The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-04

'
Of two Pinch breech-loading rifles
capable Of piercing the side of nine !;
tenths Of the naval vessels OF the
world; four 4-inch rapid-fire guns ana |
smaller calibre rapidfire guns IKE !
those that did such service in the de-
struction of Cervera's squadron. Ihe
builders are not required TO furnish
either guns. armor or turretS. The lat
ter, by the way, are to be electrically
controlled like those on the Brooklyn.
These turrets will be of the balanced
type ten inches thick behind 11-inch
barbetts and a belt of armor eleven
inches thick and five feet broad VIII
be placed on the sides Of the vessels.
The monitors will be 225 feet long, NJ
ty feet broad and draw about twelve
and half feet Of water, enabling them
to move freely in any of the shallow
Atlantic coast harbors.
The lowest bidders for building the
monitors were in the order named as
follows: Nixon, of Elizabeth, n. j.,
1926, 900; Newport News Company. $780,
600; Bath Iron Works, Me-, s862, 900, and
Union Iron Works, San Francisco,
SS75OO
THE CHARGES AS TO CAMP WI
KOFF.
The war investigating commission
devoted it's time today largely to the
Mr. Nelson Hersh on behalf of The
New York World, giving what he styles
a record of facts concerning the estab-
lishment of Camp Wikoff and it's man
agement, together with specific in
stances of abuses, charged to have eX-
listed, dates, number of sick in hos
pitfalls, deaths, etc. 1t is asserted that
at the time Montauk Point was select
ed as the site for the camp it was "a
barren waste" It is charged that when
the first detachment of 275 troops ar
rived August Sth "the camp was not
ready to receive them and they slept
under their blankets and in the open
air and no tents had arrived This,
it is added, was eleven days since 1t
had been decided to establish the
camp. Continuing, the assertion is
made that by the 18th of August the
sick were reported suffering from want
of proper accommodations and food;
that their tents were without floors and
with only their blankets between the
sick men and the ground, and that
glass of sour milk a piece was the only
nOuriShment then received in twenty
four hours.
The war department is charged with
frequent changes of plans, and it is
asserted that General Young was Civ
en- only six days for the preparation
of the camp before the arrival of
troops, when two weeks time was
necessary, which caused great con-
fusion" On the 14th of August DR..
Edison visited the camp and found that
the 1,400 troops there were almost
wholly dependent for drinking pur-
poses upon a body of water without
inlet or outlet, known as Fort pond.
This pond received the drainage from
the camp and the doctor found the wa
ter to contain ninety grains Of salt to
the gallon. This condition, he said,
caused disease and rendered tire pond'
a constant menace to the men.
By August 30th there were 10000
men in camp and 1900 in the hospital,
with many unable to secure admission
from the transports. The regulars
were reported to be suffering for the
necessaries of life and had received no
pay for three months. Contract sur
geons were reported to be living at
the expense of patients. after the
doctors had lunched,' says the ac-
count, twenty-five apolynaris bottles
were counted on the table, said to have
been diverted from hospital stores.
Particulars are given Of the death in
his tent of Private Hugh Barrett on
August 2Sth and it is asserted that DR..
Tabor refused him permission to en-
ter the hospital on the ground that he
was not sick.
The assertion is made that when, on
the 9Th of September DR.. Lee went to
Camp Wikoff with a special train to
take sick soldiers to the Brooklyn hos
pitfalls 'he was unable to get more than
fifteen men to the train on account Of
the lack of ambulances, which were
being used to carry sight-seers around
the camp. While hundreds of sick SOL
dierS were waiting to be transferred
to boats and trains dozens of am
balances were at the depot filled with
laughing men and women who were
seeing the camp with officer friends
After this incident General Young gave
orders that the ambulances were to be
used only for the transportation of
| the sick.
A long list of witnesses was forward
| ed and there was a general request
| that correspondents and reporters of
| The World be called.
The commission directed that a re-
| ply be forwarded to Mr.. Hersh, in
| forming him that the statement should
| have careful consideration.
THE PHILIPPINES AT THE WHITE
HOUSE.
! Agoncillo and Lopez, the representa-
| tives of Aguinaldo, the Philippine in
| surgent leader, called at the Whit:
house today in company with Genera
| Greene and had a private conference
| with the president in the cabinet room
! The interview was entirely informal
it being distinctly understood that the
| administration did not receive the rep
| reSentatives of the insurgents in any
| official capacity. While the Fillippino
| refused to discuss the interview, claim
| ing it to have been to pay their re-
| spects,' it is presumed they informally
| talked over their mission. which is Il
| secure representation on the Pari
| commission, if possible; if not, then {,
be heard by the commission as to tn
| attitude and wishes of the Insurgents
| Assistant Secretary of States Adee al
SO was present during the interview
| No documents We're presented.