The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-08

troops. The court pronounces this act
of the commisSary general of subSlst-
ence a colossal error for which there As
no palliatiOn."
The court finds that there was neg
lect in Cuba and to a less degree in Por-
to Rico in delivering, the refrigerated
beef
THE court" says the report, ''does
not wish to state the case more strong
ly than to say that the finding appears
to be warranted that too much time
was consumed in distributing this per-
ishable article. The fault, If any there
was, rested with the brigade and higher
commanding officers and their commits
saries and quartermasters, but the tes-
timony is not so definite or specific as
to warrant the naming by the court of
any particular officer"
1t says that the refrigerated beef was
at first received with great satisfaction.
There is also a criticism of the delay in
unloading the refrigerating apparatus
of Swift & Co. at Santiago. IAN appeal
by the contractors agents to General
Shafter for an order on the quarter
master to expedite the delivery from
the transport to the refrigerating plant
did not effect any result. The delay in
this matter was the cause of serious
loss.
1.-The court is of the opinion that the
canned roast beef was not suitable as a
travel ration on transports, considering
the absence of cooking facilities, and
the absence from that ration of fresh
vegetables and condiments. For use on
shore as a field ration, where the COM
panieS had their camp cooking equip
ment, and vegetables were available,
canned roast beef is suitable for issue,
say two days in ten, but not for two
days in succession. In some OrganiZa-
lions it seems to have constituted at
least one-half of the meat ration and
until after the surrender the troops had
no means of cooking other than was
practicable with the individual kit car
ried. For such extensive use, or any
use exceeding one day in five, the court
finds this beef unsuitable.
1.-THE refrigerated beef is, in the opin-
ion of the court, a suitable ration for
troops when it can be issued to them in
good condition.
AS to whether anything better than
the beef was available for ration, the
opinion is:
'First-That on the transports the
reliance on canned fresh and canned
corned beef was wise. but that the can
ned fresh beef was less desirable than
the corned beef.
"Second-That while bacon is not re-
garded as a suitable constant food in
campaign for troops serving in the
tropics, combined with the vegetables
that were available it would have been
more suitable and fit than the unknown
and unfamiliar canned roast beef, eaten
direct from the can.
'Third-That the use of refrigerated
beef on shore, after the troops had Sc
cured convenient harbors and landing
facilities, was wise and desirab BILE. That
the court believes that there was no
better food available or practicable
The opinion is expressed that it would
have been impracticable to land beef
cattle on the hoof in Cuba, the remark
lows:
The commanding general Of the ex-
petition characterizes as absurd such
a proposition and many of his com
handing officers whose opinion is given
in the testimony conceded with him in
the impractical bility or inexpediency of
such a project. The court concurs in
the opinion of those men whose expert
ence IN active military service dated
from 1851
An instruction of the president to the
court was: IF the packers of the coun-
try are guilty it must be known"
Replying to this direction the court
says: The court finds that at the out
break of hostilities in April. 1898 the
packers of canned beef were engaged in
the manufacture of an article of stand
ard quality, we'll known to the trade
and the subsistence department under
the name of canned roast beef The
methods OF packing then in use were the
same as those habftually employed in
the preparation of the meat as an arti-
Gle of commerce, and the court does not
nnd that they underwent any change
during the progress of the war The
large purchases for the use of the mill
tary forces during the months OF Nav
and June, 1898, were made-not at the
solicitation of the packers, or in conse-
that purpose-but by the order and uD-
on the initiative of the cornrnissarv
general of subsistence, such purchases
being made in every case bv officers Of
his department in the usual nanner''
on another point connected with the
packers the court says: Although the
subject of readjustment of accounts
between the United States and the con-
tractors was not referred to the court
it appears from the testimony that
whenever any cans have been found to
be defective, subsequent to their origi-
nal delivery to the subsistence depart
ment, such cans have been replaced in
every instance
Replying specifically to other oues-
lions set out by the president. the conrt
says;
That the canned beef was described
as treSh' because it was not sailed, but
that the meat was not old or stale
That the refrigerated beef furnished
the army was not 'dOctOred or treated
with any agency other than cold air.
THAT the meat purchased for the
army was the meat of commerce, that
both Acknowledgements and canned
were such as are we'll known in both
hemispheres as commercial articles, of
which there is and has been very large
consumption, not only by the trade
generally, but by the United States
navy and by the armies and navies of
Europe
That no reports of unfitness or I'M
Su1ta bll1ty Of the beef sent from the
United States were forwarded to the
war department by any general officer
serving in Cuba or Porto Rico while the
field operations were in progress, nor
were any such reports received until
more than one month after hostilities
ceased.
THAT, barring some defects in meth
DDS of inspecting the beef on it's de-
livery to the subsistence department,
the deterioration of the meat in ship
ment was due to the fault of no one"
The charges of Gen. Miles, as made
in newspaper interviews, as we'll as
those made before the war investigat-
ing commission, are referred to at
length, among them being the inter-
view with the general sent out from
the New York office of the Associated
L., -