The age-herald., 1898-07-05
GREAT RECORD
 OF TIE FOURTH
From Dewey ShafteE and Samp- son Come News of More
 Successes

l Cervera, with 1900 prisoners; the ] demand by General Shafter for the sur
 1 render of Santiago by 12 o'clock tomorrow
 I noon on pain of bombardment: word from 1 Admiral Dewey that the Ladrone islands l had been captured, that a Spanish gun ] boat had surrendered, that hundred or 1 more Spanish officers and men were taken l and that our Philippine expedition had l landed-this is in part the thrilling record 1 of such Fourth of July as has not been 1 known since the walls of independence l hall rang out the tidings of American free I dom. It was day when one momentous | event followed another in constant and rapid succession, each our bringing forth | some feature more startling than what had l gone before. The climax came at 1 o'clock when, amid the widest cheering, which l fairly shook the great war, state and navy departments buildings to its foundation, l Admiral Sampsons despatch announcing | his glorious victory and the entire destrue- | tion of the Spanish fleet was given to the public.
 The white house was naturally the local point of the enthusiasm and stirring &C., tivity which marked official Washington. It was the busiest day the president has | had since the war began. Conference fol- | lowed conference with the heads of the military and naval apartments, high off, I cers of the service came and went in constant and steady stream and as each hour brought it's added lustre to the Ameri- can arms the crowd of officials increased. The president had not a moments re- spite. Telegrams came and went without cessation and the historic old mansion presented a scene such as has not been paraleled since the momentous hours of the civil war.
 The story of the day is best told in the series of official dispatches, each bearing date of July 1. from Sampson, from Shaf- ter and from Dewey Stirring as they all are. that of Sampson was accorded the honor of chief importance, not only for the | immediate results secured, but also rom the effects of the crushing defeat in weSk- | ening the defenses of the city of Santiago and dealing Spain such a staggering blow that she is left practically without navy. Story of Fearful Destruction
 Although brief, Admiral Simpsons dis patch tells a story of fearful destruction.
 It not only disclosed the tremendous prow- ess of the American feet but it also dis played the strange immunity which the | American sailor seems to have m the
 midst of death and carnage. That but one | of our sailors, yoeman on the Brooklyn, should have been killed in an engagement of this magnitude is without parallel in | naval annals, save in that other unparal- leled record which Dewey made at Manila | With the Spanish fleet destroyed the way | is partly cleared for the advance of the | American squadron into the harbor of Sars Il I cross the mine field and clear the Merri- | mac at the entrance of the harbor, the American ships can follow I the same course. There are the inner fortihcations | and island forts still to be reduced, but | they have passed through a baptism of l fire recently and are little more than ruins | Thus, with Shafter's guns laundering on l Santiago from the land and Simpsons s l from the harbor, the fall of the city is as- sured beyond further question.
 The authorities here, mili-
 tary and naval, say that San
 tiago has already made it's
 best fight and that it's occupa-
 tion is only a question of
 time, and a very brief time. General shafter's strong position was | shown in a series of dispatches Most con- | vincing of all as to his feeling of confidence | and strength was that dispatch given out | late in the day in which General Shafter | gives the text of his demand for the sur | render of the city on pain of bombardment. Gen. shafter's Determination
 General Shafters other dispatches l breathe the same air of confidence and | determination as shown in his demand on | the Spanish commander. The first one | made public through the day stated that | his lines had completely surrounded the | bay from the north to San Juan river on | the SOulu, ledNiHS lie Cily thuo OiopSo | by a stretch of water on one side and a stretch of drowning American guns on the other. In another dispatch General Shaf- | ter epitomized the strength of his position by saying:
 ..I feel that I am master of the situation, | and can hold the enemy for any length of time.'
 In another dispatch General Shafter states that his demand for the surrender of Santiago is still being considered by the I ,al. t,,1ta nfac hat the refusal of the Spanish commander to capitulate was not final. In any event 12 o'clock Tuesday marks the limit of Shutters S
 concession and if Santiago has not capitu- lated at that hour the great siege guns now brought to the front and in position, backed by the batteries of lighter field pieces, will begin their work of destruction
 | The pressing need of reinforcing Shafter is no longer felt now that Spanish fleet is out of the way. A considerable number of men, however, are already on the way
 and others will follow.
 War Will Be Carried Home to Spain | The changed naval situation will bring | no abatement in the activity of the authori- ties here in carrying the war directly home l. to Spain. There is renewed determination | to get Commodore Watsons eastern squadron away at the earliest moment for the double purpose of striking a blow at the coast towns of Spain and of pur- l suing Admiral Camara's fleet which has halted at the entrance of the Suez canal. Secretary Long made the official state =ment today that the fleet would sail at tn earliest possible moment, and although | he did not go into details as to its purpose | it is well understood that it will devote Its attention to the Spanish coast and to ! Camara. The destruction of the Spanish | fleet at Santiago relieved Admiral Samp- son from surveillance of this squadron
 and hecan readily spare the ships intended ' for the raid on the Spanish coast.
 i It has been acting Admiral Sampson for some time, tut that it will be Admiral | Sampson in fact as well as in name is the | prevailing feeling in naval circles as a result of the victory achieved by the American admiral. Shortly after the war broke out Captain Sampson was made acting admiral in order to give him a rank fitting his high command, although | his actual naval rank remains as captain. By a singular coincidence his rank was advanced today to that of commodore, ow- ing to the retirement of Admiral Kirkland. in the event of his now being made an admiral it would advance him over the