Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-04
Copyright. 1888. by the Associated press.)

Santiago de Cuba. August 3. $50 pm.
delayed in transmissiOn).-Summ by
Major General Shafter. a meeting was held
here this morning at headquarters. and. in
the presence of every commanding and
medical officer of the 9TH Army Corps. Cen
eral Shafter read a cable message from
Secretary AIger. ordering him, at the rec
Ommendation of Surgeon General Stern
berg. to move the army into the interior, to
San Luis, where it is healthier.
As a result of the conference. General
Shafter will insist upon the immediate
withdrawal of the army north within two
weeks.
As explanation of the situation. the
following letter from Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt, commanding the 1st Volunteer
Cavalry. to General Shafrer. was handed
by the latter TO the correspondent here of
the Associated Press for publication:
Major General Shafter:
"Sir-In a meeting Of the general and
medical officers called by you at the palace
this morning we were all as you know.
unanimoEs in view of what should be done
with the army. To keep us here in the
opinion Of every officer commanding a di-
vision or a brigade. viii sinplr involve the
destruction of thousands. There is no pos
sible reason for not shipping practically
the entire command north at once.
Men Ripe for Yellow Fever
yellow fever cases are very few in the
cavalry division. where I command one of
the two brigades. and not one true case
OF yellow fever has occurred in this di-
vision. except among the men sent to the
hospital a Siboney, where they have. I be-
lieve. contracted it. But in this division
there have herr, I
fever. Not man has died from it. but the
whole command is so weakened and shat
tered as 70 be ripe for dying like sheen
when a real yellow fever epidemic instead
OF a fake epidemic like the present. strikes
Us. as 1t IS bound 10 if We stay here at the
height Of the sickness season August and
the beginning OF September. Quarantine
against maiarial fever is much like quar-
Ant-nins against the toothache
All OF us are certain, as soon as the au-
tEorluts at Washington fully appreciate
the conditions Of the army to be sent
nome If We are kept here it will in III
human possibility mean an appalling dis
hsteT. for the surgeons here estimate that
over half the army. if kept here during The
slckIy season, viii Gle. This is nor only
terrible from the standpoint Of the :nd,
Nldudt lives lost, but ii means ruin from
t4A~ S-t---t4pplI4t OL Tie military efficiency Of
the flower Of the American army. for the
great bulk Of the regulars are here with
you
Not 10 Per Cent Fit.
The sick list. large though it is exceed
ing 1000. affords but faint index Of the
Gebili;atioH Of the army. Not 10 per cent
are II for active work Six weeks on me
north Maine coast. for instance. or else
where. where the yellow fever germ can
lot possibly propagate. would make us
al as fit as fighting cocks. able, as we are
eager. TO take leading part in the great
campaign against Havana in the fall even
+ We are not allowed 10 try Porto Rico
We can be moved north, if moved at
cnce. with absolute safety to the country.
Sithough. of course it would have been
Infinitely better if We had been moved
aorth or TO Porto Rico two weeks ago If
there were any object in keeping US here
we would face yellow fever with as much
Indifference es We face bullets but there is
no object In II. The four immune regI-