The record-union., 1898-08-10
SPANISH NAVAL PRISONERS.
UNITED STATES OFFERS TO PA.
ROLE THEM
Whenever the Spanish Government
is Ready to Return Them
to Its Own Shores.

Tribune from washington says: -
The United States has magnanimously
offered to parole the 1900 Spanish naval
prisoners taken at the destruction of
Admiral Cerveras fleet whenever Spain
is ready to repatriate them. With the
American hospitality within the limits
of Annapolis, the bulk of these prisoners
is confined TO the naval station at Ports
mouth, where they have the liberty of a
large picturesque island and are COM
fortably quartered and fed in temporary
buildings erected especially for their use
The offer of this Government was made
regardless of the approaching elimination
OF peace negotiations and simply with
view of sending home large number Of
national guests who had considerably
oVerstayed their welcome and become
burdensome upon the host These Span
iards have suffered scarcely any of the
restraints usually imposed upon prison
ers of war, but have been cared for as
tenderly as If they had been American
bilitated from the deprivations they had
suffered and large percentage have had
to be nursed and cared for in hospitals.
Instead of turning them over to Spain in
the pitiful condition they presented when
they sought refuge from their burning
ships and from the Cubans aboard the
fully restored to health and vigor, and
the offer of the United States contem-
plates giving them back to Spain more
able-bodied than they were when they
left the peninsula six months ago.
Although this striking instance of
American generosity to a helpless enemy
was officially laid before the Madrid au-
thoritieS through the representative OF a
neutral nation some days ago, no re-
sponse whatever has been received be-
yond the simple acknowledgment, with
the statement that it would receive con-
sideration.
There was every reason to believe that
Spain would eagerly embrace the oppor-
tunity to secure these prisoners. consti-
tutlng as they do the flower of the naval
force, as an important source Of strength
to the GoVerenment at this time, in case
domestic dissatisfaction assumed dimcn-
sions which could be controlled only with
much difficulty. The offer however, did
not contemplate the gratuitOus transpor-
tation of the men to Spanish territory,
as in the case of Toral's garrison at San
tiago. but provided only for their de-
livery on neutral vessels, under guaran-
tees OF security in the ports of the United
States. and perhaps the Spanish delay is
caused by the difficulty of securing sin
gle transport al the present time.
during the next two or three months
the prisoners will be a source of little
or no concern to the United States the
trouble and cost of maintaining them
and clothing, but as winter approaches
1T Will be necessary as early as November
lst to erect more substantial buildings for
Keeping them warm. or it may be neces-
sary TO transfer them to the South. 1t is
a remarkable fact that Spain does rot
possess single American prisoner to Of
fer in exchange for the number of Span
ippines as well as in the West Indies, and
TINS inequality makes the present offer
or parole all the more charitable on the
part of this Government