The herald., 1898-08-16
CONDITIONS IN CUBA
AS SHOWN BY sHAFTBH'D RE
PORT TO AI0NR
NO SHORTAGE OF SUPPLIES
In Spite Of All Efforts ct Prevention
the Number Of Fever 0asO
Increase Steadily

Associated Press Special WIRE
WASHINGTON. Aug. lS.-secretary Al
ger today received letter from General
shafter. which is In part as follows:
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps. San
tiago de Cuba. August 4.-To Hon. r. A.
Alger. Secretary of War, Washington. D.
|C. My Dear General Alger: Your letter OF
July Is was handed me yesterday by Major
Sniffen. thank you and the President for
the confidence expressed in my ability to
handle the matters entrusted to me here.
The number taken i'll in my command IL
very great, as you will see, though not
very much greater than those returned
to duty, and the death rate is not at pres
ent alarming, although 1t is steadily on
the increase and the doctors tell me- that
the fever, malarial and otherwise, IL con-
stantly presenting more violent features
Every effort possible is made to guard
ships bringing supplies to the army, but it
ls almost impossible to enforce II, when
ships must be unloaded and men necea-
sarily must come together In dischargng
and receiving cargo. The great trouble Is
no fear Of infection, and unless you have
a guard over every individual man. 1t IL
almost impossible to keep them from ming
ling.
The silver question has settled itself and
American silver is received the same as
American paper.
The missing, believe. have nearly all
been accounted for. Not a single man
was captured and the only men now miss
| ing are those that we're killed In the thick
brush and whose bodies have never been
found. The country probably will be
secured faithfully for bodies.
The camps now occupied are measurably
| good they certainly are on the best ground
! that is in this vicinity. and slight changes
| of location can be made. The difficulty In
| separating camps Of an army Of this size
| is on account of the great difficulty Of sup
| plying them with necessary food, especi-
| ally during the wet season, when half q
| dozen wagons over q road cuts It into ruts
| two feet deep In places. Pack teams are
| very good and we have to use them, and
do use them. all the time; in fact, with
| out them we could not get along. but the
| sickness among the teamsters and packers
has been very great; nearly every one of
them, suppose, IS per cent, have been
sick. and like the soldiers, they do not re-
cover their strength.
Supplies are abundant here Of all articles
Of food and clothing. cannot fully ex-
press my gratitude to you for all the op-
portunities that you have given me and for
the confidence that you repose in me. as
shown more strongly than In any other
way by leaving me unhampered In my op-
erations against Santiago. I am very
sorry to see that some newspapers are at
tempting to throw blame on your trying to
run the campaign from Washington and I
suppose some people believe 1t. 1t is one of
the things. however, that don't suppose
we can help, although whenever have the
opportunity l have tried to make 1t plain
that I have been left to my own devices. |
am very sincerely yours,
WIN. r. SHAFTER.
Dicks Dispatches
WASHINGTON, August H-Lieutenant
Colonel Charles Dick. OF the Eighth Ohio,
and Major George Goodfelow. volunteer
aide on General Skaters stan, arrived in
Washington this evening from Santiago,
bearinNimportan dispatchesfand informa-
and secretary of war. Lieutenant Colonel
Dick had conference of an hour and half
with the president tonight.
Lieutenant Colonel Dick, Major Goodfel-
low and Representative McKittrick, the
last named being General Skaters son-in-
law and confidential aide and secretary, ar
rived at New Orleans last Tuesday on the
transport Berlin. They were detained for
five days in quarantine before being per-
mitted to enter the city. While in New Or
leans Capt. McKittrick received a dispatch
from San Francisco announcing the illness
Of his wife, and left Immediately for the
Pacific coast.
The officers say that by the end Of the
present week the whole OF General Shaft
er's army will have left Cuba In the opin-
ion Of Major Goodfellow. who is physician n
Of Los Angeles, the removal Of the army
from Cuba was absolutely necessary. He
says the men could not recuperate In that
climate during the rainy season.
The Advance Stopped
PONCE, Porto Rico, Aug. 15.-On Satur-
day General Miles notified General Macias
at San Juan by cable OF the signing Of the
protocol. and today received from Macias
an acknowledgment Of the receipt Of the
notification. General Miles also sent Cap
tain Mickler, under nag Of truce to COM
municate the intelligence to the Spanish
commander at, Aibonito.
General Miles says Aibonito would have
been his within four days had not the pro-
tocol been signed.
General Wilson was moving to turn the
enemy's right flank. General Miles threat
ened his 'front.' General Brooke was push
ing into his rear.
General Henry was within fifteen miles
of Arecibo and General Schwan had reached
Mayaguez.
General Miles personally is uncertain
whether he will remain here during the
period of the negotiations for peace, but the
four army columns will remain here where
they are until the negotiations are COM
pleted.
Sick and Wounded
NEW YORK, Aug 15-The sick and
wounded soldiers removed from the trans
port Seguranca to Bellevue Hospital last
night are doing well today. The change