The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 6, 1898, Page 2

[&] THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 189S. VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENT SUBMITTED TO CONGRESS \SHINGTON, Dec. 5—Fol-| lowing is the | President Mea | to to-da 3 and House of Represen- the added burdens v the war, our people i by its Govern- the fir been maintair ndard. i section of A review > momentous is- | nding in one tion by | conse- t atten- ge very full the question | of the nd the Cu- v far the most ch we the mposing a rat the contestants, of one or t at I ween av f the orctble 11 due relation Spain able char eform ably com- weeks p omprehensiy e irious r coun se of Cuba, and so iversal sentiment of brought little sign vard the pacification t administrati to galn the nor to be able he I rgents, | ¥ unable | tive rebellion, | t objectionabla > Government ble reliet of un- the reft- that regard, ed by Spain it T practical nor more del exhausta of all that ha nd herded in uns d and destitute t made life | a stran strange t n themselves. | ember the mortality | an m had frightfully increase ervative estimates ,Spanish sources th samong authorit fe: by c r- this coun- dircetion of se 1 Con- individual ef- agencies of the i he the that had er ten > present ‘insurre No alternative sg of either combata practical rut t, how ave | nts ar distant | ture, | £ th of Feb- he destruction of the | Maine, while | Iying _in the | Destruction 1 SR na on a | of the national | Maine. and good will— | phe the sus- dence of | nse distin- | ha by not move them rat ought ailed an the resu t or nr waited of th et on e naval board of | xplosion at the origin of the explosior by a subms | mine, and oniy haited through lack of | sositive testimony to fix the res ibil- i or its authorship, DORIaY All those things carried conviction O he most though 1 il, even before the find- | ing of the naval court, that a crisls in our | irs \vnl’: Spain and toward Cuba was So strong was this belief that | 2d but a brief executiv suggestion ess to receive immediate answer to the duty of making instant provision for. the possible and ~perhaps ' speedil+ probable emergency of war. and (pheerjxl»le- markable, almost unique, ectacle wos presented of 2 unanimou vote of both ADV . iRTISEMENTS. Wild Roses Decorated on Semi-Porcelain, Sugar and Cream Sets, | Tea and Coffee Cups, Oat Beal and Oyster Bowls, Given away free with AMERICAN'S BesT TEAs, COFFEES, SPICES bieat AmericanImporly Tea Co, €63 Markot, o>. Powell 705 Larkin St. 0 Sixth St, 1419 Polk St, Jhir 1819 Devisadero St. a 2008 Fillmore St, Nintn St 321 Montgomery Av, ssionSt. 1190 Kentucky " St. 8 Sixicenth St. 3283 Misslon SE. ayes St, 52 Market St. OAKLAND STORES: 1055 Washingtonst. 181 San Pablo vi7 Brofidwng. 816 E Twelfth 1510 Seventh St. ALAMEDA—1385 Park St. SAN RAFAE!—8 St., near Fourth, We also sell CHiNa, CRrockERy, (FLASSWARE Cheap:st Price: in Amerioca 4 18 i @ 510 1 2 1 = i Ave, St. | quillity and well being. expedient of | . well have been n of the | & | of a stabie governmer Writs for Ostelogues, s on the 9th of March, appropriating 0,000 ““for the national defense and for h and every purpose connected there- . to be expended at the discretion of President.” act of prdvision came none too disclosed when the application fund was undertaken. Our forts ractically undefended. Our navy large provision for increased am- That thi soon of the were needes | munition and supplies and even numbers to cope with any sudden attack from the of Spain, which comprised modern s of the highest type of continental perfection. Our army also required en- largement of men and munitions. The de- f the hurried preparation for the ad contingency is told in the reports of the Secretaries of War and of the Navy, and need not be repeated here. It is sufficient to say that the outbreak of war, when it did come, found our na- tion not unprepared to Our Nation meet the conflict. Nor was the apprehension Not of coming strife con- fined to our own coun- Unprepared. (ry. It was felt by the Continental OWers, | which, on April 6, through their Embas- sadors and linv . addressed to the ex- ecutive an expression of hope that hu- manity and moderation might mark the course of this Government and people, and that further negotiations would lead to an attempt which, while securing the maintenance of peace, would affirm all necessary guarantees for the re-establish- ment of order in Cuba. In responding to that presentation I zlso shared the hope that the Envoys had expressed that peace might be preserved in a manner to ter- inate the chronic condition of disturb- ance In Cuba, so injurious and menacing to our interests and tranquiliity, as well as shocking to our sentiments of human- and while appreciating the humani- nication they had made on behal powers it stated the confidence of rument on its part, that equal on would be shown for its i unselfish endeavors to fulfill imanity by ending a situation the indefinite prolongation of which had become insufferable, Still animated by the hope of a peaceful solution and obeying the dictates of du no effort was relaxed to bring about speedy ending of the Cuban struggle. gotiations to this effect continued act Iy with the Government of Spain looking the immediate conclusion of a six hs’ armistice in Cuba with a view to the recognition of her ple's Besid centration was asked so that the suffer- ing people might return to thelr homes and, alded by united Amer- fcan and 'Spanish effort, might be put in a way to support themeslves, and by orderly resumption of the well nigh de- stroyed productive energies of the island, contribute to the restoration of its tran- Negotiations con- tinued for some little time at drid, re- | sulting In offers by the Spanish Govern- ment which could not but be regarded as inadequate. It was proposed to confide the prepara- tion of peace to the insular parllament, yet to be convened un: Spain’s r_autonomous decree 5 of November, 1847, but Chimerical without impairment in y the consti- Scheme. powers of the Government, 3 Id grant an armis’ tice if solicited by the insurgents, for such time as the general in chief might see fitto fix. How and with what scope of discre- t powers of the insular parliament ted to set about the ‘‘prepara- of peace dld not appear. If it was to ¥ chosen by that faction of the elect- in the districts under Spanish control and on the other with the insurgent popu- lation holding the interior country until repfesented in the so-called arliament and deflant at the suggestion of suing for peace. Grieved ?nd disappointed at tms barren outcome of my sincere endeavors to reach a practicable Solution I felt it my duty to Temit the whole question to the In the m AR {»ru 11, 1888, s last overture in tion of immediate peace {n Cuba appointing reception by Spain, of the executive was brought to an end. I again reviewed the alternative course of action which I had prepared, concluding that the only course co: nt with international nd compatible with our firmest historical traa.tions was intervention as a neutral and cl k the hopeless stop the war sacrifice of life, ved *hostile raint_upon both the partles to the as well as to enforce a truce so tve time for the eventual settle- even though that resort inv const: The grounds justifying that step were the interests of humani the duty to life and property of our cousins a: the right to protect our com- merce, and, most important, the need of ving at once and forever the con- menace and the burdens entailed i our government by the uncertainties and perils of the situation caused by the unendurable disturcance in Cuba. I said: “The long trial has proved that the ob- Ject for which Spain has waged the war protect cannot be attained. The fire of insurrec- tion may flame or may smolder with varying seasons, but it has not been and it is plain it cannot be extinguished by present methods. The only hope of relief and repo: from a eondition which can o longer be endured is the enforced pa- ation of Cuba. In the name of hu- ity, in the name of civilization, in be- of endangered American interests, half { which give us the right and duty to speak | and to act, the war {n Cuba must stop. In view of all unis, Congress was asked to authorize and empower the Pr lent to take meas- Appeal ures to secure a full and final termination of hos- to u:|]n~.; hn(wvrnr Spain Z and the people of Cuba, Congress. .ng {o secure in the is- the establishment capable of main- taining order and observing its interna- tional obligations, insuring peace and tranquillity and proper treatment of its citizens as well as our own, and for the accomplishment of those ends to authorize the use of the military and naval forces of the United States as might be neces- sary, with added authority to continue the generous relief to the starving people of Cuba. The response of Congress, _after nine days of earnest deliberation, durin which the almost unanimous sentiment o your body was developed on every point gave as to the expediency of coupling the prepared action with a formal recognition of the republic of Cuba as the true and lawful government of that island—a prop- osition which failed of adontion—Con- ress, after conference, on the 19th of pril, by a vote of 42 to 35 in_the Senate and 311 to 6 in the House of Representa- tives, passed the memorable joint resolu- tion, s 1 land ving: irst—That the r\eng!(‘ of the island of Cuba are, fllél] l:y right ought to be, free nd independent. k; St'cnnd-r:’l'h:u it is the dutyof the United States and the Government of the United States hereby demands that the Govern- ment of Spain at once relinquish its au- thority in the island of Cuba and with- draw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters. Third—That the President of the United States be_ and is hereby directed and empowered to use the entire land and naval forces of the United States, and the militia of the - several States, to such extent as may be neces- sary to carry these resolutions into effect. Fourth—That the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or con- trol over sald island, except for the pacifi- cation thereof, and asserts its determina- tion that when that Is accomplished to leave the government and control of the igland to its people. This resolution was approved by the Executive on April 2. A copy was at once communicated to Diplomatic the Spanish Minister at this capital, who forth- Relations wml]‘ announced that his continuance in Wash- Severed. ington had :herenyaf,’:. come impossible = ana asked for his passports, which we; him. He thersu on withdrew fmn:e\\gggfl ington, leaving the protection of Spanish interests in the United States to the French Embassador an the Austro- Hungarian Minister, Simultaneousl with its cemmunication to the Spanisl Minister General Woodford, the American Minister at Madrid. was telegraphed con- firmation of the text of the joint resolu- tion and directed to communicate it to the disinterested character of the | negotiation with the insurgents the | 1 to rest on the one side with | | 1 1 | | Cuba and withdraw its forces therefrom, | resolution” and glving Spain until noon of | Manila-Hongkong cable was | laration of war,” had ordered its Minister | ect approved April | from resort to privateering, { Government of Spain with the formal de- | and telegraphic Favors Early Construction of Nicaragua Canal and Inde- - pendence of Cuba. Many Other Important Issues of the Day Treated in a Broad and Statesmanlike Manner. mand that it at once relinquish its au-| thority and government in the island of coupling this demand with announce-| menp(s gt the intentions of this Govern- ment as to the future of the island, in :onformity with the fourth clause of the April 23 to reply. The demand, although, as above shown, officially madeé known to the Spanish en- voy here, was not delivered at Madrid. After the instructions reached General| Woodford, on the morning of April 21, but before he could present it, the Spanish Minister of State notified him that upon the Prestdent’s approval of the joint reso- lution the Madrid Government, regarding the act as “equivalent to an evident dec- | in Washington to withdraw, thereby | breaking off diplomatic relations between | the two countries and ceasing all official | communication- between their respecitve countries. | General Woodford thereupon demanded | his passports and quitted Madrid the same day. Spain, having thus denied the demand of the United States and initiated that | complete form of rup- War With ture of relations which attends a state of war, Spain the executive powers authorized by the reso- Declared. |ution were used by ma to meet the enlarged | contingency of actual war between Spain and the United States. On Aprii 22 I pro- claimed a blockade of the northern coast of Cuba, including ports on said coast be- tween Cardenas and Bahia Honda and the port of Cienfuegos on the south coast of Cuba; and on the 23d I called for volun- teers to execute the purpose of the reso- lution. By my message of April 25 Congress was | informed of the situation and I recom- | mended formal declaration of the exist- ence of a state of war between the United States and Spain. The Congress | accordingly voted on the same day the 1898, declaring the | existence of such r from and includ- | ing April 21, and enacted the approval of | the resolution of April 21, directing the | President to use all the armed force of the nation to carry that act into effact. | Due notification of the existence of war | as aforesaid was given April 2 by tele- graph to all the Governments with which | the United States maintained relations, in | order that their neutrality might be as- =ured during thé war.. The various Gov- ernmetits responded with proclamations of neutrality, each after Its own methods. It is among the most gratifying incidents of the struggle that the obligations of eutrality 'were impartially discharged by 11, often under delicate and difficult cir- cumstances. In further fulfiliment of international | duty I issued, April 26, a proclamation an- noun the treatment Eroposed to be | accorded to vessels and thelr cargoes as | | to blockade, contraband, the exercise of | the right of subjects and the immunity of | neutral flags and neutral goods under | enemy’s flag. A similar proclamation was made by the Spanish Government. In the conduct of hostilities the rules of the dec- | laration of Paris, Includlni‘ abstention | ave accord- ingly been observed by hoth belligerents, | although nefther was a party to that dec- | laration. | Our country, thus, after an interval of Lalf a century of peace with all nations, found itself engaged in Patriotism deadly conflict with a | i foreign enemy. Every | Fired the nerve was strained to | Nation. meet the emergency. | The response to the ini- J tial call for 125,000 volun- teers was instant and complete, as was | also the resuit of the second cali of May | 5 for 75,000 additional volunteers. The ranks of the regular army were increased | to the limits provided by the act of April 23. The enlisted force of the navy on August 15, when it reached its maximum, numbered 24.122 men and apprentices. One hundred and hree vessels were added to | the navy by purchase, one was presented to the Government, one leased and_the four vessels of the International Navi- | ion Company, the St. Paul, St. Louls, New York and Paris, were chartered. In ! addition to this the revenue cutters and lighthouse tenders were turned over to | the N Department and became tem- | porarily a part of the auxillary navy. | The maximum effective fighting force | of the navy during the war, separated In- | to_classes, was as follows: 1 Four hnttle-ships of the first class, one battle-ship of the second class, two ar- | mored cruisers, six- coast defense moni- | tors, one armored ram, twelye protect- | ed cruisers, three unprotected cruisers, | elghteen gunboats, one dynamite cruiser, eleven torpedo boats, fourteen old vessels | of the old navv. including monitors, 1 Auxiliary navy — Auxiliary cruisers: Twenty-eight converted yachts, twenty- seven converted tugs, nineteen converted { colliers, four revenue cutters, four light- house tenders and nineteen miscellaneous vessels. Much alarm was felt along the entire Atlantic seaboard lest an attack might be made by the enemy. Protected 'E\i‘erytprecnutl%n wals aken to preven SSi- the Atlantic hl]ei 1nj\l1r to our pg’.;'e'a:t cities " lying along the | Seaboard. coast, Temporary gar- risons were provided, | drawn from the State militia; infantryand | light batteries were drawn from theé vol- | unteer force. About12,000 troops were thus emploved. The coast signal service was | established for observing the approach of an enemy’s ships to the coast of the Uni- | ted States and the lighthouse service co- | operated, which enabled the Navy De- | partment to have all portions of the At- | {nnllc coast from Maine to Texas under | observation. { The auxillary navy was created underl‘ the authority of Congress, and was offl- | cered and manned by the naval militia of | the several States. his organization pa- | trolled the coast and performed the duty | of a second arm of defense. | Under the direction of the chief enq‘l-i neer submarine mines were placed at the | most exposed points. Before the way | permanent mining casemates and cab?’ galleries had been constructed at all im- | portant harbors. Most of the torpedo material was not to be found in the mar- ket and had to be speclally manufac- tured. Under date of April 19 district offi- cers were directed to take all g)reumlnnry measures, short of actual attaching of | the loaded mines to the cable, and on April 22 telegraphic orders were issued to place the loaded mines in position. The aggregate number of mines placed | was 135? at the principal harbors from | Maine to California. Preparations were also made for the planting of mines at certain other harbors, but owing to the early destruction of the Spanish fleet th"e‘;‘e m‘lnul were not placed. u | e signal corps was promptly organ- | ized nmf performed_service 6f the most difficult and important Magnificent character. Its opera- a1 u tions during the pwnr Work of cuvore‘.{‘ i the‘ elfictflcal connection of all coast Bignal Corps. fortifcations, the estan- lishment of telephonic facllities for the camps | | Santiago. at Manila, Santiago and in Porto Rico. There were constructed 200 at ten great camps, thus facilitating mili- tary movements from those points in a manner heretofore unknown in milita: administration. Field t \vfe established and maint thE enemy’s fire at Manila a: reopened. In Parto Rico cable commus it opened over a discontinued route, and on land the headquartets of the command- mf officer. was kept in telegraphle and telephonie communication with the divi- slon commanders on four different lines of operations. here was completely CotnBI outfitted cable ship with war and cable gear suitable both for the destruction of communications be- Hobson’s Deed Lieutenant longing to the enemy ment of our own. Tw destroyed under t and the establish- ha enemy’s batteries at : 2 The day: previous to the land- ng of General Shafter's corps at Caima- n]('rfl, within twenty miles of the landing- Pdflce. cable communication was establish- ed and a cable station opened giving di- rect communication with the (tovernment at Washington. This service was invalu- able to the executive in directing the oper- ations of the army and navy. With a total force of over 1300, the loss was by disease T ML in camp and fleld, off men included, only five. The natlonal defense. under th fund, was expended in large the army and navy War Rovenus the objects it was used are fully Promptly chown in reports of the Contributed, Séveral secretaries. It Wwas a most timely ap- 5 propriation, enabling the Government to strengthenits defenses and make preparations greatly needed In case of war. This fund being inadequate to the requirements of equipment and for the conduct of the war, the patriotism of Congress provided the mean: in the war revenue act of June 13, by authoriz- ing a popular loan not to exceed $400,000,000 and by levying additional imports and taxes. Of the authorized loan $200,000,000 were offered and promptly taken, the sub- scriptions so far exceeding the call as to cover it many times over, while, prefer- ence being given to the smaller bids, no single allotment exceeded $5000 'his was a most encouraging and significant result, showing the vast resources of the nation ana the determination of the people to up- hold their country’s honor. * It is not within the province of this message to narrate the history of the ex- traordinary war which followed the Spanish declaration of April brief recital of its more salient features is appropriate. The first encounter of the war, in point of date, took place April 27, when a detachment of the blockading squadron made a reconnoissance in force at Matanzas, shelled the harbor forts and demolishéd several new works in con- struction. The next engagement was destined to mark a memorable epoch in maritime warfare. The Pacific Dewey’s fleet, under Commodore George Dewey, had lain Memorable Lnr som{:\\'ecks at Hong- ong. Upon the colon- Vietory. {a] proclamation of neu- trality being issued and the customary twenty-four hours' notice bein, iven, it repaired to Mirs Bay, near HongKong, whence i- proceeded to the Philippina’ Islands under telegraphic orders to capture or destroy the formidable Spanish fleet then as- sembled = at Manila. At daybreak on the 1st of May, the American force entered Manila Bay and after a few hours’ engagement effected the total de- struction of the Spanish fleet, consisting of ten warships and a transport; besides capturing the naval station and the forts at Cavite, thus annihilating the Spanish naval power in the Pacific Ocean and completely controlling the bay of Manila, with the ability to take the city at will. Not a life was lost on our ships, the wounded only numbering seven, while not 8 vessel was materially injured. For this gallant achievement Congress, upon my recommendation, fitly bestowed upon | the actors preferment and substantial re- | ward, The effect of this remarkable victory upon the spirit of our people and upon the fortunes of war was instant. A prestige of invincibility thereby attached. to our arms. which continued throughout the struggle. Reinforcements were _hurried to Manila, upder the command of Major General Merritt, and firmly established within sight of the capital, which lay helpless before our guns. On the Tth da of May the Government was advised o ficially of the victory at Manila, and at once inquired of the commander of our fleet what troops were required. The in- formation was received on the 15th day of May, and the first army expedition satled v 25 and arrived at Manila June 80. Other expeditions soon followed, the total force consisting of 641 officers’ and 15,068 men. Only reluctance to cause needless loss of life and property prevented the early storming and capture of Planned to the city, and therewith the absolute military Play a occupanc; " nf!the whole group. he Insurgen Lone Hand. icanwhile. had® re: sumed the active hos- tilities _suspended by the uncompleted truce of December, 1897. Their forces in- vested Manpila from the northern anq eastern side, but were constrained by Admiral Dewey and General Merritt from attempting an assault. It was fitting that whatever was to be done in the way of decistve operations In that quarter should be accomphskhed by the strong arm of the United States alone. Obeying the stern precept of war, which enjoins the over- coming of the adversary and the extine- tion of his power wherever assailable as the speedy and sure means to win g peace, divided victory was not permis- sible, for no partition of thé rights and responsibilities attending the enforcement of a just and advantageous peace could be thought of. Folluwln% the comprehensive scheme of general atlack. powerful forces were as- sembled at various points on our coast to invade Cuba and Porto Rico. Meanwhile, naval demonstrations were made at sey. eral exposed points. On May 11 the cruiser Wilmington and the torpedo-boat Wins- low were unsuccessful in an attempt to silence the batteries at Cardenas, Worth Bagley and four seamen falling. These grievous fatalities were, strangely enough, among the very few which occurred dur- ing our naval operations in this extraor- TR ST spnan canwhile the Spanish naval pre, - tions had been pushed with gre:fi \?lm(l)‘r. A powerful squadron under Admiral Cer- vera, which had assembled at the Cape Verde Islands before the outbreak of hos. tilities, had crossed the ocean, and by {ts erratic movements in the Caribbean Bea delayed our military operations Wwhile baflling the pursuit of our fleets. For g time fears were felt lest the Oregon and Marietta, then nearing home after thelr lon; vo"nge from San Francisco of over 15,000 miles, might be surprised by ‘Admiral Cervera’s fleet, but their fortunate arrival dispelled the apprehensions and lent much needed reinforcements. Not vntil Admiral Cervera took refuge in the harbor of San- Two ocean cables were | 21, but a| i nication was | Schiey’'s squadron bombarded ) | | | » $50,000,- | for ‘which | tlago de Cuba, about May 9, was it prac- miles of line ' ticable to plan a systematic military at- tacl§ upon the Antillean possessions of ain. 2 everal demonstrations occurred on the elegraphic lines | coast of Cuba and Porto Rico in perpara- ained under | tion for the larger event. nd later the North Atlantic squadron shelled San Juan On May 13 the On May 20 Commodore the forts uarding the mouth of Santiago harbor. Neither attack had an{ material result. It was evident that well ordered land op- erations were indispensable to achieve a decided advantage. The next act in the war thrilled not de Porto Rico. placed in Cuban waters a | alone the hearts of our countrymen but the world by its exceptional heroism. On the night of June 3 Hobson, backed by seven volun- Thrilled teers, mloclke;d meSar:aJ- t! rom nti- the World. 30 Rarbor by sinking the collier Merrimac in the channel under a severe fire from the shore batteries, escaping with their lives as by a miracle, but falling into the hands of the Spaniards. It is a most grat- ifying incident of the war that the bra- very of this little band of heroes was cor- dfaily appreciated by the Spaniards, who sent a flag of truce to notify Admiral Sampson of their safety and to compli- ment them upon their daring act. They were subsequently exchanged July 7. By June 7 the cutting of the last Cuban cable Isolated the Island. Thercafter the invasion was vigorously prosecuted. On June 10, under a_heavy protecting fire, a landing force of 600 marines from the Ore- gon, Marblehead and Yankece was effect- ed on Guantanamo Bay, where it had been determined to establish a naval station. This important and essential port was taken from the enemy after severe fight- ing by the marines, who were the first or- ganized force of the United States to land in_Cuba. : The position so won was held despite the desperate attempts to -dislodge our forces. By June 16 additional forces were landed and strongly intrenched, On June 22 the advance of the invading army under Major General Shafter landed at Batquirl, about 15 miles east of Santia; 0. | This was accomplished under great dlfin- | this astoun cuittes, but with marvelous dispatch. On June_ 28 the movement against Santiago was begun. On the 24th the first serious engagement took ‘place, in which the First and Tenth Cavalry and the First Volunteer Cavalry, General Young's brigade of General Wheeler's_division, articipated, losing heavily. By night- all, however, ground within five miles of Santiago was won. The advantage was steadily increased. On July 1 a severe battle took placu;é our forces gainl the outer works of Santiago, and El! Caney and San Juan were taken after a desper- ate charge, and the investment of the city Was completed. The navy co-operated by shelling the town and the coast forts. On the day following this brilliant achievement of our land forces, July 3, occurred !\:‘le derclstl‘\;o .naval combat o e Doclelye v Thaibpanish est, Naval Combat attempting to leave the harbor, was met by the of the War. American squadron un- der command of Com- modore Sampson. In less than three hours all the Spanish forts were destroy- ed, the two torpedo boats sunk and the Maria Teresa, Almirante Oquendo, Viz- caya and Cristobal Colon driven ashore. The Spanish admiral and over 1300 men were taken prisoners, while the enemy’s loss of life was deplorably large, some six hundred perishing. On our side but one man was killed and one man seriously wounded. Although our ships were re- reatedly struck, not one was seriously [hjured. Where all so conspicuously dis- tinguished themselves, from the com- manders to the gunners, and the unnamed heroes in the boiler rooms, each and all contributing toward the achievement of glng victory, for which neither ancient nor modern history affords a par- allel in the completeness of the event, and the marvelous disproportion of casualties, it would be invidious to single out any for special honor. Deserved promotion has re rded the more conspicuous act- ors—the nation’s profoundest gratitude fs due to all of those brave men who, by their skill and devotion in a few short hours crushed the sea power of Spain and wrought a trlumph whose decisiveness and far-reaching effects can scarcely be measured. Nor ‘can we be unmindful of the achievements of our bullders, mechan- fes and artisans for their skill in the con- struction of our warships. With the catastrophe of Santiago Spaln’s effort upon the ocean virtually ceased. A spasmodic effort toward the end of June to send her Mediterranean fleet un- der Admiral Camara to relieve Manila was abandoned, the expedition being re- called_after it had f)assed through the Suez Canal. The caplitulation of Santiago followed. The city was closely besleged by land, while the entrance of our ships into the harbor cut off all relief on that side. After a truce to allow of the re- moval of the non-combatants protracted negotiations continued from July 3 until July 15, when under menace of immediate assault, th% preliminaries of surrender were agreed upon. O the 17th General Shatter occupled the city. The capltulation embraced the en- i tire eastern end of Cayitulation Cuba. The number of X Spanish soldiers surren- of dired was 22{:00 all of whom were subsequentl; Santiago. conveyed to Spain n’t' the charge of the United States. The story of this successful cam- paign is told in the report of the Secre- tary of War, which will be laid -before you. The individual valor of officers and soldiers was never more strikingly shown than in the several engagements jeading to the surrender of Santiago, while the prompt movements and successive vic- tories won Instant and universal applause. To those who gained thiscomplete triumph which established the ascendancy of the United States on land, as the fight off Santiago had fixed our supremacy on the seas, the earnest and lasting gratitude of the nation is unsparingly due. Nor should we alone remember the gallantry of the living; the dead claim our tears, and our losses by battle and disease must cloud any exultation with the result and teach us’to welsh the awful cost of war, how- ever rightful the cause. or signal the vic- tory. ‘With the fall of Banflsfio the occupation of Porto Rico became the next strategic necessity, General Miles had previously been assigned to organize an expedition for that purpose. Fortunately, he was al- rend{ at Santiago, where he had arrived on the 1ith of July with reinforcements for General Shafter's army. ‘With these troops, consisting of 3415 in- fantry and artlllery, two companies of engineers and one company of the signal corps, General Miles left Guantanamo on July 21, having nine tmmfiona convoyed by the fleet under Captain !ggnson, with the Massachusetts (i u¥hln), cester, Columbia and_ Yale, the two lat- ter carryin, trou‘w. ‘The expedition land- ed at Guanica July 2, which port was en- tered with little opposition. I?eora tha,fleet and ixie, Glou- was jolned by the Annapol While the Puritan and Amphitrite went to San Juan and joined the New Orleans, | which was engaged in blockading that port. The major general commanding was subsequently reinforced by General Schwan's brigade of the Third Army | Corps, by General Wilson with a part of his division and by General Brooke with a part of his corps, numbering in all 16 the war. On the 26th of July M. Cambon resented a communication signed by the ke of Almodovar, the Spanish Minister of State, inviting the United States to state the terms upon which it would bo willing to make peace. On July 30, by a communication addressed to the Duke of Almodovar and handed by M..Gambon, the terms of this Government were an- 973 officers and men. uly 97 he enter- | nounced, - substantially in the protocol ed Ponce, one of the n?onst-'mfporlunt ports | afterward signed. On August 10 the in the Island. from which he thereafter ai- | Spanish reply, dated August 7, was hand- rected operations for the capture of the |l by M. Cambon to the Secretary of island. State. It accepted unconditionally _the With the exception of encounters with | terms imposed as to Cuba, Porto Rico n island of the Ladrone group, but red to seek to introduce inad- ible reservations in regard to our de- nd as to the Philippines. Conceiving the enemy at Guayamo, Hermiguerez, | :“‘" a Coamo and Yauco, and an attack on a ;r';rcseer\‘zr:lded a‘t tCahe S:’\’g Juan, th]vre was | 7 5 resis z as | A - . Prosecuted with preat vigor mpalfn WaS | that discussion on this point could neither 12th of August much of the island |be practicable nor profitablel directed that was in our possession and the acqui- | in order to avoid misunderstanding the sition of the remainder was only a matter | matter should be for...with closed by pr of a short time. At most of the points in | posing the embodiment in a formal pro- the island our troops were enthusiasti- | tocol of the terms in which the negoti cally welcomed. Protestations of loyalty | tions for peace were to be under to the flag and gratitude for delivery from | The vague and inexplicit suggestl Spanish rule met our commanders at ey- | the Spanish note could not be acc ery stage. As a potent Influence toward | the only reply being to present as a vi peace the outcome of the Porto Rican ex- | tual ultimatum a draft of the protocol, pedition was of great consequence, and | embodying the precise terms rfinric\n-d1 generous commendations are due to those | Spain in our note of July 30, with added who participated in it. | stipulations of detail as to the appoint- | | The last scene of the war was enacted | ment of commissioners to arrange for the at Manila, ¥ t | evacuation of the Spanish Antilles. On 1 s e On isBust | Aligust 12 M. Cambon announced his ros on the works | ceipt of full powers to sign the protocol as Boste g?‘“lttheu‘:nnd forces. in | as submitted. Accordingly, on the after- of War which the squadron as- | noon of August 12 M. Cambon. as the t . sisted, the capital sur- | plenipotentiary of Spain, and the Secre- at Manila.® Tohdefed conditionally. | tary of State, as the plenipotentiary of The_ casualties were | the United States, signed the protocol, comparatively few. By this conquest of | providing: < 5 3 4 the Phillppine Islands, virtually accom- “Article 1—Spain will relinquish all plished when the Spanish capacl claim of sovereignty over and title to Cuba. B ‘‘Article 3—Spain will cede to the United States the island of Porto Rico and other iglands now under Spanish sovereignty in ty for | resistance was destroyed by Admiral Dewey, his victory of the 1st 0. May was formally sealed. To General Merritt, his officers and men, for the uncomplaining | and devoted services, for their gallantry | the West Indies, and also an is| n'!" tha in action, the nation is slncereF_\' rate- Ladrones to be selected by the Unitefl ful. The long voyage was made with sin- | States. “Article 3—The United States will o cupy and hold the city, bay and harbor of Manila pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace which shall determine gular success, and the soldlerly conduct | of the men, of whom many were without previous experience in the military ser- vice, deserves unmeasured praise. The total casualties in killed ,and wounded in the army during the war was as follows: Officers killed, 23; enlisted men killed, 257; total, 280; officers wound- ed, 113; enlisted men wounded,1484; total, 1577, 'Ot the navy, killed 17, wounded @7: dled as result of wounds, 1; invallded from service, 6; total, 91. It will be observed that while our navy was engaged in two great battles and in numerous, perilous undertakings in the | blockades and hombardments, and more than 50,000 of our troops were transported | to distant lands and engaged in assault and siege and battle and many skirm- ishes in unfamiliar territory, we lost in both arms of the service a total of 1668 killed and wounded, and in the entire campaign by land and sea we did not lose a gun, or a flag, or a transport, or a ship, and with the exception of the crew of the Merrimac not a soldier or sailor was tak- en_prisoner. On August 7, forty-six days from the date of landing of General Shafter's army in Cuba and twenty-one days from the surrender of Santiago, the United States troops commenced embarkation for home, and our entire force was returned to the control, disposition and government of the Philippines.” The Fourth article provided for the ap- on the pointment of joint commissions part of the United States and meet in Havana and San Juan ively, for the purpose of arran carrying out the detalls of the s evacuation of Cuba, Porto Rico and other Spanish Islands in the West Indies. The fifth article provided for the ap- pointment of not more than five com- missioners on each side, to meet at Parfs not later than October 1, and to proceed to the negotiations and conclusions of a | treaty of peace, subject to ratification according to the respective constitutional forms of the two countries. The sixth and last article provided that upon the signature of the protocol hos- tilities between the two countries should be suspended and that notice to that ef- fect should be given as soon as possible by each Government to the commanders of its military and naval forces. Immediately upon the conclusion of the protocol I issued a proclamation of Au- gust 12, suspending hos- United States as early as August 24. They | Suspension tilitles on the part of were absent from the United States only the United States. The two months. of All necessary u{ders to :hu[ 1t is fitting that T should bear testimony 5 end were at once given to the patriotism and devotlon of that| HoStilities. by ‘telegraph. " The large portion of our | blockade of the ports of Xarned the army which, although |Cuba and San Juan de Porto Rico was in eager to be ordered to |like manner raised. On August 18 the Gratitude the post of greater ex- | muster out of 100,000 volunteers, or as ne:r posure, fortunately was not required outside of the United States. They did their whole duty and, like their com- rades at the front, have earned the grat- ftude of the nation. In llke manner the officers and men of the army and of the navy who remained in their departments and stations of the navy performing the mosg important duties connected with the war and whose requests for assignment in the fleld and at sea it was compelled | to refuse because their services were i | that number as was found fo be prac- ticable, was ordered. On December 1 101,655 officers and men had been mustered out and discharged from the service. Nine thousand and two more will be mustered out by the 10th of the month. Also a corresponding number of generals and general staff officers have been honorably discharged from the service. The military committees to superintend the evacuation of (;’Tuba. Pofrtom llzi% and T ap- dispensable here are entitied to the high- | contanr ot \Sands were forthwith ap est commendation. It i8 my regret that| por Cuba—Major General James F. there seems to be no provision for their | wade, Rear Admiral William T. Sampson, s able recognition. 3 v C. Butler. In this connection it is a pleasure mr-“1.’1{,‘}'g:;:fi"fi@mmfirccemfiu John G me to mention in terms of cordial appro- | Brooke, Rear Admiral Winfield S. Schl bation the timely and useful work of the | Brigadier General W. Gordon, Who So American National Red Cross, both in re- aftorward met the Spanish commissione easures aratory to the - : vely. of the camps of assemblage and later, un- speedily accomplished its task, and by Oc- of the Nation. der the able and experienced lead v o : iober 18 the evacuation of the island was R PR T the so- | completed. The United States flag was raised over the island at noon that day. The administration of its affairs has been provisionally intrusted to a Military Governor until Congress shall other- wise provide. The Cuban Joint High Com- mission has not yet terminated its labors, Owing to the difficulties in the way of re- moving the large numbers of Spanish troops still in Cuba the evacuation cannot be completed before the 1st of January next. Pursuant to the fifth article of the pro- tocol, 1 appointed William R. Day, lately Secretary of State; Cushman K. Davis, William Frye and George Gray, Senators of the United States, and Whitelaw Reid to be the peace commissioners on the part of the United States. Proceeding in due season to Paris. théy there met on the 1st of October five commissioners similarly appointed on the part of Spain. The negotiations have made hopeful prog- ress, so that I trust soon to be able to lay a definite treaty of peace before the Senate, with a review of the steps leading to_its signature. 1 do not discuss at this time the gov- ernment or the future of the new po: sessions which will fields of battle and in the hospitals at the front in Cuba. Working in conjunction with the‘Government authorities and un- der their sanction and approval and with the enthusiastic co-operation of many patriotic women and societies in the vari ous States, the Red Cross has fully mai tained its already high reputation for in- tense earnestness and ability to exercise | the noble purposes of its organization, thus justifying the confidence and sup- port which it has received at the hands of the American people. To the members and officers of this society and all who aided them in their philanthropic work the sincere and lasting gr:lulurre of the soldiers and the public is due and is free- ly accorded. In tracing these events we are constantly reminded of our obliga- tions to the Divine Master for his watch- ful care over us and his safe guidance, for which the nation makes revevent ac- knowledgment and offers humble prayer for the continuance of his favor. The annihilation of Admiral Cervera’s fleet, followed by :ihe capi}:ulufinn of San- ago, had brought to spain Makes the 'Spanish overn- ment a realizing sense Overtures of :lha lhopelessness of Governmeut v'r'rm}c1 to us as the ;"Siflt continuing a struggle : of the war with Spain. for Peace. oy becoming whetly of New Such a diccussion wili unequal. It made over- e appropriate after the tures of peace through the French Em.| FO0SSeSSioNS. t{r.aiy of peace shall ba bassador, who, with the assent of his ratified. In the mean. Government, had acted as the friendly | time, and until Congress has legislated representative of Spain’s interests during i otherwise, it will be my duty to continue ADVERTISEMENTS. LAUGHED AT. A merchant was told recently that he would be laughed at if he did not advertise Hollday Goods in the papers. His answer was: Everybody knows I have the biggest stock of such goods in town, what is the use paying to tell about it in the newspapers? The world needs more to be reminded than to be taught. It is a well-known fact that we carry the best and cheapest and most desirable stock of Christmas things to be found any where, and we are so proud of the fact we like to talk about it—and about other bargains we have to sell. TOYS FOR SCHOOLS. . 5¢ up | COFFEE. We have supplied ourselves this vear with a | Green, per Ib. great variety of child's books, toys and play- | Roast, per b, things to make little children happy—by the | Ackerman's Coffe dozen or hundred you get lowest wholesale price for trade purposes or for entertain- | TEA., 5 1bs §0c English Breakfast Tes ments. Ask for list, 5 1bs 60c English Breakfast Tea. BOOKS, BOUND........15¢c| CRACKERS. 10, 12%, 16, 20, 25, 380 .11, 12%,716,18," 20, 250 Extract .. wee B0 8§ Soda Crackers % * e sell you the same bound book at 15c| Shecial Sodn Crackers: ioa - that you pay 2c for at credit stores—and a | Special Exira Soda Crackers: 7Se gllt top 12mo at 2c listed at 75c. Toy books | Tourist Butter, finest eracker 100 from 5c up. Oyster Gem, per Ib ...... » IRON WAGONS.........$2| Bpoxers Easie. per 1. %o S it i s 0| MAGARGNI, we know how to Y. e have smaller ones at $1 up. A new involce arrived yesterday. | A DOX Of domestic for .. e TUB GOODS. 10-gallon keg Saurkraut Chow Chow, gallon tub; Tomato Catsup, 5-gallon LADIES’ WRAPPERS. ...$1 Tine tennis goods, neatly and prettily made, | French Mustard, 4 ga) F all ‘sizes to 4z, mostly dark shades, other | Tomato Catsup. Busiery me i wrappers 7ic to 86, OLD-TIME STAPLES. CHEESE. Tomato Catsup, made by Snider. SMITHS CASH STORE w 25-27 Market St., S.F, Martin’s young, mild, rich, Ib..ciiieeaens 150 TABLE OIL. American, quart Lucca, bottle. 15c French, quart Lucea, bottle e MUSTARD. In fancy decorated dishes, excellent quality of both.....