and what had the great deep in its mysterious resplendence been whispering along the enchanting shores of the islands of Asia—­the true Indies, Oriental or Occidental as might be—­what had the wild waves that beat against the volcanic coasts made known in the boats wafted by the welcoming winds?  We knew of the bloody days on the hills of Santiago, and the fate of the fleet of Admiral Cervera, and there must be news of other victories!  Our ship turned away from the looming rock that sent forth flashes as if to say all is well, in the universe that we in our vast adventure had almost abandoned.  And when the day dawned and the green hills and blue mountains and the silvery waters were revealed we turned to the left, where Dewey led his squadron to the right, and there was the bay hundred and twenty knots in circumference.  Yonder were the white walls of Cavite, and further along domes and steeples, masts and heavy lines of buildings, a wide spread city crouching on a plain rising a few feet above the tides.  It was Manila.  Presently a boat swept near, and what was that, a dozen words repeated here and there—­Merritt in possession of the city—­of course, that was what he was there for,—­but who said “there was a declaration of peace?” The strange statement was made.  What—­could it be that Spain had surrendered?  Surely the President would not stop pushing things until he had gathered the fruits of victory?  No, there was a protocol, and that was a treaty in fact!  France had been the medium of negotiation.  Spain had sued for peace, and terms were granted.  Cuba was surrendered.  Porto Rico was ceded to us.  The Spaniards claimed that they had given up Manila after peace was settled, and they must repossess it.  But Merritt was ashore was he not, and going to stay?  Dewey had not given up anything, had he?  Surely not!  But there was to be a conference, a meeting of joint commissioners held at Paris to provide a treaty, that was to say the details—­all the important points were fixed irrevocably except the fate of the Philippines!  At this point the news of the morning gave out, all except the particulars of the seige, the high claims of the Spaniards, the dissatisfaction of the insurgents.  It was some days before the realization of the situation was perfected.  The full terms of the protocol were not made known at once.  Spain gave up the West Indies and a Ladrone island, and the United States was to hold the city, bay and harbor of Manila pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace which should determine the control, disposition and government of the Philippines.  Certainly this was the conclusive surrender of Spain!  General Merritt was ordered to Paris, and there represented the army of the United States, and its faith and honor and glory.  Our Peace Commissioners were Wm. R. Day, Cushman K. Davis, William P. Frye, George Gray and Whitelaw Reid, who started for Paris September 18.  The Spanish Commissioners made a long struggle, and protracted their unhappy task for more than two months, using all arts of procrastination and persuasion, claiming that the United States should pay the Cuban debt, and striving for allowances of indemnity, yielding at last to the inevitable.  The text of the treaty is in seventeen articles as follows: