The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-06
He CRITICISES SAMPSON
For Attitude Toward Army and Con-
Trajectory Statements.
ALGER QUESTIONS MILES HONESTY
his in Connection With the Charge Miles Mad
That the Timed Beef Mas Issued Un-
der the Pretense Of an Ex-
psriment.
(By the Associated Press.)

New York, October 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 survey of the
Cuban situation in 1898, General Alger
says:
THE thoughtful observer of public
events during the years 1896 1897 need
hardly be reminded that both the Cleve-
land and the Mckinley administration
sought by every honorable means to avoid
complications 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 country's re-
spouse to the Governments ultimatum
upon Spain. He then leads the reader
through the hurried preparations for war,
its embarrassments of difficulties, 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 list
CT shortcomings and grievances. The
embarka ton at Tampa, which was
severely criticised at the time,
General Alger is now convinced that, all
things considered was not a mistake.
The account of the march on Santiago 10
graphically pictured and portTays one OF
the fights at Caney and San Juan.
The Round Robin incident comes in
for fair share of space. While the ne
EQUATIONS for surrender were pending
before Santiago, the general officers of
Skaters army, met and signed round
room which was given out for publication.
This paper showed great alarm over the
threatened coming of yellow and enteric
feyers, 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
he does criticise the publication of il,
saying that it was one of the most un-
fortunate and regrettable incidents Of the
war.
General Alger reviews at length the diff
ferences between General Shafter and Ad-
miral Sampson and quoted many official
letters. He concluded this chapter in
these words:
''It is difficult to account for Admiral
SIMPSONS 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
third OF July the Admiral's conduct may
be due to the keen disappointment result
ing from his non participation in the en-
gagement with Cervera's squadron. Posi-
bly, he felt that Skaters request for a
conference on the morning of July 3rd,
innocent thought it was, was responsible
for his being deprived of the honor of
actively participating as commandment in
chief in one of the most remarkable vic
tories in the annals of naval warfare. =
OF the Miles Eagan controversy over
the alleged furnishing of embalmed
beef to the army, Gen. Alger says:
THE commission appointed by the
President at my request to investigate
the conduct OF the War Department in
the war with Spain, commonly known
as the War Investigation or the Dodge
Commission, met on the oath day of
September. 1898. Up to the twenty first
of December, 1898, this commission had
taken testimony in seventeen towns and
cities and in many different camps,
granting wherever it went, to the cit
liens, soldiers or eX- soldiers an oDpor-
tunity to appear for complaint or tes-
timony of any kind regarding the con-
duct of the war. The commission visit
| cd numerous camps in which there were
| still many thousands of soldiers, both
regulars and volunteers. who were in
vited to give their evidence without re-
| gard to rank of service. On the 21st of
| December the Major General command
| ing the army of the United States APP
| peared before the commission, then sit
| ting in Washington and made his state
ments with respect to the canned fresh
| end refrigerated beef furnished to the
army during the war.
although the commission had been
| sitting nearly three months the charges
with respect to canned and refrigerated
| beef were made for the first time; and
stranger and more inexcusab BILE and more
unsolderly still, during all those
| months. with this pretended knowledge
/ 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 ths
subject.
/ General Miles seemed to be pleased
with the notoricty which his startling
statement before the commission and hi
| subsequent newspaper interview gave