waters; that the President be authorized to employ the army and navy of
the United States as might be necessary to carry these resolutions into
effect; and that the United States disclaimed any disposition or
intention to exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over Cuba,
except for the pacification thereof, and asserted its determination,
when that was accomplished, to leave the government and control of the
island to its people.

Before signing this act the President cabled its substance to General
Woodford at Madrid, in an ultimatum to the Spanish government, giving
Spain three days in which to comply with the demands. Before the three
days expired the Spanish Minister at Washington asked for his passports
and departed, and the Spanish government notified General Woodford that
diplomatic relations between the two countries were at an end. He
thereupon took his passports and departed. It should be added that on
April 21 the Autonomist government of Cuba issued a proclamation to the
people of the island, urging them to unite in support of the Spanish
government in its resistance to the war of conquest which the United
States was about to wage for the seizure and annexation of the island.
The success of the United States, it added, would mean that Cuba would
be subjugated, dominated and absorbed by an alien race, opposed to
Cubans in temperament, traditions, language, religion and customs.

Thus the War of Independence entered a new and final phase, with the
armed might of the United States assisting that Cuban cause the success
of which had already become practically certain. The Cuban army rapidly
grew in numbers and improved in morale, and was of course abundantly
supplied with arms and ammunition, while the sending of reenforcements
and supplies to the Spaniards was interfered with by the United States
navy. As soon as the state of war began three United States agents were
sent to Cuba, to investigate the condition and strength of the
revolutionary army, and to arrange for its reenforcement and for
cooperation between it and the American troops. Lieutenant Henry Whitney
was thus sent to visit Maximo Gomez in the centre of the island;
Lieutenant A. S. Rowan was sent to Oriente, and Lieutenant-Colonel J. H.
Dorst was sent to Pinar del Rio.

Lieutenant Whitney reached the camp of Gomez in Santa Clara Province on
April 28, found affairs in a most promising state, and arranged for the
prompt forwarding of supplie