The San Francisco call., 1898-07-04


 immediate and most important defenses ing a place similar 70 that of General Shafter in the American army, was se- riously wounded. This last fact had been grudgingly admitted from Madrid, but the report reaching here left no room for doubt as to the seriousness of this feature. With it was the further fact that the Spanish casualties, even behind entrenchments, ran up to a thousand, and was equal to that of the fearless men who fought in the open.
 With all the lights furnished on the situation, official and unofficial, direct and indirect 1t was apparent that each side had suffered terribly, with not a period of lull for those in responsibility to measure their conditions bury their dead, care for their wounded and pre- pare for the graver conflict yet to come
 The President and his war advisers remained calm throughout the trying experiences of the day All their att tention was directed to the work of preparation. The future movements of General Shafter are we'll established
 
 patch. but it was demed advisable not to make this portion public as it would serve to advise the enemy of the Amer ican plan. It cain only be said that General Shafter's forces will be strong ly and favorably located, with the guns of the American warships serving as an additional protection to their front. Re-enforcements will be hurried to them, which will be ample for any emergency, whether it be storm or siege.
 With Santiago partially wrecked and filled with a thousand dead and wounded, the condition there Is des- perate, even critical. There is little likelihood Of any Spanish sortie in force under such circumstances, but the pos sibility is still open that the Spanish garrison may seek relief by evacuating the city and retiring to the mountain paths to the north. But the American plans are for offensive, vigorous action. AS General Miles said, 50,00O troops, if need be, will be moved on Santiago; if more are needed, then it will be 75, 000 The lesson of Santiago has served only to enkindle greater earnestness throughout every avenue of official life at the national capital. And there is a deep-set determination to meet heroic conditions with heroic treatment.
 Following the receipt of General Shafter's telegram there was a hurried war conference at the White House. Secretary Alger, accompanied by Gen. eral Corbin, reached there a few min utes before 1 o'clock and was imme- diately closeted with the President Secretary Alger brought the Shafter dispatch with him and also maps and other data necessary for the important meeting about to take place. General Corbin was with the President and the Secretary for few minutes and then hurried back to the War Department, where he made public such portions of General Shafter's dispatch as was com- patible with the public interest. As sistant Secretary Meiklejohn, who has a thorough knowledge of the transport service, was also hastily summoned and reached the White House about o'clock. The conference lasted for some time.
 General Miles, who also was at the White House. said that re-enforce- ments would be rushed to the assist ance of General Shafter, and if neces- sary, these would aggregate 5o,0O0 men, though the general had no idea that such a number would by any means be necessary
 H., 0.,I~ forces now under the command of Gen. eral Shafter amounted approximately, he said, to 23,000 men, while those available for the Spaniards were prob ably 23,0O0 soldiers. These included, however, the men at Holguin, presum- ably about 10000, and the force under another Spanish general, amounting to about 5000 men.
 General Miles dit not say whether the two bodies of men last referred to had actually joined General Linares, but have not Colonel Humphries is in charge of the transport service with Shafter's army, and he will send back to Tampa the vessels that can be spared as rap, lily as possible. In fact, word has been -eceived that the trans ports had started for the United States this corning.
 If poss the War Department will send 35,000 men from Tampa on these transports. Six vessels have been re- gently loaded with men, munitions, arms. supplies, etc. and are now either at Key West or on their way to rein force Shafter's army. Included in this