The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-08
field ration and to this extent he is respOn-


from Liverpool and other English ports
This amount is characterized as excessive.
and the commissary general General
Eagan) is severely criticised in several parts
OF the document on this score. One Of the
severest rebukes is as follows:
HARD RAP AT EAGAN
considering the little use that has been
made Of this beef in the regular army, the
probability that the volunteers were entirely
ignorant OF II, that It's use az part OF the
field ration had never been sanctioned by
the President or secretary OF war. the court
can but characterize the action Of the COM
missary general of subsistence as unwar-
ranted and reckless in that he ordered the
purchase of such enormous quantities OF
food that was practically untrled and un-
known. and the court so finds The court
also finds that there Is no ground for any
imputation whatever OF any other actuating
motive on the part of the commissary gem
eral than the earnest desire to procure the
best possible food for the troops. The court
pronounces this act Of the commissary gen.
eral OF subsistence a colossal error, for
which there is no paliation"
The court finds that there was neglect In
cuba, and, to less degree, In Porto Rico,
In delivering the refrigerated beef
The court, says the report, does not
wish 10 state the case more strongly than
TO say that the finding appears to be war
ranted that too much time was consumed in
distributing this perishable article. The
fault, If any there was, rested with the bri-
gade and higher commanding officers and
their commissaries and quartermasters, but
the testimony is not so definite specific
as to warrant the naming by the court of
any particular officers"
They say that the refrigerated beef was
at first received with great satisfaction
There Is also criticism of the delay in ur-
loading the refrigerating apparatus of Swift
d Co., at Santiago. An appeal by the con-
tractors agents to General Shafter for an
order on the quartermaster TO expedite the
delivery from the transport of the refriger-
ating 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
travel ration on transports. considering the
absence OF cooking facilities and the alb
sence from that ration of fresh vegetables
and condiments. For use on shore as a field
ration. where the companies had their camp
cooking equipments and vegetables were
issue. say, two days in ten, but not for two
days In succession. In some organizations II
seems to have constituted at least one-half
or the meat ration, and until after the sur
render the troops had no means for other
cooking than was practicable with the in
dividual kit carried. For such extensive use,
or any use exceeding one day in five, the
court finds this beef unsuitable. The re-
frigerated beef Is. in the opinion of the
court. a suitable ration for troops when it
can be issued to them in good condition.
OPINION ON RATIONS.
AS to whether anything better than the
beef was available for a ration, the opinion
is:
"First-That on the transports the re-
lance on canned fresh and canned corned
beef was wise, but that the canned fresh
beef was less desirable than the corned
beef.
"Second-That while bacon is not regarded
as a 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 fit 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 secured con-
venient harbors and landing facilities. was
wise and desirable. That the court believes
that there was no better food available or
practicable"
The opinion Is expressed that IL would
have been impracticable to land beef cattle
on the hoof in Cuba, the remark of the
court on this point being as follows: 1.-The
commanding general OF the expedition char
acterizes as absurd such proposition and
many of his commanding officers whose
opinion is given in the testimony, coincided
with him in the impracticao.lity or mex
pediency of such a project. The court con-
ours in the opinion OF those men whose ex-
perience in active military service dated
from 1861"
An instruction of the President to the
court was IF the packers OF the country
guilty II must be known Replying to
this direction the court says: 1.-The court
finds that at the outbreak Of hostilities in
April, 1898. the packers of canned beef were
engaged in manufacture of an article of
standard quality, we'll known to the trade
and the subsistence department under the
name of the canned roast beef The
methods OF packing then in use were the
same as those habitually employed In the
preparation of the meat as an article OF
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, 1s9S, were made
not at the solicitation OF the packers. or
in consequence of efforts put forth by them
for 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 department in
the usual manner"
On another point connected with the
packers the court says: Although the SUBJ
ject OF readjustment OF accounts between
the United States and the contractors was
not referred TO the court-it appears from
the testimony that whenever any cans have
been found 10 be defective, subsequent to
their original delivery to the subsistence de-
partme.t. such cans have been replaced in
every instance"
set out by the President. the court says
that the canned beef was described as
fresh" because IL was not salted. but that
the meat was not old or stale that the re-
frigerated 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 hemispheres
as commercial articles OF which there Is and
has been very large consumption, not only
by the trade generally. but by the United
States navy and by the armies and navies