“ ‘W. R. Shafter,
“ ‘Major-General, U. S. A.’
“Following is the Spanish reply which Colonel Dorst has returned at 6.30 P. M.:
“ ‘Santiago de Cuba, 2 P. M., July 3, 1898.
“ ‘His Excellency, the General Commanding Forces of United States, San Juan River.
“ ‘Sir:—I have the honour to reply to your communication of to-day, written at 8.30 A. M. and received at 1 P. M., demanding the surrender of this city; on the [pg 252]contrary case announcing to me that you will bombard this city, and that I advise the foreigners, women, and children that they must leave the city before ten o’clock to-morrow morning. It is my duty to say to you that this city will not surrender, and that I will inform the foreign consuls and inhabitants of the contents of your message.
“ ‘Very respectfully,
“ ‘Jose Toral,
“ ‘Commander-in-chief, Fourth Corps.’
“The British, Portuguese, Chinese, and Norwegian consuls have come to my line with Colonel Dorst. They ask if non-combatants can occupy the town of Caney and railroad points, and ask until ten o’clock of fifth instant before city is fired on. They claim that there are between fifteen thousand and twenty thousand people, many of them old, who will leave. They ask if I can supply them with food, which I cannot do for want of transportation to Caney, which is fifteen miles from my landing. The following is my reply: