The record-union., 1898-07-14
CABINET CONFERENCE.
Discussion of the Suspected Pres
ence of Yellow Fever.

WASHINGTON, July 13.-A special
meeting of the Cabinet has been called
and the members are now arriving. The
war conference, with Secretaries Day
Alger and Long and Admiral Sicard and
Captain Mahan participating, has been
in continuous session all forenoon. I'm
portant dispatches are being consid-
cred
Secretary Alger left the Cabinet
room at 12:15 to file a number of dis
patches, and then returned to the con-
ference. He said he had no idea when
-sil4 session would end and declined to
state what, if any, news had been re-
ceiyed from the front. Rumors of the
report of disquieting news from Gen
eral Miles are current and feeling of
depression seems to pervade the White
House. All the Cabinet members have
arrived in response to the Presidents
summons except Secretary Bliss. Post
master General Smith arrived at 1925
o'clock. Later it was definitely learned
that the dispatches laid before the war
board and the special Cabinet meeting
related to the appearance of fever,
which, it is feared, might prove to be
the dreaded yellow fever, among our
forces at Santiago. 1t was learned that
the situation among the troops before
Santiago is that there is fourteen sus-
picious cases of fever among the en-
ployes Of the Quartermaster' Depart
ment of the America nrmy. Pending
the determination of the exact charac-
ter of the fever, these men have been
isolated in the valley near Siboney and
placed under the care of immune doc
tors and nurses, who have been pro-
vided in anticipation of just such an
emergency. Confidence is expressed by
the medical officers of the army and
navy IN Washington in the ability Of
the surgeons to stamp out the disease.
1t was nearly o'clock when the
war conference at the White House
broke up Members of the Cabinet.
| when questioned as to the purpose of
the meeting. said it was called to dis
cuss the general situation in Santiago.
Several cablegrams had been received
from Generals Miles and Shafter and
While they We're not at all alarming
they showed that the situation is un-
satisfactory. Some suspected cases Of
yellow fever have appeared among our
troops, but they have been promptly
isolated. and it is not thought there is
any great danger of the disease spread
ing. 1t is believed that yellow fever
also prevails to a slight extent in the
city OF Santiago. Under these circum-
stances the President asked for a con-
ference of the members of his Cabinet
and the War Board, with a view to
reaching a conclusion as to what should
be done.
General Miles telegram stated that
the SpaniardS have several times sent
in flags of truce asking for reconsider
alton Of the terms of capitulation. but
so far have refused to reconsider un-
conditional surrender, which had been
demanded by General Shafter 1t is
known that General Shafter and his
advisers have come to the conclusion
that the enemy has no idea of coming
10 our terms, and the repeated hoist
ing of the flag of truce is done with the
single purpose of delaying a decisive
engagement. 1t is believed that to-
days conference decided that orders
be sent General Miles and Shafter to
make a general assault upon the enc
my's works as soon as the weather
permitted. 1t is understood that this
assault will necessarily cost many lives.
and it seems equally certain that to
keep the men much longer in the
trenches under present weather condi-
tions would be almost as disastrous to
our forces as general engagement.
1t is also believed that without there
is Improvement in climatic changes.
the fall of Santiago and the surrender
of the Spanish army there viii close
the campaign against Cuba until the
rainy season shall have passed. Wheth-
er this will involve the return of the
army to the United States is not
known. but the presumption is that
with the fall of Santiago the army will
be re-embarked on transports and sent
J to the United States, where the troops