The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-16


 Their Arms When They Return to Spain-After an Extended Conference at the White House General Alger Says and Early This Morning This Decision Was Sent to General shafter-Troops Outside of Santiago May Question To- rals Right to Surrender Them.
 Washington, July 15.-Toward the middle of the afternoon dispatches from General Miles and General Shaf- ter began to arrive at the war depart ment in response to the rather impera- tive request from Secretary Alger for information. They were not given out in full, but such portions as were made public showed that the negotiations of tn commissioners, who are arranging the final terms of surrender, were still in progress and that the Spaniards had raised some unexpected questions. Most important of thes was an insist ence that the Spanish troops should retain their arms when they returned to Spain. There was entire willingness on the part of General Toral to turn over the arms to General Shafter at the time of the surrender, but with this was to be the understanding that the arms were to be returned to the Spanish troops when Spanish soil was reached. This wa sa condition which had not been anticipated. The author ities here did not regard it as serious, or as likely to overcome final settle nlent, as it was attributed to the Span iards' sensitiveness to the humiliation involved in the laying down of their which neither side apeared to be ready to yield. One of the dispatches from the front after specifying that this diff ference had arisen, added that it was believed a settlement would be reached before to-day closed.
 After an extended conference with the president tonight at which three other members of the cabinet were present, Secretary Alger said: ''The situation is just this. The Spaniards at Santiago are prepared to surrender, but they want to carry their arms. We have determined to grant no such concession, except the generosity of this government to transport them to Spain"
 Secretary Alger was asked if 1t was not the expectation that when it was known that no other terms would be granted the surrender would take case. In any event no other concession would be offered by this government. It was nearly i o'clock when the con- ference at the White house adjourned Besides Secretary Alger there were present Secretaries Bliss and Wilson and Postmaster General Smith. Adju- tant General Corbin was present dur ing the last hour of the conference.
 General Shafter will be instructed to carry out the determination of the president, with whom the matter has been>thoroughly discussed. Secretary Alger did not say how much time would be allowed the enemy to reach a conclusion, but it is known that the administration vii make it very short and submit to no further barley with render upon the terms which the Unit ed tSates government propose or im- mediate attack upon the Spanish forces by the army and navy.
 At 1:10 o'clock this morning when General Corbin left the war department for his home he was still without defin- ite information from General Shafter concerning the surrender of Santiago. In accordance with the decision reached at the conference with the president he sent instructions to General Shafter that nothing but an unconditional sur render by General TOral would be sat isfactory to this government. In view of shafters last dispatch, no fear is felt that the negotiations for the sur render of the forces in Santiago city will not be prosecuted to a successful conclusion. General Toral, it is known at first insisted that his men should be permitted to carry their arms with them to Spain. This concession Gen eral Shafter declined to grant. Toral has modified his demand regarding the arms and has presented a petition that the arms taken from his men be re- turned to Spain with the troops. As