The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-10-06
GEN. ALGER'S BOOK.
He Reviews the Trials Which Beset
Him During Spanish War.
A FLING AT SAMPSON.
Latter'S Conduct Probably Caused by
Soreness" al Shafter.
ACCUSES MILES Of DISHONESTY
In Connection with the Charges Made
Against The Department.
PUBLICATION OF THE ROUND ROBIN
Is Criticised, Though No Fault Is Found
with the Document ltself--Warm
Passages Recited.

New York. October o. General Ayers
book on the spanish American war. which
his publishers state has been delayed and
changed because OF the death Of President
Mckinley, Will be issued next Thursday.
Opening his book with a survey of the
Cuban situation in 1898, General Algcr
says. "rhe thoughtful observer OF public
events during the years lS951S07 need
hardly be reminded that both the Cleve-
land and Mckinley administrations sought
by every honorable mems to avoid com.
plications with Spain, though protesting
against the conditions prevalent In Cuba -
lie then comments upon cur unprepared-
ness for war at that time and the splendid
spectacle of the country's response to the
governments ultimatum upon Spain. He
then leads the reader through the hurried
preparations for war. its emharrassments
and difficulties the persecution Of the
othceseeker, the disappointment of hun
drcds Of volunteers, the demands Of sea
coast cities and towns for Immediate and
impossible protection and the savage crti-
clsm Of the military administration. plans
Of the campaign and the battle with the
and grievances Then follow the plans OF
the campaign the embarkation at Tampa
which was severely criticised Mt the time,
but which General Alger now convinced
that all things considered, was not mis-
take The account of the march on San
tago is graphically pictured and prepares
one for the lights at Caney and San Juan
The round robin" incident comes in
for a fair share Of space. While the nego-
tiatons for surrender were pending before
Santiago, the general officers OF Skaters
army met and signed round robin which
was given out for publication. This paper
showed great alarm over the threatened
coming Of yellow and enterlc fevers and
went on 10 say: This army must be
moved at once or it will perish"
OF the round robin itself. General AIger
says he has no criticism to ofIer But he
does crticise the publication Of 1t. saying
that it was one Of the most regrettable in.
cidcnts of the war
General Algcr reviews at length the diff,
culties between General Shafter and Ad,
miral Sampson and quotes many official
letters. lie concludes this chapter in these
words 1T is difficult to account for Ad-
miral SIMPSONS seeming attitude toward
the army during the operations before San.
tiaeo, as well as to excuse him for his
contradictory statements subsequently made
in his official report. After the Sd Of July
the admrars conduct may have been due
10 his keen disappointment resulting for
his non-partlclpation In the engagement
with Ceryera's squadron Possibly he felt
that Skaters request for a conference on
bo Of nj 4
was, was responsible for his being deprived
Of the honor Of actively participating as
commander in chief In one of the most re-
markablc victories in the annals OF naval
warfare
OF the Miles Egan controversy over the
alleged furnishing Of "embalmed beef" TO
the army, General Alger says: "On the
DIST Of December the major general com.
mnnding the army of the United states M
pearcd before the commission then sitting
In washington and made his statements
with respect to the canned, fresh and re-
frgeratcd beef furnished to the army dur
ing the war.
although the commission had been sit
ting nearly three months, the charges with
respect to canned and refrigerated beer
were now made for the first time ana
stranger and more inexcusable and more
unsodierly stin. during all these months
and with this pretended contending OF facts
which If they existed, should have been
made known to the secretary OF war for
the protection OF the army, General Miles
had never mentioned the subject.
General Miles seemed to be pleased with
/ the notoriety which his startling statement
before the commission and his subsequent
newspaper interviews gave him For again
on the 31st Of March. 1899, in New York
\ City, he published through reports OF the
! Associated Press and a metropolitan pa
| per. additional charges. This unmiIltary
! and questionable method OF making In pub.
/ lie grave and scandalous charges regarding
brother officer and the work OF his de.
/ partment-charges which subsequent and
/ careful Investigation proved both unwar.
/ ranted and untrue-seemed to appeal 10 Ger
/ tain characteristics Of the major general
commanding TO which reference here would
/ be out Of place.
ar we are TO believe written evidence
to the contrary, It does not appear thar
/ General Miles was even honest in making
/ his dllatory charges that the timed beet
was Issued as the pretense Of a expert
ment' and that 1t was not a part OF the
/ ration.
I'm June 1895, his most confidential stan
officer signed by direction OF the major
| general commanding the army Instruction,
/ 10 the depot cemmIssary at Tampa 10 fur.
nish 10 General Nunez 1854 pounds OF
canned roast beef, to be Issued from the
subsistence stores Of the army. II we are
/ to accept the reading Of this letter as cor
( rect, Il proves that General Miles knew
that the canned roast beef was a part OF
the ration; that he knew there was large