The times., 1899-04-12
SHhFTER STANDS BY
His FRIEND ALGER
The Refrigerated Beef the Best
He Ever Ate.
He Admits That the Canned Article
Was Not Palatable.
Other Witnesses Who Were Forced
II ~
Other Witnesses Who Were Forced
TO Eat Both Kinds Say All
Wns Bad.

General Shafter was the star witness be-
fore the Beef Court yesterday. The burden
of his testimony was that If mistakes were
made during the campaign it was too late
now TO correct them, and that even though
the canned roast beef was not good, 1t was
the best they had. He declared that he had
eaten it out of the can ungarnished either
with potatoes, onions, or tomatoes, and it
had not occurred TO him that ii was un-
fit for use as food. He became emphatic
when he declared that il was his belief
that it was not unfit for food He admit
ted that it had very little taste. and that
il was unpleasant to look upon, but it full
filled its mission as a substitute for fresh
beef, where that important article of food
could not be obtained.
The canned fresh beef was not inviting
and il was not palatable, said General
Shafter. but it was all we had and it was
the best We had. He gave this bit of tes
timony as though he believed that single
declaration would effect a settlement Of
the whole scandal.
General Shafter, after stating his name.
rank, and present station, told of his
movements prior TO the Quitting of the
Cuban expedition He went from San Fran
cisco TO New Orleans and from that city
came 10 Washington. He had a brief in
terview with the Commissary General. That
officer told him that he had provided can
ned rcast beef as part of the meat COM
ponent Of the field and travel ration. Gen
eral Shafter said that he had nothing TO
do with provisioning the Fifth Army Corps.
He told the story OF how the plans for in
vadirg Cuba were changed and how the
expedition was delayed by the appearance
and by reports of the appearance of the
Spanish fleet in Western waters.
After the landing CT the troops he ordered
that the men should go forward with three
days rsiions in their haversacks and one
hundred rounds of ammunition. He stated
that when the troops went into action they
deposited their hayersacks in heaps al the
rear. The regiments OF regulars posted
a guard over these piles while some of
the volunteer regiments did not take this
precaution. Cuban troops and Cuban refu-
gees coming along in the wake of the army
appropriated the contents of many OF these
hayfrsacks and there were cases of indi-
vidual hunger among the American troops.
On the night after the great battle, pack
trains went Toward 10 the firing line. car
rying hard bread. coffee and sugar. There
was no widespread want of food. Here and
there probably man went hungry. but this
was usually the result either Of that mans
carelessness or improvidence.
General Shafter considered the PROPOSE
ton that beef herds should accompany the
army of invasion as absurd In the first
place. he said. the army had no cattle
ship. They had reason TO believe that they
were about TO face an active foe and beef
herd would have been a great impediment
TO the American army. II would have
been necessary to provide against the con-
tingency that the enemy might cut out and
stampede this beef herd. and this meant
thai the army would have had to carry
just as much bacon and canned goods as it
did, TO provide against the possibility that
the cattle might be captured.
Under cross-examinaIion by Major Lee.
General Shafter insisted that there was
enough OF the army rations for every SOL
der under him TO have had enough TO eat.
and that If they did not get enough il was
their fault He considered the canned
roast beef good substitute for fresh beef,
even though ii was not palatable- He con-
sidered ii satisfactory under the conditions.
The refrigerated beef which he saw at
Santiago was. he said. the finest he ever
saw lie never suspected that il had been
chemically treated. He believed that no
one else in the army suspected that chem
icais had been used on the meat. He had
received but one complaint against it.
When his attention was called to the
Roosevelt report General Shafter insisted
that the ration returns would show that
lne hough RIDERS mad all the meat, bread.
coffee. and sugar TO which they were en-
Titled under the law. General Shafter ad-
mitted that the ration was not a suitable
one for troops operating in the tropics.
He said.
Our ration was not adapted to our cam
paign, there is no use in talking about il.
but i had nothing 10 do with that The
Government provides the food and clothing
for soldiers. They are the people to talk
to about the matter
General Shafter said that he had never