Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1898-07-14
BATTLE RESUMED
Preliminary Firing Be-
fore the City Of
Santiago.
ToRAL WOULD NOT YIELD



Have Been strengthened and Siege
Guns Brought 20 the Front.
Washington. July 12.-The bonn
bardment Of Santiago has begun. That
was the verbal information obtained
last evening, shortly before 8 o'clock,
at the war department. Almost i'm
mediately three bulletins were posted,
the most important Of which was from
General Shaiter This dispatch an
nonnced that General Toral. who sue
ceeded General Linares in command Of
the Spanish forces in Santiago, when
the latter was wounded, had declined
to surrender, and that the lombard
ment OF the town would be begun by
the army and navy about o'clock in
the afternoon. The fact that the bonn
barment was scheduled to begin so late
in the day created some comment, but
no explanation OF it was offered. In
answer to questions bearing upon the
movement, General Corbin said:
II have not the slightest information
as to the reason General Shafter had for
beginning the bombardment at the hour
he named, but il was probably because
he was ready just at that time. You
can speculate about that as well as l
can.''
Information received by the war de-
partment during the few days of truce
indicates that Shaftel has materially
strengthened his position. During the
past week he has received reinforce.
ments Of both artillery and infantry.
Randolph's battery OF "a guns. which
left Key West last Tuesday at mid
night, Is now in operation before San
tiago, and, as wal department official
expressed it. ''when these long toms Of
Randolph's begin talking, something
will happen in Santiago" General
Shafter has nearly so siege guns and a
large number OF 6-inch mortars, besides
light artillery at his disposal. These
gums. taken in connection with the work
that will be done by the feet, will, it
is expected, carry terror and destruc-
tion to Santiago
Anxiety has been expressed by the
war depai tment officials as to whether
General shafter had sufficient force
to prevent the evacuation OF Santiago
by the enemy. This anxiety was
allayed about 1880 last night by the
receipt Of the following dispatch from
General Shafter, which contained con-
firmation, too, OF the earlier reports of
the beginning OF the bombardment:
Playa del Este, July l2.-To Ad-
jutant. General. Washington: Head
quarters of Fifth Corps, July i2.-The
enemy opened fire few minutes past
with light guns. which were soon
silenced by ours. There was very lit
tie musketry firing, and the enemy was
kept entirely in the entrenchments.
Three men were slightly wounded. !
will have considerable force tomorrow,
enough to completely block ell the
roads on the northwest. am quite
we'll. "SHAFTER.
The belief is held by the best-in.
formed officers that General Toral. the
Spanish commander, will surrender
when he finds it will be impossible for
him to evacutate the city. Upon what
grounds this belief is based could not
be ascertained. but that information 10
in the hands of the officials, there is NO
doubt. General Skaters dispatch,
they say, shows he Is now engaged in
strengthening his position, and that he
will follow up his operations with q
final assault on the city.
| oGer to Surrender Santiago.
OF Juragua, via Kingston, Jamaica,
July l2.--The surrender OF Santiago
was formally offered by the Spanish
commander. General Toral, today. but
the conditions attached caused prompt
refusal of the offer by General Shafter.
The negotiations, however, resulted in
the extension OF the armistice.
General Toral's proposal contemplate
ed the immediate surrender of the city,
but he insisted that his army be per-
mitted to march away under arms and
with flying colors. and declared that
he would fight to the last ditch unless
the conditions were accepted. General
Shafter. replied that nothing but un.
conditional surrender would be con-
sidered by him, but he consented to
cable the Spanish offer to Washington,
in the meantime extending the armis-
t;cn