The record-union., 1898-06-21

| first silenced by the fleet, else there
would not only be loss of life among
| the troops, but the wharf itself might
be destroyed by the Spanish shells.
| If the landing is made at this wharf,
no less than two days, it is estimated,
will be. consumed in getting the ex-
| pedition ashore, as only one ship can
| lie there at a time, and there is an
enormous quantity of ammunition and
stores to be taken ashore If the land
| ing is made on the beach, it will be a
tedious and time-consuming operation,
although it will be possible in that
| way to proceed simultaneously from
| all ships.
The army officials feel confident that
General Shafter will make an effort to
| open up cable communication as soon
as he has landed force, and they are
expecting cablegram almost any mo-
| ment announcing the fact that he has
succeeded. Some surprise is expressed
| that this French cable has not already
been reopened, as the cable steamer
was at Mole ST. Nicolas the middle of
last week, with all the necessary ma
terial and men for repairing the breaks
and opening up the station
The naval officials have long known
that supplies of all kinds, with the ex-
ceptioN Of raw material, have been
| reaching Havana from the south by the
way of Batabano, and the short line of
railway connecting the town with Ha-
vana. They are not, however, very
deeply concerned at this fact, as it is
not believed to be the main purpose of
the campaign to cause the surrender of
the capital through the starvation Of
1 L. IA
attended with any degree Of success, it
would mean the determination Of the
very element of Havana which the
Government is disposed to protect,
namely the civilians, for doubtless
there would be repetition in Havana
on a smaller scale of what is going on
in Santiago, namely, all of the
supplies seized by the military and the
civilians left to starve.
Batabano is not blockaded harbor,
and this exposes one of the Weaknesses
of the blockade, as it leaves open a
good seaport connected directly with
Havana. This place was not included
within the blockading line, for two rea-
sons. In the first place the navy did
not have a sufficient number of ships
to extend the blockade lines without
| blockade ineffective. In the second
place, owing to shallow water, large
ocean-going craft, such as would bring
| troops, munitions Of war and other val
liable material from Spain, could not
get into the port, which thus became
less factor for harm in the working
! out of our plans. If brought from
Spain in large ships, these would have
IN no cl,i OF ;oI,b
| ing port to coasting vessels of lighter
draft, and with the means of informa-
| tion within its control, our naval au-
| thQrities have no doubt of their ability
to cut off promptly any such coasters.
! Nevertheless, in view of the degree to
| which the practice of carrying in sup
| plies to Havana has extended, the ma
val officers have determined to tighten
| the guard lines around the south coast
| of Cuba. AS soon as Santiago has
fallen and Ceryera's fleet has been dis
posed of Sampson will be able to spare
a sufficient number of vessels Of the
smaller type to make it almost GER
| tain that nothing shall cross between
Jamaica and Cuba on the southwest
passage without the inspection of the
American ships.
to exchange Hobson causes a disagree
able feeling here. While there is no
positive obligation upon a belligerent
to exchange prisoners, yet it is univer-
sally practiced in civilized warfare The
regulations of the War Department lay
down specifically how the exchange Of
prisoners are to take place, and Regu-
lation 100 of the General Orders for the
- ~
THE exchange of prisoners of war
is an act of convenience to both bellig-
erents. If no general cartel has been
concluded, it cannot be demanded by
either of them A belligerent is not
obliged to exchange prisoners of war.
A cartel is voidable as soon as either
party has violated it -
In the present case there has been
no general cartel that being the mill
tary term by which the exchange of
prisoners is regularly and specifically
carried out Pending such a general ar
rangement, the belligerents almost in
variably carry out the exchange in
anticipation of a cartel 1t is probable
that a cartel will follow at no distant
day, and the exchange thereafter pro-
ceed, number for number, rank for
being the conditions under the Ameri-
can regulations
AS to Hobson, the authorities here are
convinced that the Spanish officials are
taking advantage of the distinction ac-
corded him in the United States Under
the rules of warfare a prisoner is
valued solely by his rank, and it is dis
honorable either to underestimate
prisoners rank in order to cause more
advantageous exchange, or to take
higher rank for the purpose of obtain
ing better treatment. In the case Of
Hobson. his rank as Assistant Con-
structor which is equivalent to Lieu
tenant junior grade should be the sole
basis for his exchange yet it is obvious
10 the authorities here that the Span
iards hold him not as a Lieutenant, but
as a popular idol Of the United States.
In this respect his detention ceases
to be that of a prisoner of war, and be-
comes one of hostage. The holding of
hostages. usually for ransom or other
benefit. is a medieval cutom. But even
to an exchange for prisoners of greater
rank or greater number.
1t is being recalled that Admiral Ger
vera won praise the world over by his
gallantry in making the first offer to
exchange Hobson and his associates so
that the present refusal to exchange
HobsOn is the more unaccountable 1t
is also recalled that when Colonel Cor
tito, confined at Mcpherson, Ga, was
CT, iofI fIx- nr;c.