The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-06
SHAFTER'S HOLD SHAKY
Miles May 60 TO Relieve Him
Of His Command.
BELIEVED HE'S BLUNDEREn
Made Mistake Of Understanding
the Enemy.
ALGER OPPOSES A CHANGE.
Secretary Taxes a Stand In Favor
Of Shaftar.

Washington, July 5.-There is talk In
administration circles or relieving Gen.
Shafter from command of the Santiago
expedition on account of continued III
health.
When Gen. shafter cabled Gen. Miles
that he was absolute master of the situa-
ton and could take Santiago within forty-
eight hours after the forward movement
began, his stock took a mighty upward
jump.
Gen. Skaters name was on everybody's
lips, and al once the clique In and out OF
the war department that is constantly
fighting Gen. Miles. began touting Gen.
Shafter for that much desired Lieutenant
generalship.
Gen. Miles suggestion that he would
like to go to Santiago was promptly sat
down upon and he was given to under
stand that IL anything IN the way Of credit
was got out Of this Santiago campaign It
was 10 go TO Gen. Shafter, who is
Michigan man.
Then came the call for reinforcements
to put a dampener upon the brightest
hopes of promotion.
The destruction of Admiral Cervera'a
feet acted as a buffer to ward off the Sc
we're criticism that would have been heap
ed upon his head, but to-day, after the
first exhuberance OF that rejoicing has
died down, the situation In which Gen.
shafter finds himself formed the chief
topic of discussion in official circles. and
the result Is that even the men who were
disposed to sing his praises loudest ara
beginning to criticise him.
To Washington II looks as IL Gen. SHAFT
ter had made that most fatal mistake for
a commanding officer to make-that OF
Understanding the strength Of his foe.
That mistake has ruined. many a good
cause and has placed the lives OF many
good men On jeopardy.
To-day, when the advices from Santi-
ago are so unfavorable as to call for de-
lay In the proposed bombardment, the
tendency to place that mistake at the door
! Of Cen shafter is perhaps natural Ie
may not be fair to crlticise him before we
know che information upon which he
based his estimates Of forty-eght-hour
campaign, but he Is being criticised all
the same.
At to-day's cabinet meeting there was
much questioning of the wisdom of Ieav-
ing the command in the hands of man
who allowed himself TO get into such a
questionable position as his army finds IT.
self There was call for Gen. Miles to
go TO the front, perhaps to call it sug-
gestiou would be better, for cabinet off,
GERS are noe prone to offer anything strong
er than suggestions. Just who made the
suggestion in to-days meeting is not
known, but whoever did reflected the feel
ings of the public.
This suggestion called for protest from
Secretary Alger, and the gossip is that
for a time things were rather heated about
that cabinet room Secretary Alger talk
ed of the necessity of having Gen. Miles
here and the President agreed with the
Secretary of War.
The result ls Gen. Miles, the general
commanding the army, does not know
whether he Is TO go or not, and there Is
nobody outside the little clique that Is
close about the President, that does know.
Atlanta Is to furnish accommodatio tions
for the confinement of Admiral Cervera,
the distinguished prisoner of war now Ia
the custody of Admiral Sampson off San
uago.
The question Of taking care Of the
Spanish prisoners captured by SIMPSONS
fleet was considered at the cabinet meet
ing to-day and Fort Mcpherson was Sc
lected as the site for the military prison.
Immediate steps will be taken to 1it up
quarters for the Spanish officers and sail-
ors, who were taken with the courageous
and chivalrOus Cervera, and orders have
been issued TO the commanding officer at
Fort Mcpherson to make the venerable
Spanish admiral as comfortable as possi-
BILE upon his arrival
There is a desire on the part of some
members OF the administration to bring
Admiral Cervera to Washington and treat
him with the greatest consideration that
military ethics will permit in connection
with a prisoner of war. His bravery and
daring IS recognized and appreciated by
All Americans who have followed his re-
rnarkable adventures in the West Indies
since war with Spain was declared.