Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-08-04
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence OF the Alexandria Gazette.
WASHINGTON. Aug. I.

WASHINGTON, Aug. +.
Advices from General SKATER state
hat no vessels have reached Santiago
10 take the Spanish prisoners to Cadiz
This delay is causing some uneasinesS
at the War Department. The contrac;
with the Spanish transportation Com
p4ny calls for FIVE ships within nine
days from the date OF signing OF the
contract. Fourteen days have elapsed
and the first vessel has not put il an
appearance. The delay on the part Of
t1e transportation company is interior
iog with the plans of the War Depart
ment for Withdrawing the .. S. forces
rom Santiago and exposes them for a
longer period to fever. In addition to
this the Spanish prisoners have to be
fed and cared for. Reports from Gen.
Shafter show that sickness is increasing
among the prisoners, which will in.
crease the difficulties attending their
shipment home. If there is much more
| dslsy or the part Of the Spanish COM
pany the department may be forced to
looked elsewhere for ships to perform
the service.
Neither Secretary Alger nor Secre.
tary Long will yet admit that peace ne.
gotiations have proceeded far enough
to warrant the statement that Spain
has Internationally accepted the terms
OF the United States government. The
Senator's and Representatives who Wis
tied the White House to-day claim to
know nothing new so fer as the peace
situation ia concerned; but most of them
have come to the conclusion that the
diplomatic deal is practically closed.
They think it will be so announced
either here or in Madrid before Satur.
day night.
1t is reported here that General Shat.
ter has asked for the withdrawal of his
army from Santiago and vicinity to the
United States. Malarial fever is play
ing havoc with the troops there, and
the general after consultation with his
commanding and medical officers, de-
cided to request the War Department
to withdraw the Fifth corps to the
United States. An epidemic of yellow
fever, it is said, is dreaded at the height
Of the rainy season, and is the cause of
the request. The men, weakened as
they are by malarial fever, would die
by hundreds should yellow jack cpl.
d mic occur
10 War Department circles here the
impression is rapidly growing that in
the condition of the troops at Santiago
the government is confronted by one
of the greatest problems of the var.
With half a regiment added to the sick
list every day and their places flied by
men from the hospitals, weakened and
wasted by disease, the need of heroic
remedy is becoming manifest. Ex-
perienced officers here have already
said that the hospital reports give q
daily chapter in short story that will
tell of the virtual destruction of the
army. II will be written when viru.
lent type of yellow fever attacks the
men already weakened by disease.
That may be expected in g few weeks,
when the most unhealthy season is
reached. a death roll appalling in its
magnitude is predicted unless some
thing is done to improve the condition
of the army. Two remedies have been
proposed. Secretary Alger has ordered
that the mass of the troops be removed
to the interior. His action is based on
information that the conditions there
may be found to be more health
full than on the coast. The
other remedy is to bring the men north
and that has already been decided
upon with regard to the cavalry di.
vision. Reports have reached the de-
partment that large proportion of the