Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-07-22
THE SANTIAGO sURRENDER.

After nearly two weeks OF negotiations
with Spanish trickery, masqueradng a.
Spanish honor, final surrender was made
OF all the Spanish forces in Santiago and In
the eastern posts Of Cuba on Sunday last.
The surrender could have been enforced ten
days sooner had General ShAfLer recalled
trite sentence employed by one Of the great
captains OF our civil war when a conference
was proposed TO consider the terms OF sur
render. General Grant, after demanding
an unconditional surrender, added II pro-
pose TO move Immediately upon your
works." Had General Skater ended the
higgling and quibbling Of the Spanish com
mander ten days ago, and demanded uncon-
ditional surrender, with the declaration that
If be refused he would Immediately attack
Santiago, the surrender would have been
promptly made and some ten days Of ex
haustion and exposure Of our troops in the
trenches and TO yellow fever would have
been avoided.
1t was the duty of General Skater TO at
tain the capture Of Santiago with the least
possible sacrifice OF life, and he will be excus-
ed by the country for hesitating In ordering
the attack when the Spanish had given him
more than ample provocation TO terminate
negotiations and open fire, but the convic-
ton is very general throughout the country
that Spanish trickery, the creation OF Span
sh trcachery, delayed the surrender for
nearly two weeks when the Spanish army
was utterly unable to defend itself or save
the city from capture by bombardment and
assault
Under the terms of the surrender our gov
troops to Spain, the officers retaining their
side arms The question Of permitting the
Spaniards to have their arms returned TO
them was one that was doubtless decided
by the government on grounds entirely out
side of the value OF the arms themselves.
There have been instances of warfare when
a heroic garrison had been permitted to
march out under Its colors and with its side
arms, but the Spanish have not earned the
right TO such exceptional honor to van
pushed foe.
We needed Santiago badly and We needed
It as quickly as possible. With our army
threatened with yellow fever epidemic, with
eighteen hundred Of our brave men killed
or wounded, and with the health of nearly
one half of those in the ranks more or less
enfeebled, it was of the utmost importance to
close the Santiago campaign speedily with
out needless sacrifice Of life. In addition,
we want Santiago harbor. We have been
fortunate thus far in escaping the visitation
OF the usual West India hurricanes which
would compel our feet to hasten to the open
sea, but with the several harbors, including
Santiago, which is one Of the safest land
locked harbors in the world, our feet can
have port of safety at any time.
The surrender of $4,000 Spanish troops
in Eastern Cuba will have no bearing on
the further Efforts for the capture oil the en-
tire island. There is not one chance In
hundred that there will ever be great bat.
tie fought by the land forces Of the two ma.
tons fo- the capture of Havana. Ii is en-
tirely safe to let Havana alone for the pres
ent, and 1t would be extremely dangerous to
attempt it's early capture, not only because
of the perilous climate, but because OF the
large and strongly entrenched force of the
Spanish troops. The way to the capture of
Havana is by Porto Rico, where we can send
q strong fleet and an overwhelming army,
and can compel San Juan to capitulate
In one week after the army and navy shall
have gotten there.
With our army and navy controlling
Eastern Cuba, Porto Rico, the Philippines,
Ladrones and Carolines, leaving Spain with
but single possession in the Canary Islands,
Havana will fall into our hands without a
bloody battle long before the October frosts
shall come. The Santiago surrender sim.
plfies the war and leaves easy work for
army and navy at Porto Rico, and enables
Commodore Watson to demand immediate
peace by the thunder Of his guns on the
Spanish coast