Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-07-11
WAR NOTES.

General Shafter cabled to Washing
ton yesterday that General Toral, in
command of the Spanish troops in San
tiago, had refused to entertain an un-
conditional surrender. and that in coz
St queuce combine attack on the city
had been planned for o'clock yester-
day afternoon General Toral's offer
to give up the city if permitted to retire
with all his men and arms, was reject
cd. Unconditional surrender OF Gen
eral Linare5 entire army at Santiago
we're The only terms acceptable to Gen
eral Shafter or President Mckinley.
General Toral after holding oil for 8
few days, rejected the terms. Later
General Shafter sent another cablegram
!, that at about four o'clock the Spanards
mad opened FIRE, but had been soon
silenced, though three Americans we've
wounded. The cablegram also said
that with the reinforcements which
have just reacaed the general, he ex
poets to completely surround Santiago
;o-day.
A dispatch from Gen, Skaters army
says that it ia now positively known
that General Pando did not join General
Linares and General Toral in Santiago,
but halted twenty miles away, believ-
ing that Santiago was sure to fall and
not wishing to share the responsibility
Of surrender.
General Miles will reach the army
before Santiago with reinforcements
within a day or two, and if the end has
not been reached there shortly after
wards, it will be for him to advise
whether a vast army is to be called
toto play.
As soon aslSantiaeo falls it is planned
to begin the Porto Rico expedition aud
also to lombard and reduce Neuvitas,
the principal town OF the province OF
Puerto Principe. The capture of Nue.
vitas, it is stated, would give the
Americans practical possession of east
ern and central Cuba.
a dispatch from Madrid quotes Mar
shall Martinez Campos as saying that
the time is not get ripe Tor peace
negotiations between Spain and the
United States. Information received
from reliable sources represents the
Spanish cabinet as convinced of the
hopelessnes of the war. The peace
idea is said to predominant in the cabi-
net and negotiations are considered ur-
gent. A Paris dispatch says that Ger.
Bianco, in replying to the governments
request for his view of the situation,
urges war to the end, and asserts that
the Cuban volunteers cannot be recon
cled to the idea of handing the island
over to the Americans.
The chief concern OF the authorities
10 Washington is as to whether General
Skaters forces will be able to prevent
the retreat of the Spanish forces from
Santiago. Although Gen. Shafter in a
dispatch to the War Department, early
this morning, states that his lines were
well thrown out, covering frontage OF
FIVE miles, and were in an impregnable
condition, Secretary Alger said that he
did not understand that the American
forces completely surrounded the city
and he feared that many Of the Spanish
troops will escape from the city through
the passes to the westward.
The eastern squadron Will start across
the Atlantic in a few days. 1t will
comprise the battleships Oregon and
Massachusetts, the cruisers Newark,
Yosemite, Yankee and Dixie and six
GOLFERS. Camara's fact will be chas 4
and an endeavor made to capture or
sink it, whether it is in the Mediter-
ranean or anchored in some Spanish
port. The Massachusetts, has been sub.
stituted for the Iowa, which was hit by
a shell during the fight with Cervera's
ships. 1t is stated to be the plan to
rendezvous at some point in midocean
and then first attack the Canaries and
seize base there.