The San Francisco call., 1898-07-03
BOARD OF SURVEY FINDS THE
 CHEAP-LABOR UNIFORMS WORTHLESS

'.
 X NINETY to obtain a fist of the
 H losses: in the two: days fighting
 Fl at. Santiago is so*generai in: the 4 1 military camps, that the: battIe and its probable results. :consti tute the chief topic: df eoinment.. In the talk yesterday several officers of the United: States army: and. two: oI, three veterans be 3nging to. the Grand Army. of the Rerubllc :eXpressed the opinion that General Shafter was press ing his enthusiaStic| troops against the spanish: intrenchments with too :Inuch impetuosfty. This judgment: was formed after reading .reports that the casualties Of the first days battle ap- proXimated one thousand: =; :... =. :' ..: =
 The general judG :. .e1lt. of military men was to the effect that .Shafter, Wheeler, Lawton, and Kent, leaders of acknowledged. ability and. experience, were in a S.tion=to judge the teina1ids of tie situation. ~ It is. taken into ac- count that the leaders. of the American, army at Santiago, although aggressiye men, are not rash youngsters ,imbued with the notion that they must obtain military glory at any sacrifice of life.
 The Union and Confederate veterans who possess sreeollecttoT1s of=Yicksburg, Atlanta, Gettysburg and Spottsylvania fully understand that intrenched post lions fairly we'll defended: :: cannot be carried by an assaulting column with out considerable loss to the assailants The percentage of losses in General Shafter's army does not indicate that he tS rpPlEIpcu f,a a
 trenched Spaniards The point is ad- vanced that 1t is better to take. the chances of loss in battle than remain inactive in the presence of the enemy.
 The notion, that .Shafter Is driving ahead to gain military laurels for him self before others get to the front is not entertaino by officers. of the First United States Infantry who served under the general for many years. They regard him as man: of energy and great firmness of character, who Is balanced with a good reserve of com- mon sense. ...
 The board of survey. appointed by Brigadier General King has not yet condemned the uniforms furnished the men of the: First: Tennessee" Infantry for the. good. and sufficient reason that a board of survey cannot condenn any thing. - :.': =. :< <:
 The board has. gleaned certain facts and arrived at, an .opini9Il.. These, facts and this opinion: will be. ..eoramunicated to day.t to General King: and the general will condemn or not as .he*inay see fit.
 The opinion of the .faoardis short and to the Point-=the uniforms. are. :worth-. less. -. .--: -. . Purs}l sl=at at of. the: san1e. plan General King yesterday caused to be.fssued to the board the following: orders. =
 Tn compliance with. instructions. from eadquarters;Ind Independent. diylsion Eighth Army. Corps,#tte board of survey: .f1isti- tuted in special order No. 1s from. u e5;a headquarters: will exnmfnp into and re- port upon the.<condition and duality: of clothing issued since: arrival. in. San Francisco to the P@entieth; Kansas In. fantry: and the recruits of the: First Ne braska. . j.. E.. : -, ,.,.:;:
 The board will report in: these cases as directed in the case: of+tbe: First Tanres- see and fix the. price at which all such clothing Issued to enlisted: .ffren of. these organizations should be oharged toI them.