Middletown transcript., 1898-12-10


full and final termination of hostilities
between Spain and the people Of Cuba
and to secure in the island the estab-
Iishment Of stable government. The
response of the congress, after nine
days of earnest deliberation, during
which the almost unanimous sentiment
of your body was developed on every
point save as to the expediency of cou-
pling the proposed action with formal
recognition of the republic of Cuba as
the true and lawful government of that
island-a proposition which failed OF
adoption-the congress, after confer
ence on the 18th of April, by vote OF AZ
to 35 in the senate and 311 to s in the
house Of representatives, passed the
memorable joint resolution declaring:
First-That the people Of the island of
Cuba are and of right ought to be Tree
and Independent.
Second.-That 1t is the duty Of the Unit
! ed States to demand, and the government
of the United States does hereby demand,
that the government of Spain at once re-
Iinquish its authority and government In
the island of Cuba and withdraw its land
and naval forces from Cuba and cuban
waters.
Third-That the president of the United
States be and he hereby is directed and
empowered to use the entire land and
naval forces of the United States and to
call into the actual service of the United
States the militia of the several states to
such extent as may be necessary to carry
these resolutions into effect.
Fourth.-That the United States hereby
disclaims any disposition or intention to
exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or CON
troll over said island, except for the paci-
fcation thereof, and asserts its deter
mination when that is accomplished to
leave the government and control OF the
island to its people.
Our country thus, after an interval Of
half century of peace with all nations,
found itself engaged in deadly conflict
with a foreign enemy. Every nerve was
strained to meet the emergency. The
response to the initial call for 125,O0O
volunteers was instant and complete,
as was also the result Of the second call,
of May 25 for 75,000 additional volun-
teers. The ranks Of the regular army
were increased to the limits provided by
the act Of April 26, 1898.
The enlisted force of the navy on the
18th day Of August, when 1t reached its
maximum, numbered 24,123 men and
apprentices. One hundred and three
vessels were added 70 the navy by pur-
chase, one was presented to the govern
ment, one leased, and the four vessels
of the International Navigation COM
pany-the st. Paul, st: Louis, New York
and Paris-were chartered. In addition
to these the revenue cutters and light
house tenders were turned over to the
navy department and became tempora-
rily a part Of the auxiliary navy.
The medium effective fighting force
Of the navy during the war, separated
into classes. was as follows:
Four battleships of the first class, 1
battleship of the second class, armor-
ed cruisers, coast defense monitors,
armored ram, u protected cruisers,
unprotected cruisers, Is gunboats,
dynamite cruiser, II torpedo boats; YES
sells Of the old navy, including moni-
tors, Il. Auxiliary: Eleven auxiliary
cruisers, 28 converted yachts, q con-
verted tugs, 19 converted colliers, 10
revenue cutters, lighthouse tenders
and 10 miscellaneous vessels.
There was placed in Cuban waters
completely outfitted cable ship, with
war cables and cable gear, suitable both
for the destruction of communications
belonging to the enemy and the estab-
lishment of our own. Two ocean cables
were destroyed under the enemy's bat
teries at Santiago.
The day previous to the landing Of
General Skaters army corps at Cai-
mara, within 20 miles of the landing
place, cable communications were es-
tablished and a cable station opened,
giving direct communication with the
government at Washington.
III 30 &1aa
executive in directing the operations of
the army and navy. With total force
of over 1900 the loss was by disease in
camp and field, officers and men in
cluded, only five.
How the Fund Was Spent.
The national defense fund of $50,000,-
| 900 was expended in large part by the
army and navy, and the objects for
which it was used are fully shown in
| the reports of the several secretaries.
1t was most timely appropriation, en-
abling the government to strengthen its
defenses and make preparations greatly
needed in case of war.
This fund being inadequate to the re-
| quirements 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 author
| izing a per cent popular loan not to
exceed $400, ,000, 900 and by levying addi-
| tional imposts and taxes. OF the au-
| thorized loan $500, 100000 was offered
| and promptly taken, the subscriptions
SO far exceeding the call as to cover 1t
many times over, while preference be-
| ing given to the smaller bids no single
allotment exceeded $1,000. This was a
most encouraging and significant result,
| showing the vast resources of the ma
| ton, and the determination Of the peo-
| pie to uphold their country's honor.
The message then recites the salient
| features in the history of the war and
| continues:
The total casualties in killed and
wounded in the army during the war
with Spain were: Officers killed, 20: en-
listed men killed, 257; total, $50; officers
| wounded, 113; enlisted men wounded,
| 1,l64; total, 1,577. OF the navy: Killed,
| II; wounded, 81; died as result Of
wounds, 1; invalided from service, s;
| total, 81.
It will be observed that while our ma
| wy was engaged In two great battles
| and in numerous perilous undertakings
| in blockade and bombardment and more
than $4,000 of our troops were trans
ported to distant lands and were en-
| gagged in assault and siege and battle
and many skirmishes in unfamiliar ter
| fitory, we lost in both arms Of the serv-
| ice total Of 1,668 killed and wounded,
and in the entire campaign by land and
| sea we did not lose gun or a flag or a
| transport or ship, and, with the ex
ception Of the crew of the Merrimac,
not soldier or sailor was taken pris-
| Oner.
On Aug. z, As days from the date OF
the landing of General Skaters army
In Cuba and 2f days from the surrender
Of Santiago, the United States troops
| commenced embarkation for home, and
our entire force was returned to the
| United States as early as Aug. "a. They
were absent from the United States
| only two months.
Tribute Paid.
The president then pays tribute to
that portion of the army which was
kept In camp in the United States and
also to the work Of the Red Cross soci-
ETY.. He recognizes the hand of God in
the war In these words:
In tracing these events we are con-