The Portland daily press., 1898-07-14
HAD BAD NEWS.
Important Meeting Of the War
Board Yesterday.

Washington, July 13.-The war depart.
mant received dispatches today from
Gen. Miles and Gen. Shafter.
At the same time the navy department
received dispatches from the fleet off San
tiago.
They had the effect, however, of arous-
ing officials, both military and.ciyil, to
unusual activity and coupled with this
was an undercurrent of apparent ankle
ty.
The adyices speedily led to war coun-
Gil at the White House at which Secretary
Long and Secretary Alger and the Nom.
bers of the war board, Admiral, Sicard,
Capt. Mahan and Capt. Crowninshield.
were present. Adjutant Corbin was also
at the White House.
Before Secretary Alger went to the
White House. he had a--conference with
Surgeon Sternburg, who also had de-
spatches from the surgical corps near
Santiago.
1t was nearly 2 o. clock when the war
conference at the White House broke
Members of the cabinet whenSquestioned
as to the purpose of the meeting, said it
was called to discuss tne general situ-
alton in Santiago Several cablegrams
had been received from Gen. Miles and
Gen. Shafter and, while they were not at
all alarming, they showed that the situ-
alton is unsatisfactory.
Rain had fallen almost incessantly dur
ing the last several days, making the con-
dition of our forces extremely unpleasant
and adding materially to the distress of
the sick and wounded. Some suspected
cases of yellow fever have appeared
among our troops, but they have been
promptly isolated, and it is not thought
there is any great danger of the disease
spreading. 1t is believed that yellow
fever also prevails to slight extent in
the city of Santiago. Under these cir
cumstances the President asked for con-
ference of the members of his cabinet and
the war board with view to reaching
some conclusion as to what should be
done. Gen. Miles in telegram, stated
that the Spaniards have several times sent
in flags of truce asking for reconsidera-
tion of their terms for capitalization, but
SO far have refused to consider uncondit-
ional surrender, which had been demand
ed by Gen. Shafter. 1t is known that the
President and his advisers have about
come to the conclusion that the enemy
has no intention of accedipg to our terms
and that the reported hoisting of the
flag of truce is done with the single pur-
pose OF delaying decisive engagement.
1t is believed that at-today's conference
it was fully decided orders should be
sent to Gen. Miles and Gen. Shafter 10
make general assault upon the enemy's
works as soon as the weather permitted.
1t is we'll understood that this assault
must necessarily cost many lives and it
seems equally certain that to keep the
men much longer insthe trenches under
present weather conditions would be al
most as disastrous to our forces as a gem
eral engagement, 1t is also believed that
without very material Improvement in
the climatic conditions, the fall of Santi-
ago and the surrender of the Spanish
army here will close the campaign
against Cuba until the rainy season shall
have passed. Whether this will involve
the return of the army to the United
States is not now known, but the pre-
sumption is that with the fall of Santi'
ago, the army will be re-embarked on
transports and sent to the United States
where the troops will remain until Oc
tober or even late1 before making gen
eral movement on Porto Rico and ha
yana.
In the meantime our fleet would main
tain strong blockade of all the impor
tant Cuban ports.