The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 11, 1898, Page 2

2 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, JULY 11, 1898. “our intention was to run to Havana, raise the blockade there and enter the harbor.” “What will be the result of the bat- tle? the Spanish commander was asked. “*Ah, I do not know,” was the mourn- ful reply. “1 hear now that the Americans in- i ir fleet to my country. is my anxiet, My poor Spain will be helpless against your attack. I have seen what your ships can do, and know our exposed cities will be de- stroyed.” “You were, then, much impressed with the fire of the American ships?’ ‘We were all astonished by its amaz- ing rapidity and deadliness,” was the frank reply. It will be an awful fight ain will suffer most. But if any one was bold enough to suggest that to my countrymen he would be cut to . If America carries the war into 0 great to bear. You know great nation is like the eat family—'great shall be eof.’ And I am afraid that is how it will be with Spain. Oh, God, open the eyes of my countrymen at home that they may understand why we were defeated here.” I found this to be the general opin- ion among all the captured officers. Th were all free to admit that the American navy man behind his gun is | the most wonderful man they had ever dreamed of. The officers expressed wide-eyed astonishment when told that it is the custom in the American navy to ex e crews at battery practice with and TVvi charges at frequent ervals. nust cost you tremendous aimed one, an officer of aid his companion of the ., “but see the resuit.” u think Santiago longes a Ter he re an hold out captain of much the M sa_was as plied; “they are very short stk Rice is the chief tle else in the way of Beef is very scarce of article of diet, food being left. and very poor.” The officer was curfous to know as to whether the Americans had suffered much loss when their land forces made an attack on Santiago. He was told the number reported lost and seemed »d that it was no greater. we lost that many ourselves,” , “and yet our men were fight- ind entrenchments and your > 3 cking there any council of war called it was determined to attempt to ssage out?” “No, not a council—there was an in- formal confe: All agreed that the befor force a p attempt was well nigh hopeless, and all of us w convinced that we would at we got.” e Spanish officers seemed ssed over the dis Sy llen Spain. They wi nished at their treatment a: sh press,” said one, who ed me not to quote his name, ‘is to blame for the awful way in countr the ved t A C nd ster but not fight, and that America d ships—that the few bad were manned by foreign- in time of war, n deceived. And > told that we would be tured and Killed if cap- an reated as friends and we have been taught T THE CRISTOBAL COLON'S FUTILE RACE FOR LIFE PORTSMOUTH, N. H., July 10.—The of the Cristobal Colon's futile at- tempt to escape, her flnal destruction and the rescue of her crew is as inter- ster and American victory. The Colon was the newest of the Spanish armored cruisers and was reputed to be the fastest and the be son to believe that Captain Maren, her commander, was the ablest one in the entire fleet. That, at any rate, was his reputation. Being on a dispatch-boat I was unable to follow the fortunes of the Colon as she made her grand effort to escape from the encircling foes. Her told me about it when I met them the following morning as prison- ers of war on board the United States steamship Resolute, formerly the York- of the Old Dominion line, Captain G. Eaton, commanding. By his v I was allowed to interview the s of the s ken Colon. A few of them could s English, and their first query w s to the safety of Cer- vera. I told them their admiral was safe and unharmed, and there was much gesticulation and words I could not understand, and then a shout of “Viva Cervera.” I had been identified as the corre- spondent of the New York Herald and San Francisco Call. Each one of the officers instantly recognized the names of the papers, and, crowding around me, begged that I should cable the names of the survivors of the ship. After painfully inscribing all the names I found there was none missing from the roster, and further inquiry showed that the Colon had lost only one man killed and sixteen wounded. The wounded were under the care of Sur- geon McGill of the Resolute. The only officer of the Colon who had been wounded was the paymaster, whose face had been torn by the concussion of ich shell fired by the Oregon. of the crew succumbed after be- aken on board the Resolute. Dr. 3ill found that a number of them w their lower limbs much inflamed, a result of careful examination close questioning he discovered office eak and that the inflammation was due to bites s and subsequent poisons from ching of dirty nails, they ap- parently having known nothing more cleansing than the filthy water of San- tiago Bay. To lead up to the more recent and greatest disaster, I asked the assem- blage of officers grouped around me what they thought of the Manila fight. Apparently they did not understand, and it was with difficulty I managed to explain that their fleet had been de- stroyed in the Philippines. Polite in- credulity was my reward. An illus- trated paper showing the destruction of Montejo’s ships by Admiral Dewey's fleet was on a nearby table. I pre- sented that as a document in evidence. Tke officers instantly crowded about it, and excited comments told of their absorbed interest in the pictured story of Spanish disaster in the far Rast. They told me that was the first they had keard of the affair, and their man- ner left no doubt. Reverting to their own trouble, they said the Colon had been struck a num- ber of times, but not until the Oregon ADVERTISEMENTS. Pears’ Unless you have used Pears’ soap you probably do not know what we mean by a soap with no free fat or alkali in it—noth- ing but soap. The more purely negative soap is, the nearer does it approach perfection, its us there the disgrace | hardly belleve my | ny bit of history of Spanish | I have rea- | came within range and began hurling her 13-inch shells at their ship did they abardon hope of escape. One sheil had piercea the quarter, and its explosion vetweeen decks had convertad three cabins into one. The vessel was on fire artt. JAnother shell, a 12 or 13-iuch missile, had struck the vessel near the stern and had plowed half way to the bow before exploding. The vessel's three consorts were destroyed and the Oregon was gaining on the fugitives every minute, while the Brooklyn and Texas were closing in. There was nothing left but surrender, and turning her bow to shore the vessel hauled down her colors. The rest I have told by cabel— how the prisoners were transferred to | the Resolute and how the Oregon, | placing a prize crew on board, ran a | hawser to the ship and endeavored to | drag her off th- ledge which was cut- | ting into her keel—an effort which re- ulted in the sinking of the wreck. | DESTRUCTION OF THE FUROR AND PLUTON PORTSMOUTH, N. H., July 10.— The experience of the torpedo boat de- stroyers Furor and Pluton is soon told. | Their commanders, Captains Diego ‘('arller v Vellaquires of the Furor, and Pedro Barqual y Perez Do Bargoes of the Pluton, were both rescued. Each of the boats was manned by a crew of seventy-two men. Twenty-one were saved from the Pluton and seventeen from the Furor. The boats cleared San- tiago harbor in the wake of the cruis- ers and were soon in the maelstrom of | shells thrown by the rapid fire batteries of the American fleet. One big shell (Captain Vellaquires says-‘it was a 12 | or 13 inch projectile) struck his v sel amidships, cutting it almost in twain. | The sagging ends dipped under and the |crew endeavored to save themselves | from drowning by swimming ashore. | The Pluton, cut to pieces by the shell fire, was run ashore. When asked why the boats had not made an attack on the blockading fleet, | the captain said they were convinced |that such an attack would have re- sulted in disaster to themselves, owing to Admiral Sampson’s system of block-. ade and the alertness of the ships under his command. During the trip of the St. | the coast the | Captain Ran Louis up captain of the Pluton told | dle of the St. Louis that | he had chased him on the night of May fl‘G and had come very near sinking him. | Captain Randle recalled the circum- | stance, and remembered having seen a dark object hovering in the wake of his vessel on the night mentioned, The Pluton’s commander said that he had | used every exertion to get within range of the St. Louis, but that vessel's speed | was too great for him ——— 'HAD SAVED HIS HONOR | BUT LOST HIS SHIP PORTSMOUTH, Captain N. H, July 10— late of the Vizcaya, wound- ed in spirit, said he had ved his honor, although he had lost his ship. That was the wording of a dis- patch which he had sent his wife after | the destruction of the Vizcaya. “When you think of the odds I en- countered, you will see that I could do |no more than I did,” Captain Eulate | said. “I had only one ship against four. | My enemies were the Brooklyn, Oregon {and the Texas, and I think the Iowa All four punished us v, but it was the Texas that | Bave us our coup de grace—a shell fired from that vessel entering our port bow |and exploding one of the forward mag- |azines. My men stood by their guns | and fought like true Spaniards. As the Spaniards lost all their ships |and half their number in killed and wounded and had inflicted no damage | in return, there was none to gainsay | Captain Bulate's claim that his men | had fought like Spaniards. | “But naval conflicts now are not de- | termined by courage,” sighed the | mournful captain. “Victory is to the r machine, and the American ma- | chines were better than ours. The | Ah! she was a fine sh at a wreck! Poor Spain | Captain late commanded the | caya during that vessel's visit to New York harbor a short time after the Maine disaster. Before that he had | come into notoriety as the officer who | had ordered the execution of the Com- petitor prisoners. |PLUCKY EFFORTS OF THE LITTLE ERICSSON ed and depre: | s PORTSMOUTH, - H., July 10.—Out of many ‘“scraps of deeds and deeds of daring” of that never to be forgotton | day of Santiago, the adventures and exploits of the little torpedo boat Erics- son should be brought to light. Lieu- tenant Usher, big, blonde and dashing, is an officer who would have made a record like that of Cushing in this war | had he been given an opportunity. The }Eri(‘sson was off Siboney when the Spaniards made their desperate sortie, and the torpedo boat went racing down | the coast line steering straight for the thick of battle. The big battlaship Tn- diana, eastward of the blockading squadron, was heading straight for the entrance of Santiago harbor in order to block the return of the flying fugi- tives. Through the smoke of her great bow guns the Ericsson darted, lunging into the swirling cloud of smoke that en- shrouded the fleét. But on the star- board bow a huge hull loomed through a mist of bursting shells, and through the whirling white a glimpse was had of the flag of Spain, almost riddled but still flying. . Over went the helm of the torpedo | boat and around swung the torpedo | tubes. The long-looked-for opportunity to sink a ship of the enemy at last was at hand. Nearer and nearer the great | hull loomed through the smoke. At last the mark was fair, but the next mo- | ment she had hauled down her colors. And so it was. Cut to pieces by shells |and her decks on fire the Vizcaya had struck her flag. Blindly groping she | found a ledge on which to rest her keel, and the Ericsson, intent on destruction |a moment beforg, came near to rescue. Many of the Vizcaya’s men were then |in the water. The flagship signaled to the Ericsson to drop back and pick them {up. Swimmers were helped on board, |and then Captain Evans of the Iowa signaled the Ericsson to range near the Vizcaya and rescue the survivors of the now fiercely burning wreck. In prompt obedience the Ericsson ran as close to the burning hulk as the heat would permit, and a horrible sight was there. On the port beam, off which the Ericsson lay, frightful wounds had been torn in the vessel's side, and through the gaping orifices the crew on the Ericsson could see the men of the Vizcaya’'s fireroom force being broiled by the fierce flames of the shell-pro- tected apartment. 1 have since been told that they had been battened down and had no means of egress. But that was not all the horror. Swinging from the boat falls were dozens of men who apparently could not swim and who had been driven to those scorching threads of life by the flerce heat of the burning ship. The Ericsson could approach no nearer for fear of being dashed to pieces against the wreck. Her men shouted to the wretched victims to jump, but they would not or could not be made to understand that efforts would be made NEW YORK, July 10.—The Wash- ington correspondent of the Herald tel- egraphs: Confident of the early fall of Santiago, the Navy Department is making arrangements which it is ex- pected will result in advancing the date of the Eastern squadron’s departure to Spain. Instead of proceeding to Mole St. Nicholas, the rendezvous originally selected, the colliers, which will be con- voyed by the auxiliary cruiser Yankee, will sail eastward from Hampton Roads and join the squadr.n at a fixed point. As the Herald stated this morn- ing, the colliers will sail next Thurs- day. The Massachusetts and Oregon, the battleships attached to the eastern squadron, will remain at Santiago un- til that city has been captured, when they will fill their magazines with 400 tons of ammunition and start for Spain with the cruiser Newark, which is the flagship, and the auxiliary cruisers Dixie and Yosemite. It is not expected by the War Board that Admiral Camara will seek out the American ships. His policy will prob- ably be to fight under the protection of the Spanish shore batteries, leaving the Canary Islands to defend themselves as best they can. As the task of Commodore Watson has been simplified by the return of Admiral Camara to Spain, it is ex- pected that he will take possession of one of the Canary Islands, where he will station his colliers and operate from it as a base. Such station will, of course, necessitate the destruection of the Spanish force in the Canary Islands, after which the American fleet will seek Admiral Camara and destroy the vessels under his command. The effect of the appearance of the fleet in Spanish waters will naturally interrupt commerce between Spain and other European powers, and the ad- ministration believes that it will re- sult in the bringing of such pressure to bear on the Madrid Government that it will be compelled to sue for peace. For this reason no preparations are HURRYING WATSON'’S SQUADRON Spanish Pris Its Appearance Expected to Cause Spain to Soon Sue for Peace. being made by the War Department to send troops to the Canarles or to Spain. FEAR THE ARRIVAL OF WATSON'S SHIPS Special cable to The Call and the New York erald. Copyrighted, 189, by James Gor- don Bennett. CADIZ, July 10.—The Government has wired orders to display the utmost activity, fearing the arrival of the | American squadron at am early date. | Guns and howitzers of 2¢ and 30 centi- | meters have been placed on Punta Car- | néro. Heavy artillery and a garrison |have gone to Paloma Rocks, between Carnero and Algeciras. Senor Oschando has stated that neither Carnero nor Ceuta are singly able to dominate the entrance to the stralts, their guns not being heavy enough, but if well for- | tified would prove a formidable bar- | rier to pass. | A special train of twenty-six cars | has arrived at Algeciras with forty- | eight quick-firing guns and ammuni- tion stores. Another train of the same jsort is coming to-night. The guns are | being distributed in the neighborhood. | PORT SAID, July 10.—Excepting the | Pelayo and San Augustin, the whole Spanish fleet has put to sea. Including | the canal pilotage and towage, the amount paid to the Suez Canal Com- | pany by the Spaniards now amounts to | £28,160 sterling. The Pelayo and San | Augustin are remaining here to trans- fer coal in the harbor. The Carlos V's | chief engineer died in the canal this morning, and was buried here this af- ternoon. GIBRALTAR, July 10.—Lloyd’s agent here has been officially instruct- ed to carefully watch for the passage of Camara’s fleet. Six thousand Span- | iards, resident at Algiers, declare they will resent the presence of Americans at Ceuta. The authorities fear a water famine. The stream at Camina Iis drying up, and supplies are insuffi- | clent for daily requirements. fast around their bodies and flung themselves into the sea did the Span- iards seem to understand. One by one they dropped off, and some were haul- ed on board the rescuing craft, but the majority were drowned. The engines of the Vizcaya had not been stopped, and for hours after she had struck were faithfully throbbing at their useless task. Her guns, too, had been left loaded, and one by one these boomed a requiem over the dying ship. In all the Ericsson picked up nearly 100 survivors, among them the Viz- caya’'s commander, Captain Eulate. All of the survivors were barefooted and scantially clad, and this added to the terror of this ghastly tragedy. The steel decks of the torpedo boats were uncomfortably hot and the barefooted Spaniards were compelled to execute a continual dance on the heated plates to prevent the soles of their feet from blistering. Many of them were frightful- ly wounded, and here the grim serious- ness of war comes in again. The padre of the Vizcaya was asked by Lieuten- ant Usher to lend a hand in helping the wounded, but he was unconcerned as to their sufferings, and turning a deaf ear he sat himself on a chest. That chest happened to be needed for a wounded man who was writhing on the heated deck, Lut the padre refused to surrender it. Usher motioned to his muscular young executive, Ensign immediately and with some loss of dig- nity. OQUENDO OFFICER TELLS OF THE BATTLE PORTSMOUTH, N. H., July 10.—The captain of Almirante Oquendo suiclded by shooting himself in the head when he saw that his vessel was defeated. One of his staff officers gave this ver- sion of the battle as seen from the Oquendo: “As we stood out of the harbor we were engaged by two ships—the Oregon and the Texas, I think they were. We had seen the Texas fire on our forts, and we knew what she could do with her guns. Her shooting was always magnificent and very rapid, so we fired more at her than we did at the Oregon, hoping to disable her.” The officer was told that the Oregon far outclassed the Texas as a fighting machine, and he seemed surprised to hear it. “We had always thought,” he said, “that the Texas and the Iowa were the best two ships in the Ameri- can navy. We knew, of course, that the Brooklyn was very fast; that is why we planned to concentrate an attack on her, hoping that if we crippled her we would be able to run away from the others.” COMMANDER M’CALLA WAS EAGER TO FIGHT PORTSMOUTH, N. H., July 10.— Guantanamo, the newly conquered har- bor, lying thirty-nine miles to the east- ward of Santiago, received the start- ling news that Cervera was trying to force his way out at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The bay was well populated with ships, its sheltered waters afford- ing a welcome haven for the weary keels so long in ceaseless motion with the bulky swells which forever roll off Santiago’s battered entrance. Among the vessels that had sought its quiet for various purposes of repair, for fuel and for rest were the battle-ship Mas- sachusetts, the cruiser Newark (flag- ship of Commodore Watson), the con. verted gunboats Suwanee and Hornet and the torpedo-boats Dupont, Porter and Foote. In addition there were the regular guardships of the port, the cruiser Marblehead and her little con- sort, the gunboat Annapolis, the hospi- tal ship Solace, repair ship Vulcan, two prizes and about a dozen colliers and transports. I had gone ashore and had just fin- to save them, and not until a number of the Ericsson’s men had made lines | ished reading a digest of General A. \V. Greely setting forth that thereafter Edie, and the padre vacated the chest | no press matter was to be delivered or received at the Guantanamo cable hut, nor any commercial or personal mes- sages be sent or received, when Colo- nel Allen of the Signal Service came dashing out of the tent where is lo- cated the wire connecting with Sibo- ney. The colonel wanted a boat, and wanted it quickly. I offered him the | use of mine and we set off heading for the Marblehead. “What's the matter,” I inquired. Allen sent an anxious glance seaward and urged the boatman to make haste. ‘“Might as well tell me,” I Insisted. “Your chief has barred me from giving away any news.” “Cervera and his fleet have escaped,” | Allen said, as he sprang for the sea ladder of the Marblehead. Allen disappeared in Commodore Mc- Calla’s cabin, and a moment later I | caught a glimpse of that officer as he rushed for the bridge. I did not hear the orders given, but as I jumped into my boat, accompanied by Colonel Allen, I heard the click of the steam capstan and saw a signal go fluttering to the masthead. At the same instant the im- patient crack of a six-pounder demand- ed attention to the signal. Five minutes later the Marblehead was going full tilt for the fleet, which was then rid- dled and awash, but which, so far as Commodore McCalla knew, was intact and at sea. Had it been and had the Marblehead encountered it, I have not the slightest doubt but that the intrepid cruiser would have fought them all and kept up the fight so long as anything above her 2 FALL OF SANTIAGO MAY END THE WAR Peace Spir‘it Grows in Spain, Though a Rabid Element Insists on Further Fighting. LONDON, July 10.—A special dispatch from Madrid says: The fall of Santiago will convince the most sanguine of the hopelessness of the struggle, and will give the Government the desired opportunity at least to suggest an armistice for thede- cision of terms. Circumstantial state- ments are already in circulation to the effect that the war is virtually ended and that the Government has actually opened peace negotiations, but they can- not be verified. A _detailed account has been published of Spain’s naval losses—twenty-one war- skips and twenty-one merchantmen, as against practically no losses on the Amer- ican side. This tends to convince the most rabid war advocate, and, as for a long time past, the whole commercial ana industrial interests of Spain are bringing strong influence to bear in favor of peace. Every day that passes without disturp- ance strengthens the peace party. It is believed, however, that there is a strong undercurrent in favor of continuing the war, and the attitude of the Carlists and Republicans causes anxiety. A mysterious, black-edged, unsigned manifesto appeared in the leading squares of Madrid to-day (Sunday) bearing the municipal stamp and headed *“‘Gloria Vic- tus,” with an angel supporting a dead, naked soldier. The manifesto contains an eloquent appeal from Spanish mothers, calling for the regeneration of the coun- try on the basis of the army, and cry- ing “Down with_bribed ?Olhlclnnl ana bought press.” Four million coples of this manifesta have been distributed through Spain, and it is attracting con- siderable attention. The whole of Admiral Camara’s squad- ron, with the exception of the Pelayo and the San Augustin, which are waiting at Port Said for a transfer of coal, is now en route for Spain. et Lk Camara’s Officers Deeply Affected. MESSINA, Sicily, July 10.—Last night the officers of the torpedo boat destroyers which _accompanied Admiral Camara to Port Said, arrived here on the return trip. They were greatly affected on learn- ing of the destruction of Admiral Cer- vera's fleet, declaring themselves ready to make every sacrifice and determined to fight to the last. Considered Cuba’s Defenses. . MADRID, July 10.—The Cabinet council to-day, the Ministers declare, did not touch the peace question. On the con- trary war was the principal object of the Government's deliberations. The council was occupied with a dispatch from Gov- ernor General Blanco detailing his means of defense in Cuba. DI OAR—In this city, July 10, Mrs. Mary M:Mnsw&mm CERVERA AND HIS MEN ARRIVE ON THE ST. LOUIS oners to Be Detained at the Portsmouth Naval Reservation. The Broken-Hearted Old: Admiral Will Be Per- mitted to Stop Newcastle. PORTSMOUTH, N. H., July 10.—The | auxiliary cruiser St. Louis with 746 | Spanish prisoners, including 54 officers, | arrived in Portsmouth harbor at 8:30 o’clock this morning, and a few min- utes later dropped anchor just above Fishing Island. The big liner left| Guantanamo at 6 o’clock Tuesday af- | ternoon, July 5, and did not make a | stop until she dropped anchor in Ports- mouth harbor. Including the prisoners | there were 1036 people on board the | boat, and out of this number there | were 91 sick and wounded Spaniards under the care of surgeons. Admiral Cervera is confined to his cabin, having been quite ill for the past three days, although he was able to be dressed this morning. Captain Eulate, who was the commander of the Viz- caya, and is among the prisoners, is also quite ill, having been wounded in the head during the battle off Santi- ago. At 9:15 this morning the tug A. W. Chesterton went alongside the St. Louis with Health Officer F. 8. Towle, who went on board. He made a thor- ough examination of the vessel, visited all of the sick, and found that most of the sickness was due to wounds re- ceived during the battle, or to expo- sure. He says there is no evidence of yellow fever or other contagious dis- | eases, and the people in the vicinity of | where the prisoners are to be connned‘ need feel no alarm about pestilence | breaking out. | All of the Spanish commisioned of- ficers have been on parole and had the freedom of the shin with one exception, and he was the Governor of Santiago de Cuba, who was trying to escape | from the city on Admiral Cervera's flagship, when she was destroyed on that memorable morning of July 4. He | refused to sign the parole papers, and consequently was confined in one of the cabins under guard. The remainder of the prisoners were confined between decks and closely guarded. A detach- ment of twenty-eight marines from the United States steamer Brooklyn, under | Lieutenant Bordan, and twenty-one marines from the United States steam- er Marblehead were put aboard the St. Louis when she left Guantanamo for the north, to guard the prisoners, but they had little or no trouble with the men. The prisoners, as well as the Spanish officers, are dressed In’ clothes of every description, as most of them had come aboard with very little clothing, and what they are wearing was given them by the officers and men from the Amer- ican fleet. 5 Admiral Cervera remained in his cabin during the trip. Health Officer | Towle visited him and was warmly greeted. He shook hands with the health officer, and in good English said he was situated very pleasantly on the | boat, and had received nothing but the kindest and most considerate treat- ment from both officers and men ever since he had been taken prisoner. He had not been feeling well for the past | ish nav. | knew the American fleet clearly out- | ,perform to his country, and all Span- three or four days, but expected to be all right in a short time. He presents | at a Hotel at the appearance of a broken-hearted man, and keenly feels the loss of his fleet, containing the pick of the Span- | The crew of the St. Louis have had | nothing whatever to do with the pris- oners since they came aboard, and have | been kept as far away from thém as possible. There are a number of Span- ish surgeons on board, who have taken | good care of the sick and wounded | prisoners. There are about forty of the latter, the remainder being ill from the effects of exposure and the rain | during the battle. No one is allowed on | board the prison ship and none of the | officers or crew are allowed on shore. At 11:50 the first officer from the St. Louis, Ensign Paine, arrived at the navy yard to officially notify Admiral Carpenter of the arrival of the vessel, and with messages for Captain Phil- | lips. Cadet Fremont of the St. Louis landed with a gig loaded with mail from the fleet, and it was sent in bags to the postoffice. Ensign Palmer came ashore with important official dis- patches for Washington, and left at | 2:25 this afternoon with a large grip, | which he would allow no one to han-i dle. Admiral Carpenter has effected (he‘ arrangements to land the prisoners at | their quarters on Seavey’s Island to- morrow afternoon, and at 2 o’clock the | tug Piscataqua will take three barges | loaded with prisoners to the island. | On the way up from Santiago a num- ber of the Spanish seamen said that they had had enough of fighting, at least with the Yankees. It is said that Admiral Sampson’s re- port to the Navy Department of the de- struction of Cervera's fleet is about 12,000 words. Ensign Palmer carried the document, which was in book form. It is understood that Admiral Cer- vera has accepted an invitation to stay at a hotel at Newcastle, about four miles from the navy yard. | Admiral Cervera came on deck late | this afternoon and consented to talk | with representatives of the press, who went out to the St. Louis on a tug. “You ask me,” he said, “how I like | America and I answer that I have al- | ways liked and, I may say, loved your | people, but this war has been a duty | with me and the men under me. X‘ classed us, but it was a question of | fighting either inside or outside the harbor. I have many friends in Amer- | ica and have only the kindliest feelings | for. them, but every man has a duty to {ards tried to perform that duty. There | has been much feeling in Spain, and I | want all Spain to know the truth, that | every ship of my squadron fought until | the last, and when we could do no more we surrendered. I have much interest to know the exact situation in Lpain. “Captain Goodrith has treated us all | as well as any one could possibly be treated. My officers have occupied quarters in the saloon and we cannot complain.” A telegram was taken out to Admiral Cervera at 10:30 to-night. Nothing is | known as to the sender or the purport of the dispatch. TORAL'S OFFER OF SURRENDER IS AT ONCE REFUSED Covyrighted, 188, by the Associated Press. ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BOAT WANDA, OFF JURA- GUA, July 9, via Port Antonio and Kingston, Jamaica, July 10.—The sur- render of Santiago was formally of- fered by the Spanish commander, Gen- eral Toral to-day, but the conditions attached caused a prompt refusal of the offer liy General Shafter. The ne- gotiations, however, resulted in the ex- tension of the armistice until noon Sunday, and while flags of truce still float over the opposing armies. General Toral's proposal contem- plated the immediate surrender of the city, but he insisted that his army be permitted to march away under arms and with flying colors, and declared that he would fight to the last ditch unless the conditions were accepted. General Shafter replied that nothing but unconditional surrender would be considered by him, but he consented to cable the Spanish offer to Washington, in the meantime extending the armis- tice. It was shortly before noon to-day when a little group of Spanish officers under a flag of truce came out from under the yellow wall of the besieged city and slowly made its way toward the American line. A detail was sent to meet them and they were escorted to comfortable quarters, while the letter from General Toral was carried to General Shafter’s tent, two miles from the front. The letter was couched in the icily courteous terms characteristic of such communications, and was as brief as possible. It bore the signature of General Toral, who commands at Santiago since General Linares was wounded, and stated that he was pre- pared to surrender the city provided his army would be permitted to capit- ulate “with honor.” This, he explained, meant that the Spanish should be un- molested and go in any direction they wished with arms and flying their col- ors. The letter concluded with the bold statement that surrender under any other terms was an impossibility and would not be considered. General Shafter immediately cabled the facts to Washington, and sent to General Toral a refusal of his proposal, but added that he would communicate with his Government and would ex- tend the informal armistice until Sun- day noon. It is deemed probable that the truce may extend even beyond the time des- ignated, as the offer of General Toral to surrender on any terms is regarded as an indication that the SBpanish com- mander has dealded upon surrender upon the best terms obtainable. The general condition of the health of the American troops is excellent, but the water supply is poor, and a number | of cases of malarial fever have devel- oped. No deaths have resulted, how- ever, and in nearly all instances the | fever has been broken by a liberal use of quinine. The hardships of the cam- | paign and tHe fears of possible attacks | of fever have rid the army in the field and on the coast of non-combatants, with the exception of a few newspaper correspondents who have been on the ground since the American warships appeared off Santiago, and who con- stitute the force able to report the progress of the war with the assistance of the dispatch boat service. The sec- ond fleet of transport arrived off Juragua this morning bearing 2500 troops, including a large detachment of artillery. If the peace negotiations fail the heavy guns will be a most valuable | addition to the artillery now in the | field, and it is expected that they will | be rushed forward to the front. The | new troops will be landed to-morrow, al’;g pushed forward as rapidly as pos- sible. The days of temporary peace are be- ing utilized by both armies in strength- ening their defenses. The Americans have strongly entrenched themselves, | and the artillery now at the front has been placed in a strong position be- | hind earthworks, and will be able to | cover the advance of the troops much | more effectively than during the pre- vious engagement. The wounded in the hospitals are being well cared for, and in almost every instance are recovering rapidly. — LOVES SPAIN MORE THAN HE DOES THE QUEEN General Campos Denies That He Ex- pressed Unconcern Over Cer- vera’s Defeat. MADRID, July 10.—Marshal Martinez Campos, in the course of an interview at San Sebastlan, said it was impossible that negotiations for peace should be entered upon by the Spanish and American Gov- ernments, for the reason that the time was not yet ripe. He had always advo- cated reforms for Cuba since 1869, but. not autonomy. He fully recognized that au- tonomy had not achieved the expected re- sults, partly in consequence of the island | war and partly because it had been grant- | gd too late. “In 18%," he said, “the late | Senor Canovas, when premier, had pro- posed to him to introduce autonomy, but he (Campos) declined to do so, consider- lng the time unfavorable.’” eneral Campos denied a remark attrib- uted to him that he was less concerned at the loss of Admiral Cervera’s squadron t.h‘g.n at the position of the Queen %{e ent. T bel & l;;edle'::‘l‘aree,l"that px::in ima: connected, but T am first of all a. Spaniard. M:?taf- ection for the Queen Regent is great, but my affection for my country is greater.” I IE SPANIARDS 0N HOBSON'S FEAT Cervera’s Admiration of Heroism. WISHED TO RETAIN THE MEN BUT HAD TO TURN THEM OVER TO LINARES. Spanish Officer Who Was Kind to the Brave Prisoners Afterward Killed by an American J Shell. Speclal Dispatsh to The Call. PORTSMOUTH, N. H, July 10—I heard on board the St. Louis the story of the sinking of the Merrimac first told from the Spanish side. The Mer- rimac’s presence had not been discov- ered until she was well in the channel. Then the machine guns on the shore batteries were turned upon her, but with what effect the Spaniards did not accurately ascertamn. Mines were laid in two strings across the harbor’s en- trance, and one mine from each string was exploded. About the same time two torpedoes were fired at the dark hull occupying the entrance, which, so far as the defenders knew, was the ad- vance guard of the fleet endeavoring to force a passage into the harbor. One .orpedo was sent from the Reina Mer- .edes, and the other from the torpedo ooat destroyer Pluton, but neither took effect. Then the Merrimac immolated herself on her own torpedoes, and Hob- son and his band flung themselves on a little raft and managed to struggle clear of the whirlpools which were all around the sinking wreck. The raft | was capsized and the oars and row- locks lost. The flood tide swept it into Santiago Bay, and a boat from the Maria Tere: picked it up. Cervera himself w. n the boat and told how his men had sighted the incoming craft and how he had wanted the honor of personally capturing the brave men who had risked their lives in an effort to_block his ships in the harbor. Hobson and his party were taken on board the Reina Mercedes and treated well. The second officer of the vessel gave Hobson his stateroom and fitted him with dry clothing from his own wardrobe. That officer was killed the next day by a shell fired from the American fleet. General Linares, as soon as he heard of the capture, demanded the surrender of the prisoners to his custody. Cer- vera hesitated, but was forced to com- ply. Hobson wrote a letter of protest to Cervera, which led to an interview between himself and the valiant old admiral. Cervera explained that it was his wish to keep Hobson as his own | prisoner, but he was obliged to sur- render him. Hobson thanked Cervera for many kindnesses shown him and was then led as a hostage to Linares. It may be remembered that the Her- | ald cabied an inquiry to Cervera as to the whereabouts and welfare of Hob- son. Before replying to it Cervera took it upon himself to pay a visit to Hob- son and personally inform himself as to how the young officer was faring in the hands of Linares. SPANISH SOLDIERS ARE SURRENDERING They Would Come Over by Whole Companies, if Certain of Kind Treatment. Special -cabl O N At CopyTiahted 1R by e Tk don Bennett. GENERAL SHAFTER'S HEAD- QUARTERS, BEFORE SANTIAGO, July 9, by the Call-Herald dispatch boat Somers N. Smith, to Kingston, Jamalca, July 10.—Since the first day of July the appearance of the hills about Santiago has been so altered that a native would not recognize them. When I first climbed them there was nothing in the high waving grass but dead Spaniards and panting American soldiers lyin= on their backs, too hot and tired to pursue the enemy further. Now this side of the hills is a succes- sion of bomb-proof rifle pits, trenches and redoubts, that look like the open- ings of many mines. They threaten every foot of ground between us and Santiago, and no army could live un- der the American fire three hours. Nineteen Spanish soldiers ran into our lines this morning and surrendered. They say that if their comrades were once certain of being safe in our lines they would desert in companies. Dur- ing the last three months their pay consisted of three packages of cigars ettes. RICHARD HARDING DAVIS. — PLACES FOR WOODLAND MEN, Twenty to Enlist in Nevada Volun- teer Companies. WOODLAND, July 10.—A telegram was received in this city to-day from Gove ernor Sadler of Nevada, offering free transportation to San Francisco for twen- ty men of the late Company F. to recruit the Nevada companies. Twenty men will leave at once and flve times as many are anxious to go. ADVERTISEMENTS. SR s L AR Skos LEADING CASH GROCERS. SPECIAL SALE FOR THE WEEK. HAMS— Eastern Sugar-cured Hams, per pound . .. 1le FLOUR— Patent Roller Family Flour, sack...$1.20 Corn and Gloss STARCH— 1-1b. package 8¢, 6-1b. BOX.c.ereesses. 400 BLEACHING SOAP— 39 large cakes 1 Take advantage of this sais; Rothing better produced. BUCKWHEAT FLOUR— Self-raising 2-1b. package.... anned Salmon Steal Columbia River pack, choice selected cuts, regular lic, 3 cans...... California Cream Cheese— New Full Cream, 2 pounds. . 25¢ Tourist and picnic supplies. Full line of cigars and tobacco. Telephone South, Send for Catalogue. We ship charge within 100 miles. 1324-1326 MARKET ST, AND 132 SIXTH STREET. the country free of