Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-11
TORAL' IS OFFER
To SURRENDER,
His Terms Cause a Prompt
Refusal on the Part
of General
Shafter.
HEAVY GUNS AT JURAGUA.
Thew Will be Rapidly Sent
Forward to the Front
of the American
Forces.
HEALTH OF OUR TROOPS GOOD

downright 1898. by the Associated PresS)
ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS DISPATCH-B BOAT WANDA, OFF
JURAGUA, Saturday. July 9Th +. NJ,
via PORT ANTONIO, Sunday. July 10Th,
A. NJ, and KINGSTON, July 10. 1910 a.
M-The surrender OF Santiago was for
mally offered by the Spanish commander.
General Toral. to-day, but tho condl-
lions attached caused prompt refusal
Of the offer by General Shafter. The neso-
tiations. however, resulted In the extern
sion of the armistice untp noon sunday.
and white flags Of truce still noat over
the opposing armies.
General Torars proposal contemplated
the immediate surrender Of the CITY but
he insisted that his army be permitted
to march away under arms and with ny
ing colors, and declared that he would
fight to the last ditch unless these cond-
tions were accepted. General Shafter re-
piled that nothing but unconditional sur
render would be considered by him, but
he consented to cable the Spanish offer 10
Washington, in the mean time extending
the armistice.
IL was shortly before noon to-day When
q little group of Spanish officers, under
a tag of truce, came out from under lhe
yellow wall of the beseiged city ana
slowly made its way toward the Amcrl-
can line. A detail was sent 90 meet them'
and they were escorted TO comfortable
quarters. while the letter from General
Torul was carried go General Skaters
tent. two miles from the front. The letter
WAS couched i'm the icily courteous terms
characteristic OF such communication,
and was as brief AS possible. II bore tho
signature of General Toral, who COM
mands at Santiago since General bdnare5
was wounded and stated that ne "as
prepared TO surrender the city provided
his army would be permitted 10 capltl-
late with honor.
This. he explained, meant that the
| Spanish forces should be unmolested' ana
be permitted 70 90 in any direction they
wished with arms and dying their colors.
The letter concluded with the bold
statement that surrender under any
other terms was an impossbility' and
would not be considered.
General Shafter Immediately caDied the
| facts 20 Washington and sent TO General
| Toral refusal OF his proposal. but added
| that he would communicate with his gov
| eminent, and would extend the intotmA
| armistice until Sunday az noon.
| AMERICAN HEALTH EXCELLENT.
The general condition of the health 81
| the American troops is excellent, but mo
water supply is poor, aud number %
| cases OF malarial-feVer have developed'
| No deaths have resulted. however. ana III
| nearly all Instances the fever has been
broken up by a liberal use OF duinine'
| The hardships OF the campaign ana tho
| fears of possible attacks OF fever have
| rid the army in the field ana on the coast
of practically all non-combatants, Win
| the exception of a few newspaper cor
respondents, who have been on the ground
| since the American wafshlps appeared
| off Santiago. and who constitute the only
force able 20 report the progress OF ths
war. with the assistance OF the dispatch
! boat service.
| The second feet OF transports arrived
off Juragua this morning, bearing 80
troops, including a large detachment OF
| artillery If the peace negotiations fail
these heavy guns will be a valuable adj
dition to the artillery now IN the heid'
and IL is expected that they viii be rush
ed forward to the front. The new troops
will be landed tomorrow and pushed
| forward as rapidly as possible.
The days of temporary peace are pelns
utilized by both armies In Strengthening
their defences. The Americans nave
strongly entrenched themselves, and tpe
artillery now at the front has been placed
I'm position behind earthworks, aud VIII Dc
able to cover the advance OF the troops
much more effectively than during th'
previous engagement.
The wounded in the hospital are beihs
well cared for, and in almost every IN
stance are recovering rapidly.