The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-03

Missouri was generously donated to the
United States with the services OF her
captain and her crew by her owner B. N.
Baker of Baltimore, and is a valuable
hospital ship. The cost of transporting
the Spanish prisoners to Spain was 81, 5ls,-
$50. The graves of the soldiers at San
tfago, in Porto Rico and the Philippines
have been marked and these remains will
be brought home as soon as the plans are
completed. In the subsistence department
the secretary finds an urgent need for a
regimental commisSary and also for q
commissary sergeant for each regiment.
In connection with his discussion of af-
fairs in the quartermaster's department,
the secretary prints an elaborate table
showing in detail each ship purchased or
chartered for transport or supply work
the name Of the individual or company
owning the same, the period Of time COW
cred by the charters, the rate of charter
per day and the tonnage From this II APP
pears that by far the most expensive yes
sci in proportion to capacity was the
Shinnecock, owned by the Montauk Steam
boat Company. which was hired at the
rate Of $1,000 per day. The big ocean lin
ers of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com
pany, Newport, Peru. Rio de Janeiro, were
chartered at the same rate, but they were
of three times the capacity. The most ex-
pensive of the vessels purchased were
what were known as the Baker boats of
the Minnewaska class, which were pur-
chased at $660O00 each.
Discussing the surgeon generals report
he says 1t was mistake to detail regi-
mental surgeons to large hospitals but
this could not have been avoided and di-
vision and general hospitals, which We're
Indispensable, maintained. Ample provis-
ion should be made to supply the places
of Surgeons who fall sick. One of the
great mercies of the campaign were the
women nurses. The report says that until
one has had experience or made careful
observation he cannot realize the work that
these noble women did for our sick sol-
diers in the hospitals; but they cannot
be well employed at regimental hospitals
in a campaign Both the division md
general hospitals are absolutely necessary
in the opinion Of the secretary, but the
general hospital should be provided separ-
ate wards for each regiment so that COM
rades can be kept together. The secretary
says the Red Cross and other relief ss-
sociations contributed in a very large de-
gree to the care and comfort of our
sick soldiers, and should receive the CRATE
full thanks of the nation. The secretary
calls attention to Surgeon General Stern
berg's circular of instructions 10 the army
issued April %, and says had IL been
strictly followed less sickaess would have
resulted. He feels that force of practi-
cal engineers, skilled in electricity. would
be provided and that large number Of
engineers should be educated at West
Point, so that an officer can be placed per-
manently with each river and harbor pro-
ject These projects also should receive
the recommendation of board Of skilled
Engineers before appropriations are made
for them. The manufacture Of the Krag-
Jorgensen or a similar magazine gun
should continue until we have at an early
date at least 10000 Of these arms in our
arsenals, with a full supply. Of ammuni-
ton.
The entire report of the Secretary Of
War forms one of the most voluminous
documents Of the kind ever issued from
the war department.