The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-05-08

the contractors agent to General SHAFT
ter for an order on the quartermaster to
expedite the delivery Of the transport of
the refrigerating plant did not effect any
result. The delay in this matter was the
cause Of serious loss
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 OH
shore, as food ration, where the COM
panes 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 organlza-
lions it seems to have constituted at
least one-half of the meat ration and
until after the surrender the troops had
| no means for other cooking than was
! practicable with the individual kit car
ried. For such extensive use, or any
use, exceeding one day in FIVE the court
find this beef unsuitable.
| "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 any
thing better than the beef was available
for ration, the opinion is:
First-That on the transports the re-
lance on canned fresh and canned corn
ed beef was wise, but that the canned
fresh beef was less desirable than the
corned beef
Second--That while bacon is not re-
garded as suitable constant food in
campaign for troops serving in the
tropics combined with the vegetables
that were available 1t would have been
more suitable and At 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 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 cattle |
on the hoof in Cuba, the remark of the |
court on this point being as follows:
"The commanding general of the ex-
petition characterizes as absurd such |
a proposition, and many Of his COM
manding officers whose opinion Is given
in the testimony coincide with him in
the impracticability Of inexpediency of
such project, The court concurs in
the opinion of these men, whose expert
ence In active military service dates
from 1851"
An instruction Of the president to the
court was that IF the packers of the
country are guilty is must be known"
Replying to this direction the court
says The court finds that at the out
break of hostilties 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
of packing then in use were
the same as those habitually employed
in the preparation of the meat as an
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
forces during the months Of
May and June 1898. were made, not at
the solicitation of the packers or In con-
sequence of efforts put forth by them
for that purpose, but by the order and .
upon the incitative Of the commssary
Of subsistence, each purchase
being made in every case by officers OF
his department In the usual manner"
On another point connected with the
packers the court says: Although the
subject of readjustment of accounts
the United States and the con-
tractors was not referred to the court,
t appears from the testimony thar
whenever any cans have been found to