain since $3.50. The castle
occupies the summit OF a mountain which is the
ancient Abyla. and one Of the Pillars of Hercules
Couta has long been a Spanish peral establish
nnent many Cubans having been sent there in the
past. and is the cner OF the Spanish presidos
the African Coast. II is the seat If Roman Cath
Ole bishop ard as several converts. 1t occupied
inc site OF ar old Roman colony. was strongly
fortified by Just!nian bur was taken by the Coins
in SIS Through Ccuto Count julien brought the
Saracens into Spain In the el@hth century, uhd.r @
Arabic rule the town was motel for It's manuIact-
1,r,ng Industry. II conquered from the Moors
{n i,l5 by King John | Of Portugal II has pop
ulation u about ten thousand IL IS pFohou'ceo as
II spelled Thay-oo-taa
GERMANY AFTER THE CAROLINES.