The sun., 1898-08-09
BLAMES GEN. STERNBERG.
SHAFTER ON THE WRETCHED OoNDI-
TIoNS ON THE HOSPITAL SHIPa.

for the Suffering which Attended the
Voyage to New York and for the Lack of
Medicines and Hospital Supplies for the
y-Qunrtsrmaster Blamed for the
Shortage Of fwater-Condition of the Army
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8.-There is still q possi-
billty on account Of new advices received by
the War Department. that official action OF .
radical kind will be taken in regard to the re-
cent hospital ship scandals. Tho messages
sent to Gen. Shafter and Secretary Alger ask
ing for a statement In regard to the sanitary
conditions at Santiago. and the secretary's rep
rimand Of the commanding General for having
given certain reports to the press before their
receipt by the War Department, have had the
effect Of calling forth some explanations from
Gen. Shafter. These explanations arc such as
to place part OF the blame for the poor medi-
cal arrangements upon the medical corps and
part OF II on the Quartermaster's Department,
and they make It appear that none OF the line
officers Of the army. as Surgeon General Storm
berg has charged. Is responsible for the con-
ditiops existing at Santiago and on the trans
port ships coming from there.
The Adjutant- General has received tele-
gram from Gen. shafter which throws some
light on the conditions existing In Santiago at
the time the transports Seneca and Concho left
there. Almost unqualiledly he blames Surgeon
General Sternberg for the suffering which at
tended the voyage to New York. and he de-
cares in no uncertain language that he will
not submit to criticism for unfulhlment OF re-
sponsibilities which belong to the Surgeon
General. Gen. Shafter distinctly answers the
repeated statement OF Gen. SternberR that the
commanding General or 81 line officers OF the
army" have failed to allow the prompt ship
ment OF medical supplies. and he declares that
at no time was ample provision made by the
medical department for the needs OF the army.
Gen. Shafter reports that the Seneca and the
Concho were ordered to stop at Siboney and re-
port to DR.. Lagarde to carry convalescents
home. The water supply. he says. should have
been attended to by Col. Humphrey. the officer
of the Quartermasters Department In charge.
but that Humphrey had since reported that the
Captains Of the ships did not ask for water.
This is an admission on the part OF the Quar-
termaster that he left the question OF water
supply for the sick soldiers entirely to the Cap
tains of the ships, Who OF course. were inter-
ested only in tho water for their crews. Gen.
Shafter further says that Acting Assistant Sur
geons Hicks and Bird. who accompanied the
Seneca, were supplied with such medicines as
could be spared" and that DR.. Lagarde says
the best was done that could be done under
the circumstances"
hNS 'oiN NoAi' 'hoO Uhi0
Medical Corps was short of help and nearly
everything else. but that the officers In charge
did all they could. Gen. Shafter says that the
army has never had enough supplies for its
needs. and that on three occasions the COM
mand has been totally without medicines. He
says dlstinctly that thls was the tault OF the
OF the Medical Board
den. smarter saws that the shortage OF water
was iheAcusaoie' ana the piame lor thls ne
places distinctly with the Quartermaster's De-
partment rms statement Is striking. in view
OF the TACT that Col. humphrey was accused OF
lnenclency while Mt tampa IN charge OF trans
portatlon' Inc telegram OF Gen. shafter con-
cIudes as follows:
referring 10 the conVaiescents on the Yucca
tan, the same remarks apply as to medicine and
attendants. There is no excuse for lack OF food.
as there has at all times been plenty OF that. l
have no doubt that many more were put on the
shin than should have been owing to the great
desire to get home as they had the fear Of yell
low FEVER and were almost wholly without hos
pital accommodations. The sick and wounded
hao only the clothing on that they wore into
the pattle. ana OF course that was ragged and
worn out by the time they reached homo. There
was none to issue to them at the time they left.
ana their own extra clothing they could not
get at.
There has never been case OF suffering
here that could be remedied by the means at
hand that was not attended to. The surgeons
have worked as well as any men that ever
lived. and their complaint has been universal
OF lack OF means and facilities. do not COM
plain OF this. for none could have foreseen all
that would be required. but will not quietly
submit to having the onus laid on me for the
lack OF these hospital facilities. understand
from the public prints that the Surgeon Gen.
eral states that If men came away unsupplted
it was the fault of the commanding General.
Such is not the case"
This message is not the only one OF the kind
which the War Department has received in re-
gard to the bad administration of the Medical
Corps. but the dispatches are being carefully
by the authorities.
The following message from Gen. Shafter re-
ferring to the publication Of the petition OF his
division and brigade commanders for the re-
moval of the troops from Santiago and Of Col.
Roosevelt's letter. in which he asked that the
troops be sent north. was made public to-day
by the President: