The times., 1899-02-13

of the war at which he did not have the
money and the officers ready and willing
to pay in accordance with law and the
customs of the service. So far as the
Commission can ascertain. all the officers
of the Pay Department have performed
their duties promptly and efficiently.
The Engineer Department..
The possibility of war impressed itself
so fully upon the chief of this corps that on
January %. 1898, all officers having charge
Of the construction of seacoast defences
were directed to mount. as rapidly as pos
sible. all guns and carriages then on hand
or received later, even IL II should be at
the disadvantage of incomplete work. the
object being to have the guns available for
service. The carrying out of these instruc
tions entailed considerable hardships and
Inconvenience in the North Atlantic forts,
where snow to n great depth covered the
ground. Every effort was made during the
ensuing two months to get in place every
possible piece Of ordnance that could be
obtained for the batteries at that time un-
der construction.
Wherever officers OF this corps have
been assigned to duty the testimony shows
that they have acted with great prompt
ness and to the great benefit of the ser
vice. The testimony of commanding off,
GERS of campaigns. troops, and camps has
been in high praise of the services of the
Corps of Engineers. This commendation
has been because of the efficient prepara-
tions made before the beginning of war
with Spain for any emergency, the energy
displayed by the officers of the department.
and the esprit de corps that permeates the
entire force.
Ordnance Department..
The testimony before the Commission
shows that the Ordnance Department was
untiring in its work, both before and dur
ing the war, and that every effort was
made by its officers to properly arm and
equip the troops. The delays that oc-
CURED were none Of them OF serious i'm
port, and 1t was beyond the power of the
department to prevent them.
The great work of this department
must be done in times of peace before war
comes. Guns. mortars, carriages. small
arms, ammunition, and equipments
must be dcided upon in advance
the plants for their production
established, and supply accu-
muiated sufficient for the probable needs
OF the country. There is no time after
war is declared in which to make this
provision. 1t is a great work. requiring
careful study and investigation on the part
of the officers, wide comprehension as
10 the probable needs of the country, and
the disbursing of large sums of money.
The work Of preparing for war can be
done no faster than appropriations will
permit, and very important duty of the
Chief CT Ordnance in submitting to Con-
press the proper recommendations and es-
Inmates Tor appropriations to carry on the
work of his department in the hest man
ner.
Ihe testimony before the Commission
SHOWS that the Ordnance Department had
IN the past fully appreciated the situa-
uon' that 1t had so far as lay in its power
provided for the contingency of war; that
us chief had placed before Congress the
necessary data to enable that BODY to
Juuee knowingly OF the needs or the de-
partment to do its appointed work"
The Medical Department, in charge of
Surgeon General Sternberg, is given CON-
siderable space. and its shortcomings ex-
cused because of conditions which existed
at the outbreak of the war The summing
up OF the Commission follows:
Lacked Materials and Men.
L That at the outbreak of the war the
Medical Department was. in men and ma
terials, altogether unprepared to meet the
necessities of the army called out
z. That as result of the action through
generation of contracted and contracting
methods of administration, it was impos-
sio!e for the department to operate largely
freely. and without undue regard to cost.
). That in the absence of special corps
OF inspectors, and the apparent infreuuency
OF inspections by chief surgeons, and of of
fcial reports of the state of things in
camps and hospitals, there was not such
investigation of the sanitary conditions of
the army as is the first duty imposed upon
the department by the regulations.
4. That the nursing force during the
months OF May. June. and July was neither
ample nor efficient, reasons for which may
be found in the lack Of a proper volunteer
hospital corps. due to the failure of Con-
gress to authorize its establishment and 10
the non-recognition in the beginning OF
the value OF women nurses and the extent
TO which their services could be secured.
.. That the demand made upon the re-
sources OF the department in the care
of sick and wounded was very much
greater than had been anticipated. and
consequently, in like proportion, these de-
mands were imperfectly met
.. That powerless as the department
was to have supplies transferred from
point to point, except through the inter-
mediation OF the Quartermaster's De-
partment, il was seriously crippled in its
efforts TO fulfill the regulation duty OF
furnishing all medical and hospital sup
plies
-. That the shortcomings in adminis-
tration and operation may justly be at
tributed, in large measure. to the hurry
and confusion incident to the assembling
of an army of unframed officers and men.
ten times larger than before. for which
no preparations in advance had been or
could be made because of existing rules
and regulations.
IS. That Notwithstanding all the mani
fest errors, OF omission rather than of
commission. vast deal of good work was
done by medical officers. high and low,
regular and volunteer and there were
unusually few deaths among the wounded
and the sick.
Needs of the Department..
What is needed by the Medical Depart
ment in the future is
Il. large force of commissioned medi-
cal officers.
-. Authority to establish in time of war
a proper volunteer hospital corps.
''3. A reserve corps of selected trained
women nurses. ready to serve when neces-
sty shall arise, but. Ander ordinary cir
cumstances, owing no duty to the War
Department. except to report residence at
determined intervals.
~. A years supply for an army of at
least four times the actual strength. of all
such medicines, hospital furniture. AMI
stores as are not materially damaged by
keeping, to be held constantly on hand in
the medical supply depots.
'5. The charge of transportation to such
extent as will secure prompt shipment and
ready delivery of all medical supplies.
'6. The simplificatiOn of administrative
paper work., so that medical officers may
be able to more thoroughly discharge their
sanitary and strictly medical duties
=. The securing of such legislation as
will authnriye nj in, ,,aIfn,I
charge of troops, hospitals. transports,
trains, and independent commands to draw
from the Subsistence Department funds for
the nnrchaSe of snch articles of dint ~