New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-06
TRANSPORTS TO LEAVE PONCE.
THEY WILL RE USED TO BRING GENERAL
SHAFTER's ARMY NORTH.

WASHINGTON. Aug 5->The War Department
has ordered the large feet or transports al
Ponce TO proceed to Santiago there to join win
the transports already at Santiago In bringing
General Skaters army back to this country
There are ten large transports in the fleet at
Ponce some Of them like the Mobile. having
capacity OF a thousand men. In al. they have
q capacity Of G540 men This. with the ca
pacity ~ the ships already at Santiago, VIII
give carrying capacity Of over twelve thou
Sand men at trip. In addition To the trans
ports announced by the War Departn ent yes
terday as being ready az Santiago. it now APP
pears that the Orizaba. with a capacity Of 600
c1en Is also available. The Yale will also be
brought into this service in the course of week
or ten DAYS At present she is to b. utilized in
taking General Grants brigade 70 Porto Rico.
after which she will return by way of Santiago
and take on load Of General Skaters men.
The press dispatches from Santiago, saying
that the troops were greatly elated over the
prospect cf beginning the honeward move to-
day. are accepted with satisfaction by the war
officials here They say that the embarkation
has already begun. and that the Louisiana.
which departed the day before yesterday with
cavalry on board. Is now well on her way home.
with the arrival Of General Skaters army In
this country every facility will be given to the
troops to recuperate. This will apply not only
the sick, but to the well. as 1t Is appreciated
that the hardships through which the men have
gone must haxe taxed the vitality even OF the
strongest.
There will be no yellow fever cases brought to
this country. as such cases can be best handled
without removal The less serious cases Of sick
ness not involving contagion, will be brought
here II the patients are convaescing to a point
where removal will be advantageous. Surgeon
General Sternberg has In view several points for
| patients ard conva escents The actual hospital
station will probably be located at Montauk
Point. where a field hospital for Ave hundred pa
| tients is being prepared In addition to the hos
ptal equipment which General Skaters forces
will bring along with them But. in addition to
this General sternbeEg has in view two nnc
locations where the bracng mountain and lake
| air Will help conva 'escents to recovery These
points are Fort Ethan Allen Vermont. and the
| Army post at Plattsburg ". Y. The latter point
| is on Lake Champlain and the former in the
| bracing latitude Of the mountains General
| Sternberg has no purpose cf making these points
| hospital camps in the ordinary sense OF the
| word where severe cases will be handled but
| only to make them available for the conva
| lescents already well on the way TO recovery.
| who need good air and surroundings TO bring
| them completely back to health. Each post will
| accommodate some five hundred to eight hun
| dred men The order designating them for this
| purpose has not yet been made. but General
| Sternberg doubtless will make the recommended
| ton for their use.
The impression that there is difference Of
| opinion between the medical officers at Santiago
! and those at Washington on the question IF re-
moving the troops OF General Skaters army Is
said to be without foundation. as 1t is pointed
out that Surgeon General Sternberg's office has
maintained from the first that the Army should
be removed as fast as the military situation
would permit. 1t is said however. that the
military situation in the common custom Of field
operations, dominates the medical situation and
that the latter must shape itself to the mill
tary requirements. General Sternberg felt that
II would be disastrous for the troops to remain
at Santiago through the late summer and early
fall months, as these most likely to breed
serious cases OF yellow fever In the event that
a removal was not possible because OF the mill
tary situation. then 1t was General sternberg's
view that the camps be removed as speedily as
possible from points OF infection. and a new
camping sround back Of sanaago be estab-
| llshed.