The sun., 1901-10-07
GENERAL LALGER' BOOK
Defense Of His Departments Work
During the Spanish War.
HIS OPINION OF. SAMPSON.
Xacuches ON Relations Between the
NJ Admiral and General Shafter.
u wood Gets Credit For
Rough Riders.

# New York, Oct. 6.-General Alger's
II hook OH the Spanish-American war,
which his publishers state ''has been
y delayed and changed because Of the
death Of President Mckinley" will be
\ issued Thursday.
"A Opening his book with a survey of
n the Cuban situation in 1898, General
Alger says:
"1'he thoughtful observer of public
events during the years 1Soo-91 need
hardly be reminded that both the
"A Cleveland and the Mckinley admins
trations sought by every honorable
means to avoid complications with
Spain. though protesting against the
conditions prevalent in Cuba"
He then comments upon our unpre-
paredness 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 embarrassnents and difficult
ties, the persecution by the oiliceseekef,
tht disappointment of hundreds of vol
untecrs, the demands of seacoast cities
blc protection and the savage criticism
Of tile military administration plans of
campaign and the battle with the APP
parently endless list of shortcomings
and grievances. Then follow the plans
of campaign and the cmbarkation at
Tampa which was severely criticised
at the time, but which General Alger
Is now convinced, all things consid-
cred, was not n mistake. The ac-
count Of the march on Santiago is
graphically pictured and prepares one
Aiger on the Round Robin.
The round robin incident comes III
for fair share Of space. While the
negotiations for surrender We're pend
ing before Santiago the general officers
of Shafters army met and signed a
round robin 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, "'rhis army must he moved at
once or it will perish" OF the round
robin itself General Alger-says he has
no criticism TO offer, but he does crti
else the publication of it, saying that
ii was one Of the most unfortunate anu
Ipgrettablr incidents Of the war.
General Alger reviews at length thu
differences between General Shaftei
and Admiral Sampson and quotes
many official letters.
"Unfortunately the relations be
tween General Shafter and Admira
Sampson during the Santiago cam
paign," says the ex-secretary of war
were not Mt nll times of the most cor
dial nature. ! approach with some re
ii luctance n discussion of the causes
& which brought about this condition
M What | have to say of Admiral Samp
" son, however, should not be under
s% stood as applying to the navy as
X whole The record Of our navy dur
a ing the war with Spain is Of such
character that every American citizcl
can refer 10 it with unqualified prid
and satisfaction
what He Says About sampson.
After recounting ADMIRAL Schley'
delays in reaching Santiago, his dt
partnrc and return and Admiral Sam
sons assumption of command he col
tl,t.es:
admiral SIMPSONS original propos
ton seems to have been TO prevent
sortie pending the arrival Of the arm
hy blocking the channel and that til
nlmy should then attempt the impra'
ticahlc task of aSsnlting the precip
n tons heights Of the Moro, with til
III Spanish army in its rear and aftt
~ capturing tire forts al the entrance {
TIA the harhor protect the navy while II
s# moving the mines in the channel. Bl
a# this plan would also have required thu
% our forces should remove the Mcrr
N mae If ii had successfully obstructe
81 the channel, as was supposed and il
n tended.
There can he no doubt that this We
II his plan, for he thus states in lett,
n To General Shafter on July 2: 1T ";
q my hope that an attack on your pa
VI Of these shore batteries from the re;
II would leave us ut liberty to drag Il
channel for torpedoes.' This Won
imply that il the entrance We're Gle;
of mines and Instructions the admir-
n proposed to engage the enemy's te
n within the harbor. And yet he ma,
a no effort to enter the harbor after Il
Spanish fleet had gone out and hi
been destroyed, even though repeate
Il ly urged to do so by General Shafter.
n 1T is fortunate that the plan fl
II blocking the channel by sinking Il
II Nerlinac did not succeed. II is Il
consensus of opinion of the milital
officers ut Santiago that ii would ha'
cost us many thousand additional liv
to take the city by assault even aft
the capture of san Juan heights"
General Alger scarcely mention
Colonel Roosevelt. lie quotes fro
tie colonel's book, "trhe Rough Riders
to show that the regiment was at ii
NJ tie and not San Juan Hill, saying
N does not intend to discredit them, b
"a TO define their true position, but +
M their achievements he gives Genel
M Wood the credit.
a Soldiers BriDE Military Prisoners
M New York, Oct. 6.Among the ps
M sengers who arrived from Santia
MI per Ward line steamer Saratoga we
MI Fpll ,1f HIkn