The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-03
SEEN At PORT TAMPA
lndescribabIe Confusion in
Embarking Troops.
LACK OF SURF BOATS
IN LANDING TROOPS LEFT THE
SHIPS LIKE A MOB.
LACK 0F rood FOR SICK AT SIB0NEY
Major Romeyn Throws Light on Abuses in
Camp and on Shipboard. "Cuba's Pro-
yisionaI Government May aid
Our Policy There.

Washington. Nov 2.-(Special).- 1.-The
War Investigating Commission held Il
session here to-day for the purpose OF
hearing the testimony Of Major Henry
Romeyne. a retired army officer. lie SAID
that he had asked at the beginning OF
the war for military assignment to go
TO the front in his capacity as an officer,
but il was refused and he then went as
\ CORRESPONDENT of q weekly newspaper.
His testimony covered the embarkation.
Of the troops at Port Tampa and the
campaign in Cuba. He said that when
lie went to Port Tampa the bank of the
canal there was covered with troops.
There was great confusion, as a conse-
auence of which part of a command
would go on one vessel and part on an
other, and the commands were in some
cases separated from their stores. He
had seen no order for the systematic en-
barkation of the troops, ana he had
heard it said that they We're told to go
aboard helter-skelter.
When asked his opinion as to the prep
aration for the embarkation, the witness
hesitated, saying that to give it would in
volve criticism of his superlors. Inc
Commissioners insisted upon reply, and
Mr.. Romeyne replied that ne did not
think the PREPARATION was such as 1t
should have been.
"There was" he said, "a lack OF surf
boats. and also of order and OF prepara-
ton for landing. When the landing was
undertaken, the troops left the ships in
discriminatory, parts going at one time
and other parts at other times.
He said the town of Siboney was with
out exception the dirtiest place he had
ever seen in his life. and that no effort
was made to clean it up before the fe-
yer broke out. There was a deficiency
of proper food at the fever hospitals, and
the cooking was generally poor. Any one
in this hospital was Liable to contract
yellow fever He had been II patient in
the hospital and said there had been no
neglect of patients by the medical attend
ants at this hospital or at the hospitals
for the wounded. He had known sur
geons in the latter hospital to work sixty
hours without cessation.
"Why did they not have more sur
geons?" asked Colonel DENLY.
The witness said he could not answer
Major Romeyne said lie had come
North as a convalescent with many other
|convalescents, on the transport Concha.
Many of the men were compelled to sleep
on board hunks without blankets or pill
lows and with no covering at night ex-
cept the cotton uniform they wore dur
ing the day. THE water was offensive
to both sight and SMELL" he said, land
the food was poor and scanty, none be-
ing provided especially for convalescents.
The meat was canned, and inferior, and
much of the hard tack moulded
He also stated that there was only
one physician aboard the vessel, and that
he was conyalescent. Six men had
died on the way up, and Major Romeyne
said Tin response TO a question from Cap
tain Howell that with proper attention
and good food the lives of at least some
of these men could have been saved. He
said he was unable to place the respon-
sibility for the neglect, but that the Cap
tain of the vessel had stated that when
he made application to go to jamaica for
fresh food and water before starting on
the voyage from Santiago, the request
was refused.
General Wilson. Ex-Governor Beaver
and Captain Howell go to Camp Meade
tomorrow for the purpose of inspecting
that camp.
CUBAN GOVERNMENT WITH US.
Washington, Nov. president Masso,
of the provisional Cuban government,
has cabled from Santa Cruz del Sur to
Senior Quesada, Secretary of the Cuban
legation here, saying:
Assembly has not yet met, owing to
the absence of quorum
This was called out by inquiry from
Senior Quesada as to reports coming by
the way of Santiago, representing the
Cuban assembly as in session at Santa
Cruz del Sur and engaged in important
questions relating to the future of the
island, the disarmament of the Cuban
army, etc.
There are evidences that President
| Mckinley and his Cabinet have assur-
ances that the action of the Cuban pro-
visional government will not be antagon-
istic to the policy at Washington, but
rather in sympathy with the execution