The age-herald., 1898-08-04
CONFERENCE
 |NCONCLUS|v[ cambOn Presents Spains Reply to the President BOTH SIDES ARE RET|CENT. Agreed to Say Nothing of What Was
 Discussed. IT WAS DENIED FOR SOME TIME That the Spanish Note Had Been Re-
 ceived By Cabinet. wADE's ExPEDIT1oNARY FORGE Will Be More Fully Equipped Than Any Which Has Yet Embarked For
 Scenes of Battle-No Time
 Set For Sailing.
That the Spanish Note Had Been Re-
 ceived By Cabinet.
wADE's ExPEDITIoNARY FORGE

Washington, Aug. 3.-After a conference on the peace question lasting an hour be- tween the president and M. Cambon, the French ambassador, acting as the repre- sentative of Spain, Secretary Day emerged from the White House and announced that today's conference was inconclusive, in which the parties to it had agreed to say nothing to the public as to what happened in it. Secretary Day did not appear to be discouraged as he made this statement, though he admitted that no time had been set for another conference. From this 1t is gathered that the long-expected answer of the Spanish government to the presi- dents note upon being received had turned out to be just as had been expected-elther counter-proposition or a request for a fuller statement in detail upon some of the heads of the presidents note.
 st jet Secrecy Mai tai ,ed
 Up to the middle of the afternoon 1t was stated by all parties concerned that the Spanish answer had not been received; that the only formal note that had come 10 hand was one from the Madrid cabinet to M. Cambon asking for information upon some points that were not clear to the Spanish minister. However, just after 3 o'clock the secretary of the French em- bassy, M. Thiebaut, called at the state de- partment and arranged with Secretary Day for meeting between the president and the ambassador at 3:3O o'clock. As already stated, after conferring for an hour, the parties separated, having been unable to reach a conclusion as to the acceptance by Spain of the peace conditions laid down by the president and binding themselves to the observance of the strictest secrecy as to the proceedings until further progress had been made.
 Will Be Beneficial
 Meanwhile in consonance with the de- clared purpose of the president at the be- ginning of the overtures, this conference is not operating to restrain military opera tions in any degree. Orders went out to- day for a conference of the leaders of the regiment to accompany General Wade to Porto Rico. and within twenty-four hours some of the troops of this expedition will be boarding the transport at Newport News. It is felt that even should an armis- tice be declared before these troops see act i've service at the front, it will be beneficial for them to have made the trip, for other wise there was danger of the morale of the troops being destroyed through their crav- ing to get away from the big concentra- tion camps and at least see the shores of Cuba or Porto Rico.
 Fully Equipped
 Profiting by it's last experience, General Wade's expedition is going to be the most complete in details of any that have yet left our shores and the soldiers will be protected in their health and comfort to the utmost degree.
 Secretary Alger has himself conducted an inquiry into the conditions that led up to the fearful experiences of the wound ed soldiers who returned to the United States on the Concho, and he has taken the necessary steps to prevent repeti- tion of the bad management exhibited in that case. Thus there may be some de- lay in getting the troops away with Gen eral Wade in view of the determination to have everything shipshape before the men are on board and as the transporta- ton department was taken somewhat by surprise by the suddenly announced dec s. ion of the secretary of war to start this expedition, some days must elapse before the necessary transports can be gathered at the ports of transportation.
 Shafter's daily health report failed to show any improvement in the health con- ditions of the Fifth army coIps, so that if Is a matter for congratulation that the war department was able to announce to- day that 1t had ordered five of the cavalry regiments of that corps to he embarked at once for the new camp at Montauk Point. Long Island.