The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-10-18

Washington, October 13.-The publ
cation Of what purported TO be the re-
port Of the Wainwright board on the
parts taken by the respective vessels
of the United States fleet in the de-
|struction Of Cervera's squadron caus-
ed considerable commotion in the ma
Wy department. In view Of the fact
that the report had not reached Wash
ington at the date of the publication,
an inquiry was set on foot by the de-
partment to ascertain: First, whether
the publications were accurate, and,
second, who was responsible for the
d~iscOurtesy involved III the publication
Of an official report before it had reach
ed the navy department. Commander
Wainwright, the head of the board, ar
rived in Washington yesterday and
very promptly disclaimed any knOWl-
edge of the publication, stating that
he had left instructions that the report
was to be transmitted by the recorder.
Lieutenant Capehart, to the command
er of the North Atlantic squadron,
CommoG. re Philip.
The commodore, in answer to an in
quiry by the department, returned the
following dispatch, directed to Cap
tain Crowinshield, chief of the naviga-
ton bureau:
Brooklyn, n. Y, October II.
Navy Department, Washington, d. c.:
Il saw report of Wainwright board
first time tonight. Articles in papers
today manufactured by a reporter en-
tire; no word of resemblance between
the two. PHILIP"
Commodore Philip has not yet trans
mitted the report to the department,
but something is known of it's general
character and this knowledge tends 10
show miscOnceptiOn of the functions of
this board. Admiral Sampson, who ap-
pointed the board. chose the naViga-
tors Of the vessels in the fleet that were
engaged in the battle of July Bird. He
made but one exception, in the case of
his own flagship, he New York, re-
fusing to nominate a member. The
n~avigatOrs of the Brooklyn, GlOuces-
ter, Texas, Iowa and indiana were
members of the board, but the New
York had no representative. The board
was directed to ascertain and report
the position of the vessels engaged in
this action. 1t did not exceed his
instruction in any point, and it's report,
outside Of the repetition of the instruc-
tons under which it was operating,
comprises very little more than a chart
on which the position of the vessels
are defined. This chart is the result
of the comparison of all the data con-
tanned in the separate charts made up
by the various navigating officers Of
the fleet. The report is said to be
unanimous, being signed by the navi-
eating officer of the Brooklyn along
with the others. 1t draws no COnclu-
sions. makes no deductions and neither
takes from or gives credit to any Off
Ger of the American fleet from the ad-
--Sna1 IAryr1 u. IL. CO XrnyyII In r.. hv-
coed the instructions of the board, and
VIA is has presented other than the
instructions, I have already stated.
nothing more than a diagram from
which the facts may be CLEANED by in
dividual inspection.
SURGEON HOFF'S TESTIMONY AS
TO CAMP THOMAS.
Lieutenant Colonel Hoff was before
the war Investigating committee at its
forenoon session today. He is a regu-
lar army officer, and was chief surgeon
in the Third army corps at Camp
Thomas, Chickamauga park. He said
he did not consider the camp to have
been in the best sanitary condition., but
expressed the opinion that it was the
best it could be under the circumstan-
Ces. The men were encamped some
what closer to each other than they
should properly have been and it had
been impossible. without blasting, to
make the sinks as deep as good santa
ton required. owing to a layer of lime
stone which lay two or three feet be-
low the surface of the ground through
out the camp. Furthermore, it was
Impossible to compel the men to use
the sinks, and he thought it probable
that this difficulty had led to injuri-
our results. Every effort had been
made to have the sinks properly COW
cred and disinfected and to have the
men use them.
DR.. Hoff said that in the beginning
the camp was deficient in medical sup
plies. There were at this time many
cases of diarrhOea, and it had not been
pbOSSible to meet all the demands for
remedies. The shortage was due TO
the fact that it had been expected the
troops would come to camp supplied
with medicines, but some of them fail
ed in this respect, making a greater
demand than had been counted upon.
Continuing. DR.. Hoff said the capaci-
ty of the division hospital was often
doubled and trebbled. 1t sometimes
occurred that there were eight men
in tents which were intended should
accommodate six because of delay in
securing tentage to care for the in
crease. which was unusually rapid. Or
one or two occasions patients were
necessarily placed in beds made up on
the floors because of a temporary de-
fiCiency in cots. The orders provided
for careful disinfection in typhoid
cases. AS a rule, the nurses were
without training, and this fact occa-
stoned some difficulty in dealing with
typhoid cases. Yet he knew OF no spe-
cific cases of suffering on this ac-
count. He specified the case of a man
afflicted with an infectious disease who
had been compelled to lie in the oper
air one night on account of lack OF
tentage. The colonel was sure that NJ
injury resulted, as the weather was
pleasant.
DR.. HOff said that the shortage ir
medical supplies had continued fol
several weeks, but there was generally
sufficient to meet the immediate de.
mands. He also said that some requi.
sitions had been returned by the Wash.
ington authorities because improperly
filled and he was under the impression
that here had been complaints o
some suffering On this account. There
was cOnSiderab HE dplay in securing tn,