THE SANTIAGO EXECUTIONS.

Press, Volume XXII, Issue 2646, 29 January 1874, Page 3

THE SANTIAGO EXECUTIONS.

The American correspondent of the " Times" writes on Nov. 11 :— . The capture of the Virginias, and the summary executions at Santiago do Culm of four of the persons on. board, continue to attract general attention. The Government at, Washington had been deliberating anxiously about this grave event, but from the absence of accurate intelligence is unable as yet to take any decisive action. The Virginius, it appears, was chased for about eight ! hours by the Spanish gunboat Tornado, and upon arriving within six miles of the Jamaica coast, surrendered, and was brought to Santiago. The American Consul at Santiago is absent without leave, being at present in the United States, and this left the Government without any representative there. The mere fact of the capture of the Virginius was announced by telegraph, and then the wires connected with Havannah suddenly ceased working, the surmise being that they were cut purposely, to prevent the transmission of orders that would interfere with the punishment of his captives. The only intelligence in reference to this is a despatch from General Burriel, commanding the Spanish forces at Santiago, sent to the Captain-General. It is dated November 4th, and says that at 6 a.m. on that day were shot, for being traitors to their country and for being insurgent chiefs, the following persons, styling themselves "patriot generals": — Burnabo Verona, General of Division ; Pedro Cespedes, Commanding General of Cicnfuegos; General Jesus del Sol, and Brigadier-General Washington Ryan. The despatch adds that at the execution there were present the entire Corps of Volunteers, the force of Regular Infantry, sailors from the fleet, and an immense concourse of people, and that the prisoners met met their fate with composure. The absence of Consul Young, from Santiago, at this critical juncture, will probably result in his removal from office. It is to be regretted, as no protest could be made which might have postponed the execution, and it also prevents any official American version of the trial and condemnation of these persons being obtained. When the intelligence of the capture of the Virginius first came, something of the kind was anticipated, and General Sickles, the American Mihister at Madrid,, waited • upon the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, the result! being ; that instructions ; were sent, to Havannah that none of i: the captives were to' be punished until their ;cases were firit reported to ; the Honie Government. • j The 'telegram v cbnveying thesein<struotjons' reached' Havannah the 6t|h of November, too late to prevent' the execution of the four insurgents, even if it had been ' possible to transmit it to Santiago. Upon news of the execution being', received, General Sickles again waited on Senor CaeWar/ arid presented a rernonstrance 1 from the American Government against such an act of barbarity as shooting the prisoners without fait trial. . President Gastelar informed him that this course was taken without the knowledge "of the* Spanish Government, and that on the Bth of November he had sent a" second peremptory order to the CaptainGeneral at Havannah, forbidding' the execution of any more of the prisoners. The American'Government'has made , no formal complaint 1 about the • capture of* Ithe! Virginius, as it is impossible to do so > until accurate intelligence cari : be got ias to her present nationality and where she was sighted.-• If when sighted she was on. the Cuban coast within Spanish waters then the pursuit is held to be legal; if, however, she was on the high seas when sighted, her capture assumes another aspect ; and if her seizure happened in British waters oh the Jamaica coast then her Majesty's Govern*' ment will be expected to intervene in the ; settlement of the question. The treatment of the prisoners is another matter, and will form the subjoot of diplomatic correspondence independent of the decision come to in the case of the vessel, and President Grant seems determined to maker a firm stand in this respect. A 'from Kingston, Jamaica, describing the departure of the Virginius, says that General Ryan was the chief of the expedition, und that the steamer cleared for Biinon Bay" on the 23rd ■ ! of October. She previously took on board a large party of Cubans and some war material. The Customs officers at Kingston examined the luggag eof every passenger,' to provide against any irregularities or violation of law. There were 175 persons on board. It may be mentioned that the j State department is not entirely satisfied <that the Virgiriins 1» entitled to American protection: It is true that she originally sailed from New York with ah American register, but the allegation is made that in; the early part of 1872 at Gura<Joa she was sold to Qaesada, a Cuban, and has since sailed under both the Cuban and Venezuela flags, an allegation which, if proved, deprives her of her American character. On the, books of the Treasury Department the register originally granted to , the Virginias remains unchanged. . The capture of the Virginius and execution of her four chief passengers has naturally created a great commotion among the Cuban sympathisers in this country. In New York, on the 9th of November, a mass meeting was held by them, and an expedition organised to aid the insurgents. Considerable sums of money were subscribed, and 2000 names have been enrolled of persons anxious to go and revenge their comrades* deaths.