Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-12-12

the cruises. Wilmington ard torpedo boat
Winston. were unsuccessful in an at
tempt to silence the batteries at car
denas, a gallant ensign, Worth W. Bag
ley, anu four seamen falling. These
grieVouS fatalities were strangely enough
among the very few Which occurred dur
ing our naval operations in this eX-
traOrdlnary cOnf1lct.
Several demonstrations occurred on the
coasts of Cuba and Porto Rico in prep
aration for the larger event. On May Is
the North Atlantic squadron shelled san
Juan de Porto Rico. On May 80, Com
nlodore Schley's squadron bombardeG
the forts guarding the mouth OF SAN
tiago harbor. Neither attack had any
material result. 1t was evident lnaC
we'll ordered land operations were indls-
pensable to achieve decisive adVan-
tage.
1.-THE president here refers to the mill
tary and naval operations on CUBA ana
Porto Rico, and refers to the assumption
of affairs in the latter island by the
United States government
The total casualties in killed and
wounded in the army during the war
with Spain were: Officers killed, %; en-
listed men, 257; total $50; officers wound
ed, 1f3; enlisted men wounded, 1864; total.
1877. Of the navy: Killed, II; wounded,
81; died as result of wounds, /; 1nVanded
from service, 6; total, 81
1t will be observed that while our navy
was engaged in two great battles and in
numerous perilous undertakings IN
blockade and bombardment, and more
than So 900 of our troops were transport
ed to distant lands and were engaged IN
assault and siege and battle and many
Skirmishes in unfamiliar territory, we
lost in both arms of tlse service total Of
1868 killed and wounded, and in the en-
tire campaign by land and sea we did not
lose q gun a flag a transport of a
ship, and with the exception of the crew
of the Merrimac, not a soldier or sailor
was taken prisoner.
On Aug Z, 46 days from the date of the
landing of General Skaters army in
Cuba and q days from the surrender of
Santiago, the United States troops COM
menced embarkation for home, and our
entire force was returned to the United
States as early as Aug. "a. They were
absent from the United States only two
months.
The humiliation of Admiral Cervera's
feet, followed by the capitulation of
Santiago, having brought to the Spanish
government realizing sense of the hope
lessness of continuing struggle now
become wholly unequal, it made over
lures of peace through the French am
bassador, who, with the assent of his
government had acted as the friendly
representative of Spanish interests dur
ing the war. On July 26 M. CanbOn pre-
scented a communication signed by the
Spanish minister of state, inviting the
United States to state the terms upon
On July &c. by a communication ad-
dressed to the Duke of AlmodOvar and
handed to NJ. Cambon, the terms of this
government were announced, substan-
TALLY as in the protocol afterwards
signed. On Aug. 10 the Spanish reply,
dated Aug. Z, was handed by M. Camhon
to the secretary of state. 1t accepted
unconditionally the terms imposed as to
Cuba, Porto Rico and an island Of the
Ladrone group, but appeared to seek to
iT1fr =
regard to our demand as to the Philip
pine islands COnceiving that discussion
on this point could neither be practical
nor profitable, directed that in order to
avoid miSund landing the matter
should be Forthwith closed by proposing
the embodiment in a formal protocol of
the terms upon which the negotiations for
peace were to be undertaken. The vague
and ineXplicit suggestions of the Spanish
note could not be accepted, the only re-
ply being at present a virtual ulti-
nlatunl, a draft of protocol embOdying
the precise terms rendered to Spain in
our note of July 80, with added stipuIa-
tions of detail as to the appointment of
commissioners to arrange for the evacua-
ton of the Spanish Antilles. On Aug.
u M. Cambon announced his receipt of
full powers to sign the protocol so sub
nitted. Accordingly on the afternoon of
Aug. u, M. CambOn, as the plenipoIen-
tiary of Spain, and the secretary of state
q S the plenipOtentiary OF the United
States, signed a protocol
Immediately upon the conclusion of
the protocol issued a proclamation of
Aug. u sUspending hostilities on the part
Of the United States. The necessary
orders to that end were at once given by
telegraph. The blockade of the ports of
Cuba and San Juan de Porto Rico was IN
like manner raised. On Aug Is the mus
ter out of 100, 600 volunteers, or as near
that number as was found to be practi-
cable, was ordered.
Pursuant to the fifth article of the
protocol I appointed William r. Day
late secretary of state; Cushman K
Davis, William p. Frye and George Grav
senators of the United States, and White
law Reid to be the peace commissioners
on the part of the United States. Pro-
ceeding in due season to Paris they there
met on Oct. 1 five commissioners SINH
larly appointed on the part of Spain
Their negotiations have made hopeful
progress and trust soon to be able to lay
a definite treaty of peace before the sem
ate with a review of the steps leading to
it's signature.
do not discuss at this time the govern
ment for the future of the new possess
siOnS which will come to us as the result
of the war with Spain Such decision
will be appropriate after the treaty Of
peace shall be ratified. In the meantime
and until the congress has legislated
otherwise it will be my duty to continue
the military government which have ex-
ASlSO oAIiSC Jul OCCupdLIOI ana give TO the
people security in life and property and
encouragement under a just and bene-
ficient rule.
The United States has not been an in
d1fterent spectator of the extraordinary
events transpiring in the Chinese en-
pire, whereby portions of its maritime
provinces are passing under the control
of various European powers: but the
prospect that the vast commerce which
the necessity of our citizens and the
necessity of our staple productions for
Chinese use has built up in those regions
may not be prejudiced through any ex-
elusive treatment by the new occupants
mas opVlated the need of our country be-
coming an actor in the scono