Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-12-12

States as mi ght be necessar--. 18th added
authority to continue generous relief to
the starving people Of Cuba.
The response of the Ongress, after nine
days of earnest Gel3l3eration, on April 10,
By 4 vote of AZ t :. y the senate, and 3ll
to in the horse of represen tatives,
passed the rem orable joint resolution.
This res. .ut1on was approved by the
executive CT the next day, April 70. "A
copy was at once communicated to the
Spanish minister at this capital, who
forthwith announced that his continu-
ance in Washington had thereby be-
come impossible and asked for his pass
ports which were given him. He there
upoa Withdrew from Washington, leav-
ing the protection of Spanish interests in
the United States to the French am
bassador and the Austro-H Hungarian
minister.
ton to the Spanish minister here. Gen
eraI WOOdfOrd, the American minister
a Madrid, was telegraphed confirmation
Of the text of the joint session, and di-
rected to communicate it to the govern
nlent of Spain with the formal demand
that it at once relinquish it's authority
and government in the island Of Cuba
and withdraw it's forces therefron,
coupling this demand with the announce
naent of the intentions of this govern
ment as to the future of the island, in
conformity with the fourth clause of the
resolution and giving Spain until noon
on April % to reply.
That demand. although officially made
known to the Spanish envoy here, was
not delivered at Madrid. After the
instructions had reached General Wood
ford on the morning CT April 81 but be-
fore he could present it the Spanish min
lister Of state notified him that upon the
presidents approval of the joint reso-
luton the Madrid government, regard
ing the act as equivalent to an evident
declaration of war; had ordered it's min
L 4
bv breaking off diplomatic relations be-
tween the two countries and ceasing all
Official communication between their re-
spectfve representatives. General Wood
ford thereupon demanded his passports
and Quilted Medrid the same day.
Spain, having thus denied the demand
Of the United States and initiated that
complete form Of rupture of relations
which attends a state of war, the eXecu-
tive powers authorized by the resolution
were at once used by me to meet the en-
larged contingency OF actual war be-
tween sovereign states. On April %
proclaimed a blockade of the north coast
Of Cuba. Including ports on SAID coast
between CardenaS and Bahia Honda and
the port of Cienfuegos on the south coast
OF Cuba, and on the 23rd [ called for
, volunteers to execute the purpose OF the
resolution. By my message OF April 70
the congress was Informed Of the S1tua-
ton and [ recommended formal Qeclara-
ton Of the existence of a state of war be-
tween the United States and Spain. The
congress accordingly voted on the same
day the act approved April 20, 1888, de-
claring the existence of such war from
and including the 21St day OF April, and
fe-enacted the provision Of the session Oh
April 20, directing the president to use
ali the armed forces of the nation to carry
that act into effect.
Our country thus, after an interval or
half a century of peace with all nations,
found itself engaged in deadly conflict
with q foreign enemy. Every nerve was
strained to meet the emergency. me
response to the initial call for 125, 900 vol
unteerS was instant and complete, as was
also the result OF the second call of May
Is for 75,0 900 additional volunteers. The
ranks Of the regular army were Increased
to the limit provided by the act of April
&c, 1898.
The enlisted force of the navy on Aug.
Is, when it reached its maximum, num-
bered q, 123 men and apprentices. One
hundred and three vessels were added to
the navy by purchase, one was presented
to the government, one leased, and the
four vessels of the international Navi-
cation company, the St. Paul, st. Louis,
New York and Paris were chartered. /
addition to these, the revenue cutters and
lighthouse tenders were turned over to
the auxiliary navy.
The signal corps was promptly organ
ICED and performed service of the most
difficult and important character. It's
operations during the war covered the
electrical connection of all coast fortifi-
cations. the establishment of telephone
and Geographic facilities for the camps
at Manila, Santiago and in Porto Rico.
This service was invaluable to the eXecu-
tive in directing the operations of the
army and navy. With a total force OF
over 1900 the loss by disease in camp and
field. officers and men included, only five.
The national defense fund of $50, 900, 900
was expended in large part by the army
and navy, and the objects for which it
was used, was fully shown in the re-
ports Of the several secretaries. 1t was
a most timely appropriation. enabling
the government TO strengthen it's de-
lenses and make preparations greatly
needed in case of war.
This fund being inadequate to the re-
c1irements of equipment and for the
conduct of the war, the patriotism of the
congress provided the means in the war
revenue act of June 13 by authorizing a
percent popular loan, not to exceed
$500, 900, 900, and by levying additional
inposts and taxes. Of the authorized
loan 5000, 900 900 was offered and promptly
taken, the subscriptions so far exceeding
the call as to cover it many times over
This was a most encouraging and signi-
ficant result, showing the vast resources
of the nation, and the determination of
the people to uphold their country
honor.
The first encounter of the war in point
of date took place April 81, when a de-
tachment of the blockading squadron
made a reconnaissance in force at Ma
tanzas, shelled the harbor forts and
demolished several works in course of
construction.
The next engagement was destined to
mark memorable epoch in marine war
fare. The Pacific fleet, under Commo-
dore George Dewey, had lain for some
weeks at Hong Kong. Upon the colonial
proclamation of neutrality being issued
and the customary "a hours notice being
given it repaired to Mrs bay, near Hong
Kong, whence it proceeded to the Philip
pine islands under telegraph orders to
capture or destroy the formidable Span
ish fleet then assembled at Manila