The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-05-14
oAnrIs ron .4at AhnhrcAx DESSERT
The ouixotsc sshere or the Unites states
Government Undertsken Years Before
the war-Its RidtcnIous TermInatton.

hIILonh 'to othc uHy hTe perhaps Cns rom
nanto, OF u band imported into this country.
now thirty-six years ago. by ADMIRAL. then
Lieutenant. d. d. Porter and Major Henry G.
Wayne. The story Of that importation Ia ona
OF those high-comedy ~rccitals occasionally
foundi In the ponderous official documents OF
the United Statos Government II ia none the
less interesting from the fact. that II involves
half n dozen names distinguished nt home
and abroad. You may md tho story fully set
forth and effectively. though not hand
somely. illustrated in n Government pub
lirntion OF about 800 pages issued In
1857. The volumeis specifically senate Exec-
utivs Document No. ~ Of the Thirty-fourth
congress. third or extra session. 1t is n re.
port OF the Secretary Of War communicating.
IN compliance with the request oi the Senate.
information respecting tho purchase OF cam
els Tor the purpose OF military transportation.
Tho document was prepared undor the SUPER
vision Of Jefferson Davis. Secretary Of. War.
ana 1t is addressed to John NJ. Mason. prest-
dent pro TEN. OF the Senate. a gentleman who
soon aterward enjoyed considerable distinc-
ton by reason OF his relations to said Jeffer-
son Davis. President o! the Southern Con.ed-
eracy. to the Government OF the United States.
aud 10 Tint OF her Britannia Majesty.
Congress-, by n bill approved BIZ tho presl-
dent March j. 1888. appropriated SIC. 600 for
tho purchase and Importation OF camels. with
n Wow to experiments looking to the use of
that animal upon this continent as an did to
army transportation. That was In the days
when we talked n good deal about the Great
American desert. and 1t was not long after
tho French in Africa and tho British in
various parts OF tho Orient had found
the camel a valuable adjunct to ,clviliztst
or semi-civiliEed warfare. 1t fell to tho task
OF Secretary Davis to carry out the will OF
Congress In this matter. and he went about 1t
with the energy that atterward characterized
MS conduct ola less credisabloif more serious
adventure. alr. Davis undertook his task in
"u.s,,asa Wv was not nls NUT IL N
more than It was tbronnb lact q, oosn;.,
gravity TINT his liuIs volnma nov soam. 10
800, 'm"' "ns NIUE 'e'ume no" seems 10
Oriental extravaranzas recently pn 40 N non " !"
on the stage o, New York. Mr.. Davis informs
Ave camols have been imported. a consider.
ably larger num- Der thun IT would b vVn' hean
but for the timely aid o, a i" nar rppstoa,A ship
presses satisfaction with tho experiment. as
far as it had then de.elODod; and predicted
stS os IA =. u..emp' 10 Employ the camel
Then he Zoos on hv mems q, trnns.r,n,s 1.nm
official documents to tell the story Of his
Oriental quest.
Henry G. Wayne lott New York Nav IL. isL15l
charged with the task Of negotiating for $780,:
consult experts on the camel in In Mia -
France. and elsewhere in the course eh Of b Il
naval storeship Supply. then under eom mn
OF Lieut.. ID. j. Porter. and nbont 10 saii for
the ssG MsSits.rdns 90 with stores for the ships
in his instructions 10 tho Lieutenant that Dnas
mascus and PALMYRA had ones been iia anna. t "
-.-- e,. ~
sessed animals OF fine nuaIity."' The neI secc pe
tary believed. however. that the best breed Of
sMamsls W TSs se to p See 1od the W " rf nsnsrtn me bI ;ne
iormed Of his movome anti. and Of tha .m nrnn,a sss
Of hes au esItsr,s ,,s,ruc,,on. war. 70 await
Major Wayne at some convenient point in the
Mssii,sFrs sns :. to o.. aii In. ,5s . INA force a
warlike tribes OF the interior. On returnine
pGMin nio on Va sas't and 0t if fisat. Porter accepted
it was coniidsd to r6sir execution sn''t Thu MMM aIor
promptly wrote to Secretary Davis to renort
I his Hsriva 81, in od hond sa1a,, Min list. : i B1shanSn
ceiyed tho important nature OF HIS b,usi-
I mss. the Minis AZ BY Eay Of intlodSsIaf
gave him a letter to Prof Richard owen. F. K. |
s.. the Cuvisr OF England" Major Wayne as.
much impresssd with the quest rs was Mr. |
Buchanan. and so we're tho authorities OF The |
London LO0lOHlpnl (IArnan4L Major Nnvna
visited tho Garden. and tIero. ma He informs
Mr.. Davis. studied tina feodinr. care. and
hygiene or the dromednry. Hs tells Mi Dnvis
what food WAS served 10 thu Animals in can.
tiyity there. and transmits 10 him THAR
keeper's cheering assurance that tho camel ia
n hardy animal. less in need OF care than the
horse. and Guite as coniortable in tha hands
Of Europenns ns in those OF Arabs " ~
Major Wayno next writes from Pars wbere
be was plensantiy Received by Minister Mason
It Il lad miI heen Mr. Davis's Wish tnat The M is1nr
should consult in raris Gems. Tarhu"c,a md
Morey Monge OF the French army dis.
creatura in Afrira' t;en, Carbmcrte hnwavar
had lust died OF cholera. and Gan Moray
Mnncs wns ahsent Thronph The Mjnistsr ~,
War' Ruw"yar. Major Wnyns Was intrnducod
to Gen. Dautnas an African eampaigner. who
writren an ]srticl,.. or In ,nineI as wall u as nna
mnnn The war horse Cen. iinumas' in n NOT"
nuuotsd Nv Mr. mavia IN Tia Erannh ia renaOn
transmitt.it TO Mnior Wayne his article on IL,
Chnmcau," and conveyed to the Major as
Ma nor Wevne nromises 70 mate nj leismrc
n tran slation Of the Generals essay. and re-.
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