New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-30
WHY SANTIAGO FELL.
THE SPANISH COURT MARTIAL JUSTI-
FIES TORALS SURRENDER.
DESPERATE CONDITION OF THE TROOPS
AND LACK OF FORTIFIcATIONS AND
SUPPLIES MADE THE sTRUG-
GLE HOPELESS.

Washington. oct % (SpecaD Neither Smarter
army Tor mpsou's feet. Notwithstanding '''e
controversy :hat occasionally arises between 'n'r
representatives. IS given chief credit for forcing
SantiagOs surrender IN the findings OF the spanish
court martial or Supreme Military Council when
| acquitted General Toral Of responsibility LOT inc
captuatiOn The Naval Intelligence once mas
translated the official decree Of the Council "hl'n
was rendered August last. after trlAl WIN"
lasted five days from which it appears that span
ish acknowledgement anoat and ashore was the
principal factor in the fall OF the cuban city ana
that the Spanish garrison alone IS entitled 10 any
particular glory connected with the AFFAIR
The document. which r. regarded Is having con-
siderable historical value after giving an interest
ing description Of the long siege, prese"3S III" i
lowing. In explanation of ts findings
THE LACK OF DEFENCE
Tho city Of Santiago being more closely besieN
by tho enemy, had no permanent for ,ln'"a'"rT9b
except castle without aruilery al lnV ~ ma
city all OF httle value, that almost It's ouy -
defence consisted Of the open trenches around me
CITY and other earthworks thrown up In hurry
and with Inadequate material ana for the dtie"tt 81
sad line about fourteen kilometres in length there
were available only about seven thousand ln''nls
and thousand guerlllas. an oi whom ma" 4 bt,,t
formed constant service IN the trenches ~I,nvns
any troops to support them and without RESERVES
OF any Kind since the remainder OF ne foF'e, b
garrisonng the MORO ana me DaiteIirS ~, "a srr
Socapa and Punta Gorda, performing also tne r,I
vices Of carrying water 10 different points, & ~
ling the city and rendering sucn olnet 81 49, rifv
the inhabitants could have rendered hdu '"c WY
II Appearing further that the million spanish
Mauser cartridges. which was an there va ,,y}HH
noi LAST Tor more than TWO attacks on the part Oh
the eremy, that the Argentine Maus'I dlnie ,h,
could rot be utilized for want o weaP9nS ~. ,"
tvpe nor could the ammunition for Hemlnstohs,
these weapons being In the hands "f the "''s"'''
II Appearing further that the supply Of provisions
furnished by commerciSl tn,y' ~, ,."t md the
seaiGhy srUy ing th@ soldiers but rice salt on
nd br4u y.
stances over seyenteen hundred sick persons at the
hosnital had 10 be- fed. say nothing OF the sol
| di.rs who spent day and night In ~" trehch"s'
months of which they seldom had meat 70 e3t ana
we're often reduced TO the ratons mentioned aDolst
was already considerably broken
THE DEARTH OF WATER.
II appearing further that the aqucduct having
been cut there arose serious dlih'uilrs III w
matter of furnishing water To- the majority Of the
Forces I'm me trenches of the precinct, especially on
he coast ana that these difficulties owing To- ne
bombardment OF the city by land and by sea. were
Increased to such an extent that there was wei
grounded fear lest the soldiers VINO coulu hV' VarS
the trenches would ind themselves deprived Oh tmS
| Indispensable beverage; .,...o
II appearing further that, in view OF the s''ua-
tlon Of the enemy In positions close 10 ogi5'i ~,
tirely surrounding the city and In control OF an NE
approaches thereto II was nVr bont eneasing in
a fierce battle under the most unfayorahle crcurn-
! the forces under the very eyes Of the enemy, ana
IN view Of the physical debility 81 tjie Mo
T Ssb, kept "g d gp n GRy by tN''r 'N''' S anu
| II appearing further that aside from the nli.
| had according 10 trustworthy Information, seventy
| pieces of modern artillery and the support OF
i nts yrtnalitv had become vain hope from the
moment when the American ships completely
! closed I'm the harbor entrance; and that Tor inc
above reasons there was no possibility Of rein
forcerncnta arriving before the total exhaustion Of
provisions and ammunition;
1t appearing further that, under these sad cir
cumstances. the prolongation OF so unequal
struggle could in The opinion OF the acting os com ~
nothing but the vain sacrifice Of a large number or
lives without gaining any adyan"ge snSg me
troops who had made such a valiant hghi, ana
whose heroic conduct %as py iTh
convened the Junta Tor the purpose Of drawing up
these proccedings setting forth that the necessity
| for captivating had arrived
THE BLOCKADE EXCLUDES AID.
And considering that from ne moment when the
United States squadron established the blockade u
Santiago Iiarbor the situation Of said city which
vas already difficult one the result OF the IN
tcrnal war which had been waged In the island for
three years, eNhausUrS every I'SouI,g' 81 tlS
country and preventing the prompt provisioning Of
! the closing of the harbor. which precuded the
easiest and most expeditions means TOT receiving
consiicring further that for a large and powerful
| SQUADRON Ike that Of the United States It was an
S.sy a e9nc linz At any OF the many ac9
ccssibe points that part of tho cuban coast
under cover Of the fire Of numerous guns and with
out any danger OF meeting with resistance since
had become a physical impos@iblty for our army
to cover and defend the whole coast, and since the
place where the landing 10 be effected could
hot be surmscd and the scant contingent OF the
army at Santiago was not able efectualy TO guard
80 large an extent OF coast.
Considering further that IN view of the lack OF
provisions at Santiago. the situation or It's de-
Tenders further aggravated by me entrance OF
Admiral Cervera's squadron In that harbor. where
by not only The consumption Of 1000 was increased,
but which also made that CITY thr pIlutllii H'-
jective of the Americans IN that campaign, VINO
from that time assembled the greater and better
Increased the number Of their transports for the
modern field artillery threatening serious assaults
on the city and making the blockade by sea so
afsoluteiv impossible thus shutting oN from San
tlago every hope OF receiving aid and compromis-
ing the safety Of squadron. the capture or ir-
struction OF which was naturally assumed 10 be the
principal aspiration OF the enemy
10 HOPE LEFT
Considering further that after the destruction OF
tiago Harbor on July g. I'm obedience 10 superior or
ders the enemy had no difficulty in realizing that
without 9eng gnp1reu 70, an and nr5vslons Geci
mated hy disease contracted during three years ~
hard nghting "A tropical country and In a climate
exoept In Providence. with no alternative except
death or surrender 20 the mercy Of an enemy, who
| Lone nv blockades on lard and sea without any
| other means had succeeded IN annhilating those
ronsidering further that IN view Of the critical
! si,nntinn IN winch vas places rho acting COM
rnandcr-in-chirf Of the Fourth Army Corps OF the
Island Of cuba General OF Division Jose Ioral
Veldzquez. who. with an army reduced IN number.
decinated by sickness, without SUBSISTENCE and al
iorty Of whose inhabitants were likewise hostile
| to Spain. against an army superior IA number ana
| sgmadron the said acting c0mmandcr- in. chief hay-
Ing exhausted every resource avala9ie i,r SISrant
Ing the defence deeIning II Impossible 20 persist
! listening TO the voice Of humanity and believing
decided that the necessity for captivating mad ar
! rived