The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-19
PHENOMENAL KAR.
Amerioa,s Marvellous and Splendid Achieve
ments In the spanish-Americnn Conhict-
The administration Of the Army Better
Than History Knows-The Deaths ana
tho CANNED Mant-Fneta for the Milesitee.


the Canned Meat-Faots for the milesites'
Prom IA. PAitadsiphia Pres.
The S~panish-American war won for this
country q consideration and respect from the
world at large which It had not enjoyed before.
Under the influence OF personal pique. roliti-
cal design and sensational journalism this hue
and cry about beef. even In well-meaning
minds. has obscured the truth concerning the
war and It's conduct. On this account a brief
review Of some Of the salient facts OF the late
war Is timely.
Tho FIRST call for 125. 900 volunteers was is
sued April %. 1903. That call was completed
In forty-one days. on June 4. Within two
weeks. on June II. the Fifth Army Corps sailed
from Tampa for Santiago with 10.43l officers
and men. Its work was accom- plished. the full
surrender Of the Spanish forces secured. and
the reembarkation OF the conquenng forces for
tho United States was begun Aug. z and COM
pleted Aug. "a. just seventy days from the date
Of It's sailing from Tampa. No such results
could have been achieved without vigorous d.
rection and energetic action.
The aggregate number OF our troops In the
war was about 275.0O0. Their service has COW
cred a year, from May to May. During this
period the deaths from all causes at home and
abroad. In camp and In field. In hospital and in
battle. were 6.190. or IN per cent. Compare
this mortality with previous tests. The aver
age strength OF the Union forces for the frat
Of the civil war. during which there was little
fghting. was 276.371. and the loss by death
was 10. 159. or nearly 7 per cent. Tho Ameri-
can Army employed In the war with Mexico.
counting both regulars and volunteers. num-
| bered 100.454 and the deaths reached IL. 898.
or nearly Is per cent. More than IL per cent.
Of the whole army died Of disease. and In Gen.
Scott's campaign the losses from disease ex-
ceeded 50 per cent. Of his effective strength.
All experience has shown that war in tropical
regions involves the greatest risks: but there
has been no war. whether In tropical or tenn
perate cllmes. where the loss from disease.
leaving out all the Casualties Of battle. was
proportionately as small as In the Spanish
American conflict.
The whole war with Spain was fought on
Spanish soil. Every soldier who went to the
front had to be transported across the sea.
The whole 275. 900 had to DO carried long dis
tances on land. All this was managed with
scarcely a mishap. or regulars n. 72S, and OF
volunteers 1897. in all 80. 1896. have been sent
to the remote Philippines. while $3.50 are en-
route or under orders. and In the arrange
ments for this great movement there has been
no flaw. OF the nearly 5000 that went to Ma
Mia on the three steamers. Grant, Sherman
and Sheridan. under Gen. Lawton. only two
losses were reported. and both OF these were
by accidental drowning.
In the prosecution OF the war many millions
no'e oeen hahoiea anu aisourseo Dy omcers OF
.ho "etD army aiu IL Oil these
'ahsae.'ons. here nus po' 'c'oeen oeneiency
oia ooiiar' NOT mas tnere oeen any onarge OF
!oppery IL any o .he operations inoiueh'ai 70
.ne "ovemen1 anu equipment Oh these great
iorees. MISTAKES nave peen anegeo, ana noth-
ing short Of infallibility would have gone
through such vast and hurried operations
without some mistakes; but nobody has pre-
tenoeu that even inc MISTAKES were anything
more tnan errors OF Judgment. NO lmputa-
ions Oh olshonesty nave peen maze. Win
all the eiouoS OF Gust the war mas gone from
us oee,nnihs 10 tne present time WITHOUT any
accusation OF Vehaiity.
Inc one serious reheotioh IN the report OF
tne ooaro OF inquiry upon any omcer OF the
war department. ID inc oritleism upon the
oomIissary-u enerai lor ouylhe o'o4''lf
pouhos OF eanheo peei: Inis purohase ID pro-
nouneeo eAoossi'e anu un'us.inaoie. IN view
prime comparative hewness OF that ration the
criticism Is warranted out IN ORDER TO be- en-
'reiS Jar there are some other aspects OF the
c o "hion ousn' 70 20 eohs'ue.oo. WIN <'o'.
wv men IN inc heio .he entire quahtity OF
canheo oee' purchaSeu announced 10 '"eht'-
I'VE pounus per man ihe ordinary cohsump-
t,oh vi mea1 N rnilauelpnla or IN any Oh our
eites . 'wens'-nve pouhus d n'oh.n psr capita,
purchase OF cahneo oee'-a purchase that ~ouid
iast toI years II heeu oo-"as less than ono
"ont" y II arhy'
. ma'.'r y iac.. ohiy aoou' ~ per cent, OF
.me eanheu pee poueh' was sent 10 ouoa.
ahete was enough oaeon iurn,sneo LOT inc
s"nI,uHo orm' pouhu vi canheo oeet
hau oeeh useo' Ahe purenaso was presumably
Haue upon 'he aSsump'ion THAT IL was heces-
sn,y 10 prepare ior d wa. OF some iehRtn.
"nen inc s"oru was once urawha ianure 10
mako preparation tor ever' conunReney "ouio
nave oeeh euipao,e' more than .o'ooo volun-
teeIs were ehisteu VINO mover ieit the onited
eta'es; Ae events 'urneu' tney were not
heeueu' ou' Toes anyoouy eai'icise the pre-
caution OF havine tnem ready would any re-
spons'p'e au1ho,it' nave peen Ius,iheo IN pro-
ceeuihg upon Inc INJURY that inc campaign
"ouio oe hmiteo 10 seventy oays' ana that IL
was unnecessary 10 make any provision De-
yono' coulu anyoooy nave assumeo that
spanish FORCES Oh more than Ioo'ooo In CUBA