Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-09
DEWEY HEARD FROM
HAS TAKEN COMMAND OF YES
Sells OFF CULEBRA ISLAND.
Wires That Reports Of Illness Among
Men Working on the Canal
Are Unfounded.

Admiral Dewey has advised the Secretary
Of the Navy that he has taken active COM
mand Of the large naval feet engaged in
extensive maneuvers in the Caribbean sea.
The admiral and part OF his staff, including
Rear Admiral Taylor. chief of the bureau
Of navigation, left here on the President s
yacht Mayflower on the 1st instant and
proceeded direct to Culebra the base of
operations. In Hampton Roads he was
Joined by the dispatch boat Dolphin, with
other members Of his staff, the I'd instant,
and the two vessels proceeded south in
company. They evidently weathered the
prevailing storms in good shape, as they
arrived at Culebra Sunday on schedule
time, the Dolphin having made short stop
at San Juan en- route. The apparent delay
in reporting their arrival at Culebra is due
to the lack of telegraphic communication
with San Juan, the nearest cable station.
There is no mail service between the two
places, and the only communication is by
dispatch boats, sent only when occasion re-
quires it.
Just prior to Admiral Dewey's departure
from Washington Secretary Moody request
ed him to investigate the press reports that
the sailors of the North Atlantic squadron
were undergoing severe hardships by being
required to dig a canal on Culebra Island to
connect with one of the harbors, under bad
sanitary conditions, and that as a conse-
quence many of the men were threatened
with tropical fevers. Admiral Dewey acted
with his usual promptness in this matter.
and the result of his investigation is shown
in cable message received from him this
morning, dated San Juan yesterday, in
which he gives fiat contradiction to the
press reports Of insanitary conditions in the
following words:
Reports Of Illness ,Unfounded.-
Conditions connected with canal dug at
Culebra absolutely sanitary. No sickness
whatever among the men SO employed"
The officials Of the Navy Department were
very much gratified over this news, as they
had been subjected to some criticism for
having, as 1t was alleged. exposed the sail
ors to danger of infection without any ac-
tual necessity. It was on the basis of these
criticisms that Secretary Moody authorized
the employment of native laborers in cut
ting the canal in case it was deemed neces-
sary, in order to protect the health Of the
sailors. The report OF Admiral Dewey that
no evil consequences had followed the work
is therefore most reassuring.
Another encouraging piece OF news re-
ceived this morning was contained in a
cable message from Captain Dunlap, COM
manding the naval station at San Juan, to
the effect that MidsI1ipman Richard VAIN
wright, who was stricken with typhold
fever on Culebra island and removed to the
hospital at San Juan, was IN satisfactory
condition, at the beginning Of the third
week OF the disease. Young Wainwright IS
son of Captain Richard Wainwright,
formerly superint ntendent of the Naval Acad-
emy, and now in command of the cruiser
Newark. He Is attached to the Massa-
men on shore duty ON Culebra Island when
he was taken sick. The favorable progress
of his case is taken to assure his ultimate
complete recovery.