Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-08-11
STEP TOWARD PEACE
Terms Of a Protocol Agercd
". Upon. ..
HOST '-'r75 70 CEASE
Conditions Sought to be Imposed by the
Spanish Government Abandoned 10y
The French Ambassador.
Nick nley Stands Firm. a..
G2y Tclcgrapil.>

confirmation of peace advanced IL Ions.
step today when the Secretary of
State and the French ambassador
agreed ur"n the terms upon which fu-
ture negotiations for Il treaty arr. to be
conducted. and reduced these To the
form Of Il protocol. This protocol. it is
submitted to the Spanish government
before the formal signatures are at
fixed. but the administrations view as
I" the progress made today was set out
predicted that this protocol will be ex-
ccutcd. ..
There is always the possibility In
dealing With the Spanish government
that 1t may recede at the last moment
from an implied agreement but it is
scarcely probable that It would he viii
ling to involve the French amba ssa dor
in The difficulties that would follow
what To the world would seem to b.. a
reputation of his benevolent efforts in
behalf of Spain.
There must be delay--rossibly from
twcnty-four to fortE-eght hours--be-
fore the next step can be taken and
the protocol made binding upon both
he attachment Of the signature of the
plenipotentaries. Secretary Day for
the United States. and NJ. Cambon for
Spain The delay will be largely at
tribtuable to physical causes. The
protocol is long; it must be translated
aud turned back ana forth into code
and simple language no less than five
times before II reaches Madrid through,
the French foreign office. This work
was not begun until late this afternoon
latter it had consumed the best energies
OF Assistant Secretary Adce, of the
State Department.. and NJ. Thirbault,
secretary of the French embassy. in
the shape. of two copies Of the proto-
col, one in English and one In French.
These were prepared very carefully.
the diplomatic variance in the two Ian
S'laEtS neceSSitnting the greatest eau
bon in order that the Identical charac-
ter OF the two copies should be preServ-
ed. The length OF the protocol will
place an extra amount Of labor on the
clerks who are charged With the work
of rendering the original into cipher
SO that altogether. it is apparent the
consumption of time involved in purely
mechanical functions will be so con-
siderable MS to make the rendition of
an early answer improbable.
As to the character of the protocol
it can he stated on authority that the
terms are in all practical points those
set out in the abstract OF the Presi-
dents conditions published from the
White House a week ago. From this
fact. it is deducted that The extra con-
ditions or uualiiica tions sought to be
imposed by the Spanish government,
were abandoned at least in Il large part
| ~ the French ambassador. This de-
duction is supported by the circum-
stance that in the carly morning.und be-
! fore the conference between Secretary
Day and NJ Cambon which resulted in
an agreement. there was 4 prevalent
impression based upon the utterances
OF public men who had talked with the
President. that the Spanish answer
was satisfactory, and that the nego-
tlations looked as If they might ter
inmate suddenly. AS this situation
changed SO suddenly after the confer
ence. it may be fairly assumed that the
al n ll.,S. al,
which the President was rep,lted to
have regarded as unsatisfactory 1t is
believed that the protocol carries wi h
IN Itself provision for the ceSSa ton of
h"stllltles on this point the naval con-
tlnEent is urgent that our government
adopt The NapOleOnic policy of refusing
to enter into an armiStice without ac-
duiring some substantial pledge TO Sc
cure the contamination of peace. What
they particularly desire is that our gov
eminent shall demand as a condition of
a cessation of hostilitieS the surrender
20 the United States military forces of
MORO Castle. at the entrance OF Ha-
Fana harbor and some such points of
vantage as the other important ports
in the territory soon to fall under our
control.
The peace negotiations are now be-
ieved to be advanced to point where
the President has felt warranted in
turning his attention to the selection
OF the commissioners to be charged by
the United States With the drafting of
treaty of peace. So far as can be
gathered. but one name has been posi-
lively determined upon, namely, that
OF secretary Day, who will head the
commission. Beyond that point there
is no certainty. although some promf-
men; names have been brought for
ward Mr.. Woodford our last miniA-
Ter 70 Spain. has been mentioned
though he is credited with entertaining
Ia desire to return to Madrid in the ca
pacity of United States minister after
the war The two ambitions might con-
iiict. peace commissioner not always
being welcome as a minister resident
particularly where he mas been q party
, to forcing an obnoxious peace upon the
country to which he is TO be accredi-
ted. One of the names that finds uni
Nersal approval among persons versed
| in diplomacy is that of MIR Eustis
cN-ambasSador to France. whose
staunch Americanism, combined with
f, diplomatic knowledge and legal ability,
are urged as fitting him especially for
appointment as peace commissioner.
| The fact that Mr.. Elstis is a Democrat
would not initiate against his chances
as 1t is presumed the President vN&rl
! rather prefer to make the commission
| non partisan.
The naval officers have made up
| their minds that peace is at hand and
are planning for n reduction of the ma
val establishment to q peace basis.
The first step to be taken will be to
retire the monitors from active service
They are an uncomfortable craft to I've
/, in and afford the men little opportu-
i nilrS for general training.
| Another matter which has received
| attention is the promotions to be ac-
!, corded to officers VINO have distinguish
1 ed themselves during the hoStilities
A step was made in this direction today
by the submission to the President OF
recommendations by the Secretary OF
! the Navy for the advancement OF all
Of the officers OF SIMPSONS fleet who
| distinguished themselves. 1t was an
nounced some time ago that n board
would be appointed to decide on all
| promotions to be recommended, but for
some reason this plan seems to have
been abandoned so far as some OF The
chief officers are concerned.
I General MerrItt's force In the Philip
pines iS to be increased by the 1000
4 troops now at San Francisco. which
will be sent as soon as tranSnAEta ga n