The record-union., 1898-07-16

(via Port Antonio, Jamaica, July -,
| 4:15 a. lli.3--Santiago de Cuba was sur-
rendered to-day. Menaced by Ameri-
can forces on land and sea, dishearten-
! ed by past defeats and without hope
| of victory. General Toral yielded his
| city to save his people.
| With the final stroke of the Spanish
Generals pen the only stronghold in
and the power of Spain in Eastern
| Cuba is crushed.
What the terms of the surrender
were is not yet known. They may be
made public when General Miles re-
| turns from the front tonight, and they
may be suppressed for days.
On board the flagship New York it is
| believed that the surrendered Spanish
| officers will be permitted to retain
their side arms and that the Spanish
army will be given safe convoy to
| Spain. Admiral Sampson has not get
| been informed of the details of the
capitulation. The end came swiftly
and Unexpectedly. The Santiago cam
paign, bright with its deeds of splendid
daring and dark with the record of
slaughter, had been believed by many
begun. The refusal Of the Spanish TO
surrender had been so emphatic and so
recent that both army and navy had
forsaken the idea of victory without
further bloodshed, and noon to-day had
been set for the final desperate as
sault upon the stubborn defenses Of the
| city. That it's Notifications We're strong
and that its forces We're brave all knew
and to-day had been looked forward
to as likely to be the bloodiest in the
history of the campaign, and When
soon after O'Clock this afternoon Ad-
miral Sampson received by signal the
news that General Toral had surren-
| dered, the Admiral and his officers
scarcely credited the story
Whether Moro Castle and the bat
teries above the harbor will also sur
| render is at 3 O'Clock this afternoon a
| matter of conjecture. At that hour the
/ Spanish forces still clustered about the
earthWorks and batteries With the
American army controlling Santa go.
| however further resistance by the
| harbor batteries would be absurd and
their surrender undoubtedly will quick
ly follow General Skaters occupation
of the town, if, indeed, the sea front
Notifications and all others are not IN
| cluded in the city's capitulation.
When General Toral on Monday last
refused absolutely to consider the terms
of unconditional surrender and when
General Shafter announced negotiations
at an end, it was believed that the
taking of the city without further
fighting was an impossibility The ar
tillery Of the Federal forces was order
ed to be rushed to the front, the in
vesting line was extended to them in
the town completely and every prep
aration was made for the final assault.
Acting under instructions from WASH
ington however General Shafter again
proposed surrender yesterday, and at
a conference at which General Miles
and General Toral were present, it was
proposed to allow the Spanish officers
to retain their side arms and the Amer
| lean commander offered to send the de-
feated army to Spain under convoy and
on parole.
The story of the conference has al
ready been told. General Toral's an
nouncement that the matter would
| have to be referred to his Government
convinced the majority of officers at
headquarters that nothing further
would come from the negotiations. and
an order was issued to prepare for a
general attack at noon to-day at which
| hour the extended armistice expired.
| The men at the front made every prep
aration for battle, the fleet gathered
! around the little bay Of Aguadores.