Evening journal., 1898-08-11
SOME DELAY EXPECTED.
Length Of Protocol viii NecessitatC
Much Clerical Work.
OUR DEMANDS FULLY ACCEPTED.
Possible Peace CommissIoncrs--sec Secretary
Day WIN Bo One-Formor Ismbassador
Eustis and General Woodford
Prominently Mentioned.

Prominently Mentioned.
WASHINGTON, Aug 1.-THE pre-
liminary negotiations looking toward
the confirmation OF peace advanced
long stride yesterday when the secre-
tary Of state and the French embassa-
dor agreed upon the terms upon which
future negotiations for n treaty are TO
be conducted and reduced these to the
form of a protocol. The protocol. it Is
true. is yet 70 be signed and Us TO be
submitted to the Spanish government
before the formal signatures are affixed,
but the administration view as TO the
progress made yesterday was set out Ia
Secretary Days sentence:
1T is expected that this protocol Will
be executed"
There is always the possibility in
dealing with the Spanish government
that Il may recede at the last moment
from an implied agreement. but il Is
scarcely probable that IL would be Will
ing to involve the French ambassador
in the difficulties that would follow
what TO the world would seem to he
population Of his benevolent efforts III
behalf Of Spain.
There must be n delay-possibly from
"a to i8 hours-hefore the next step can
be taken and the protocol made binding
upon both the United States and Spain
by the attachment OF the signatures of
the plenipotentlaries Secretary Day for
the United states and NJ Cambon for
Spain.
The delay viii be largely attributable
TO physical causes. The protocol Is long.
II must be translated and turned back
and forth into code and simple lam
guage no less than five times before Il
reaches Madrid through the French for
een office. This work was not be-
Eun until late yesterday afternoon, aft-
er II had consumed the best energies OF
Assistant Secretary Adee of the state
department and M. Thlehaut secretary
OF the French embassy. IN tine prepara-
tion I'm formal shape Of two copies Of
the protocol one I'm English and one In
French These were prepared very
carefully. the idiomatic variance Ia the
two languages necessitating the great
est caution In order that the essential
character OF the two copies should be
preserved. The length of the protocol
imposed a great amount Of labor upon
the cipher clerks. or whoever IS charged
with the work Of rendering the original
into cipher so that altogether It is ap-
parent the consumption OF time invo.v-
ed in purely mechanical functions VIII
be so considerable as to make the rem
dition Of q very early answer improba-
BILE.
JAS TO the character Of the protocol. it
can be stated on authority that the
terms are I'm all practical points those
set out I'm the abstract OF the presidents
House n week ago. From this fact It is
deduced that the extra conditions or
qualifications sought 10 be imposed by
the Spanish government were abandon
cd, at least in large part, by the French
ambassador. This deduction is sup
ported by the circumstance that I'm the
early morning and before the confer
ence between Secretary Day and NJ.
Cambon which resulted in the agree
ment there was a prevalent impression.
based upon the utterances OF public
men who had talked with the presi-
dent that the Spanish answer was un-
satisfactory and that the negotiations
looked as If they might terminate sud-
denly. AS this situation changed sd
suddenly after the conference IL may
fairly be assumed that the embassadoi
abandoned the conditions which tn.
president was reputed 20 have regarded
os unsatisfactory.
IT is believed that the protocol car.
ries within itself provision for the ces.
sation of hostiltles. on this point th'
naval contingent Is urgent that oul
government adopt the Napoleonic pei
icy OF refusing to enter into an armis
tice without acquiring some substantial
pledge TO secure the consummation o.
peace. What they particularly desire
is that our government shall deman,
as q condition of the cessation Of hos
tlities the surrender 20 the Unite
States military forces of MORO Castl
at the entrance of Havana harbor an.
some such points of vantage at Ia
other important ports i'm the territor
soon TO fan under our control.
The peace negotiations are now be
lleved TO DE advanced to a point wher
the president has felt warranted
turning his attention TO the selectio
Of the commissioners TO be charged %
the United States with the drafting d
a treaty of peace.
SO far as can be gathered. but on
name has been positively determine
upCn-namcly. that OK Secretary DAY
who win head the commission. Beyon
that point there is no certainty. al
though some prominent names hay
been brought forward Mr.. Wo0dfor,
our last minister TO Spain. has been S
mentioned. though as he is credite
with entertaining q desire to return
Madrid in the capacity of United Stat,
minister after the war the two amb
tions might conflict, a peace commi
sioner not always being welcome ass
minister resident, particularly where
has been party TO forcing an obnoxio,
peace upon the country TO which he
70 De accredited. One Of the mann
that find universal approval amor
persons veIsed in diplomacy is that
Mr.. Eustis. ex-omhassador to Franc
whogc stanch Americanism. combini
with diplomatic knowledge and leg
ability. IS urged nc fitting him q
reciaiiy for appointment as peace cor