Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-02-21

rs well as the refrigerated beef in the
ABSENCE OF cooling apparatus on
Il am quite sure it would. unless the
refrigerator beef was chemically<treat-
el with preservatives. IL it was treat
ed so as TO keep for - hours after COM
ing out of the coolers of course il had
me advantage of the native beef so far
as keeping goes"
THE FIRST INQUIRY.
General Miles said the first com
paints on the canned roast beef he
heard NJ Tampa from some OF the
Tough Riders, and then again aboard
Tue ale. when the men declared they
could not eat it, Again he heard COM
plants of it in the trenches at Santa
so. What finally drew his attention
seriously 10 the matter was the reports
o. officers that the whole Fifth corps
WAS weak and Frustrated. This was in
august. when the question OF a parade
through New York was preached. Cen
erai Bates at that time reported that
ONLY about one-fifth OF the men AT
Mohiauk Point We're in condition to
march through New York General
Miles, saio this seemed to him remark
ah!e as there was no yellow fever at
me Point. ard he thought The men GER
Iainiy ought to be over their malaria.
iie' therefore. ordered an inquiry into
the beef about which there had been
so much complaint.
va YOU report this matter ut the
ti"e To the Commissary Generals Of
hce?' asked Colonel Davis.
FORCEFUL REPLY.
General Miles leaned forward. draw
forcefully:
Il en- rot required. sir. to report to
the Commissary General
wen, did you report 1t to the Sec
retary OF War" asked Colonel Davis,
General Miles. in reply. went a, some
length into an explanation of the rou-
tine or army headquarters showing
why he preferred To conclude his In
curry so that he might have something
tahsinlc 10 present to the Secretary
FINALLY he issued his orders to officers
to report upon the quality of beef FUR
uishcd. lie did not report directly to the
Secretary of War because under n rule
OF 1870 the order should go from the
Nulutant General to the Secretary
ms attacks upon the canned and re-
irHeratcd beef before the War Com.
mission were then taken up specifically.
Colonel Davis reading testimony of the
commanding General. in which he re-
fcrrch to ii as "embalmed" beef, and
said IL mad been sent as "a pretense Of
experiments
CANNED BEEF NOT MEAT.
''bS''i NliicS WIS HSkcu VI he knew
when war began that canned roast
Deet was part of the army ration.
This question brought out a partial eN-
pianation of his using the phrase pre-
tense OF experiment" He said he did
not know that canned roast beef was
part or the army ration, though In
lSSS an order had been issued including
canned corned or fresh beef. He did
not understand the canned beef now in
question was meat. When his attention
was finally attracted to the canned
roast beef. recently issued hc ossu,,
ed, he declared. that at was being is
sued as an experiment." since It was
not understood by him that canned
roast beef was Il part OF the regular
ration.
NO lMPUTATION OF FRAUD.
Continuing this explanation in an
swer 10 question of Colonel Davis.
General Miles said he thought his use
OF pretensc of experiment" was un-
fortunate and he disclaimed any inten-
ton to impute fraud To anyone
50 FAR as indicating fraud" he said
wish TO state that no such inference
was intended. 1t was perhaps an un-
fortunate expression and had nv at-
tcntion been called to 1t I might have
amended IL to say on the theory of an
experiment. y: matter OF fact 1t
was an experir'ut and a very costly
one"
THE FIRST COMPLAINTS
Replying to n question General Miles
said he first heard complaints against
refrigerated beef at Ponce. The first d.
rect statement that 1t had been treat
ed chemically came. he believed from
DR.. DAILY. who presented it late in Sep
tember. and appeared subsequently be-
fore the War Commission.
He said lie did not recollect whether
DIR. Days report was volunteered or
whether he had been ordered to inves-
tigate ana report on the meat
1t was general talk among the officers
at Ponce, General Miles continued. that
the refrigerated beef must have been
subjected to some chemical treatment
to make it keep for seventy-two hours
CHARACTERIZATION OF ARMY
MEAT.
General Miles then read a long sum-
mary of 100 letters received by him at
army headquarters. giving the various
terms in which the army meat was
characterized. These included "em-
banned, decomposed,' injected"
poisoned" spoiled" and the like.
In addition he showed Il summary of
reports on refrigerated beef con-
dcmned and thrown overheard from
transports. c. c. Ycamans. from the
Yosemite, reported the condemnation OF
5000 pounds Lieutenant Colonel O'Neil
of the steamship Chester. 1000 pounds
Colonel James Hamilton Lewis. 10. 900
pounds.
Colonel Gillespie took n hand in the
inquiry when General Miles finished de-
scribing the nauseating qualities OF the
canned and refrigerator beef.
did YOU. General. ever eat any Of
this beef?" Colonel Gillespie asked.
II presume ] did. about the time we
We're at Ponce said General Miles
with some hesitation. Yes. | presume
did"
Then" said Colonel Gillespie "it has
not such characteristic u,,ali,ic. a..