The age-herald., 1901-10-06
Declares Admiral Was ChagTiR- ed Over the Santiago
 Engagement ng g MILES CONDUCT UNM|L|TARY
Says General Has Certain Character istics, Reference to Which In a Historical Work Would Be
 Out of Place.

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 the book with survey of the Cuban situation in 1S9S General Alger says:
 'The thoughtful observer of public events during the years 4o95-1S97 need hardly be reminded that both the Mo Kinley and Cleveland administrations sought by every honable means to avoid complication with Spain, though protest ing against the conditions prevalent in Cuba"
 He then comments upon our unprepar- edness for war at that time and the splendid spectacle of the countrys re- sponse to the governments ultimatum to Spain. He then leads the reader through the hurried preparations for war, its em- barrassments and difficulties, the perse- cution of the office-seeaeR the disappoint. ment of hundreds of volunteers, the de- mands of seacoasts, cities and towns for immediate and impossible protection, and the savage criticism of the military ad- mnistration plans of campaign and tho battle with the apparently endless list o1 shortcomings and grievances.
 Plan of Campaign Not Mistake.
 "Then follow the plans of campaign; the embarkaticn a. Tampa, which was SC complication with Spain. .--ough protest General Alger is now convinced that, all things considered, was not a mistake The account of the march on Santiago is graphically pictured and prepares one for the fights at Caney and San Juan.
 "The round robin" incident comes in for a fair share of space. While the nego- tiations for surrender were pending be- fore Santiago the general officers of Shaf- ter's army met and signed round robin which was given out for publication. This paper showed great alarm over the threatened coming of yellow and enterio fevers, and went on to say this army must be moved at once or it will perish. Of the round robin itself General Alger says he has no criticism to offer. But ho. does criticise the publication of 1t, Say ing that it was one of the most unfortu nate and regrettable incidents of the war.
 Takes Whack at Sampson.
 General reviews at length the dispatch between General Shafter and Admiral Sampson and quotes many unofficial let ters. He concludes this chapter in these words:
 'It is difficult to account for Admiral Sampson's seeming attitude towards the army during the operations before San tiago as well as to excuse him for his contradictory statements subsequently made in his official report. After the 3d of July the Admirals conduct may have been due to his keen disappointment re- sultihg from his non-participation in the engagement with Cerveras squadron. Possibly he felt that Shafter's request for conference on the morning of July Innocent though it was, was responsible for his being deprived of the honor of ac lively participating as commander in chief in one of the most remarkable vic- tories in the annals of naval warfare"
 Of the Miles-Egan controversy over the alleged furnishing of "embaImed beef'' to the army, General Alger says:
 ''On the 21st of December the maior general commanding the army of the United States appeared before the com mission then sitting in Washington and made his statements with respect to the canned, fresh and refrigerated beef fur hished to the army during the war.
 Now a Turn at Miles.
 Although the commission had been sit- ting nearly three months, the charges with respects to canned and refrigerated beef were now made for the first time. and stranger and more inexcusable and more unsoldierly still during all those months and with this pretended knowl- edge 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 men, toned the subject.
 General Miles seemed to be pleased with the notoriety which his startling
  subsequent newspaper interview gave him; for again. on the s1st of March, 1899. In New York city, he published. through representatives of the Associated Press pharges. This unmiIitary and questiona-