On the 26th of July, M.Cambon, the French Ambassador at Washington, opened negotiations with the United States.

On the 12th of August, a protocol was signed, but, owing to the difference in time on the opposite side of the globe, to say nothing of the absence of cable communication, not in time to prevent Dewey's capture of Manila.

This protocol provided for the meeting of peace commissioners at Paris not later than the 1st of October.

Spain agreed immediately to evacuate and relinquish all claim to Cuba; to cede to the United States ultimately all other islands in the West Indies, and one in the Ladrones; and to permit the United States to "occupy and hold the city, bay, and harbor of Manila pending the conclusion of a treaty of peace which shall determine the control, disposition, and government of the Philippines." President McKinley appointed the Secretary of State, William R.Day, as president of the peace commission, and summoned John Hay home from England to take his place.

The other commissioners were Senators Cushman K.Davis and William P.Frye, Republicans, Senator George Gray, Democrat, and Whitelaw Reid, the editor of the New York "Tribune".
The secretary of the commission was the distinguished student of international law, John Bassett Moore.