New-York tribune., 1898-09-18
COTRTESIES AT SAN JUAN.
sPANIARDs GRACEFULLY ACCEPT THE
INEVITABLE.

ING IN THE ISLAND-MoRRo's WAX "O""''
San Juan Sept. 6-The quieting influence OF
the American conquest Of Porto hlco was ie's
last here at the capital. where the uhcohlu''eu
but morally defeated Spanish army WITH e'e!
outpost driven in. is now being cohce"'
preparatory to the final evacuation anu ''"'
ouishment of the island The natives VINO
oret,, svn,natbIzed with the invaders, and VINO
,vo,,,d have hailed with delight this deliverahce
from oppression and misrule were oVera"eu y!
tho nresence OF the Spanish authority to which
they bowed so long. During the three "eeN'
since they have known that the terms Oh pea'e
gave Porto Rice to the United states they nave
not dared to exhibit their satisfaction oec'e''
many of them began the study OF the Language
of their deiverers. An Engnshinah WIN e"
tered the city two days after the peace pro'oeo,
was siened and who knew no Spanish could
find no interpretern fact could ma ho o"e
who professed knowledge Of English save
Her Majesty's Consul.
PORTO RIcANs TASTE FREEDOM
But with the arrival Of the American EVacu-
Alton Commissoners-Gcneral BROOKE Rear
Admiral Schley and General Gordon-the Whole
atmosphere changed. Every native Porto hHcah
who understood a word of Engllsh sousht ou'
tbe Americans who came In the train Of the
Commissioners ana ldNlSHtu All i-HShS"
q broken sentence upon them with an air Of pride
such as one would show If he were dlsplaSlhs
some priceless heritage. Their fear and dread
of the Spanish soldiery in the streets ana span
.sh officers in the hotels and cafes disappeared
nj the sight of the American uniform They
felt that there had already been thrown about
them the protecting Rgis Of the United states
although the Spanish flag still flew from MORO
Castle and the evidences Of Spanish authority
still confronted them every hand.
II must be said TO the credit OF the Spaniards
that as far as known there has not been
single instance where they hare undertaken 10
arrest or punish these displays OF pro-Ameri-
can feeling which but a few weeks ago "ouIu
have instantly sent the offenders To prison OF
perhaps to a worse fate This Is the more re-
markable in as much the city Is full OF span
ish soldiers, who show on their faces the deep
resentment they feel. and some Of the natives
seem 10 delight in making their exhibition as
provoking as possible But thus far they have
held their temper. The officers and the higher
officials feel their humiliatinS position Keen
H. although they try 10 deceive themselves
with the boast that Porto Rico was surreh-
dered not conquered. and that their honor is
unsullied. 1t is not strange that they shouiu
yield control Of the island with reluctance TOT
TO the officers OF minor rank service mere means
double salary, house rent, subsistence NJ te
expense Of the province, and to the high ON
cials. military and civil. enormous salaries. po-
sition and opportunity. which. In the majority
of instances is the equivalent Of wealth
OFFICIAL. COURTEsIES EXCHANGED.
Despite their chagrin. the Spanish ofhc'ais
have been scrupulously-indeed, punctiliously
polite in their attitude toward the American
officers When the New Orleans first entered
the harbOr. a week ago. salutes and foriha'
visits were exchanged Immediately. When our
officers came ashore they made It point when
they met Spanish officers on the street 10 "a
,ute them first. even though In many cases they
knew they outranked those TO whom thcy
showed this courtesy naval etiquette the world
over requiring the subordinate officer To hrst
salute him Yho outranks him. 1t was bit OF
courtesy which took something from the sting
Of defeat and relieved the tension. That IL was
appreclated by the vanqushed was evident
from, the spontaneous hcartiness with which the
salutes we're returned our officers could AFFORD
10 be generous When Admiral Schley reached
here on the Seneca and the Spanish gunboat
isabel III replied to the AdmraIs salute as
his dou5e-starred pennant was raised on the
New Orleans, tie Admiral ordered the Spanish
flag hauled 10 the peak and saluted. The ON
cial exchange followed the arrival OF the Peace
Commissioners with almost mathematical pre-
clson. The Breadier Of Marine Commodore
Vallarno. called upon Admiral Schcy. as the
etiquette Of the occasion required. Nallarino
being Schley's inferior I'm rank. and this visit
the American Admiral returned the next morn
Ing
Mator-GeneraI Brooke and Admiral schley, as
the highest military and naval officers. on the
afternoon Of their arrival proceeded TO the
palace accompanied by their respective stafs
and paid their respects TO the Captaln-General.
who Is a lieutenant-general In the Spanish
Army Admiral Schcy, with his personal stan
-IIeutenants Sears and Wells-.were arrayed
in fun uniform at the hotel when General
Brooke. with General Sheridan his chief OF
staff; Colonel Richards. his adjutant- general
Major Carson. Colonel Hunter. Major Cosby.
Colonel Goethal. and the remainder Of his stan
that GeneraA Brooke and staff were in fatigue
uniform Their dress uniforms they had left
behind when they started into the field AS II
would have been a manifest improperly un-
der the circumstances for the Admiral and
his staff to fun dress, they donned fatigues.
The party were driven TO the palace between
lines Of people from wall to curb.
THE SCENE IN THE PALACE.
The interview took place in the grand salon
OF the palace under massive gold framed
portrait Of the queen Regent and the youth
for the protection Of whose crown this war, so
disastrous to Spain, had been waged The call
lasted scarcely ten minutes. most Of the time