The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-10


The statements which have appeared SO
\ frequently in the foreign dispatches within
the last few days. that Spain is about to
sue for peace. that the other Powers OF
| Europe have advised her TO seek peace
and that a Spanish agent has been au-
/ thorized 10 find out from our government,
the terms upon which peace can be had,
may have some foundation. but as yet
nothing authoritative in respect to peace
| proposals has been given out by either
! our government or that of Spain. AS far
! as the public knows, Spain has not taken
step toward securing peace and has no
intention of doing so at this time. Sun,
il is not improbable that agencies are at
work in the interest Of peace.
The peace dispatches which come from
London and Paris, and even from
Rome, may be based upon the
belief that there is nothing else for Spain
10 do than to admit her defeat. She is
bankrupt She has no navy worth speak
ing Of and il is only a question of time
when her armies in Cuba, Porto Rico and
the Philippines must surrender.
If she had a powerful navy and a fun
treasury the situation would be different.
She could then make an effort, with some
show of success, 10 send supplies of food
and ammunition to her colonies, of which
they are greatly in need. That she can
do nothing Of that kind now is apparent.
The squadron she ordered TO the Philip
pines, and which passed through the Suez
canal on its way to those islands, has been
called back. Why il was ordered to go
there Is one of the things for which no
explanation is offered. 1t isn't much of n
squadron and won't be a serious obstacle
to our proposed bombardment of the ports
Of Spain. If it had gone to Manila Ad-
niral Dewey would have dealt with it
just about as he dealt with the squadron
of Admiral MonteJo.
The vacillation shown by the Spanish
government in its orders to this squadron
this remnant of iis navy-is good evil
dence that At realizes that il is in no con-
dition 10 continue the war. Such remark
able changes in orders, together with the
knowledge of Span's financial condition
and lack Of resources, are doubtless the
basis of much of the peace talk that IS
finding expression IN the foreign dis
patches.
The supplies of food and ammunition In
Cuba are being rapidly exhausted. and
Spain cannot renew them. The same is
true in respect to Porto Rico. 1t is not
improbable that the Philippines are al
ready In our possession. Therefore, if We
should not prosecute the war vigorously
all of SPANS colonies would fan into our
hands within very few months.
But 1t is our intention to bring the war
to a speedy end. There is little delay
at Santiago, but that may be because of
the feeling that the Spaniards are about
to surrender.
If they do not surrender voluntarily they
viii be compelled to do so, because We
have men and guns at Santiago now suf-
fcient TO take the place in short order.
Peace IS not far away All this talk
of peace in the foreign dispatches means
that in the opinion of Europe Spain is ex-
hausted-that she cannot continue the war
with any degree of vigor-and that to con
tinue 1t would bring far greater distress
and disasters to her than are now in sight.