Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-04
MERRITT AT PARIS,
Spanish Build Hopes on What
He VIII Report
RECEPTION BY PRES'T FAUaE,
II Is rendered to Peace Commissioners,
and the General Will Attend.
HIGHLY IMPORTANT MEETING.
Americans Said to Have MADE .
startling Demand ON Spain With
Reference to the Psiiirpines-Ad-
iournmcnt TIL Friday
A HIGHLY IMPORTANT MEETING.

PARIS. October 3-Major Mer-
ritt. who commanded the American
troops at Manila, arrived hero to-day
from Marseiles. He repaired to the
Grand Hotel de PAthenee. and declined
TO be interviewed, as he was suffering
from fatigue. The General did not Sse
the United States Peace commissioners
before the opening OF the joint session
to-day. The American commissioners
held a session this morning at their own
offices, preparatory to the second meet
ing with the Spanish commissioners,
which began at the commissions rooms
I'm the Foreign Office Immediately after
their assembling there at o'clock this
afternoon.
To-days session lasted until o'clock,
at which hour the commissioners ad-
iourned to meet at 2 o'clock next Friday
afternoon. such interval being desirable
and necessary TO allow separate con-
slderation by each commission OF mat
ters requiring such course before being
considered by the joint commission.
The secretary Of the Spanish commits
sion will arrive tonight, and the inter-
val Will be also employed by the secre-
taries jointly in maturing plans for the
work and procedure.
The Spanish and American commits
sioners will be received tomorrow by
President Faure. The hour fixed for tho
reception OF the Americans is>Ai5 o'clock
in the afternoon.
General Merritt viii accompany tho
Americans to this function. which will
| be held at the Palais d'Elysee.
The opinion is now held that the work
of the commissions may be finished
within a month from the present time.
SESSION HIGHLY IMPORTANT.
| While IL Is the general impression that
to-day meeting was again devoted to pre-
liminaries, and that the adjournment 10
Friday was taken only 10 enable the Sec
| retaries TO draw up a schedule OF work.
the reporter Of the Associated Press
| learns that the session was highly inn
portant aud that the Americans made
| demand OF such character that the Span
| lards found IL necessary TO ask for an
| adjournment in order to enable them "a
| consult with the government at Madrid.
| 1t is understood that the question con-
Germs the Philippines, and II is said that
the Americans are highly pleased at
having so soon reached what they con-
! slider a highly important phase of the
negotiations, and consider the sessions
so far held as very satisfactory TO Ameri-
cans.
The fact that a member OF the com
mission expressed the belief that the work
tl.f. ~. ls.It
catcs a happy frame Of mind.
I'm the Spanish camp great hopes are
built on what they believe General Mer-
ritt will adyise-namely, that the Philip
pines are incapable OF self-goyernrnent,
and that the whole situation does NOT
warrant America IN taking the RESPONSE
biity for the entire group Of islands. The
Spaniards are quite ready 20 give what
ever America asks In the way OF coai-
ing stations, but Will resist more to tae
very verge Of a renewal OF hostilities.