Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-08-17
CUBAKS RECOGNIZE IT..
[nsurgent Forces will Suspend
Hostilities.
FOR PEACE.
Departments Get Back to Routine
Work-Are Taking No
Chances.

w dSQluSlOH ~. W., aug. lo.-lu e war
department. has been advised through the
Cuban junta that the Cuban insurgents
will accept the terms of the peace pro-
tocol between the United States and Spain
and that hostiites will cease on their
part.
Senior Palma, the head of the Cuban
Junta, has sent the following cable by
way of Santiago
Bartolomo Maso President Cuban Repub-
lie, Santiago, Cuba-I have, this 18th day of
August, 1898, accepted in the name of the
Cuban provisional government, the armistice
proclaimed by the United States. You
should give immediate orders to the army
throughout Cuba, suspendinS all hostilities.
reSentatives of Spain and the United States,
provide that Spain will relinquish all claims
over and title TO Cuba.
T. ESTRADA PALMA.
In reply to inquiries rs to matters dis
cussed by Mr.. Palma and himself, As
sstant Secretary Meikeljohn made the
following statement:
Pending giving notice through their off,
cial channe.s, Mr.. Palma desires our govern
ment to afford him means by fast sailing
vessels and otherwise to communicate with
Cuban forces in different portions Of the ISL
and, notifying them OF the peace proposals
and requesting suspension Of hostlites. He
greatly desires the active assistance of our
government in sending food supplies to the
Cuban forces in the field and their families
as he is without ships for this purpose
Fhey desire to cooperate in every respect
and assist in any and every way in prOmot-
ing the peace plans Of or government and
have undoubted confidence in the good inten-
tons Of the government of the United States
and in the satisfactory outcome of the strug-
gle for the Independence OF Cuba, which is
now assured. He is especially anxious that
the American government should Immediate
ly procure the release Of the political priS-
onerS in SPANS prisons.
Washington, D. c., Aug. 13.-With
peace proclaimed all Of the energies of the
military and naval esta blishments today
were directed into pacific channels. The
sudden change from war to peace was
manifest at the war and navy depart
ments. There was no further expectancy
of dramatic developments, of battles or of
new campaigns.
The orders given last night for the im-
mediate cessation of hOstilities brought
all military and naval movements to a
halt and it now remained only TO bring
affairs back to a peace basis. In this,
however, the authorities were acting Oh
the theory that the protocol of yesterday
was but the first step towards peace, and
that not until u final and lasting peace
was secured could there be an entire re-
turn to peace basis. This was particu-
larly true as to the navy department. In
that branch it was accepted that peCma-
nent peace undoubtedly would be made.
and yet instead of stripping our warships,
redistributing them into squadrons on 4
peace basis and returning them to their
old channels, the naval authorities acted
on the principle that the present armiS-
tice might end in a resumption of hostili-
ties.
For that reason the four battleships
and two armored cruisers ordered north
I
a complete oYerhauling, with 4 view to
putting them in the pink of condition.
For many months they have been in trop-
zeal waters; their bottoms are foul and
their engines and machinery need careful
overhauling. AS soon as they reach New
York all work at the nayy-yard will be
subOrdinated to pushing the complete
ovcrhauling Of the big battleships and
cruisers.
Meanwhile the smaller warships in
West Indian waters have been ordered to
safe harbOrs, as the West Indian hurri-
cane season is near at hand, while suffi-
cient ships for police patrol are left along
the Cuban and Porto Rican coasts. The
big unWieldy monitors will remain at Por-
to Rico and most of the blockading feet
will center at Key West under Commo-
dOre Watson. The peace protocol will
give breathing spell and time for bring
ing every ship back to the highest state
of perfection. The complete return to a
peace basis. the establishment of peace
squadrons, etc, is matter for the fu-
ture.
1t is expected that the American oc-
cupation of Manila will occur Immediate
ly after the receipt by Admiral Dewey
and Gen. Merritt of the orders sent them
last night. This may not be deferred by
the lack of cable facilities, as the Ameri-
can occupation of Manila will result in
the opening of direct cable communion
ton between that city and the outside
world. The only difficulty thus far has
been that the cable company would not
recognize American control of the cable
SO long as our forces were not in posses
sion of the city. The orders sent Ad-
miral Dewey are much more specific than
those sent other naval commanders, as
the occupation of Manila and the holding
of the bay and harbor involve more i'm
portant considerat ton than the mere ces-
sation of hostilities. During the early
hours of today the war and navy de-
partments received no acknowledgment
from the various naval and military COM
manders, but it was presumed that the
orders suspending hostilities were being
carried out in all directions.