The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-15
TO SHIP sPANIARDs.
War Department Wrestling With
This and other Problems.


New York. July 15.-A special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
The surrender of Santiago, following
within the days the destruction off
dable naval squadron left to Spain on
the high seas, marks another notable
mile post in this country's prosecution
OF the spanish war By the terms Of
Gen TOrals capitulatiOn not only does
the city of Santiago naval and mil
1tary base of the utmost Importance,
fall into American hands, but possess
sion of the whole eastern end of Cuba
is ceded to the American forces which
have within a month and in the face of
almost innumerable obstacles succeeded
in reducing a stronghold second in de-
fensive strength on the island only to
Havana itself So brilliant culmina-
ton of the first offensive campaign in
cuba ADDS fresh luStre to the record
already signally inspiring-made in the
scant three months since hOStilitieS
opened by American arms.
To have undertaken, with forces in
a measure raw and far from faultlessly
equipped, the invasion of Cuba at a
point more than 1,200 miles from the
nearest base of supplies and reinforce
ments; to have effected a landing on
a difficult coast and overcome without
loss the most extra ordinary natural OBJ
Stacles to the prompt establishment of
an investment; to have carried with
numbers little greater than those of
the city'S garrison lines upon lines of
rifle pits and intrenchments; to have
fought not only Spanish, but the more
1nSidiOuS attacks of q deadly tropical
climate in the first months of the
rainy season, and, in spite of such dis
cOuragementS and hardshipS to have
driven the enemy to bay by a. series of
brilliant and desperate assaults, and
to have held him fast within his lines
until surrender became inevitable
these achievements by the American
troops at Santiago have been fifty
crowned by a. triumph as significant
and decisive as that won by the guns of
Dewey at Manila or by those of Schley
and Sampson in the waters of the
Caribbean.
Interest centers here perhaps more
keenly in the political than in the pure
ly military results of the fall of Santi-
ago. European opinion, certainly, If
friendly advise of other powers, will
find in the striking success of Shafter's
army at Santiago an emphatic con
firmatiOn of the hopelessness of Spain's
struggle against the newly organized
and overwhelming forces of the United
States.
AS European doubts of the efficiency
or the American navy vanished in the
smoke of DeWey'S guns at Manila, so
are continental criticisms of the anna
teurishness and ineffectiveness of the
American army likely to be silenced by
the splendid triumph of Skaters men
over obstacles, military and natural
which few armies have been called on
to face and none have faced with great
er spirit ana courage II SPAN IS at all
in the mood to acknowledge defeat it
is thought here that the capitulatiOn
will open the way for some proposals
through a friendly power for the cessa-
ton OF hostilities. If. however, the sue
cession of national disasters which be-
gan at Manila, has not yet broken
Spanish pride and the present losing
fight is to be continued Spain is likely
to have fair warning from European
opinion that another six months of
warfare will probably see Porto Rico
and the Canaries go the way of the
Philippines, the LadrOnes and eastern
Cuba and an American army slowly
but surely fighting its way to the gates
of Havana
The announcement of the successful
conclusion of the siege evoked conpar-
atively little enthusiasm, in strong con-
trast to the exultatiOn displayed upon
learning of Cervera's defeat, Dewey's
victory or Hobsons heroism. Officials
We're gratif1ed that the suspense was
ended, but there was none of the tre-
mendous excitement that has greeted
the arrival Of comparatively insignifi-
cant good news from the front. Every
one seemed weighed down with an
appreciation of the terrible RESPONSE
bilities involved in the matter