The record-union., 1898-07-27
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nad TO be made. The OfTer MADE TO- i
day was such a beginning. Nothing
could be known about the terms upon /
which the negotiations will be conduct
ed or proposals to be made until there !
had been further conference by those
having the matter in charge. Secre-
tary Alger again stated when he left
the White House that there would be
no change in the plans of the campaign,
and that the war would be pushed with
vigor.
Secretary Long arrived at the White
House shortly after the French Embas-
sador had departed, and had talk
with the President during which the
Spanish proposal was gone over briefly.
Long said afterward that it was an ini-
tial move, but in reply to inquiries as
to whether it was likely to bring
speedy cessation of hostilities he ex-
pressed some doubt, saying that no de-
cision on the points involved had been
reached thus far.
Naturally, the plea of Spain to open
peace negotiations opens up a wide
field of conjecture on what the terms OF
peace will be. Thus far there is no ofil-
cial warrant for saying what terms
Spain will propose or what terms the
United States will offer or accept. So
far as this country is concerned, 1T IS
the general impression that the COM
plete Spanish evacuation of Cuba and
Porto Rico will be insisted upon as
sine qua non. There is not the same
certainty as to the Philippines, La
drones and Carolnes, although the be-
lief is growing that the terms of the
United States will include coaling sta
tfons in these groups.
On the part of Spain, it is believed
that she now has reached such a real
ization of her misfortunes that she will
readily consent to terms for the evac-
uation of Cuba, and probably Porto
Rico. The Spanish desire is apparently
very strong for the retention of the
Philippines, although there is little
doubt that coaling stations there and
at other points would be considered.
The matter of war indemnity is for
future consideration, although there
does not appear to be a disposition
among the officials here to pile up a
heavy war indemnity against Spain in
her present helpless condition.
The news of the landing of General
Miles at Guanica, on the southwest
shore of Porto Rico came as a genuine
surprise to the War Department. 1t
had all been carefully planned that he
was to make his landing at another
point. as remote as possible from the
place where he actually landed, so there
was little wonder that the officials re-
ceived the first news of the landing
with incredulity, and even went to the
length of supposing that the story had
been put afloat in order to distract at
tentiOn from the point which had been
selected. Just why General Miles made
this wide departure from the plans OF
the department is not known. but 1t
is supposed that he had gathered some
information since he left Siboney that
induced him to make the change. The
result, however, has been to perplex
the department officials deeply, and to
considerably derange their carefully
prepared program for the remainder Of
the expedition 1t viii now be neces-
sary to intercept the sections of the
expedition already at sea, heading Tor
certain selected points on the coast or
Porto Rico, and to advise them of the
change in the plans. 1t is another eX-
hibition of the reliance placed by the
Government in the dispatches of the
Associated Press that it proceeded to
act at once in the direction indicated,
and to take steps to notify the sections
aflcat without waiting for news from
General Miles himself.
General Wilson's brigade is now ap-
preaching the island, being due there
to-day or tomorrow, and reinforce
ments will follow at intervals OF one or
two days until the whole force of 3D.
600 men is landed unless events con-
nected with the peace negotiations
make it expedient to stop future move
ments However, it is a matter for
congratulation to the War Department
that General Miles has managed to set
foot on Porto Rico before the first
overtures for peace, and thus TO place
the island in the same position as CUBA
and the Philippines namely as terri
tory at least partially in the possession
of the United States at the beginning
of negotiations.
The mail brought a corrected list
from General Shafter as to the casual
ties. Secretary Alger is distressed at
the number of missing carried on the
rolls, and to-day telegraphed General
Shafter to hire all necessary help and
send men out through the jungles to
hunt up the remains of the poor fell
lows for he does not doubt that miss
ing IL this case means death under the
cactus or other bushes.
The Havanese are still making desper-
ate efforts to get supplies in through
the blockade, and two steamers are
reported to have cleared to-day from
Vera Cruz, Mexico, loaded with food,
bent on reaching Sagua at the east,
whence the supplies may be shipped