The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-16
The EmbnrI.ntion of Troops.

The New York Commercial of July IA
says: 1T is apparently the intention of
the war department to make New York
the port of embarkation of troops. The
experiences at Southern ports have been
anything but satisfactory"
AT what Southern ports has the depart
ment embarked troops? Al none save
Tampa and Charleston. At the former a
good deal of the trouble in the embarka-
ton was caused through lack of expert
ence on the part of the officials in charge
of the troops and supplies Everything
was at skies and sevens. Nobody knew
where anything was. Commands were
separated and supplies were badly jumb-
led up. II is said that different parts of
guns were shipped on different ships, and
the equipments for certain troops were
placed on ships other than those the
troops sailed on. At Charleston there
was some better management on the part
of the officers, but they contended against
natural difficulties which could not be cas-
lily overcome. The transports for the first
expedition were not able 10 get closer than
nine miles from the wharves. They were
obliged 10 anchor near the lightship,'
four miles at sea, and 1t was necessary
to ferry the troops and supplies to the
ships in small boats. An embarkation
under such circumstances could not be
otherwise than unsatisfactory.
1t would not be fair to the South for
the war department TO remove its troop
shipping patronage to the North on the
ground that the South cannot properly at
tend to it, when as matter of fact the
South has not been given anything like
a fair chance to show what it can do. The
department has not yet tested the capaci-
ty of the leading South Atlantic port, Sa-
vannah, where there is every facility foI
both the accommodation and embarkatior
of troops Here the railroads run TO deer
water. Here there would be no necessity
for ferry boats. Here a congestion o.
traffic on the railroad switches would be
an impossibility. Here the deepest trans
ports In the service of the government
could come directly to the wharves. Ships
drawing as much water come and go ev.
cry day, in the ordinary course OF bust
ness.
The governments action in placing
troops, up to this time. seems not to have
been taken with a view to securing The
! best advantages possible under the cir
cumstances. Charleston was condemned
| by the investigating board which eXamin
ed sites some weeks ago. yet troops hav,
| been sent to Charleston. Gen. Wilson !.
now hustling to ind a water supply ant
suitable place of encampment for his men
but after a trip of twenty-five miles OF
| Thursday he was not able TO find such
place. "At headquarters" says a Char
lesion press dispatch of Thursday, "ev
eryone Is at sea as to what is to be don,
with the troops here" There is reason
for the belief that they viii be gotter
away just as quickly as possible
If the department wishes the troop
cared for under the most favorable cir
cumstances. it should send them to So
vannah for encampment. If il wishes
them handled with neatness and dispatcl
in embarhng an expedition or expedition
20 Cuba or Porto Rico. il should send then
to Savannah. 1t should patronize a rea
port, and not a newspaper port, when i
wants important shipping done al shor
| notice.