dingly voted
on the same day the act approved April 25, 1898, declaring the existence
of such war from and including the 21st day of April,[17] and reenacted
the provision of the resolution of April 20 directing the President
to use all the armed forces of the nation to carry that act into
effect.[18] Due notification of the existence of war as aforesaid was
given April 25 by telegraph to all the governments with which the
United States maintain relations, in order that their neutrality
might be assured during the war. The various governments responded with
proclamations of neutrality, each after its own methods. It is not among
the least gratifying incidents of the struggle that the obligations of
neutrality were impartially discharged by all, often under delicate and
difficult circumstances.

In further fulfillment of international duty I issued, April 26, 1898, a
proclamation announcing the treatment proposed to be accorded to vessels
and their cargoes as to blockade, contraband, the exercise of the right
of search, and the immunity of neutral flags and neutral goods under
enemy's flag.[19] A similar proclamation was made by the Spanish
Government. In the conduct of hostilities the rules of the Declaration
of Paris, including abstention from resort to privateering, have
accordingly been observed by both belligerents, although neither was a
party to that declaration.

Our country thus, after an interval of half a century of peace with all
nations, found itself engaged in deadly conflict with a foreign enemy.
Every nerve was strained to meet the emergency. The response to the
initial call for 125,000 volunteers[20] was instant and complete, as was
also the result of the second call, of May 25, for 75,000 additional
volunteers.[21] The ranks of the Regular Army were increased to the
limits provided by the act of April 26, 1898.

The enlisted force of the Navy on the 15th day of August, when it
reached its maximum, numbered 24,123 men and apprentices. One hundred
and three vessels were added to the Navy by purchase, 1 was presented
to the Government, 1 leased, and the 4 vessels of the International
Navigation Company--the _St. Paul_, _St. Louis_, _New York_, and
_Paris_--were chartered. In addition to these the revenue cutters
and lighthouse tenders were turned over to the Navy Department and
became temporarily a part of the auxiliary Navy.

The maximum effective fighting force of the Navy during the war,
separated