tower indicated five minutes of 12. Lieutenant Miley, Lieutenant Wheeler and Captain McKittrick were at the base of the flagpole, Lieutenant Miley, tall and commanding, in the center, holding the halyards and ready to hoist at the first stroke of 12.

It was a moment of thrilling suspense which can never be forgotten by any one who witnessed the scene. Every window and portico at every side and corner of that little quadrangle was filled with dusky faces; the great stone steps leading up from either side to the wide portals of the cathedral were packed, and yet not a sound could be distinguished. It was the hush of awe, and the crouching Spaniard in the shade of the street corner must have felt instinctively that a great power was moving there before him. The clock struck. The flag jumped to the top of the mast above the legend "Vive Alfonso XIII." "Present arms!" came from the throat of General McKibben. There was a rattle of saber links and rifle locks. The opening strain of "The Star Spangled Banner" filled the air.

Every hat came off, and our handsome banner floated in the breeze, the world's token of a people's government. Then came the merry notes, "Rally Round the Flag, Boys," and the soldiers of America eased their full hearts with rousing cheers, repeated again and again.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE END OF THE WAR IN CUBA.

Spanish Government Forced to Sue for Peace-Preliminary Demands of the United States-Spain Yields to the Inevitable-Full Text of the Protocol-President McKinley Proclaims the Suspension of Hostilities-Blockade of Cuba and Puerto Rico Raised-Evacuation Commissioners and Peace Commissioners Appointed-The Treaty of Peace Agreed Upon-United States Senate Ratifies the Treaty-Losses of the War-War Investigation Commission and Its ReportCuba Evacuated by the Spanish-United States Assumes Authority in the Island.

D'

RIVEN to sue for peace by its succession of disasters, without a single victory, great or small, to encourage its hopes, on Tuesday, July 26, the Spanish government took the first welldefined step to bring about a cessation of hostilities. The French ambassador, acting under instructions from his government, and at the request of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, called on President McKinley and announced that Spain was ready to consider terms. Nothing was said at this conversation suggesting what the terms might be, the proposition being confined to the one essential point of an earnest plea that negotiations be opened for the purpose of terminating the war.

After prolonged cabinet discussions regarding the concessions which should be demanded from Spain, Monsieur Cambon was notified that the President had formulated his ultimatum. The demands made by the President in brief were as follows:

1. That Spain will relinquish all claims of sovereignty over and title to Cuba.

2. That Puerto Rico and other Spanish islands PRESIDENT in the West Indies, and an island in the Ladrones, to be selected by the United States, shall be ceded to AN ULTIMATUM.

the latter.

MCKINLEY OFFERS

3. That the United States will occupy and hold the city, bay and

harbor of Manila pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace, which shall determine the control, disposition and government of the Philippines.

4. That Cuba, Puerto Rico and other Spanish islands in the West Indies shall be immediately evacuated, and that commissioners, to be appointed within ten days, shall within thirty days from the signing of the protocol meet at Havana and San Juan, respectively, to arrange and execute the details of the evacuation.

5. That the United States and Spain will each appoint not more than five commissioners to negotiate and conclude a treaty of peace. The commissioners to meet at Paris not later than October 1.

6. On the signing of the protocol hostilities will be suspended, and notice to that effect will be given as soon as possible by each government to the commanders of its military and naval forces.

After an effort on the part of the Madrid diplomats to so modify the terms of these demands as to relieve the Spanish government of at least a portion of the Cuban debt, Ambassador Cambon received official notice from the administration at Madrid that he was authorized to sign the protocol. At 4 o'clock on the afternoon of August 12 he therefore visited the President's mansion, where signatures and seals were attached to the important document. The full text of the protocol was as follows:

His Excellency, M. Cambon, Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republic at Washington, and Mr. William Day, Secretary of State of the United States, having received respectively to that effect plenary powers from the Spanish government and the government of the United States, have established and signed the following articles which define the terms on which the two gov ernments have agreed with regard to the questions enumerated below and of which the object is the establishment of peace between the two countries-namely:

Article 1. Spain will renounce all claim to all sovereignty over and all her rights over the island of Cuba.

CESSION OF TER-
RITORY TO THE
UNITED STATES.

Article 2. Spain will cede to the United States the island of Puerto Rico and the other islands which are at present under the sovereignty of Spain in the Antilles, as well as an island in Ladrona archipelago, to be chosen by the United States.

Article 3. The United States will occupy and retain the city and bay of San Juan de Puerto Rico and the port of Manila and bay of Manila pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace which shall deter mine the control and form of government of the Philippines,

VIEW OF MATANZAS, CUBA, FROM THE ROAD TO THE CAVES

The city of Matanzas, with a population of about 60,000, is situated fifty miles east of Havana, with which it is connected by rail and water. Its shipping interests are second only to those of the capital, as it is the outlet of many of the richest agricultural districts of the island.