The times., 1898-07-03
THE COST OF WAR.
The Heavy Loss Df Life nat Santiago
Shocks the Administrations.


With the news ~already received from
Santiago comes grave apprehension
of the immediate future. even though
final victory is assured.
In a strange country. under a tropical
sun of binding intensity. 5000 American
troops face a stubborn, desperate enemy
BY night they paused for rest amid the
darkened scenes Of conflict. lulled TO rest
less siumbers by the strange. wierd noises
of a cacti jungle and awakened by the
cries Of greedy vultures gloating and
growing fat in the staggering fog drawn
up by the sun from hundreds OF un-
buried Spanish dead and whitening ex-
panses of poisonous vegetation ground
into decay by the tramp OF thousands
of soldiery.
The protracted engagement at Santa
go has come in the nature of revela-
ton TO the over-confident military au-
thorities.
1t is realized and frankly admitted that
either the Spaniard was underestimated
as an enemy or his intrenchment in
southeastern Cuba was stronger than
supposed.
That the first days engagement should
be fraught with the loss of over 1000
killed and wounded has disturbed the
President and his war advisers. The first
estimate of 400 awakened grave appre-
hension, and when Gen. Skaters second
dispatch was received, when il had been
| assured that at least 1.eo0 OF our men had
fallen. an accurate appreciation of the
fearful cost OF war forced itself. perhaps
for the first time. upon the public mind
and the Administration alike.
Few battles of the Civil War show
larger percentage of victims One thou
sand fallen in a field of 1900 is greatly
beyond the estimate previously placed
upon the probable American loss in the
first Cuban engagement. 1t was Gen
Miles who said yesterday:
THE battle was fiercer and more bloody
lfhan either the official or press dispatches
show. 1t must have been a terrific -
gagement. Victory will crown the hero
ism of our men at the front. but fear
il will be won al a fearful price
Not since the beginning of the war
has there been such a general display of
intense anxiety as permeated the city
yesterday Senators. representatives
newspaper correspondents and civilians
maintained a ceaseless vigilance over
the various official sources of informa-
tion, and thronged the corridors and
offices of the State, War and Navy De-
partment. Severe disappointment over
the professed absence of official intelli-
gence from the front was frankly dis
played.
Anxious inquiries as to the identity of
the dead and wounded from yesterdays
battle were heard on every side The
War Department is being deiuged with
kilograms from every part Of the country
for the Santiago campaign, but IL
is yet impossible to obtain even
partial official list of the dead
and wounded. 1Ae list will be given
out by the War Department as soon as
possible to ease the anxiety of friends
and relatives of the boys at the front.
No official report Is expected from Ad-
miral Sampson at once. According to
Secretary Long Sampson viii observe an
established custom of the Navy not TO
make a report until his immediate work
has been completed.
There was no lack of incident and cir
cumstance to intensity the apprehension
that pervaded the War Department and
Administration circles A general de-
pressing gloom perIneated the War and
Navy Departments throughout the day.
Since the first message from Gen. Shaf-
ter. received Friday morning wherein he
said, action Is now going on: will keep
you continually advised of progress" the
War Department up to 6 o'clock last
night professed to have received but two
messages from him direct, the last of
which corrected the first estimate - of
American loss.
This message bears significance which
strongly indicates that the commander
was interrupted in his dictation. The last
sentence reads: Ship should bring
launch and boats to transfer frem-Shaf-
ter 1t is clearly evident that the mes
| sage for some reason was lefi unfinish-
ed. Gen. Skaters signature does not
necessarily mean that his message was
finished The operator may have added
it.