The age-herald., 1899-01-18

your commission by the senior major-gen- eral of the United States army Nelson A. Miles," He details the amaZement and sur prise he experienced when informed that General Miles had selected Major Black, "a volunteer officer totally devoid of ex- perience, in the subsistence department" as his staff commissary instead of Major Osgood, who was first chosen for that post by General Miles. He refers to :" a very ordinary, commonplace telegram sent by General Miles to his adjutant-general here, in Washington, about June T. inqui:ing what subsistence stores were at Tampa. General Eagan says he made formal written reply to this, but was amazed next morning to see in the newspapers that General Miles had found it necessary to send a serious reprimand to Washington.
 "I have to state,' says General Eagan, that no such reprimand was ever received by me from General Miles, nor any other general, and that General Miles has no au- thority in his commission or in his position under the law of regulations to send repri- mands to me-
 Notwithstanding that this imag nary rep rimand was published in the press" he continues General Miles from that day to this has never in any shape or torm ai- though I have met him, taken occasion to express any regret for the statements made in the papers about the reprimand nor 10 allude to it at all.
 Had Ample Subsistence
 General Eagan says he fitted out the eN- petition to Porto Rico with ample supsist- ence supplies and sent lin one or the te- frigerator ships, the Massachusetts, zO5'ooo pounds of refrigerated beef-not emoalmeo beef nor treated by any chemical process whatsoever-but hrst-class refrlseratea beef as good as the country produces and in every way sound, sweet and proper food"
 1f 1e i,, pnrt General Eagan says: "Ie failing to use proper supplies does so at his peri,' and if he purchases and substitutes for the good article an inferior and unwhoiesome one, one that the whole medical fra1er- nity of the United States will unite in say ing is not wholesome, gives men diarrhoea and dysentery, then he does so at still greater peril.
 By General Miles own statement, he d q purchase native beef ashore, while this good refrigerated beef, not embalmed beet was there in Ponce. It was not embalmed beef nor was it treated with any chemicals whatsoever for its preservation"
 Discussing General Miles statement that he wanted complete rations sent instead of in bulk, General Eagan says he never saw any such request and if he had he would have regarded it "as extraordinary for there is no such thing as sending complete rations in large quantities otherwise than in bulk"
 Can Miles Explain?
 "If General Miles can explain to your commission what the difference is he will do more than I think he or any other man can do and I especially ask the comm sslon to note this as one of the things bearing on the entire subject
 Taking up General Niles testimony that the food was one of the serious causes or sickness among the soldiers, General Eagan denies this. and points out that General Miles gives it as his judgment
 "Because he merely expressed his judg- ment that way cannot take further issue with that statement than to dispute 1t
 General Eagan declares that General Shafter cabled his appreciation of the character of refrigerated, not empaimea' beef. that arrived at Santiago one day at- ter the port was opened
 general Shafter," he says, "has repeat edlv in person expressed to me his pro found gratitude and appreciation of the fine beef which he calls the finest he ever ate'-this same refrigerated beef-not em- balned hcef-that is spoken of by General Miles in his statement made to your com mission.
 "You have before you reports of various officers describing the character of the superior and fine cattle f9 that Porto Rico has furnished to tho United States at the low prices mentioned by General Miles-- bulls stags. runts, deformed cattle. which means old work oxen-a class and character of beef that the subsistence department never purchased in this country nor any where else if 1t could do no better. certainly not if it could get refrigerated beef.
 Character of tile Cattle
 "The statement of the character of the cattle in Cuba or in the island of Porto Rico needs no further illustration by me-"
 Upon the question of the refrigerated beef General Eagan says:
 General Mics testified that 327 tons of this refrigerated beef might be called 'em- balmed beef'