Must Crush Blanco

Washington, July 12.- Less is heard here about peace negotiations being under way. As a matter of fact, no such negotiations have been set on foot and it is not the expeetation of high authorities in Washington that any will be for some time to come. Stock speculators in London, Berlin, Paris and New York have discovered that it is a good thing to start gossip of this sort, and they are working the newfound mine to their personal advantage. If there is anything more to the peace talk than this and the ambition of uneasy diplomats to be active at this stage and to figure in peace speculation, the fact is not discoverable. Spain is now In a better position to prolong the war than she has been at any time. The war in Cuba is costing her practically nothing. She can get neither men, supplies nor money to Cuba, and it is simply a question of endurance with Gen. Blanco and the Spanish troops under his command. Endurance is the conspicuous feature of Spanish character. Gen. Blanco has demonstrated his ability to subsist without help from the mother country, and there is no reason to believe that he will be in worse condition three months or six months from now in the matter of supplies than he is at the present writing. The military authorities in Washington have settled down to the conviction that Gen. Blanco will have to be forced to surrender by our army and navy before he will give up, and as that can not be done until late next autumn or early winter, an early peace is not looked for. Imports of Sugar and Wool. Washington, July 12. - The June report oí the bureau of statistics on the imports of sugar shows that the dutiable imports for that month amounted to 267,739,088 pounds, compared with 640,862,049 pounds during June, 1897.. Por that month however, there was au abnormally large importation, owiñg to the prospective increase in the duty. The wool imports last month aggregated 7,542,762 pounds, as against 37,912,491 for June, 1897. The same conditions existed, however, a ysar ago as to wool that prevailed as to sugar, henee the apparent decrease in the importations. Hospital Train In Colusión. Washington, July 12. - Surgeon General Sternberg received a dispatch f rom Surgeon Richards saying that the hospital train bearing the wounded to Fort McPherson, near Atlanta, was in a rear-end collision six miles south of High Springs, Fla., at 8 o'clock last night. No one was hurt, the .dispatch eaid, but the private car was wrecked. Flfteen Fassengers Injured. Bakersfield, Cal., July 12.- A light engine colided with a south-bound passenger train near Bealville. Engineer George Cooper and Fireman Charles Berkier were seriously injured. Fifteen passengers were hurt, but not aerlously. The Hght entine failed to oby orfterc to sidstrack. Rear Admlral Ammen I)rul. Washington, July 12. - Rear Admira! Ammen, one of the héroes of the civi war, died at the naval hospital here to day, aged 78 years. He was an Ohioan At the reduction of Fort Royal in 186: he held the forts until the army tooi poasession. Subscribe for The Democrat.