The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-08

Weston, assistant comnlissary general of
subsistence, recommended the adoption
of the canned roast beef as component
of the field ration, and to this extent he
is responsible"
The report places the quantity of cam
ned roast beef purchased for the war
by the commissary department at 6,847,-
179 pounds, including $4,000 pounds which
was brought from Liverpool and other
English ports. This amount is character
lied as excessive and the commissary
general (Gen. Eagan) is severely criti-
clsed in several parts of the document
on this score. One of the severest re-
Dukes is as follows:
ROAST FOR EAGAN.
considering the little use that
has been made of this beef in the
regular army, the probability that
the volunteers were entirely ignOr-
ant of it, and that it's use, "a part
of the field ration, had never been
sanctioned by the president sec
retnry of war, the court can but
characterize the action of the COM
missary general of subsistence as
unwarranted in that he authorized
quantities OF food untried and
unknown, and the court so fnds.o
The court also finds that there is no
ground for any imputation whatever of
any other actuating motive on the part
OF the commiSSary general than the ear
nest desire to procure the best possible
food for the troops.
''THE COURT PRONOUNCEs THIS
ACT OF THE COMMISSARY GENER-
AL OF SUBSISTENCE A COLOSSAL
ERROR FOR WHICH THERE is NO
PALLIATTON,
The court finds that there was neglect
in Cuba and to a less degree in Porto
Rico in delivering refrigerated beef
The court" adds the report docs not
wish to state the case more strongly than
to say that the findings appear to be war
ranted that too much time was consumed
in distributing this perishable article. The
fault, If any there was, rested with the
brigade and higher commanding officers
and their commissaries and quarter
masters, but the testimony is not so def
mite or so specific as to warrant the nam
ing by the court of any particular Off
GERS.
POOR TRAVEL RATION.
"The court is of the opinion that
the canned roast beef was not suit
able as n travel ration on trans
ports, considering the absence of
cooking facilities and the absence
from that ration of fresh vegetables
and condiments. For use on shore
as n field ration, where the COM
panies had their company cooking
equipment and vegetables were
available, canned roast beef is suit
able for issue, say two days in ten,
but not for two days in succession.
In some organizations it seems to
have constituted at least one-haIf
of the meat ration, and until after
the surrender the troops had no
means for other cooking than was
practicable with the individual kit
carried. For such extensive use, or
any use exceeding one day In FIVE,
the court finds this beef unsuitable.
THE refrigerated beef is, In the opin-
lon of the court, suitable ration for
troops when 1t can be issued to them in
good condition.
AS to whether anything better than the
beef was available for a ration the opin-
ion is:
OTHER RATIONS.
"First-That on transports the reliance
on canned fresh and canned corned beef
was wise, but that the canned fresh beef
was less desirable than the cornsd beef.
"SecOnd-That while bacon Is not
regarded as suitable constant
food In campaign for troops serv-
Ing In the tropics, combined with
the vegetables that were available
1T would have been more suitable
and fit than the unknown and un-
familiar 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 IA
cilities, was wise and desirable 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 cat
tie on the hoof in Cuba.
PACKERS NOT BLAMED.
An instruction to the president of the
court was: If the packers of the country
are guilty 1t must be known"
Replying to this direction the court
says: ''The court finds that at the out
break of hostilities the packers of canned
beef were engaged in the manufacture of
an article of standard quality, well known
to the trade under the name of canned
roast beef. The methods of packing then
In vogue were the same as those habit
ually employed In the preparation of the
meat as article of commerce, and the
court does not find that they underwent
any change during the progress of the
war. The large purchases for the use of
the military forces, during the months of
May and June, 1885, were made not at
the solicitation of the packers, or in con-
g 1Gf0
that purpose but by the order and upon
the initiative of the commissary general
of subsistence, such purchases being
made in every case by officers of his de-
partment in the usual manner"
Replying specifically to other questions
set out by the president, the court saws:
That the canned beef was described as
fresh, because 1t was not salted, but
that the beef was not old or STALE
THAT the refrigerated beef furnished
the army was not 'doctored or treated
with any other agency than cold air.
That the meat purchased for the army
was the meat of commerce, that both
kinds-refrigerated and canned-were
such as are we'll known in both henai-
spheres as commercial articles, of which
there is and has been very largescon-
sumption, not only by the trade general
ly, but by the United States navy and by
the armies and navies of Europe
THAT no reports of unfitness or un-
suitability Of the beef sent from the
United States were forwarded to the war
department by any general officer sery-
ing in Cuba or Porto Rico while the field
operations were in progress, nor were any
such reports made until more than g.
month after hostilities ceased,
THAT, barring some defects In methods
of inspecting the beef on its delivery to
the subsistence department, the deteriora-
ton nPf Ill