The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-12
SECRETARY ALGER'S REPLY.
HIS STATEMENT UNDER CONSIDER
ALTON BY THE COMMISSION.

Reports From Various Bureaus and
Information Upon the Wars Com
duct-SDccinI Prominence Given
the Plan of Campaign and Changes
Made Necessary by the BottIinE
Up OG Cervera-Mni. Gen. Graham
the Only Witness Examined.
Washington, Oct. 1.-THE war investl-
CATION commission devoted its forenoon
session to-day TO the examination Of Sec
retary Ayers statement and the papers
furnished by him in reply to the commits
sioners' inquiries.
The accompanying papers Included the
reports from the various bureaus of the
war department. and also the various let
ters and kilograms bearing upon the con-
duct of the war;
Secretary Alger, IN his report, replies
to the various questions propouudcd by
the commission, but he gives especial
prominence to the plan of campaign and
to the changes that were made In the or
iginal plan.
He states that Tampa was chosen as the
base of operations because of Its proxGm-
ity to Havana, at which point it was or
iginally intended the first attack should be
made. The determination to make
change was due to the developments on
the southern coast of Cuba and to Ad-
miral Cervera's course i'm locating his fleet
in the bay at Santiago. When it became
quite certain that he was securely en-
trapped In the bay Admiral Sampson wired
the fact to the Secretary Of the Navy, ask
ing that troops be sent Immediately He
said that he had sIlenced the batteries
which were accessible from the sea, and
that 10000 men could capture the town
within forty-eight hours. The text of this
message Is given, as is the text Of the va
rious other kilograms showing the course
of delay in putting the expedition off, this
course being, as frequently published, the
report that Spanieh warships were lying
in wait for the Transports.
Secretary Alger adds that the Spaniards
were reinforced after Admiral Sampson
had sent his message.
The report shows that Gen. Miles advis-
ed in the beginning that the first move
should be made against Porto Rico and
that after that Island should be subiuga-
ted, that the American forces should be
landed on the north coast of Cuba at some
point from which they could move conve-
niently either to the east or to the west.
Another reason for locating the camps
In the South was that the troops might
become acclimated before being sent to
Cuba
Maj Gen. William NJ. Graham was the
only witness before the commission to-day.
He was first in command at Camp Aigcr,
Virginia, at the beginning of the war and
Hatnfla1 the conditions 1vbfch f,ravotla1
that camp. There was only one railroad
running into the camp, and the station
was about one and a half miles distant
No running stream was near by but there
were many fine springs and small brooks
formed by the springs. He thought the
water supply was sufficient when the camp
numbered no more than five regiments OF
troops, but as the troops increased 1t be-
came necessary to dig wells There was
delay In digging the wells. but when they
were sunk, one for each regiment, the
supply was ample for all purposes except
bathing. The wells were well cased and
there was no surface pollution of them
Before the wells were sunk Gen. Graham
said there undoubtedly was some inconve-
nence on account of the necessity of go
ing long distance for water II was also
his impression that there had been some
complaints of sickness on account of the
water famine, which had continued from
-hHN ~ ohAAi JuAI AOy W4tI Ndl yluB degrees
of Intensity.
Gen. Graham did not believe that the
spring and well water had
been responsible for the sick
ness at Camp Alger. but was
inclined to attribute much of the trou-
bic to the fact that the soldiers insisted
upon taking the water from the little
streams running through the camp. There
had been considerable typhoid fever at
the camp, but it did not originate there
and the first cases were isolated. Dur
ing the entire stay at the camp less than
per cent. of the command was sick.
There were sixty-nine deaths, five being
those of officers.
Much of the Sickness was, in his opin-
ion, due to delicacies sent to the soldiers
from home.
When typhoid fever begun to be con-
sidered an epidemic he issued strict orders
for the detailing Of guards for the care
Of sinks, making any neglect an offense
punishable by arrest
Many other precautions were taken to
protect the men from contagion, including
the removal Of the sinks to a proper dis
tance from the kitchens.
Al this point the commission adjourned
for the day, Gen. Graham having not con-
cluded.