Morris tribune., 1898-07-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From The Tribune's Regular Correspondent.

From The Tribune'S Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, July 18th.
The FALL OF SANTIAGO will make
no difference in President McKinley's
plans for rushing the war to close,
but should the yellow fever, which
has unfortunately made its appear
ance in the vicinity of Santiago, be-
come epidemic in our army, it wonld
necessarily make a very material
difference in his plans, as it would
make precautions to save the lives
ofour men take precedence over every
thing else. There is no alarm felt by
War Department officials over the
appearance of yellow fever, as it was
expected that it would be brought out
of Santiago by refugees and the medi-
cal department of the army has taken
every precaution known to science to
prevent itf getting foothsld in our
army; still, the knowledge that it is
there cause uneasiness.
ADMIRAL DEWEY has won another
victory, and has incidentally given
Germany an object lesson of the dan
ger of meddling in the Philippines.
The insurgents reported to Admiral
Dewey that the commander of the
German gunboat Irene had refused
to allow them to attack the Spanish
fort on Grande Island, in Subig bay.
Admiral Dewey sent the cruisers Raj
eigh and Concord to Subig bay with
orders to capture the fort. AS soon
as the two cruisers made their ap-
pearance in the bay the Irene steamed
out of it. After the cruisers had de-
stroyed the Notifications and the tor
pedo station, the Spanish garrison of
more than 1900 men surrendered.
After the surrender the commander
of the Irene tried to square himself
with Admiral Dewey by telling him
that he had prevented the insurgents
attacking the fort in the interest of
humanity. and offered to turn over
the refugees that he had taken on his
vessel. Admiral Dewey politely but
CURLY declined to receive them. The
Germans will probably not attempt
to do any more meddling over there.
/. CABLE TO HAwAII.-One measure
that is certain to be pushed at the
next session of Congress is bill for
a cable from the Pacific coast to Ha-
waij. Since the annexation of the
islands the need for cable has been
more pressing than ever. Senator
Cullum, chairman of the commission
that will report to Congress what leg
islation is necessary for the proper
government of Hawaii, who with his
American colleagues will start for
Hawaii in August, said about the
cable: There has never been time
that it was not perfectly patent that
this cable was important, but its i'm
portance appears greater now than
ever. Here we are, with our Hawaiian
possessions in mid-ocean, over 1000
miles from any telegraph station. The
people on those islands do no. even
know that thew have become a part
of the United States. l think the lay
ing of this cable will be provided for
at the next session of Congress"
FRENCH OPINION. French officers
are regarded in Europe as high
authority on things military. There
fore the opinion of our army formed
by Maj. de Grandprey, military at
tache of the French Embassy, who
accompanied Gen. Skaters army to
Cuba and witnessed some of the
hardest fighting around Santiago, is
worthy of attention. He said: 81
have the most complete admiration
for your men. They are superb
body, and I suppose not Throughout
the world is there such splendid lot
of fighting men. 1t is the fighting
characteristic If the men which is
most apparent. They are aggressive,
eager for action, never needing the