New-York tribune., 1900-12-29

iected to or treated with any chemicals by the
tractors or those in their employ.
The Court of Inquiry went even further, and
stated:
The Board has recorded its opinion that the re-
frgePated ed beef furnished under contracts for the
with any other agent than cold air If any such
treatment had been applied it is the opinion of the
concealed from the commissary,Ge and his
after the troops had secured Convenient harboFs
and landing facilities, was wise and desirable The
Court believes that there was no better food avail
able or practicable.
THE RECORD OF SICKNESS.
The allegation that the food furnished the
Army was the cause of much sickness seems 10
have been as little Investigated or to have had
little warrant for its utterance as the other
dsproved charges. Although on the transports
for fourteen days, during which time canned
fresh beef the principal meat ration, the
Shafter expedition of nearly seventeen thousand
men landed in Cuba with only 80 sick. 1t is
the concurrent testimony of every officer that
the army landed in Cuba in excellent condition,
Notwithstanding the heat and confinement on
the transports. 1t was not until August I, fifty
three days after the Fifth Corps had embarked
at Tampa, that sickness became alarming; and
then the causes of that sickness were indis-
putably traced To- the climate and the diseases
indigenous to the tropics kents division OF
4442 on July 10 had but 214 sick. and five
days afterward this had fallen off to 200, and
when the sickness in Skaters army grew to
such proportions to cause concern Lawtons
division, which had subsisted almost entirely on
bacon the meat component of it's ration. had
vision which had subsisted almost entirely
canned fresh beef. The 1st Volunteer Cavalry
had had little canned beef in Cuba, and yet its
sick rate was practically the Kents
and Lawton's divisions. Moreover, we have al
ready seen from General Woods statement.
which is supported by the records of the War
Department, that every regiment that came to
Santiago after the war, even when provided
with foored tents and boiled water had prac-
ticaly the same amount of sickness Skaters
army. There evidence to support Gen
eral Miless statement that the food caused the
sickness but there and is incontrovertfble
The Army had won its battles in Cuba and the
Philippines; Porto Rico had peacefully come
into hands after few skirmishes the pro-
tocol had been in operation for over four
months, and even the Treaty of Peace had been
signed at Paris. Then comes the Major-General
commanding the Army of the United States
with his charges. While the allegations of Gen
eral Miles were not. based upon fact, and were
conclusvely. disproven by two separate tri-
bunals, unimpeachable in their composition and
methods of investigation, the irreparahleT dam
age had been done. brave, honest and faith
full officer, suffering under the LASH of such
cruel unwarranted and unjustifed imputations
while exonerated from the heavy odium of those
charges. was as a result OF them, sacrificed on
the altar of his own passion, righteous in Its
existence, but ineXcusabe in its expression. Be
sides this, false impression had been created
! throughout the country as to the food furnished
the Army, which may never be removed. The
charges of General Miles, twice proved false IN
spirit and substance therefore the more
heinous in their effect. Yet the present Con-
gress promoted General Miles to be Lieutenant
General. and has thus far failed to give to Cen
eral Shafter the rank of Major-General to re-
tire upon IN his old age and this after his
magnificent campaign at Santiago as well as
his former distinguished services.
Northumberland Nelson A. Miles is at pres
ent in the wilds of North Carolina, on hunting
trip. All efforts to reach him and obtain his
, answer to these charges of Mr.. Alger have so
far been without success.