The War Between Spain and the United States, Part III, Chapters VII-X [pp. 155-173]

OVERLAND MONTHLY
waters. On the following day, however,
the Navy Department announced a plan
that had been in contemplation, to send a
squadron to Spain. The Newark was detailed as flagship, with the battleships Iowa
and Oregon, the cruisers Yosemite, Yankee,
and Dixie, and three colliers, the whole to
be under the command of Commodore Watson. It was announced that the start would
be made at once from off Santiago, and the
Newark was dispatched to that point. But
many delays occurred, and the date of sailing was several times postponed.
The Spanish ministry professed to welcome the coming of an American squadron
to their coast, and announced that it would
make no change in Admiral Camara's orders.
The Spanish admiral remained for several
days at Port Said, not having money enough
to pay the canal tolls estimated at above
$80,000. The canal company at last accepted bills on Paris, and the squadron
sailed through the canal on the 5th of July,
The torpedo boat destroyers were sent back
to Spain, as too delicate for the trip. After
spending a day at Suez, Camara sailed back
through the canal on the 7th, and headed
his ships for Spain. The full account of
the destruction of Admiral Cervera's squadron had changed the plans of the Spanish
ministry, if they had ever had any plan
besides that of encouraging the Spanish
people to believe that they were making
vigorous efforts to wage war.
The original blockade of the Spanish
West Indies included only the ports on the
north coast of Cuba from Cardenas to Bahia
Honda, and Cienfuegos on the south. Santiago was added without proclamation when
Admiral Cervera's squadron took refuge in
that harbor. On the 28th of June President McKinley issued a proclamation announcing that the United States would,
"Maintain an effective blockade of all the
ports on the south coast of Cuba, from
Cape Frances to Cape Cruz inclusive, and
also of the port of San Juan in the island
of Porto Rico." This proclamation increased
the extent of the blockade fourfold.
The blockade of San Juan had already
been begun by Captain Sigsbee in the auxiliary cruiser St. Paul, who had a few days
before cruised off the harbor and turned
back a British ship loaded with supplies.
While on this duty the torpedo-boat destroyer Terror acccompanied by a Spanish
gunboat issued from San Juan harbor and
made an attack on the St. Paul. The Terror
was one of Admiral Cervera's squadron, but
was left behind at Martinique because of
trouble with her machinery. When the
vessel was repaired Santiago was already
blockaded, and a run was made for San
Juan. The destroyer again broke down at
this port and was under repair for several
weeks. The attack on the St. Paul was
made on the afternoon of the 22d, and
after some maneuvering and long-range
firing the destroyer dashed forward to get
within torpedo distance. Three shots from
the five-inch guns of the St. Paul struck
the Terror, one going through the engineroom and disabling a part of the machinery. The Terror dropped back under cover
of the fortifications, and was kept afloat
with difficulty while she was being towed
into the harbor.
The destruction of Admiral Cervera's
ships, the defeat of Linares, and Shafter's
investment of Santiago, brought a plentiful crop of peace rumors. The Spanish
ministry were evidently desirous of ending
the war, but stood in too much awe of the
army, the Carlists, and the Republicans, to
take the initiative in getting terms. With
no plan of conducting the war they had no
plan of ending it. Suggestions were put
forth that Spain would allow the independence of Cuba, provided Cuba assumed its
share of the Cuban debt; grant the United
States a moderate indemnity to be fixed by
the powers of Europe; and make administrative reforms in the Philippines with commercial advantages to the United States.
The terms of the United States were semiofficially announced as the unconditional
independence of Cuba, the cession of Porto
Rico to the United States, and an indemnity
of $240,000,000, the Philippines to be
occupied and administered by the United
States until the indemnity was paid. The
Spanish ministry declared that it would
never consent to these terms. Dissensions
arose in the Cabinet, however, and on the
11th of July Sagasta placed the resignations of all its members in the hands of
the Queen Regent. A military Cabinet,
with General Campos or General Polavieja
at its head, was discussed, but the administration was temporarily left in the hands
of Sagasta.
After the close of the battle of Santiago
172