The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-21

The statement was made I'm the course
OF a prolonged hearing by the committee,
which was conducted behind closed doors
and in which Gen. Miles touched upon a
variety OF subjects connected with the
army. The portion of the bill 10 which
he directed his especial criticism is that
contained In section Z, reading as follows:
OBJECTIONABLE SECTION.
That from and after the passage of
this act the senior general officer Of the
portion Of the army as the president may
direct or be detailed TO duty In the gem
eral staff corps. All duties prescribed
army shall be performed by the chief OF
general stan or other general officer des-
ignated by the secretary of war; pro-
vided. that so long as the present lieu
tenant general OF the army continues on
the active list he shall he the chief OF
the general stan and upon the separation
general OF the army said office except as
herein provided shall cease"
Gen. Miles said that IL this provision
seot snSed Of the unity 'e Of the the
army, and he read numerous authorities,
including Napoleon, Wellington, Washing
sity OF having one head to the army and
OF controlling authority.
His own experience and observation
those views and he gave an illustration OF
its beneficial effect In time OF emergency.
instancing the beginning OF the war with
II heard at midnight" he said, that
the Spanish fleet had been located def
nitely at Santiago and / FASTENED to the
home OF Secretary Long, where the news
Tampa and sat down there In the secre-
tary's house and wrote a dispatch direct
ing him TO start Immediately for Santiago,
xxrtf ha ttlf thaf ha
on its way to the point where It's pres
ence was needed
sUPPosITIoN.
He added. exhibiting the message which
he.hud sent TO Gen. Shafter, Suppose
had been compelled to get around to a
dozen or more majors, as many colonels
and any number OF generals constituting
Then he added that in all probability
the senior general Of the army would
not. under the provision he had quoted,
have been In position TO do anything. and
he called to the clause relieving him (the
senior generaD OF command. and making
II possible for many other officers TO be
appointed. He declared that. under sec
uon T. IL would be competent one day 10
promate a captain TO the position OF
his staff. thus pra ctically placing n cap
tain at the head OF tha army.
Warming up somewhat, he asserted that
the bill was calculated TO accomplish no
purpose except TO allow the secretary OF
war and the adjutant general To promote
the interests OF their personal favorites.
ANSWERS QUESTIONS.
Gen. Miles was questioned as 90 the
reasons for locating the American army
OF occupation at Tampa and holding IL
there SO long. with the resulting conges-
.tion. Replying to the first question he
said that IL was because OF the order TO
occupy Havana. The delay was due. he
said, to the fact that the American army
was supplied with only 81 rounds Of am
munition. which would not have been suf-
hcient for more than half an hour OF
lighting.
Considering that Havana was one OF
the best fortified cities i'm the world. he
said that 10 have attacked II would heve
been foolhardy I'm the extreme. lie -
clined. however. TO criticise the then sec
retarv OF war; Gen, Alger. for the condi-
tion or Affairs. saying that probably any
one else In the position would have done
about what he did. lie laid the general
blame for this condition OF unprepared-
ness at the door OF congress
In the course OF his remarks. Cen. Miles
told the committee, in conidencf, that
with the bill a law he could now name
the men who would hold the places uf
honor provided under ~. but the commit
tee did not ask for the names
AT THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The news OF Gen. Miles statement be-