Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-07-21


against Spain closed to-day when the
Spanish Colors gave place over Santiago
| TO the American flag.
| Next will follow the transportation of
tho Spanish troops back to their native
| land and the capture of the island of Por-
10 Rico unless peace soon intervenos.
The siege OF Santiago has lasted two
weeks and was remarkable in many re-
spects, and in none more than the heavy
percentage of loss through death. wounds
or sickness. of the soldiers and sailors en-
gagged on both sides. Looking back over
the record of these two weeks 1t is seen
that great ironclad squadron has been
destroyed, that nearly a thousand Span
fish sailors have been drowned or killed
/ by shell and flame and that an untold
number of Spanish soldiers have died in
/ the trenches Of Santiago. On the other
1 hand about go American soldiers have
been killed and in round numbers 1900 have
/ been sent to the hospitals from wounds,
| fevers and other ailments.
Our fleet had Il remarkable exemption
| from disaster in the many engagements it
! has had with the forts Mt the entrance Of
the harbor and with the Spanish squadron.
| Next is Porto Rico" said Secretary AL
! ger after receiving news of Santlagos
! formal surrender" and then If need be.
/ Havana"
| Tho secretary was in excellent spirits.
! He has been more anxious than he dared
show as to the condition of our sick SOL
I dlers and looked with apprehension upon
| the possibility of a prolongation of the
struggle in the unhealthy valley of Santi-
/ ago. The secretary said that the Porto
! Rican expedition will go forward imme-
diately. 1t will comprise new men entirely
! The warriors in the trenches before San
/ tiago have distinguished themselves and
! 1t is not deemed prudent to bring them in
unnecessary contact with new troops, in
view of the danger of spreading contagion.
The sick soldiers will be nursed back to
health and brought to the United States
as soon as they can be safely removed
Immune regiments will be ordered to San
tlaSo to garrison the town and as stated
in these despa tches yesterday. two of these
regiments are already under orders o pro-
coed.
The Porto Rcan expedition will be
commanded by Gen. Miles In person
though Gen. Brooke now in command at
Camp Thomas. is expected to be his main
dependence. The size of the expedition
will depend upon Gen Miles wishes, al
though II Is believed that 5000 men will
be sufficient for the purpose. At San Juan
| the navy will he of greater assistance
than It was at Santiago owing to the
possibility of approaching the town more
closely without risking contact with
mines
Gen. BROOKE is now on his way to
! Washington by direction OF Secretary Al
ger so that he will be in a position to
make his views known to the depart
ment.
! The experience gained in despa tching
Skaters expedition II is expected, will
| aid the officials in their DISCRIMINATION to
make short work of the Porto Rican af
fair, There will be plenty of transports
available for the expedition as the gov
eminent has devised other means of re-
/ ~ N hn at,ts de
tiago to Spain than by carrying them on
these transports.
/ That the navy Is ready to do it's share
at short notice goes without saying
Porto Rico Is not expected to offer
very formidable resistance. It is believed
that the moral effect OF to-day surrender
| at santiago will be to discourage the de-
Tenders of San Juan. There Is, however,
always the prospect that peace may en-
sue before hostilities have progressed
against Spain's easternmost West India
island.
Rumors were anoat this afternoon to
the effect that the Spanish government
at last had made overtures in that dTec-
ton, hut their basis probably was tho
current belief that one more reverse to
the Spanish arms would he sufficient TO
compel the Spanish government to sue for
peace, and this reverse was furnished by
the surrender OF Toral's army.
The navy department has not been af-
fected by the rumors to the extent of re-
laxing any of its precautions or aban-
Idoring any of its plans, for Secretary
Long stated unequivocaly to-day that
Commodore Watson's eastern squadron
would certainly so to Spain as soon as 1t
could sail
THE SURRENDERED ZONE.
The territory surrendered to us by Gen.
Toral makes about 1000 square miles The
Spanish soldiers to be sent to Spain are
estimated at 10000 men.
Major Hopkins the military aide to Sec
rotary Alger, this evening had spread be-
fore him huge map of Cuba showing the
surrendered zone turned over to the Amerl-
can troops, The line begins at Ascerra-
deros. about IL miles west of Santiago
harbor, and then runs due north about q
miles to Palmo Sorlana. Had the line
continued due north ii would have passed
west of IIolgun. thus taking the Spanish
garrison at that point. Evidently General
Toral wished to avoid the inclusion o.
Holgun. so the line turns abruptly to the
northeast at Pamo and runs to the coast
town of Boca Del Sagua on the coast
The extreme length of this surrendered
tract is about 10 miles and the extreme
width 30 miles.
The navy department has not heard VI
to the close OF office hours to what extent
the American feet was participating ir
the Spanish surrender. With Santiago ir
our hands the way will be clear for Ad
miral SIMPSONS feet to enter the harbol
and proceed up to the wharves, as soor
as the torpedoes and mines at the harbol
entrance are removed, The Notifications
of Moro Castle, Socapa, Cayo Smith ant
others are included in the SURRENDERED
zone. The possession OF these fine fort
dcations, particularly MORO Castle, will
lfford valuable garrison points for larg,
Sumber OF men. The terms under which
these strongholds are surrendered are no
yet known In detail, but 1t Is regarded al
likely that their big guns pass with tn,
surrender While the fleet will soon b,
free to move up to Santiago city, som,
doubt Is entertained In naval circle,
whether any good, could be accomplished
by such a move. as It might subject som,
Of our sailors to the contagion existing
within the city.
Great attention will now be given to tn,
care OF our sick and fever-strioken sol
diers on the island. In the opinion OF tn,
army surgeons the sick can be best treat
ed by removal to the high ground back o.
the southern coast. where the heat Is lesi
severe and whore recovery could proceed
without fear OF communicating disease t
the rest Of the army. Secretary Algel
Is anxious to bring the entire army baci
nn soon az 1t can be done with safety t.