Spanish minister De Lome, which in translation seemed to speak slightingly of the President and the American government; and De Lome was obliged to resign his post. Demonstrations against the Americans in Havana led our government to send the battleship Maine to that city. On the night of February 15, 1898, the Maine was blown up by an explosion, which killed 260 of the men; and an American naval board of inquiry later reported that the ship was destroyed by a submarine mine. Our consul-general, Fitzhugh Lee, said: "I do not think it was put there by the Spanish government. I think probably it was an act of four or five subordinate officers." Yet there was a widespread feeling in the United States that the Spanish government was responsible. War was so likely that Congress placed at the disposal of the President $50,000,000 for national defense (March 9, 1898). President McKinley and Thomas B. Reed, Speaker of the House, were both anxious to prevent war; but there was a strong public feeling that Spain could not keep order in Cuba, could not subdue the insurgents, and could not protect American property or even the shipping in Cuban harbors. The time seemed to have come to end the Spanish government in the western world. Senator Proctor of Vermont added to the flame by a speech describing the horrors which he had seen in Cuba (March 17, 1898). 476. Out After some months of negotiation with Spain, in which guarantees of reform in Cuba were proposed by Spain, but thought insufficient, President McKinley sent a mesbreak of the sage to Congress (April 11, 1898), in which he described Spanish War (1898). the loss of property and life, and said, "In the name Contempo- of humanity, in the name of civilization, in behalf of endangered American interests, which give us the right and the duty to speak and act, the war in Cuba must stop." April 20, 1898, a joint resolution was passed directing the President to use the military and naval forces of the United raries, IV. 576 Congressional Rec States to compel Spain to leave Cuba. To this measure was added the Teller resolution: "That the United States hereby disclaims any disposition or intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control over said island ex- ord, 1897-98, cept for the pacification thereof, and asserts its determination, when that is accomplished, to leave the government and control of the island to its people." On the outbreak of war, Commodore Dewey, in command of the American vessels in the Pacific, was ordered to find and fight the Spanish fleet sta p. 4040 477. Cam Philippines (1893) tioned in the Philippine paign in the Islands. He had six ships (and a dispatch vessel), of which the largest was the cruiser Olympia, of 5870 tons. The Spanish fleet, consisting of four iron cruisers and one wooden MAR one, besides auxiliary vessels, THE PHILIPPINES. was found lying under the guns had destroyed eleven vessels and the fort; that his squadron Dewey anchored off the city of Manila, which for some time. remained in the hands of the Spaniards. He brought with him to the island, Aguinaldo, a Philippine native of influence, who had been engaged in an insurrection against the Spanish power, and who raised a Philippine army to besiege the city on the land side. Manila was attacked by sea and land and ADMIRAL GEORGE DEWEY 478. Campaign in Cuba (1898) eventually taken (August 13, 1898) by a fleet under Dewey, and an American army under General Wesley A. Merritt. Although no promise was ever made to Aguinaldo by Dewey or any one else, he firmly expected that he would have the opportunity to found a Philippine state, and his troops remained in the trenches before Manila, side by side with the Americans. Cuba was very soon blockaded by a fleet under the command of Admiral Sampson, but the Spaniards could be forced to leave Cuba only by an army. As the United States had only about 26,000 regular troops, the President called for 125,000 volunteers, and Congress authorized the increase of the regular army to 63,000; in a few weeks about 200,000 men were enlisted in the volunteers, consisting in good part of state militia regiments or smaller commands. The navy was well organized; but the army was mostly not trained for Alger, War, 455 campaigning, and the War Department was not prepared to handle, clothe, or feed so many men. Secretary of War Alger said, "It is doubtful if any nation rated Admiral Schley with a flying for the Spaniards, and with pedo boats left Spain for Cuba. squadron was sent out to look some difficulty ascertained that they had slipped into the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. Admiral Sampson then took command and blockaded the port. A few days later Lieutenant Hobson gallantly tried to block the harbor by sinking the collier Merrimac in the channel. A small force of 17,000 men was brought together in Tampa Bay under General Shafter, and landed on the south coast of Cuba, a little east of Santiago (June 22), whence it marched up to capture that city from the Spaniards. The army had no proper transportation or medical supplies, and the food was poor and sometimes scanty. No Cuban army could be found. The principal fight was at San Juan Hill (July 1, 1898), in which good service was done by the "Rough Riders," part of Roosevelt's dismounted cavalry regiment. On July 3, 1898, the Spanish fleet under Admiral Cervera made a dash out of Santiago. Admiral Sampson's flagship, New York, was out of range to the eastward, and Admiral Schley was next in command. In execution of Sampson's standing orders the American ships dashed at the enemy, and in a running fight U. S. SHIP NEW YORK IN 1898. forced ashore and destroyed all four of the cruisers and two torpedo boats, with little damage to any of the American ships. The credit for this victory is due to the vim and dash of all the officers and men engaged, and also to the foresight of Admiral Sampson, who made preparations to receive just such an attack. The troops now pushed nearer to Santiago, and that city with its garrison surrendered July 17, 1898. The island of Porto Rico was taken by 17,000 men under command of General Miles, who landed July 25, on the southwest coast, moved eastward and took the city of Ponce, and then crossed the island to San Juan. There was little resistance, and the people welcomed the invaders. The Spaniards still had a force of about 50,000 men at Havana, and the little American army at Santiago was 479. End of already seized with fever. It was not properly sup the war (August, 1898) Alger, Spanish American plied with hospital tents and medicines, and ten of the general officers united in a so-called "round robin " addressed to General Shafter, to say, "This army must be moved at once or it will perish." Accordingly it was transported from Cuba to Long Island (August 7). Spain was evidently incapable of further resistance, and in her behalf negotiations were opened at Washington and on August 12, 1898, a "protocol," or agreement, was signed, under which Spain was to evacuate Cuba, and to cede Porto Rico to the United States; the future of the Philippines to be settled by a later treaty of peace. The protocol came too late to stop hostilities at Manila, for the city surrendered August 13, before the news of peace arrived. 480. Treaty of peace For the definite treaty of peace President McKinley appointed a special commission. That commission found its chief task the disposition of the Philippines, which were very distant from the United States, and had a mixed (1898-1899) population ranging from head-hunting savages to highly civilized Spanish-speaking gentlemen. Several methods of settlement were suggested: (1) Should the United States leave the islands or a part of them to Spain? (2) Should an independent government of the natives receive control, as Aguinaldo's large following desired? (3) Should the islands be annexed outright to the United States? The arguments for annexation were: (1) that they were a |