The times., 1899-07-24
ALGER CLAIMS AN IDEA.
IL Was He Who First Thought of
Sending Prisoner- Back TO Spnin.

IL Was He Who First Thought of
Sending Prisoners Back to spain.
Since the close Of the war with Spain
there has been much comment on the ac.
tion of the United States in sending back
to Spain the Spanish prisoners captured b.
/ the Navy and Army. There has been con-
siderable discussion as to who was respon-
sib!e for the suggestion to send them TO
their own country Secretary Algsr final
ly determined 10 tell the history Of the
whole matter and to several newspaper
representatives he has made the follow
ms statement
"Ol the night of July .. 1898. the Presi-
! dent asked me what. in my judgment. we
( shcuid do with the Spanish prisoners OF
santiago after their capture. Zoe matter
snad received very much thought from the
PRESIDENT ard myself. but no definite con-
eiusicn had been reached | then suggest
ed TO the President that Galveston. Tex,
would be the best place in the United
states, IN my judgment where we could
sead them; that IL was away from the
ccdst ine travel; a good barber; that there
would De plenty Of room for camping them,
ana that its climate would be as nearly
similar TO that OF Santiago as we could
prooaoiy select. This seemed 10 meet his
approval, as 1t was only question Of
eHected | went to my nome as nearly
as can remember. about O'Clock in the
morning. and being tco tired to sleep. |
iay awake for while but finally dropped
on | awoke at just daybreak and my
hrst thought was concerning the Spanish
prisoners. and the new thought came into
my mind, Why not send them back to
SPAIN? This proposition Impressed me so
deeply that | formulated my plan. and OF,
nf Tgrly fpu 1f
me department direct. went TO the White
house and laid the new plan before the
president, saying that II would be an un-
precedented procedure. and the most gra-
cious act OF any nation in the world: that
10 snip the prisoners to Galveston would be
naii the distance; that we should have to
clothe. shelter, guard. and feed them there
and no doubt have TO ship them back to
Spain in the end | also stated that I be
lleved tnat it would be great inducement
TO the Spaniards to surrender. which Gen
eral Shafter afterward assured me Was
the effect The President readily approved
the plan. and on the same day | cabled
General Shafter as follows:
War Department.
Washington. July 10 lS9s
General Shafter, Playa del Este. Santiago Cuba.
should the spaniards surrender uncontlitianaIIy
ana wish to return to Spain. they win be sent
1 odeA direet at the expense OF the United states
H. \. ALGER,
Secretary Of War.
Upon receiving this. on the 1ith of
July, General Shafter sent the following
of the Spanish forces:
Headquarters Fifth Army Corps.
Camp near santiago de Cuba
g.. July IL. ISIS.
nave come to me, and the fact that have
your line OF retreat securely in my hands the
time seems fitting that | should again derlanI
OF your eNceilency the surrender Of Santiago
and OF Your exceileney's army. am authorized
to state that, should your exceIltncy so desire.
tie Government OF the United States will trans
Spain.
! have the honor to be. very respectfully. your
obedient servant WM. r. SHAFTER.
Major General Commanding.
Immediately upon the surrender steps
were taken to carry out the pledges OF the
United States Government to ship the
Spaniards home The Quartermaster's
Department Immediately advertised for
bids to transport the prisoners to Sfain.
with the result that eight of the great
ocean transportation companies-the
Anchor Line. Cunard Steamship Company
Limitedl, North German Lloyd Steamship
Company, Hamburg American Packet
Company, Robert NJ. Sloan & Co. Fred
eIlCh l-eyidnu d 20. il-lllltEd1- Royal Mail
Steam Packet Company. Thomas Wilson
Sons d Co. CLimitsdl. and Wilson & Fur
ness Leyland Line tLimitedl-submitted a
combined bid which was for officers $ilG.
and for enlisted men 500 per capita, steam
ers 10 be despatched from Santiago de
Cuba within forty-eight hours Of their re-
ported arrival, or demurrage to be paid
at the rate of 60 cents per capita per day.
same demurrage to be paid il ST amers be
detained at place of debarkation by quar-
antine or other cause The Spanish Trans
Atlantic COmpany's bid was $50 per eapitA
for officers and $50 for enlisted men, with
no demurrage. The Spanish company's Of
fer was accepted. The Tations for the pris-
oners were inspected by a United States
Government Official, and this Government
paid for the transportation of all the pris-
Oners. S513.S60. The same number carried
by the other companies under their bid
would have cost the Government S1.S12,-
915. Here was $500, eco saved by the UniteI
States. and probably as much more in
demurrage.
Some days after this contract was
awarded the President said to me as
entered the Cabinet room. Mr.. Secretary.
would you like TO hear something favor
able to you printed in the New York
Times" and went on TO read the ed toriaI
complimentary to the man whose mind
originated the plan of transporting TIE
Spaniards back to SPAIN