The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-05
ONLY one LIKE IT
Most Glorious Fourth Country Has
Known Since rs.

washington, July 4.-Ih9 annlnllaGlon
OF the Spanish squadron at Santiago
and the capture of Admiral Cervera
with 1900 prisoners; the demand of Gen.
Shafter for the surrender of Santiago by
IL o'clock tomorrow noon on pain OF
bombardment; word from Admiral
Dewey that the Ladrone islands had been
captured; that a Spanish gunboat had
surrendered; that hundred or more
Spanish officers and men were taken, and
that our first Philippine expedition had
landed-that is in part the thrilling rec
ord of such q Fourth of July as has not
been known since the bells of Indepen-
dence Hall rang out the tidings of Ame-
rican freedom.
1T was a day when one momentous
event followed another in constant and
rapid succession, each hour bringing forth
some new feature more startling than
what had gone before The climax came
at o'clock when amid the widest cheer
ing which fairly shook the great war.
state and navy building to its founda-
ton. Admiral SIMPSONS despatch an
nouncing his victory and entire destruc-
ton Of the Spanish fleet was given to the
public.
The President had not moments re-
spite. kilograms came and went with
out cessation and the Executive mansion
presented a scene such as has not been
paralleled since the momentous hours
of the Civil war.
Stirring as are all the official dispatches
received today, SIMPSONS dispatches
was accorded the honor of chief i1npor-
lance.
Admiral SIMPSONS despatch not only
disclosed the tremendous prowess of the
American feet, but it again displayed the
strange immunity which the American
sailor seems to have in the midst of death
and carnage. That but one of our sailors,
q yeoman on the Brooklyn, should have
been killed in an engagement Of this
magnitude, is without parallel in naval
annals, save in the record which Dewey
of ~
destroyed, the way is partly cleared for
the advance of the. American squadron
into the harbor of Santiago. If Ceryera's
armored cruisers could cross the mine
field and clear the Merrimac at the en-
trance to the harbor, the American ships
can follow the same course. There are
the inner Notifications and island forts
still to be reduced, but they have passed
through baptism of fire recently and
are little more than ruins. Thus with
Skaters guns laundering on Santiago
from the land and SIMPSONS fleet from
the harbor, the fall of the city is assured
beyond further question. The authorities
here, military and naval, say that Santi-
ago has already made its best fight and
that it's occupation is only question of
very brief time.
Gen. Skaters strong position was
shown in a series of dispatches. In one
of these he says 81 feel that 1 am mas
ter of the situation and can hold the enc
my for any lie myth Of time.'
In another despatch Gen. Shafter states
that his demand for the surrender of
Santiago is still being considered by the
Spanish authorities, which indicates that
the refusal Of the Spanish commander
to capitulate was not final. In any event,
IL O'Clock on Tuesday marks the limit
of Skaters concession and if Santiago
has not capitulated at that hour, the
great siege guns now brought to the
front and in position, backed by the bat.
tories of lighter field pieces will begin
their work Of destruction.
The pressing need of reinforcing Shat
ter is no longer felt, now that the Span
ish fleet is out of the way. A consider
able number Of men, however, are al
ready on the way and others will follow.
The changed naval situation will
bring no abatement in the activity of the
here in carrying the war d.
rectly home to Spain. There is renewed
to get Commodore Wat
sons eastern squadron away at the EARL.
est possible moment, tor the purpose of
dealing blow at the coast towns oil
Spain and of pursuing Admiral Camara S
feet which has halted at the entrance of
the Suez canal. Secretary Long made
the official statement today that the fleet
would sail at the earliest possible mo-
ment.
1t has been acting Admiral Sampson