The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-29

NEW YORK, Sept. 28.-The Wash
ington correspondent of the Herald tel
egraphs: After completing their labors
in Washington the commissioners who
are investigating the conduct of the
war will go to Santiago. This will be
the last thing done. They expect to
spend a week in the Cuban port. An
examination will be made of the point
of landing, of the army and Of the facil-
tiles for landing supplies. Every point
bearing upon the work before the COM
mission will be covered. This will in
volve evidence from both General Miles
and General Shafter.
Both General Miles and General
Shafter will be asked to go upon the
stand. They may refuse, 1t Is thought
by: some members of the commission,
but this Is not considered probable. The
commission, however, will spare no ef-
fort to get hearing from them. No
doubt would have been entertained as
to the willingness of these generals to
testify but for one fact. General Niles
recently called upon Chairman Dodge
of the commission and requested that
he be not called before it. General
Dodge gave no satisfactory answer,
but the understanding of the commits
sion Is that General Miles had made up
his mind to be satisfied with nothing
less than Congressional investigation.
From another source l learn that
General Miles has his version of the
Santiago campaign fully formulated
and when an investigation is had he
wishes to have 1t rigorous, acute and
final.
There is no concealment' of the fact
that there are many differences betwe an
General Miles and General Shafter, and
General Miles prefers to trust his case
to Congress. In spite of this he will
be asked to appear before the commits
sion.
Secretary Alger also will certainly
be- asked to appear.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2s.-Only four
members of the commission appointed
to investigate the conduct Of the war
were present at the forenoon session
to-day and In the absence of replies to
the interrogatories sent to the Secre-
tary Of War and his subordinates very
little business was transacted. Colonel
DENLY was elected chairman of
the commission, and in the absence of
Chairman Dodge presided over. the
session to-day.
The only important matter brought
to the attention Of the commission was
a report by General Wilson Of the en-
RlI66E uSpdI tlASut VI Tic AMI VI
which he is the chief No statement
was called for from him because there
were no charges against this depart
ment. but General Wilson. being
member of the commission. concluded
that to furnish one would be an appro-
pirate proceeding. The document was
held for disposition by the full COM
mission, and, consequently, was not
given to the press. 1t is a detailed
statement showing the condition Of the
department on the list of last April.
lust before the declaration Of war. as
compared with it's condition on the 31st
of August last, after the cessation of
hostilities, and 1t deals especially with
torpedoes and Notifications. Included
in it is a letter written by General Will
son to his subordinates throughout the
country lust before the beginning of
the war, advising them of the prospect
for hostilities and directing what
course they should pursue as men,
bers of the engineer department.
A few letters were received from
persons offering to come before the
commission. These were replied to
with circular letter, of which the fol-
lowing is a copy:
Dear Sir: Referring to your communi-
cation of the commission requests
that on receipt of this you will forward
a written statement. giving in as specific
and complete a form as may be practic-
af,e all the facts, based upon your own
personal experience and knowledge, that
Will aid the pending investigation. This
statement will be for the information of
the commission only.