The San Francisco call., 1899-10-30
SPAIN PRAISES
AMERICAN NAVY
Army Could Not Have
Captured Santiago.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NASlt1NNTlON,O OCL. Eys-1l6 bureau OF
Naval Intelligence has made public
very interesting document published in
the official organ Of the Minister of War
at Madrid and containing the sentence Of
the Supreme Council in the proceedings
instituted because of the capitulation of
Santiago in July of last year. The de-
PENDANTS named in the proceedings are
Jose TOral Nelasquez, general of division
and the successor Of General Linares IN
command of the Fourth Army Corps of
cuba; General Mesa, chief of the brigade
of Guantanamo; Lieutenant Colonel Ra-
fael Alagr, commander OF Sagua de
Tauamo; Captain Arturo Hidaigo, com
mander of AltO Songo; Captain Jose
RICa, commander OF san LUIS captain
Romualdo Martinez, commander OF Palma
SOrianO, and Captain CIemente fs!ro,
commander at III Crlsto. The defenuantS
named. besides General ToTal, are the
commanders of the outlying military
posts which were included in the capltu-
IatOn OF Santiago,
The most interesting feature Of the re-
port is the fact that the court lays great
stress upon the Importance OF the AInerl-
can naval forces, and declares that with
out their cooperation II would nave Deen
impossible for the American Iorces TO
have compelled the surrender OF Santiago.
The sentence OF the court concludes by
NinQiCatng General IOraI from any
Ceusure Tor the surrender of the city,
stating thar he had used every means or
defense required by the laws or honor
ana duty, as 2ltSSleQ bN lIlo bllIIletIIl Dtdl-
ties sustained from June Y TO the day Of
capitUatiOn, and The many casualties in
generals, commanders, officers and prl-
Yates during the battles.
The other defendants are eXonerated,
having served under the instructions Of
their commanding general, who in turn
had the sanction OF his home Government
for each step taken
Before re6ching this conclusion, how
ever, the court goes into what may be
characterized as a brief but Comprehen-
Giyp history of The whole Cuban CamIgllgn
from the Spanish standpoint the various
TeNerScS met with from time to time be-
ing cited as explanations of the final sur
render OF the city, which was pointed out
as being inevitable from the time the
American squadron bloCkaded the harbOr
and cut off all hope of outside assistance.
Ii is declared that during the lombard
ment Of Santiago on May 81 about 100
shots We're fired by Spanish batteries and
The Colon in a space of fUTty-tiVe miles.
The fact that the Colon aided the bat
teTies of MORO. SOcapa and Punta GOrda
during this bombardment is new. Re
ferTiug to the sinking of the MerTimac in
the channel at the mouth of the harbor
the court declares that she was sunk by
the combined fire Of the Reina Mercedes
and the water batteries, a statement not
in agreement with Lieutenant Hobson's
view of the affair on board the MerTmac.
OF the bombardment of the American
squadron on June 6 the court says that
the hostile fleet. resulting in serious in
juries TO the Reina Mercedes and the gar
4iSbl 4Nldl AtIS al the MOTTO. II SAYS,
however that no guns were dismounted
by this bombardment "One chief was
killed. however. and eight men killed; two
chiefs five officers and fifty-six men
ualty list than was credited to this bonn
bardment al the time.
The landing Of the American forces at
Daiquiri and the bombardment of that
town and OF Siboney are described in con-
siderable detail Coming down to the
fight a Caney, the court declares that
half of the officers pnPaPpj al
killed or wounded. It points out win
pride, however, that the Spanish artillery
during the mornings fight on July l was
able TO silence abe American battery at
Ell PosO and cause it to withdraw.
or the general engagement Of July l, II
is said that over 500 men and fifty gem
erals and officers were killed and
wounded. 1t is pointed out that during
the engagement of July only 100 men of
the Spanish command were actively en-
gagged, the others, II is explained, being
to the westward, occupied in guarding
threaened positions and unable TO be of
material assistance
Following the loss of San Juan and
Caney, the court declares that the water
supply was cut off and that the military
force surviving the two days fighting of
July ! and July was entirely INADEQUATE
TO defend the fourteen kilOmeters of pro-
tective works around the city. The total
force available is placed officially at 1000
infantry and 1000 guerillas. The re-
mainder Of the forces. it is explained.
we're garrisOning the MORO and the bat
teries at SoCapa and Punta Gorda, and
performing also the services of carrying
water TO different points, patrolling the
city, and rendering such other services
as the Inhabitants could have rendered
had the city remained loyal
Referring 10 garrison stores, the court
says that at the time Of the surrender
all that was left of the arms was 1000 900
Spanish MauSer cartridges. These would
not have lasted for more than two attacks
on the part of the enemy. The Argentine
Mauser ammunition of which there was
considerable supply, could not be
utilized for want Of weapons of that type
nor could the Remington ammunition
these weapons being in the hands of the
irregular forces only. The provisions in
is said consisted only of rice, salt oil
coffee. sugar and brandy, and Of these
only about ten days supply remained
There were over 100 sick in the hospitals
who had to be fed, Ito say nothing Of the
soldiers who spent day and night in
trenches, after three years of campaign
ing, during the last three months Of which
they seldom had meat to eat and were
often reduced to the rations mentioned
above"
Great stress is laid upon the presence
Of the American squadron off the coast
and the court declares that besides the
numerical superiority of the enemy on
land with seventy pieces Of modern ar
tillery and the support of powerful
squadron no renforcements could reach
Santiago except by sea, and this eventu-
ally became a vain hope from the moment
when the American ships completely
closed the harbor entrance
In addition to the decree Of the court
generating the defendants, there are two
supplemental decrees directing the Cap
tain General Of New CASTLE to take steps
TO fix the responsibility for the fact that
there were not sufficient war materials in
the city to provision Santiago at the time
of the outbreak Of the war and TO ascer-
tain TO what extent the administrative
chief Of the army of Cuba is responsible
for not having complied with the order
of the gcneTal-in-chief of the same TO pro-
N-ieinrl So n fnt. four r,1nrnths