The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-28
Subject of Discussion by
the Cabinet.
THB CAPTAINS LETTER
To 1fhe Secretary OF the Navy ExPafns
ing HIS Famous speech - Uttered
Among Friends Exasgcrased ~
Newspapers-Nes Expected 90 he Me-
ported and Considered Privileged
Matter-The AaAir TO be ksglsty
Treated.

Washington, Aprat 25.-At the cabinet
meeting today the recent ~utteranses OF
Captain Coghlan. % the cruiser Raj
eigh. were informally discussed. Secre-
cary Long said he had received a letter
on the subject from Captain coghlan-
The captain discliamsd any intention
OF insulting the German emperor or
Admiral Won Diedrlchs and his 10
marks on the occasion OF the Union
League Club banquet We're made in the
most informal in he company
OF friends. without any thought that
they would be reported IN the public
press AS they did appear. he said,
they We're exaggerated aud distorted,
and he was made 10 say things which
he did not utter. He claims that I'M
der the circumstances his remarks
should be regarded as privileged.
After the cabinet meeting adjourned
Secretary Long AMI Secretary Hay re-
mained a short time with the presi-
dent to further discuss the matter. Ii
is understood that the captain will
soon retire from the service through
the regular channel and IL Is thought
that in view Of this fact and. further.
that he rendered distinguished service
at The naval engagement at Manila, the
authorities will show him as much con-
sideration as is consistent with naval
discipline. According 10 arrange
ments made some days ago Cor the
presidents trip to Philadelphia he viii
go aboard the Raleigh next Friday
morning as a special compliment TO
Captain Coghlan. Whether. under the
circumstances, this part OF the pro-
gramme will be changed cannot now
be stated.
GARLINGTON'S ARMY RAT1oNS
REPORT.
The report of Colonel Darlington. of
the commissary department OF the ar
my, which vas yesterday presented 10
the Wade court OF inquiry, but not ac-
cepted as a part Of the record, was
made public today. 1t covers about 100
typewriter pages and Is a careful re-
view Of the subject. Colonel Darlington
claims to have collected the opinions
of $40 officers and 163 enlisted men on
corning the cannes roast beef which he
Classics as follows:
Twenty-three officers and one man
pronounced it good or excellent;
twenty-five officers and two men fair
or good, with EXCEPTIONS" twenty-six
officers and eleven men mostly bad or
unfit" n 302 officers n l49 men G
tirely bad or unfit" He comments at
some length upon this. giving the vari-
!! Gus terms used to indicate the feeling
Of officers and men with regard TO ii,
but says that where cooking was pos
| sible and vegetables and condiments
available and the beef prepared, sea-
soned and mixed with vegetables. COM
plants were lessened or modified, and
some even praised 1t as a substitute
for fresh beef.
Colonel Darlington refers to the fact
that the issue Of canned beef was au-
thoriZed as a part Of the army ratoin
as early as 1883, but says hat the use
of the canned roast or boiled article APP
| pears to hav been very limited before
the beginning Of the Spanish war. out
Of about 200 officers reporting on the
subject 9S per cent. state that they
had never seen canned roast beef used
in the army before the war and only
2 per cent. remember q previous issue"
Colonel Darlington groups the opin-
ions of officers and men on the refrig-
Grated beef as follows: Good or ex-
cellent." rs officers and S men. Fair
or good. If trimmed" 133 officers and IS
men. Mostly bad" 8 officers and %
men. Bad, or unfit" 9 officers and II
men. From this summary he concludes
that about 80 per cent. OF the opinion
was favorable to the refrigerated meat
and % per cent. unfavorable.