The record-union., 1898-07-14
Every Gun in the Army and Navy
Will Open Upon 1t.
Administration Gratified at the Way in
Which Dewey Met the Grave
Issue in Subic
Bay.


long-expected fall of Santiago did not
take place to-day, it is evident that the
crisis has been reached. Within the
next twenty-four hours it viii either
surrender or receive such a baptism or
fire as seldom falls to the lot Of be-
sieged town. IF he refuses, will open
on him at II noon tomorrow with every
gun I have, and will have the assist
ance of the navy, who are ready 10
lombard the city with 13-inch shells"
That is the program laid out by Cen
eral Shafter, and it is to be carried out
to the letter. General Shafter is still
commanding, according to the War
Department officials, and although dis
patches have been received from Major
General Miles signed Major General
Commanding" it is said that he has
not displaced General Shafter in direct
charge of the operations. The public,
in reference to these telegrams from
General Miles, was given the first no.
tice that our Government here offered,
in the course of the negotiations with
General Toral, to send the Spanish
forces in Santiago back to Spain.
A few days ago it was stated that
the President would insist upon uncon-
ditional surrender, but it appears that
condition has been modified, as indicat-
ed by General Miles. This was done
from desire to avoid useless blOodshed,
fer with General Toral's army removed
Spain would be harmless TO prevent our
further operations in Cuba, and would
serve as good a purpose as would the
destruction of the Spanish army To
allow the Spanish General to withdraw
to the interior and fall back on Havana,
on the other hand, would put US under
the obligation of overcoming that addi-
tional force when it comes to the siege
of Havana Our Government also is
moved TO make this proposal to remove
the Spanish forces TO Spain through a
strong desire to close up the operations
at Santiago at the earliest possible mo-
ment. This desire has been materially
strengthened by the appearance of yell
low fever within the American lines.
1t was at first supposed that the men
We're falling i'll with malaria and eli
matte fever, so the cases We're reported
as simply suspicious. Now, however,
comes the final admission that they are
genuine yellow fever cases. Their ap-
pearance has determined the authorities
upon a more active prosecution of the
campaign. Orders Will soon go forward
to Shafter to discuss no more with the
Spanish commander the terms of sur
render, but TO proceed TO assault the
town with all the force at his command
as soon as the present truce expires. 1t
Is expected by Shafter that the navy
viii cooperate, and while Secretary
Long has received no direct advices on
that point from Admiral Sampson, he
fully credits this expectation
Reluctant as the War Department is
to sacrifice the many lives that might
be lost in assault, it is deemed to be the
better policy TO make ii than to allow
the men to rot away with fevers and
other diseases during the long period
that would be required TO perfect the
reduction of the city by steady invest
ment. An expectation Is still enter
tained here, however, that this assault
will be unnecessary. through Toral's
Sufrenderlng before II begins. 1t was
perhaps the spread of this belief. caused
by knowledge of the more energetic
steps in prospect, that tended to remove
largely the feeling of depression mani
tested with the opening of the day upon
the circulation of rumors of the ap-
pearance of yellow fever in the Ameri-
can camps Regarding the future of
Santiago, nothing had been officially
stated, but it is significant that orders
We're issued in the department this af-
ternoon to prepare the First and Second
Regiments of volunteer immunes for
immediate departure to the front. This
would seem to be Indicative of pur-
pose on the part of the Government TO
garrison Santiago with these fever
proof men after its capitulation, thus
permitting the removal of the regular
troops to more healthy points.
Turning to the Far East, it was re-
refreshing to receive to-day good news
again from Dewey. In fact, it is be-
ginning to be remarked that that officer
Is usually able to make felcitous re-
ports. The Administration is very much
pleased with the readiness shown by
the Admiral in meeting the grave issue
presented to him at Subic Bay, just re-
portd, as he did. Naval officers, too,
were not a little gratified at the speedy
Setirement of the German cruiser Irene