The San Francisco call., 1898-07-06
Says He PreferstO Burn the City Rather Than
 Surrender.
Refugees Declare the Span- iSh Soldiers Are Dis: hedrtened and Ready
 to Give Up.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, July E. General Linares, in command of the Spanish forces in Santiago, will not surrender to General Shafter, according to statements made by refugees who arrived here from Santiago to-day.
 T shall burn the city to the ground first" they quote General Llnares as having declared.
 Since the effects of the fierce Ameri- can attack became known in the city the residents and nearly all the soldiers have been strongly in favor of surren- dering before the Americans can be- gin a bombardment.
 Sixty-three refugees were brought from Santiago on the British men-of- war Alert and Pallas, and seventy others on the Austrian warshIp Maria Teresa. The scene at the wharf when the refugees were landing was graphic, many persons having gathered to learn the latest news from the beleaguered city
 When the refugees left Santiago the American troops were within 300 yards of the barbed wire fences, just outside of the city lines, and the Archbishop of Santiago had appealed to the comman- der to surrender rather than be sub- jected to bombardment. General Lii mares. although in great pain from the injury to his arm, and compelled to depend for support upon General Taral, absolutely refused. to comply with the Archbishops request. He emphasized his refusal, I am told by several of to-day's arrivals from Santiago, by de- claring that he would burn the city be- fore he would permit it to fall into the hands of Americans. The Spanish troops had been greatly reduced in numbers just prior to the arrival of General Pandos endorsements.
 The refugees declare that Linares had only 4C00 regulars and 200 volun- teers left with which to defend the city,. Several thousand of his men had been killed or wounded and Admiral Cervera was no longer aiding with his fleet. The enemy's troops were much depressed over these conditions, and their spirits were further lowered by the wounding- of General Linares, and the death of General Vara del Key, who succeeded General Linares in con- mand of the troops at the front.
 If the Spanish troops could have their way I am told, they would surrender to General Shafter forthwith. The ref ugees generally agreed that the city would be surrendered. but the Spanish leaders showed no inclination to adopt that course. General Pando's arrival with 7O0O additional troops, by the lat est information here, places the total strength of the Spanish in Santiago at only little more than Il 900.
 Only two houses in the city of San tiago had been destroyed by the Ameri- can fire up to the time the refugees left for Kingston, but the Spanish ship Trafalgar, which was lying in the har- bor, had been sunk by a shell. Two men were killed and five wounded One woman was killed. by the firing on the city. The refugees. left Santiago in boats, being allowed to take no bag gage. Crowds surrounded the con- sulates in the beleaguered city, praying for permits to leave.
 Flour is not obtainable in Santiago beef costs $1 40 a pound, rice 50 cents a pound and lard s1 a bottle. Refugees say they saw many persons lying on the plaza of Santiago dying of starva- ton.
 It was announced officially in Santi- ago during the American attack on Saturday that Admiral Camara's fleet had bombarded Key West