Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-10-07

thOughtS were not entertained Owing
to the fact that the chaplain was much
fatigued bv his recital. his cross eX-
animation was postponed until today.
San Juan, Oct. 4-The American com
missiOners to arrange for the evacua-
ton of Porto Rico have been emiueutlv
successful in their dealings with tho
Spanish commissioners, Their mission
has been ACCOMPLISHED without friction.
More or less trouble was anticipated Mt
the outset. but ou. commissioners were
agreeably surprised at the frankness
and candor the SPANISH commissioners
displavcd.
While General Macias and General
Ortega. the second in command in the
island and one of the Spanish commits
sioners. in their conversation with our
commissioners fully acknowledge the
fact that the loss Of Ceryera's fleet cut
off all hope of succor from Spain, they
maintain that the American army had "A
tremendous task before it in crossing
the mountains, ana Macias contends
that the army could not have reached
the gates of san Juan without loss Of
10 0OO men. The little skirmfshes on the
south coast General Macias refuses t.
eau reverscs. because he claims his
troops retired by his orders to the
"s. As matter of fact the only action
Of mportance-the humhardment of
Morro castle by Admiral SIMPSONS fleet
. eHIIN III MIE-MHniIS insists a lis
tinct Spanish victory. SIMPSONS guns
ponnd"d away for three hours. They
wrecked several buildings in the city,
but for their effect on the 80 foot walls
OF that old fortress the eight, 10 and T.
inch projectiles from the American ships
had as well been paper wads. Not Il
gun was dismounted. not man was
killed. After the fleet had retired
/ "|epu!sed' is the word the Spaniards
uSe-the victory was celebrated
throughout the city. Ali the military
bands paraded the streets playing mar
! tial music" grand concert was given in
the plaza and the streets that night
resounded with joyful cries. So it was
/ that the military chieftans who met our
/ commissioners met them, not as de-
/ feated soldiers to deliver up property
| lost in battle, nut rather as soldiers
/ e." '""' "I'IrH l"tS ihiEHI h"'" peeh
/ "p'e successfully TO oele'u'
/ General Brooke, Admiral Schley and
| General Gordon We're exceedingly care
/ full not to disturb their Illusions in this
! and N tbair ftI
! ness are du" the ease and facility with
which che negotiations We're finally cor
meeting to stick to the main issue.
! which was the immediate evacuation of
! the island. and to be generous to the
point OF magnanimity in minor and non
essential matters. The Spanish COM
mssloners, especially General Ortega,
were at frst diSlnclined to discuss the
main matter. They raised a myriad OF
minor matters, few of which had any
thing to do with the business in hand.
All of those questions the American
commissioners waived aside as unimpor-
tant, pending the decision of the main
questlon-the evacuation. For several
days they allowed General Ortega to
talk ON until he and his colleagues were
| compelled to revert to the main issue
The language of the nrotocol was nlain
definite and specific. 1t provided for
the Immediate evacuation of the island
and to their qualification they found
the Spanish commissioners not only
acouiescent, but seemingly anxious to
retire from the island at the earliest
possible moment.