Evening star., 1898-07-16
THE HITCH IN TERMS
Misunderstanding About, Notification to
Madrid officials.
Gen. TOraps Evasfve WOrds-Span-
iards Hypersensitfve About Their
Army's Honor.


fore Santiago de Cuba, July 10 40 ann.
via Kingston. jamaica July 16 G;25 any.
The preliminary basis for the capitula-
ton Of the Spanish forces in eastern Cuba
was agreed to and signed under pictur-
esque cieba tree, half way between the
lines. shortly after midnight. Our COM
| missioners were invited to enter the city by
those representing General Toral, but the
invitation was declined and the conference
was held under the spreading cieba, just
sncn tree as that under which Columbus
assisted at the celebration of mass on his
nrst landing In Cuba, near Havana.
AT the very outset hitch occurred, ow-
ing to misunderstanding of what was said
at the personal interview between General
Shafter and General Toral at noon. At
that time our Interpreter, translating the
language Of General Toral, had given Cen
erals Shafter, Miles and Wheeler distinctly
to understand that Captain General Rlanco
had consented that the commissioners
should have plenary powers to negotiate
the terms of surrender such terms as they
agreed upon to be binding upon both par
ties.
something was said about notification
to the Madrid government, but General
Smarter insisted that the capitulation had
peen actually agreed to and that no further
consent Of the Madrid government was re-
quired.
When the commissioners met shortly
after O'Clock in the afternoon, those in
behalf of General Toral, General Escario.
Lieutenant Colonel Fortan and Robert Ma
son, the British vice consul combated at
once the idea that the capitulation had in
fact actually taken place The consent of
Madrid, they insisted was still necessary:
out at the same time, they claimed strong
iy that 1t would be forthcoming, as CAPTAIN
General Blanco had authorized it and the
rome government would do the same.
|. Torars Evasion.
Gen. Toral, who was personally present.
and wno in fact, directed the negotiations
on his own behalf, said he had never been
overruled by the captain general. Still, he
added. until Madrid had sanctioned II. San
tiago had rot captulated
All this was extremely unsatisfactory to
our commissioners. who clung tenaciously
to the understanding General Shafter had
received earlier in the day.
Finally, with the question of whether or
not the Spanish forces had actually surren-
dered still open, the commissioners proceed
ed to the consideration of the preliminaries
Capt. Miley had drawn up thirteen ar
ticles OF general nature and these were
submitted to Gen. IToraf personally He
maze strong appeal that the word capt.
ulation' be used instead of the harsher
term surrender" and that his army be
allowed to march out. the officers with their
side arms and theT men with their small
arms. He said the arms could afterward
be sent to Spain, either on the same ships
with the troops or ON some other ships.
Gen. Toral further remarked that he ex-
pected our commissioners as representa-
tives of a brave and chivalrous people
would not seek to humiliate his army or
make 1t appear that he was vanquished
AS brave men, his soldiers desired to go
home with honor. They had simply yield
ed to superior force, and they would prefer
dying to going home without their honor
Our commissioners could not resist this
appeal, but they said it lay beyond the
terms laid down by our government, and
they could only recommend the matter to
Washington.
At o'clock Gen. Tora1 returned to the
city to consult with Gen. Linares who had
been enormously reported dead.
Sensitive Spanish Honor.
Gen. ToraI and the Spanish commission
ers returned at $50, saying they desired a
still further change in the phraseology of
the articles, and suggested postponement
of the negotiations until morning. This
Gen. Wheeler firmly declined.
Thereupon q recess was taken until $50.
The commissioners returned at that hour,
and the articles We're again gone over IN
detail Various changes of verbiage, which
tended only to soften the sound of the
terms without affecting the sense, were
/
missionsrs accepted practically all of them.
Shortly after midnight Gen. Wheeler sug-
gested that the good faith of the Spanish
commissioners be tested. All the articles
were reread and each commissioner in
turn was asked If they were satisfactory.
When they replied in the affirmative Gen.
Wheeler asked them TO afiix t.leir sigma
lures This they appeared reluctant to do,
but they could not well refuse. When all
had signed the commissioners separated,
to meet again at 9:30 in the morning.
The present municipal authorities are to
continue in control of the city until the
Spanish troops are embarked.
The Spanish troops from other points are
to be embarked at the nearest ports.
Refugees are to return to their homes,
but not until the sanction of Madrid is re-
ceived, and the same applies to the removal
of the distractions at the mouth of the
barbor
Pending this, however, Miss Clara Bar
ton and the Red Cross agents, with sup
plies, are to be allowed to enter the city
ever the line of the Juragua railroad
The water which was cut is to be re-
paired today.
No Crbans are to be allowed to enter the
city.
All the artillery and the batteries at the
harbor entrar ce are to be left intact and
we are to obtain possession of the gunboat
in the harbor.
Pending the sanction of Madrid, every
thing is at a standstHl, and as a result the
troops on both sides remain in the trenches.
However, our plans are being perfected
as though the campaign were over. Cen
eral Skaters headquarters are to be NOV
ed, probably todayP to the high ground
north of the city, where. the whole of our
army will be encaniped after Santiago is
evacuated pending the possibility of it's en-
barkation for the Island of Porto Rico.
The troops which were landed at Siboney.
but which were not brought up, are to be
cant booly on hoa rf5 the fra ;,,,ao