The record-union., 1898-11-27
Perplaxing Difficulties Confronting
the Quartsrmaster's Department
In the Procurement Of Supplies for Troops
During the Late War.
Review Of the Operations Of His
Department UP to the Close OF
Hostilities Presented in the An
nual Report of Quartermaster
M. I. Ludington.

| WASHINGTON, Nov. 26.-The an
nual report of Quartermaster M. /.
Ludington reviews the operations of
MS office to the close of hostilities with
Spain. Treating of the war as affect
ing the Quartermaster's Department,
ne said to properly clothe and equip
TINS large number of soldiers for active
and immediate operations in the field
was problem of vast proportions.
Many difficulties were in the way. Com
tracts were promptly entered into for
all the articles of clothing and camp
equippage for which there would be
an early demand, great care being
taken to prevent the supply of articles
being of inferior quality. The f1annels
OF standard quality used for making
army blouses and trousers were not to
be had in the market, and it was neces-
sary to have them manufactured In
the meantime the department, as far as
possible, endeayored to procure articles
conforming as nearly as practicable to
existing standards, but had to resort
to some extent to the purchase of dark
blue trousers, so that the men might
be quickly supplied.
The prompt supply of the large num-
Der OF tents required by the increased
force was a problem of different solu-
tlon and called for extraordinary en-
deavors. AT the beginning of the war
there was but little cotton duck to be
found in this country entirely suitable
for military purposes, the supply hav-
ing been depleted by the large demands
for tentage for the Klondike region
and the extensive purchases by the
Navy Department
With all the perplexing difficulties
confronting the department. in the mat
ter of clothing and equippage supplies
In the short period of three and one
half months an army of 275, 600 men
was equipped with such supplies. and
the army in Cuba, consisting of 16.-
OOO men, leaving their tentage behind.
arrived at their camp at Montauk
Point, N. Y, and found a complete new
outfit of tents and clothing ready there
for them.
During the war period animals were
purchased costing S3,S77, 500, and wag-
ons and harness costing 1888, ,499. Dur
ing this same period S3,077 tons of coal
were purchased
General Ludington discusses in detail
transportation during the war. He
says:
From April /, 1898, to the breaking
up of Camp Wixoff the aggregate
movement of troops by rail amounted
to IL 1868 officers and 435, 500 men. Low
rates We're secured by the Quarternas-
ter's Department in making these
movements, generally not exceeding 1
cent per mile for passengers, and in
many cases much less, and about one
half the prevailing tariff rates for
freight in excess of $50 pounds per man
carried free. From the declaration of
war to June 80, 1898, this department
chartered for service on the Atlantic
and Gulf waters 43 vessels, with a total
tonnage of 104, POI, and a carrying ca
pacity of 1,2S7 officers and %. .335 men.
with their arms, ammunition, equip
ment, medical and subsistence supplies
and 6,146 animals. There were also
chartered four water boats, with a to-
tai capacity of $4,000 gallons, three
lighters, two tugs and one barge, also
two barges purchased.
Fourteen ships were chartered to
June 30, 1896, on the Pacific Coast,
having a total tonnage of Al ,152, and
carrying capacity of 629 officers and
13,059 men, with their complete outfit
Of camp and garrison equipment, arms,
ammunition, medical and subsistence
stores for voyage of over 1000 miles.
The combined fleets on the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts at the close of the
fiscal year consisted of 50 vessels Of
various classes, with total tonnage
of 145,453 tons and carrying capacity
of over $4,000 men. The total expendi-
lures for fitting UP these vessels. as
far as reported, to June 80 1898,
amounted to $1S6,632
The payments for service vessels,
under charter to June 80, 1898, We're as
follows: On Atlantic Coast and Gulf
waters, 81, ,007, ,952; on Pacific Coast,
$319, 764.
Since the 1st of January, 1898, there
have been chartered on the Atlantic
Coast four vessels, viz: Steamship
Wanderer, steamship Lagrande Ouch
esse, steamship Tarpen and steamship
Ute. These vessels were made auxil-
iary to the fleet of transports for the
transportation of troops and supplies
to Cuba and Porto Rico, and increased
the tonnage to 111,O99 tons, and the
carrying capacity to over 25,000 men.
To meet the needs for light draught
vessels for towing and lighterage at
Santiago, two fine ocean tugs were
chartered early in July, 1898, the I'm
derwriter and the Gladisfen. There
were also chartered for service in the
movement of troops and supplies at
Montauk, after the return of General
Skaters army from Cuba, one large
steamship for the transportation of sick
and wounded and five small steamers,
three barges and two fiat boats. These
vessels since the abandonment of Camp
Wikof as a camp have been dispensed
with. On the Pacific Coast four addi-
tional vessels were chartered for the
transportation of troops and supplies
to Manila, viz: City of Rio de Janeiro.
Pennsylvania, st. Paul and Tacoma
Chief Postoffice Inspector.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 26.-The POST
master General has appointed w. r..
Cochrane, now Postoffice Inspector in
charge at Denver to be Chief TnsnecL