The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-05
such a move, If attempted, and that 1t could
not be attempted until too late. Moreover,
the best medical authorities of the island

not be attempted until too late. Moreover,
the best medical authorities OF the island
say that with our present equipment we
could not live in the interior during the rainy
season without losses from malarial fever,
which is almost as deadly as yellow fever.
This army must be moved at once or per-
ish. AS the army can be safely moved now,
the persons responsible for preventing such a
move will be responsible for the unnecessary
loss of many thousands of lives.
Our opinions are the result Of careful per-
sonal observation, and they are also based
on the unanimous opinion of our medical Of
ficers with the army, who understand the
situation absolutely.
STARTLING STATEMENTS.
Maj M. W. Wood, the chief surgeon
of the First division, said:
''The army must be moved North"
adding with emphasis, "or 1t will be
unable TO move ITSELF"
Gen. Ames has sent the following ca
BILE message TO Washington:
1.-THE Hon. Charles H. Allen. assistant
secretary of the navy: This army is
incapable, because of sickness, from
marching anywhere except to the
transports. If it is ever to return to
the United States 1T must do so at
once.''
To a correspondent of the Associated
Press, Gen. Ames said:
IF had the power, would put the
men on the transports ait once and ship
them North without further orders.
am confident such action would ulti-
mately be approved. A full list of the
sick men would mean a copy Of the
nf
GEN. STERNBERG'S INDORSE-
MENT
1t is only fair to state that the war
department for some time has been in
tent upon removing the troops, and it is
row more than a week ago that Gen.
Shafter was instructed by special
cablegram to cheer up the soldiers by
publicly informing them of this deter
miration. 1t was rather a question Of
ways and means than lack of intention
to remove this force that caused delay.
AS far as removing the troops back into
the mountains was concerned Ghe queS-
ton which seems to have precipitated
the indignation meeting among the
American commanders at Santiago it
was learned that the medical depart
ment here made no such recommenda-
ton. All that it had to say on this sub
ject was, that if the troops must re-
main near Santiago, an effort should
be made to remove them at once to
some healthier camping ground. Sur
geon General Sternberg agrees thor
oughly with the opinion expressed by
the signers Of the round robin" at
Santiago, that men who have suffered
from the severe malarial fevers Of the
south Cuban coast so far from being
immune against attacks of yellow fever
as has been asserted in some quarters,
are actually in much greater danger
than those who have escaped the ma
laria. Malarial fever, it is stated, is no
more protection against the yellow
fever than would be a case of measles
against smallpox, while the fearful de-
biilty resulting from the malarial fever,
would certainly tend to make the vic
tin an especial mark for Yellow Jack
The department today gave out a
statement of it's resources in the way Of
transports at Santiago, and also an in
timation of the fact that the troops
cannot be withdrawn as a whole until
the Spanish prisoners are disposed Of
Otherwise there is no certainty that,
finding themselves able to do so, the
Spaniards would not overpower their
captors, reposssss themselves Of Santa
go, and thus lose to the American army
the small foothold in Cuba, which it
has cost so much blood and money to
secure. 1t is, however, the expectation
that all Of the American troops will
have been removed from Santiago to
the United States by the end of this
month, and this is probably the very
best that can be done under the cir
cumstances.