New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-28
THtNSPOPTS FOR THE NAVY.

In the expansion of the Navy. one "l Tue
proposals Is for the binding of troop ships, ana
n board of experts is now considering The al
Visibility of constructing two of th"m In lhe
recent WAR. the TRANSPORTATION Of soldiers WIS
nrim1riIy and chiefly in the hands of III" var
Dcpartmcnf but the Harvard. the Yale anu
othc; shps of the Navy We're also used Tor the
turposr In England and other foreign conh-
tries TRANSPORTS are Il regular part OF the Navy
and there seem 10 be good reasons why th's
country when il adopts settled policy on TINS
subject. should follow the same course.
Under former conditions the United States
had no use for vessels Of this class and when
the war with Spain began had 10 depend wholly
on chartcring merchant vessels. In the new
and better era on which have now entered
| there Will be almost constant employmeui Tor
Army trgnsports. For time. ut least anu
perhaps for an indefinite period, fresh soldiers
will have TO be sent to Cuba and the Ihlllp-
pines. and old ones brought back to ms
country In Porto Rico Il considerable garrl-
son must certainly be kept. There Will he re-
| cruits TO be taken 10 their commands and as
CHARGED soldiers 10 be returned TO their homes,
besides the transportation of entire regiments
to and fro as they are shifted between home
and colonial stations Some Of the ships used
in the recent campaigns are To be retained per-
| uanently or course, they are needed at once
and there IS no time for building genuine trans
ports but these merchant vessels should be re-
gardcd rs merely temporary cxpedients. What
this country should have Is number of boats
constructed 10 carry soldiers, their equipments
and supplies and for no other purpose.
To take an ordinary steamer with accommo
! T.. hundred
and 10 crowd 800 men in her for a journey
through tropical waters in summer. may he
justified 10y the exlgcncicS OF war. but should
| not be- the policy of rich and enlightened
government in times Of peace. The horrors
of tho troop ships sent from Tampa 10 cuba
in June can hardly be- realized. Some Of the
men were kept on board fortnight. The
hunks. In rows and tiers. were rudey set up
in those parts OF Tie hold usually devoted II
freight OF ventilation there was almost none,
and the decks did not afford sleeping accom-
| modaiions FOR half the soldiers on board. Add
eI 10 this. only travel rationS were served.
These consist of coffee. harl'l'k. cold corncd
beef and occasionally few canned tomatoes
and beans There being uo adequate cooking
facilities only coffee was served hot, with
warm vegetables once in three or four days.
|
going 10 run the risks Of Spanish bullets and
wasting fevcrs FOR their country, hut il I'M
| paired their condition II * true that IN the
| battles which began - soon after III" lard
! ing. Regulars and volunteers fought rs II in
perfect physical trim. but the ordeal OF the
| Journey Oh the transports must hhN" left some
| effects which made the men more susceptible 10
| illness than they would otherwise have been.
Two transports would make good begin
| ming 81 such "A fleet rs IS required. They should
be- built with especial reference 10 III" carrying
OF soldiers IN the tropics. The ventilation Of
the sleeping quarters should be ample. There
should b." large rcfrigrrators. II not complete
| Ice plants Gacys should be provided suiii-
| ccnt for cooking food properly FOR all on
board Then n whole regiment could be- moved
| in single ship and the voyages be- made a
pleasure and Il benefit instead Of Il torture and
a curse