, and defer
action."

This was just after Minister Sickles had informed the authorities at
Washington that Lord Granville regarded the reparation demanded as just
and moderate.

On the 26th, however, just as the American minister was preparing to
ask for his passports, close the legation and leave Spain, he received a
note from Senor Carvajal which conceded in part the demands of the
United States.

This proposition was virtually that the Virginius and the survivors
should be given up, but the salute was to be dispensed with, in case
Spain satisfied the United States within a certain time that the
Virginius had no right to carry the flag.

After considerable correspondence an arrangement was finally arrived at,
Spain further agreeing to proceed against those who had offended the
sovereignty of the United States, or who had violated their treaty
rights.

In his message, President Grant says:

"The surrender of the vessel and the survivors to the jurisdiction of
the tribunals of the United States was an admission of the principles
upon which our demand had been founded. I therefore had no hesitation in
agreeing to the arrangement which was moderate and just, and calculated
to cement the good relations which have so long existed between Spain
and the United States."

The following words, spoken by Secretary Fish to Admiral Polo, in an
interview during the progress of the negotiations, are worthy to be
quoted:

"I decline to submit to arbitration the question of an indignity to the
flag. I am willing to submit all questions which are properly subjects
of reference."

On the 16th of December the Virginius, with the American flag flying,
was delivered to the United States at Bahia Honda.

The vessel was unseaworthy. Her engines were out of order and she was
leaking badly. On the passage to New York she encountered a severe
storm, and, in spite of the efforts of her officers and men, she sank
off Cape Fear. The survivors of the massacre were surrendered at
Santiago de Cuba on the 18th, and reached New York in safety.

About eighty thousand dollars were paid by Spain as compensation to the
families of the American and British victims who perished at Santiago.
But no punishment was ever visited upon the governor who ordered the
executions. There was a tremendous amount of feeling aroused in the
United States over the Virginius affair, and the government was severely
criticized and censured for not avenging the in