New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-11
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE CONDITION OF AMERICAN FORTS.
UNHEALTHY QUARTERS FOR OFFICERS AND MEN
ApApFR ny GENERAL VILE.


PAPER BY GENERAL vIELE.
General Egbert L. viele read paper on Camp
and Garrison Sanitation" before the Military SER
vice Institution, at Governors Island yesterday.
The first part OF the paper was deVoted 10 showing
how great was the Importance OF the SUBJECT lie
said:
OF the 10000 Hessians TO this country in the Reyo
utisnary War; onehaf persisted Of disease In the Mex
team War; 120 officers and 400 fell In battle OF oeu
Of wounds in the United States Array while 100 officers
and 500 men died of disease Ia the war OF the IKE
beon 80 900 men died OF wounds or fell in battie, Wie
10000 died of disease.
In speaking of the military strength of the
United States, he said:
In ten days the United States could put into the field an
army large that of either of the i've great OF
Europe This country needs hut proper military sys
land that land freedom, which has stood for ages IN
the midst Of despotism has no standing army wh9e'e
but so perfect is its military system that IT could put
100000 men in the held at once. 1t is about the
size Ohio; yet Ohio could not protect itse
the United states may be estimated at $4,000 men
This little army protects 5000 miles OF sea eos eoo
1000 miles of frontier and keeps in subsection 5OOVOU
Indians There 1s7 forts aud barracks IN the
which are cared TOT OF s no larger bust
smaller capital than any otner organi%a'o" III
the world.
General Viele arragned the methods on which the
forts of this country had been constructed IN dlsre
gard of proper saDitary precautions lie quote9
from report of the Surgeon-General when saiu
that
The quarters for the men in Fort Columbus Governors
Isand little better than pig styes The quarters io
the at Fort Hamilton are III Tue
number cubic of allowed for each man IN uor
tories is wretchedly Inadequate There are no ne
and the men perform their a6luton at apunp. Tue
officers quarters IN the classmates are In as Dad as or
worse condition than those of the men. Al Fort Ada
Newport the quarters for officers and men III he cast
mates are damp that fires have TO De Kept purnng
even In the summer 10 make them habltabe Inc Inen
are allowed nsuciency of air I'm their dermitoies
Other facts were mentioned and, in all, IT was
shown that drainage and ventilation were things
not taken into account. The supply OF air allowed
per man the dOrtories of some of the forts is SO
small that the air at night is almost enough 70 as
phixiate the men. From some cases clted "
General VIee, sanitation is no more considered IN
the British Army than il is in that OF the GnIteu
States. The men and horses of the Household SaV-
alry were formerly obliged to drink OF the hltny
water of the Serpentine. No attention was PAID 70
the complaints of the men until the horses refused
to drink the water. Then an officer was sent 10 IN
yestiQate. The cover removed from TANK
which had been filled with water from the
Serpentine for the use of the men ana
horses and the officer neatly overcome by the
stencil. He died two weeks after of fever con-
tracted from lnhaing the noxious fumes arising
from the water provided for the men to drink.
AT the close of General Veiles paper General
Tower moved a vote which was seconded by Ten
eral Crittenden. General Hancock presided at the
meeting. Among those present were Generals
Crittenden, Tower, King, MIlhan and WalpPe,
Colonel Baylor and Wilson Major McVue, Captains
Wharton, Shaler and Price Pay Director Gun
niugham of the Navy, Colonel Story, Major Scherm-
merhom and Mr.. Hammerstey.