Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-12-22
NAVAL PROBLEM.

Gen. Miles stated the firss plans for
ffuc'nN troops go cuba were flft his a.
he was opposed TO sending troops there
uui CcrNer1'- noet WE located. The
quesiion az She outset was naval
proh'cm; ana the dispatch OF troops. in
his judgment. then hinged on which
ilctf should destroy ghe 0.hor. n ,he
Spanish had destroyed che United
faic ncci the United states would
have boon blocked FOR number ~
years. N We had had n force In Cuba
men, w would have Lost a. as 70 would
nave been Impossible 10 Rti 9. back
b re- Hc was opposed. aisn go send.
ing 2 largc force 90 places like Havana
or Mai1nzns. b-crta' % thn iargr per-
csniage VI yellow fever deaths
lie said the destruction OF cervera's
feet r.,tled shat problem. lie slid he
wanted g. upfrlte with n small force
nfainri she Spanish forces by hnrnsdne
MON during Tho slcidy annrun. aiding
me 'uhauf AMI not Cndlurfrirg the
ives ~ be own force. H. also ~ fret
favored taking Porto Rien % prevent
inc spanish from using that as base
% operations.
Gen. Miles gave details OF the Porto
lllcan expeditions. organization and OBJ
Htncles.
Concluding with hla otinlon ~ camp
sites. he rald tho iirs, he knew Of the
selection " camp AiFcr. Va. tho most
4 Objectionable camp. In hla mind. was
when the regiments began reaching
there. As to Chlcknmauga. he had
recommended modifying the regulars
lcft. lut he never anticipated ~ 600 men
would be- sent fhcrp md when h. found
u ovcrcriwded he had recommended
distribution u the forces among other
localities.
GEN. MERRITTs STORY.
Gen. Wesley II. Merritt was the nrst
witnrs ~ no afternoon. lie hagan
his testimony by description 81 the
operations around Manila prior 10 ita
capture. owing q the FmailneaH uf
hlg force he SAID tho army was conn
PEELED o. operate along the sea front In
cooperation with the navy. Had ehcrc
been a larger American force ON land
the city could have been taken from
the hlgh ground inland. hut this was
tacilcally Impossible without leaving
our base az the mercy of both SpanlardH
and inHurgunin. The cIty'H defcnHcH
were good. The GpaniafdH had excel
lent arms and plenty VI ammunition.
Al they lacked was "fund." Thc on
rngcment lasted not over two eiurs.
/ The army had both spnn.ards and In
| HurgontH Go contend with.
''fhc insurgents were very anxious 10
| take part In the attack" said Cen.
| Merritt. but they were not notified
when the attack would be made. ~ l
was sure the entrance of the Fiilpln0H
into IN, city would mean unnecessary
bl0odAhcd ana some looilng."
AMERICAN LOSSES.
Gen. Merritt said the American lossca
! were not correctly stated IN the press
/ reports. There We're about i.1 officers
and men Killed ana wounded. No gccu-
rate account OF the Spanish loss was
] he A ~
however. captured over 1900 stands of
modern arms. and the spanish loss was
| known Go he severe.
There was some discussion among the
/ commission over the relative merits %
the Springfield aud the modern small
/ cnllbcr rifles. This drew from Gen,
/ Merritt the statement that personally
he should prefer the springfield with
Hmnkolcsa powder To the "cnllber So
or the Mnu.or. However. come ~
the line officers would BE- bctirr Judges
% that than l." he added. AZ an IN
stance of the lack OF stopping power
Of the small h1rr rife. h. SAID, one ~
his officers was shot through the leg IN
the Manila fight and did not Know II
until the next morning
VOLUNTEERS WE'RE ENcELLENT
Gen. Merritt said. In reply 10 ques-
lions shat the volunteers were as If
fectlye and ~ enthusiastic as could be
desired. lie regarded them ~ very cN-
csllen, troops. The supplies were salts
factory az all times. except as 10 Ice
aud milk FOR fever patients. lie eN'
planned this by saying that there was
apparently M milk producing animal
m that region There wrrr some small
cattle. apparently imported from China
but they rave no milk 10 speak OF.
The army on the Island depended
urun local stock Tor transportation
This proved quite satisfactory and h.
doubted the advisablllty OF importing
| A....DL.--... huN..- ~ lllIIIl-.