The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-01
WAR EVENTS OF 1898,
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PACED

ships. and az the same time asked that
General Lee be replaced az consul-Gene-
raj TO cuba.
SPANS great warshlp. the Vizcaya,
which LEFT New York the latter part Of
February. Jay at Hahana. and II was
known that other warships were on their
way from Spain 20 that port while the
Spanish fleet Of torpcdo-boats was being
prepared 10 be transferred 20 Cuban
waters. The United States Government
frankly informed Spain that General Lee
would not b. recalled, but agreed 20 send
relief supplies to cuba In other vessels
than armed warships. SPANS activity IA
huvlnr warships in European ship-yards
was en- important item OF news confirm
ga in the eorly part of the month. on the
i0'h he house unanimously Foltu 10
place Sl000.001 40 the unqualified di7p'sai
of President Mckinley as an emergency
fund for national defence. The very
next day the Senate unanimously pass
cd the measure. on the 10th Of the
month the mystery surrounding the
s1nerings Of the native inhabitants or
cuba I'm consequence Of the reconcen-
fration orders was cffectualiy cleared
up by the evidence OF Senator Proctor,
of Vermont. before the Senate Committee
on Foreign Affairs. Senator Proctor had
visited Cuba ON his own responsibility,
and the trend OF his testimony was 10
the effect that thu worst had not been
told. even I'm the highly embellished ac-
counts that had appeared from time 10
time in various publications. His story
made % profound impression in VA DE-
lnet0n. and upon the country at large
and seemed 90 give America ful Jus lin-
cation for interference 60 stop the war
iu Cutu ass mca sure OF humanity. inc
month closed with the feeling almost
universal throuehout the country that
was was inevitable. and could not bee
long delayed. irrespective of the De LONE
/ incident ard the explosion NJ the Maine
whether accidental or otherwise. on the
2Sfh the verdict OF the Maine court of in-
curry TO the effect that the Names de-
struction was due Co an outside exc
pl0slon was communicated 70 the Span
I isb Government by President Mckinley
and three days Inter made public.
APRIL
Almost every day in April had IT'S
/ DEVELOPMENTS in the matter OF the war
/ with spain. ON the I'd OF the month
1 Pro ident Mckinley held cS~ncu with
/ the Secretary OF tho Treasury and ways
and Means Committee on wdr-reVenre
measures. on the ith the Navy Depart-
ment orlercd the purchase or ten aux
Wary cruisers. and next day CONSUL
General Lee was ordered 90 return from
Habana. which Die did four days later
I in company with an the American COM
suls ln Cuba. ON the 9Th OF April senior
Gullon. Spanish Foreign Minister, noN-
/ fed the powers that spain had reached
l HH.H al
/ direction OF conceding the demands ana
allowing the pretens..us OF the United
| states" The same - the representa-
| tives I'm Washington of Great Britain,
France. Germany. Russia. and italy
presented "a Joint note 20 the Presld u
/ expressing the hope that peace vi
spain might be preserved. ia reply -
/ the note the President empnatlcaiy
stated that the war in cuba must cease.
/ orders were issued on the 18th 70
/ concentrate an Soc regular army or The
/ United states az the gulf ports ana IN
/ ChickamQuga Park The same uay me
I Government chartered the American Line
/ steamers S. Louis. ST. Paul, ana New
/ York FOR auNiliar- cruisers.
/ Resolutions and discussions tn Congress
] eliminated on the 18th in set OF resolu-
tions directing the President 70 interfere
/ in Cuba. These resolutions Were signed by
/ the President on the 18th, and an ulu-
ratuu was sent 10 Spain demanding that
I her land and naval forces withdraw from
cuba. and requiring am answer BEFORE
noon ON April 2sd AS soon as the spanish
/ Minister learned that the President he'd
signed the resolutions ne requested anu
received his passport The same day the
+ Cueen Regent read a warlike speech from
the throne on the 2lst spain virtually
declared war by notifying United States
Minister W00dford that diplomatic rela-
ffrue with the United States were az an
end. This was before General Woodiord
+ could deliver the Presidents ultimatum,
( which had been cablod 20 him in English
and communicated 90 the Spanish Gov
eminent in advance. President Mchipiey
promptly declared "a blockade az Habana
and ordered SIMPSONS fleet to SAN from
+ Ksv West TO Cuban waters. Subsequently
+ Congress declared that war had been bee
gun on the Ist boy the overt act OF spain,
/ and that view was sustained by England
/ iu her proclamation OF neutrality. on the
/ 2fth Of April the President called FOR 10
00 volunteer troops. The FIST act or the
war was the capture ~ the Spanish
I steamer Buena Ventura or Hahana by
/ the United States gunboat Nashville.
several DAYS later Admiral sampson 8
F vessels bombarded the Spanish forts M
/ AIatanzas. Meanwhile. Spain had been
active having called out 5000 reserves
! ON April Ast. and on the &lh Cervera' g
squadron sailed from Cape Verde, pre-
/ sumably for American waters.
MAY.
on May 1st the interest in the war was
transferred from our very doors 10 the
other side of the globe. where Commo-
! dore Dewey. with the Asiatic squadron.
DESTROYED the Spanish naval force guard
/ ing tie Philippines by a brilliant action
/ fn the harbor OF Manila. on the American
/ side six men were slightly wounded and
none killed. The Spanish loss reported
/ was two commanders and 200 90 Go men
/ killed or wounded. The spanish fought
with bravery. but lacked GOODNESS and
skill. Immediately after the battle Com
mol0re Dewey cut the e~o.e. and 10 was
many DAYS before official reports ot the
eneagement We're received az washing
/ ton
/ Nearly the whole of May had passed be-
/ r0ra any definite steps were taken 10 re-
enforce Dewey. First 1000, then 1000.
then lJC3. and finally 5000 men were as-
signed 20 an expedition under the COM
mand of General wesley Merritt on the
/ pa several thousand OF these troops em-
| harlcd for Manila. spain also made an
attempt to recover ground in the fhhlp-
pines. and there were strong iniimaiiona
that European Powers might take an ace
I tive hand ln the affair. 10 was at mis-
/ time that the much-taiked-aoout Anglo
! American alliance sprung mo being, li
being il actually had. IL Is now generally
accepted that England threw her iniu-
/ encc iu the scale in favor of America. and
T 3D. Ca I.N DE. . an