The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-06
TREATS OF CANNED BEEF
Sharp Criticism of Army and
 Navy Officers.
Former Secretary of War Says the Conduct of Admiral Sampson
 and General Miles Was
 4v Inexcusab1e.

New York. Oct. 5-General Alger's bool on the Spanish-American war. which hi publishers state has been delayed ans changed because of the death of Presi dent Mckinley" will be issued mex Thursday.
 Opening his book with . survey of tn Cuban situation in 1888, General Alge says: "The thoughtful observer of publi' events during the years 1ss5-1S97 neet hardly be reminded that both the Cieve land and the Mckinley administration sought by every honorable means tt avoid complications with Spain. thougt protesting against the conditions pre- vaient in Cuba"
 He then comments upon our unpre. paredness for war at that time and tho splendid spectacle of the country's res ponse to the governments ultimatum upon Spain. He then leads the reader through the hurried preparation for war. it's endorsements and difficulties. the persistency of the office seeker; the dis appointment of hundreds of volunteers. the demands of seacoast cities and towns for immediate and impossible protection and the savage criticism of the military administration. plans of campaign and the battle with the apparently endless ssst of shortcomings and grievances.
 Then follows the plans of campaign; the authorization at Tampa, which wal severely criticized at the time. but which General Aiger is now convinced that. all things considered, was not a mistake. Tn account of the march on Santiago graphically pictured and prepares one fo the fights at Caney and San Juan.
 The eRound Robinn Incident.
 .The Round-robin,' incident comes fl for a fair share of space. While thu negotiations for surrender were pending before Santiago, the general officers of Shafter's army met and signed round- robbin which was given out for publica- ton. This paper showed great alarm over the threatened coming of yellow and enteric levers, and went on to say This army must be moved at once or 1t Will perish"
 Of the round-robin itself, General Alger says he has no criticism to offer. But
 
 saving that 1t was one of the most un- fortunate and regrettable incidents of the war.
 General Alger reviews at length the difficuIties between General Shafter and Admiral Sampson and quotes many of- ficial letters.
 He concludes this chapter in these words: Tt is difficult to account for Ad- miral Sampson's seeming attitude to- wards the army during the operations be- fore Santiago, as well as to excuse nim for his contradictory statements subse- uuently made in his official report. After the third of July the Admirars conduct may have been due to his keen disap- pointment resulting from his non-partici- patton in the engagement with Cervera's souadron Possibly he felt that Shafter's request for a conference on the morning of July 8 innocent though 1t was. was for his being deprived of the honor of actively participating as com in one of the most re- markable 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 Fist of December the Major General com manding the army of the United States
 
 ting in Washington and made his state ments with respect to the canned. fresh and refriRerated beef furnished to the army during the war.
 Although the commission had been sit- ting nearly three months, the charges with respect to canned and refrigerated beef were now made for the first time; and, stranger and more inexcusable and more unsoldierly still, during all those
 IA ST.aE .7-3l Nr-.N NwnHN edge of facts which, if they existed. retary of War for the protection of the army, General Miles had never mention cd the subject.
 Harsh Words for Gen. Miles.
 General Miles seemed to be pleased with the notoriety which his startling statement before the commission and his newspaper interview gave him; for again, on the 31st of March, 1899. in New Yofk city, he published through of the Associated Press and a metropolitan paper. additional charges. This unmilitary and questiona- ble method of making in public grave and scandalous charges regarding a brother officer and the work of his department charges which subsequent and careful in proved both unwarranted and to appeal to certain of the Major General to which reference here would be out of place.
 If we are to believe written evidence to the contrary, 1t does not appear that General Miles was even honest in mak- ng his dilatory charges that the timed beef was issued as the pretense of an experiment and that it was not part of he ration. On the 17th of June, 1898, his most confidential stan officer signed etter by direction of the Major General the army instructing the lepot commissary at Tampa to furnish to General Nunez 1O.6A pounds of canned 'oast beef. to be issued from the subsis- .ence stores of the army. If we are to accept the reading of this letter as cor 'ect, 1t proves that General Miles knew hat the canned fresh beef was part )f the ration; that he knew there was ! large quantity of 1t at Tampa for issue. 70 the troops and that he so far approved