The times., 1898-09-23
FOOD CAST into THE SEA SEA
Supplies Thrown Overheard
While Soldiers Starved.
SAVED By THE RED CROSS
Commanders of Transports Would
ers Which They Had Reen Told
Would he Ready-Remarkabi
Conditions During the Fighting.

while American soldiers were starving
in the camps and trenches of Cuba, with
nothing but rations of hardtack and salt
pork for nourishment, for sick, wounded
and well, army transports, just off the
coast, were casting their cargoes of fresh
provisions into the sea, solely because the
men in charge of them were afraid TO
land the supplies through the surf in
small boats, and because the supplies
would have spoiled if they had not been
thrown overheard. Some of the trans
ports lay off the coast for ten days.
waiting for chance TO land supplies be-
fore their cargoes were committed TO the
OCEAN
This statement was made yesterday by
a prominent officer Of the Red Cross
Society, who recently returned from Gu
ba, and who is now in Washington. He
told this story:
Red Cross Relief.
I'VE were lying off the coast of Cuba
near Siboney when, on the second day of
the battle, We were told that the Ameri-
can troops were in need of hospital and
food supplies. We had gone 10 Cuba TO
relieve the starving reconcentradOs among
the Cubans not TO act as commissary
adjunct 10 the United States army. But
when we were informed that the Ameri-
can soldiers were in need OF the materials
that we had on board we sent supplies
ashore in small boats through the boiling
surf
..At the same time We wondered why
the same sort OF supplies were not sent
ashore from the transports lying at
anchor all about Us. We learned after
wards that the commanders OF the trans
ports had been informed that lighters
would be found waiting TO discharge their
cargoes, ard that in the absence or
lighters, they were unwilling 10 take any
chances
Cast Upon the Waters.
If the story told by this Red Cross Of
fetal is true, and there seems TO be no
reason TO doubt it, the Biblical injunction
as to casting thy bread upon the waters
that it may be returned unto thee after
many days" is likely 10 have a new ap-
plication.
Not only bread, but meat, potatoes, and
all sorts of foods. for the lack of which
American soldiers starved and died, were
cast into the sea within cannon shot of
the camps and trenches. Into the depths
were consigned hundreds of tons of food
and medicine. Soldiers died while this
work was in progress. The bread that
was thus cast upon the waters viii no
doubt return after not so many days, but
81 viii be in the form of curses upon the
mismanagement that made such condi-
tions possible.
A Remarkable Condition.
Red tape was never responsible for a
more scandalous condition than existed
OF Siboney during the fighting from FL
Caney 10 San Juan. At least a half dozen
transports on which was an abundance
OF food and medical supplies for the army
were lying at anchor near the shore. The
commanders OF the transports refused TO
land supplies without the assistance of
the lighters that they had been told
would be in readiness. As there Were no
lighters, no attempt TO make a landing
was made. although soldiers were sent
ashore in small boats without danger
The shippers Of the transports probably
figured il out that the soldiers could
stand a wettng, while the supplies
couldn't
Day after day went by, and as no light
ers came the supplies for the Cuban army
of invasion were cast into the sea.
Meanwhile the American soldiers starved
until the Red Cross people, sent TO re-
lieve Cubans put through the surf food
and medicine for the starving Americans.
The report of the work of the Red Cross
in Cuba will furnish interesting reading.