The San Francisco call., 1898-08-06

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5.-In proof of the allegation that the War Depart ment had bestirred itself to succor the unfortunate army in Santiago before the united protest was made the fol- lowing statement is given out by the Secretary of War regarding the ship ment of troops north from Santiago:
 Until quite recently it was supposed that yellow fever was epidemic Tn san tiago, and it was not believed that lI lI would be safe to send shiploads north or men largely affected with yellow fever; The disease, it was believed, would spread rapidly on shipboard. and result in the the 2Sth ultimo the Secretary of War tel egraphed to General Shafter that as soon as the fever subsided the men of his command will be moved north to camp that had been selected for them at Mon- tauk Point On the 30th of July General Shafter telegraphed: Made known Sec ret of Wars telegram that troops wol..d be moved north as soon as fever subsided, and it had very good effect on the men"
 When, however, the true condition was made known an order was issued to Gen eral Shafter to move his command north as rapidly as possible, and all ships in the quartermaster's service, possible to get to Santiago, were sent there and the great liners St. Paul and St. Louis were also ordered there. All this was done before the communication signed by
  ceived, and before Colonel Roosevelt s letter was published. Over 150 surgeons are at Santiago, and 176 immune nurses have been sent there, besides the usual an army There have been less deaths in Santiago by yellow fever than by ty- phoid fever in any camp or the same size in the United States.
 The War Department has ordered the regular fleet of transports at Ponce fn Sanfia join with the transports already there In bringing General Shafter's army back to this country There are several ]"-sge trans ports with the fleet at Ponce, some of them, like the Mobile, having capa- city of 1000 men. In all. they have a capacity for 6540 men. This, with the ships already at Santiago, will give a carrying strength of over 12,000 men at a trip.
 Surgeon General Sternberg has in view several points for patients and convalescents. The actual hospital station will probably be located at Montauk Point, where field hospital for 5000 patients is being prepared, in addition to the hospital equipment which General Shafter's forces will bring along with them. But besides this, General Sternberg has iny1ew two fine locations, where the bracing mountain and lake air will help conva- leScentS to recovery. IneSe polntS are Fort Ethan Allen, Vt, and the army post at Plattsburg, N. Y.
 The following report of the sanitary condition of the American camp at Santiago was made public at the War Department this morning:
 The War Department tonight posted the following:
 SANTIAGO, Aug. 5.-Sanitary report for August 4: Total sick, S354 fever cases, 254S; total new cases of fever b02: total cases of fever returned to duty 549.
 Deaths August -Joseph Hynes, Troop E. Ninth Cavalry, and David Mertener Troop E, Third Cavalry, cause not re- ported; Peter l.. Vanderboen, Company L. Thirty Michigan, malarial fe- yer; H. L. Pease, Company H, Eighth Infantry, malarial fever; Patrick Nealy Company F, Thirty fourth Michigan. vel low fever; L.. Pagner, Company G, Thir- teenth Infantry, yellow fever; Fred Ro-