The times., 1898-08-03
HOSPITAL SHIP SCANDALS
The Seneca and Concho Will Be
Officially Investigated.
PRELIMINARY ACTION TAKEN
The Secretary of War Details Major
Prevailing on the Last-Named
Ship When 1t Arrived at New
York.

The Administration has at last become
thoroughly aroused to the necessity of
investigating the reports of the miserable
conditions existing among the sick and
wounded soldiers brought from Santiago
to New York on the transports Seneca
and Concho.
The complaints have been so numerous
and apparently so well founded that the
War Department deems IL advisable TO
examine the cases of the Seneca and
Concho carefully, and the examination
may even include the charges made in
the official report of Inspector Gen.
Breckenridge concerning the short-com-
ings of the army medical corps during
and following the Santiago campaign.
The surgeon general of the army sent
this dispatch to Chief Surgeon Havard,
at Santiago. yesterday:
THE management Of the medical de-
partment at Santiago is severely criti-
cised. Sick and convalescents sent on
quartermasters' transports are said to be
overcrowded, not properly supplied with
medicines or medical attendance or with
suitable light diet. Who is responsible?
Report in full and take measures TO pre-
vent similar occurrences in future. Ac-
knowledge receipt"
The War Ofice Acts.
The Secretary OF War has already taken
preliminary action in the Concho case.
He has detailed Major Heyl, of the in
spector generals department, TO make
thorough examination of the conditions
prevailing on the ship when it arrived
in New York and to report his findings to
the War Department as soon as prac,i-
cable. Major Heyi went TO New York
yesterday this duty.
As soon as his report is made to the
Secretary OF War provided the published
statements are confirmed an inYestiga-
ton will be ordered TO ascertain the
cause of the neglect of the sick and
wounded and TO locate the blame with
the responsible authorities.
Aside from the rights of the soldiers
concerned, Secretary Alger believes that
the war Administration cannot afford TO
let the charges go uninvestigated. and
there IS apparently a sincere desire on the
part of the War Department TO place the
blame where it belongs.
Officers of the medical corps are i'll
cfined always to attribute a good many
failures and deficiencies in their depart
ment 10 the acts Of commanding generals
and officers of the line of the army, who.
they say, regard the lighting, quarter
masters and subsistence supplies as the
first considerations of the campaign. The
care of the sick. wounded and dead is
matter OF secondary Importance, and the
result is that the supplies of the medical
corps are often left behind or are so dis
posed of in transportation that they can
not be made readily available.
Gen Shaftcr Is coming in for large
share of adverse criticism.
According TO Capt. Risk, of the Con-
cho. it will not be hard 10 fix the re-
sponsibility He says that he notified
Gen. Shafter before sailing that his sup
pIy of water was stale and begged per-
mission to go by way of Kingston and re-
plenish It.
The generals reply was, go north a.
once Capt. Risks response, II he re-
ported the commanding general correctly
was ''The water have is not fit for q
dog to drink
4 prominent army surgeon now sta
toned in New York is reported as having
said:
There can be no doubt that the horri-
bic condition of these ships (the Seneca
and Concho) was due 10 the shortsiSnted
po.icv pursued by Gen. Shafter ever since
he arrived IN Cuba, He went TO Santiago
utterly unprepared 10 combat either .&he
wounds or battle or the ravages OF dis
ease. He seemed to think he could take
Santiago in a single night. he lett ms
supplies in the harbor on the ships tha-
brought them there without any means OF
conveying those supplies to the front,
should occasion arise. Such carelessness
and lack of foresight is unaccountable
Capt Risk. of the Coneho. says he made
second appeal to Gen. Shafter before
leaving Santiago. using the following
language:
eff you send sick men aboard of me.
provisioned and watered as 1 am. 1 won't
answer for the consequences. The sick
will die Let me go TO Jamaica, which
Is right in my way. and get fresh water
at least. 1t won't take long and will be
an act of mercy"
Gen CShafter grufrly directed the hu-
name captain to follow his orders.
The President Is Aroused
1T is this state of affairs that has
aroused President Mckinley, and officials
of the War Department say that the
President is thoroughly in earnest If it
be proved that the commanding general
before Santiago showed such Indifference
to the sick. who had helped him to take
the town, he will be asked to make an
explanation.
The Administration is not disposed 20
charge the surgeon generals department
with neglect. Mr.. McKinleys talk with
the chief of that department yesterday
was frank and cordial
1t will be remembered that when the
Seneca arrived at New York Gen. Stern
berg promptly disavowed all RESPONSE
bility and threw it on the shoulders of
the military authorities at the front.
Interesting developments may be looked
for before the end of this week.
Surg. Gen. Sternberg processes willing
ness to have a complete investigation of
the reported inefficiencies in the medical
corps and of the conditions said to have
/ existed on the Concho and Seneca.
He makes no secret. however. of the
fact that. In his opinion. line officers have
been generally at fault, and that the Red
Cross surgeons and nurses have greatly
embarrassed the work of the regular SER
vice in the field.
THE PEST SHIP CONCHO.