New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-30
TEMPERATE ARMY AT TAMPA.
REPORTS OF UNDUE DRINKING 'i"ON
O1rsLY Observation-Disclosures
OF III nrIDA CAMPS.

fly TELEGRAPH t. THE TRipUSE.l

TgY TELEGRAPH t. THE TRlBUNE'l
Tampa. Fla, May 29.-Nothing couio DE HUI {
astounding to the officers here IMAM ''c H
ment attributed to correspondents OF frehoh
newspapers, that the greatest danger ID the WI
unteer corps Is intemperance, and that WhisAes
IS sold in camp with lmpunity. Ihere are aoou'
$4,000 troops in near Tampa, ana IN an thiS
number there has not been single case Oh aico-
bolism or Of any other disease traceable to
strong drink. This in itself would De d reIu'd-
ton Of the sweeping accusation
II Is perhaps true that there mas Deeh more
drinking among the volunteers than among the
Regulars up to the present time. Ihey had
not been subject to the same discipline, ana IN
The excitement Of home leaving and camp max
ing have doubtless done some drinking But
that the Army here Is remarkably temperate Is
noted by every one.
Representatives OF foreign governments and
English and German newspaper correspondents
have been espe tally impressed by this. An
English physician familiar with the French
Army who has been here several weeks. ana IN
camp daily. tad that the drunkenness here IS
not one-tenth OF what it would he in the same
number of troops in France or England. This
testimony is repeated hy dozen other foreign
ers who are in a position to speak with au-
thority.
Officers who served In the Civil War declare
that the Army has improved TO remarkable
extent since that time in respect to heavy drink
ing From 1861 10 1865 there was ten times
the drunkenness. said one officer Of high rank.
that there is now in Tampa. The Tribune cor
respondent who has been in one or other Of
the camps daily for a MONTH has only one
drunken private. and he had obtained his
whiskey while on the way here from Chicka-
manga.
At the canteens only light beer is sold. II Is
possible that some whiskey is struggled into
camp but the penalty for this is severe. and the
officers are exceedingly digent in enforcing
the law. There have been series Of trials for
drunkenness. 1t Is not necessary 10 quote the
hospital statistics in further refutation of the
statement about drunkenness. but they arc in
/ teresting as showing how remarkably healthy
Tampa is. and how admirable is the care taken
Of soldiers. Lieutenant-Colonel Pope. Chief
Surgeon of the Fifth Army Corps said to-day
that Joss than per cent OF the men were i'll.
-Four per cent Is the usual average.
II speaks well for the physique Of the men.
Regulars and volunteers. that many OF them
have come from the North to Florida at This
season OF year and have suffered little from
the change Of climate Of food and Of modes Of
living. or course. any excessive drinking would
manifest Itself in the hospital returns The
volunteers at Lakeland in especially good
health In the list New-York about one-hal II
/ OF per cent OF the men in hospital. this
~ about the proportion in the ID Massachusetts,
These men have certainly not jeopardzed heir
health by drinking too much whskey for non -
I is 10 he had IN Lakeland. TIL death record If
Tampa CAMPS has been srnply astounding Only
one soldier has died here. and he was drowned
two or three rights ago. 1t is six weeks since
the troops began to arrive There has been one
death in the Massachusetts regiment at Lake
land. from a disease contracted before DEPART
nre There was one death at Lakeland to-day
Philip Hubschmid, n member Of the list Rag
m"nf. died AZ an early hour this morning from
diarrhoeal trouble. He had not been IN enough
10 go 10 hoSpita In the night he was seized
with cramps. and In half an hour he was dead
In his brothers arms The body was sent home
this afternoon with 4 detail 81 two men
Florida in the late spring is not Cuba In tho
rainy season, but the extraordinary imnuni,v
from disease here justifies the opinion that the
dangers from disease TO the invading army win
be far less serious than some authorities have
maintained. ~