The herald., 1898-07-15
FEAR OF Tht FEVER
CAUSES A CHANGE IN TERMS OF
SURRENDER
How to Hold the Country Abandoned
to the Government Is Now the
Question

| 0ueSClOu
NEW YORK, July 141-A.s special to tho
Tribune from Washington says:
The final extension of the armistice at San
t!ago until noon today (Thursday) in order
to give Madrid an opportunity to authorize
General Toral to accept the modified de-
mand OF the United States forces for the
| surrender of the city, under the guarantee
that all the Spanish forces in the besieged
city shall be safely transferred to Spain. be-
came known In Washington after pro-
tracted extraordinary session of the Cabi-
net, after which the desperate condition Of
the besieged and the alarming sanitary sit
uation of the besiegers were carefully
| weighed.
The, ringing emphasis with which the
Cabinet on Saturday last approved General
Skaters demand for immediate and I'M
conditional surrender" had been founded
upon enthusiastic reports from the general
that he had recovered from his tedious ILL
ness; that his siege guns and five days ra-
lions, with large supplies of ammunition
and effective reinforcements had been
brought to the 'front.' and that his position
was not only impregnable, but that he could
carry the city by assault in few hours
whenever he chose to begin. His conference
with Admiral Sampson had given him con-
fidence that the fleet could shell the city
over the hills, and the marked cheerfulness
Of his dispatches. in strong contrast to their
dolorous tone of the previous week, gave
Washington every reason to believe that ur-
qualified victory was at hand. With the ar
rival OF General Miles, the hopes Of the au
thorities received another buoyant ten
dency: but after two days of continuous
rain on the battlefield. the spirits Of the
commanding generals began to droop again
and the climax came in the reports that
yellow fever had at last appeared, and while
1t had so far exhibited itself only in an ex-
tremely mild form, with the exposed con-
dition Of the men ip the trenches knee deep
In water and fairly steaming in the Intense
heat, the conditions were most favorable
for the rapid propagation of the disease, and
for Its development into malignant type
Of the dread scourge.
In these circumstances the authorities,
while utterly repudiating the Spanish prop
osition to surrender the entire province Of
Santiago, provided Toral's forces were per-
mitted to withdraw unmo.ested to the west
ward, took under consideration a sugges-
ton which was preached nearly week ago
In Washington, and not suggested by any Of
the forces operating against the enemy at
the front. This provided for an agreement
to the conditional surrender Of all the Span
ish military forces in and around Santiago
harbor, with the guarantee Of their prompt
and safe return to Spain. The suggestion
grew out Of the anticipated embarrassments
which at the time seemed to be forced upon
the authorities by the acquisition Of an
excessively large number of military prison.
ers who Of necessity have to be brought to
the northern part Of the United States and
cared for until the close of the war.
It became evident at the outset that in
case the Santiago garrison capitulated. It
would be impossible to control so large a.
number of prisoners on Cuban soil. ne
cessitating the maintenance around 1t Of
more American soldiers than could be-
spared. while Cuban troops could not be
trusted to perform the service. The sug-
gestion that the prisoners might better
be sent in neutral vessels to Portugal for,
speedy delivery to their own country found
great favor as the best way out Of the pre-
dicament, and tentative arrangements were
actually made to put the plan into effect.
After learning Of the continued exhibition
by the Spaniards Of determination to
Etubbornly resist the demand for "uncondi-'
tional surrender" together with the knowl-'
edge Of the horrors that the American
army was being forced to confront by the
exasperating delay, the authorities con-.
scented to the revival Of the scheme, as an
alternative proposition to the terms offer
ed by Madrid through Toral for the evacu-
alton Of Santiago and 1t was adopted.
AS the matter now stands, Spain agrees
to surrender Santiago, the objective point
Of the American expedition, and the sole
point of difference is whether the Spanish
force there shall be permitted to march to
the reinforcement Of Blanco at Havana, or
shall be returned to Spain. 1t Is claimed
that the United States will secure every
thing that is desired, II the surrender can
be speedily accomplished. and portion at
least of the Spanish troops are removed
from Cuba, for the original demand of this
country, which precipitated hostilitios,
looked simply to the withdrawal of the
Spanish army from the island.
The future conduct of the war, especially
for the next few months, will depend in a
great measure upon the number of Spanish
prisoners who are thrown on the hands Of
the United States officials, If the terms
submitted to Madrid are accepted. Should
1t prove true that any considerable num-
Der of the defenders of Santiago had es-
capped under the cover of night during the
week or more of consecutive truces, there
will be little difficulty in transporting the
prisoners to their European home. If.
however, fifteen or twenty thousand Span
iards are surrendered 1t will take all the
transports now in the possession Of the
United States until the middle of August to
prepare for the voyage and land their car
goes at Lisbon, and two or three more
weeks must elapse before their return to
| this country and their availability for fur
Their use by the American army. In the
meantime the Porto Rican expedition win
be out Of the question; there will be con-
siderable difficulty in bringing back from
Cuba the unacclimated American troops,
who could not be permitted to stay there
through a yellow fever epidemic, and a
very large part of the naval force now en-
gagged in blockading duty will necessarily
be detached to convoy the vast fleet across
the Atlantic.
| Governor of Hawaii
| SAN FRANCISCO, July 1.-THE Call
says that it has been practically decided
| to appoint Colonel 7. II. Barber of the
| Ec;ret Noxry Vorl vniltt nv poyarv mr.