Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-12-29
WAR INQUIRY BOARD
Gems. Miles and Merritt Appear Be-
fore the Commission.
NILES TELLS OF The CANNED BEEF.
The Commander Of the Army Describes the
Santiago and Porto Rico ~ editions
Gen. Merritt Testifies About tho
Philippine Expedition.

commander OF the American forces at
the capture OF Manila, were the prin'
cipal figures before the investigation
commission yesterday. Gen. Miles re-
sponded TO the summons OF the com.
mittee only after several days consid-
GRAFTON. lie was accompanied by his
own stenographer. His examination
was comparatively brief and not es-
sential. He spoke with some bitter.
ness as to the lem balmed beef" and
the canned beef furnished the army in
the field. This he characterized az an
experiment for which "some one in
Washington" was responsible. lie
said that the landing facilities Of the
Santiago expedition were inadeq
and that the men were short OF ra tons
and medicines, and might have been
better protected from exposure to fever
contagion.
Gen. Merritt told the commission
that he regarded the Philippine expe-
dillon as decided success and would
conduct 1t on the same ines IL he had
II TO do over. He spoke in high terms
OF the troops under him and said his
army was well supplied with medicines
and food.
Gen. Miles took the stand. Are
you willing to be sworn9' he was asked.
II think" was the reply, that | can
say what have to say without being
sworn"
Gen. Miles was fortified with large
package Of papers and had his own
stenographer He gave his evidence
In clear, unhestating way and went
into details regarding both the Santa
20 and Porto Rico expeditions. He
opened by describing the railroad con
fusion In getting the war munitions to
Tampa, pointed to the lack of govern
ment storehouse facilities there and
said the cars at one time were held
back as far Us Columbia, ). c. He said
when the troops were loaded it was
found impossible to put more than 49,
900 men aboard and they were equipped
as we'll as possible under the circum-
stances. ut was most Fortunate" he
said, that the troops had good wealth
err. II they had encountered severe
storm the loss OF life or the suffering
at least must have been fearful As it
was, with fair weather, the men below
crowded in with the mules and sup
plies could get on deck, which would
have been impossible otherwise"
The commissary stores taken, he
said, were sufficient, but the medical
supplies were inadequate. He had
left the loading, except for general di.
rections, TO the corps commander, Gen.
Shsfter. He found just before sailing,
that there were number Of poatoon
boats being taken which would be
utterly useless for the purpose, and he
himself had secured two barges from
the owners there and had taken other
steps, but the supply OF such boats
taken was very inadequate. "The ex-
petition he continued, should have
been furnished with launches naptha
or steam, or tugs, for towing barges
from the ships to the shore. We relied
largely on the engineer officers and
the engineer department for these In
the second expedition to Porto Rico
these were furnished, but they ar
rived too late to render much assist
ance."
lie characterized the refrigerator
beef, of which there was 327 tons sent,
as "embalmed beef" and said the
canned fresh beef, Of which 1893, 900
pounds had been shipped there, was
condemned by officers whose com
mands used it.
'Who fixed that beef as an army ra-
tionp"
you'll have to ask some one here in |
Washington. You had better ask the
secretary of war or the commissarv |
general III was sent rs food. II they |
had not taken that they would have
had to go hungry. II they had sent
paymasters down there, as asked, we
could have bought food but they did
not do that"
Gen, Miles suggested that the food
was sent to his large army under pre-.
tense OF an experiment lie called at.
tention to the fact that good fresh
beef could be bought in Porto Rico for
six cents a pound, American money,
and he suggested it might be interest.
ing to compare the cost of refrigerated
beef, together with the expense of
transportation. lie said he did not
know but what the chemicals used in
treating the beef were responsible for
the great sickness in the American
army. Reports which he had received
concerning it were to the effect that
this beef had an odor like an embam med
dead body.
Gen. Wesley r. Merritt was the first
witness of the afternoon. He began
his testimony by description of the
operations around Manila prior to its
capture. Owing to the smallness of
his force, he said the army was com.
PEELED to operate along the sea front
in cooperation with the navy. Had
there been larger American force on
land the city could have been taken
from the high ground inland, but
this was tactically impracticable
without leaving our base at the
mercy of both the Spaniards and in.
,surgents. The city's defenses were