The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-28


be destroyed by modern artillery"
Soldiers Work Like Slaves.
OF the roads to Lake Lanao, he
says
"At the time of my visit there were
600 of our men at work on this road.
The heat was intense, and there were
at the time 20 men sick and some 200
men on sick report. Unless there be
some great military necessity-and 1
know of none-this work should not
be performed by troops. There APP
peared to be very great dissatisfaction
and just ground for complaint
The more important observations and
recommendations of Gen. Miles are as
follows
1.-THE general condition of the troops
In the archipelago was creditable to
themselves and to the country. The of
hcers and soldiers made a good APP
'pearance.
THE effect of the climate is a most
serious detriment to the service. The
men go there in perfect health and in
the prime of manhood, but as a body
are seriously affected in the course of
two or three years service. Very few
escape, but the majority are debilitated.
AS the military stations, with but
rev exceptions, are very remote, ana
the troops are required to be in COM
munities that are neither beneficial
nor eongenial to them, the service is
depressing, and, to some extent, has
demoralizing effect. During my Wis
its to the gari1sons it so happened that
| did not see a single soldier under
the influence of liquor AS the result
of my observations it is my judgment
that the discontinuance of the liquor
feature of the canteen has been bene-
fetal to the army. Now that the temp
tation has been removed from the i'm
mediate presence of the young men
of the army. they are less likely to in
dulge in the use of liquor.
Forces in the Philippines.
THE number of troops that will be
required to occupy the Philippines Is
lands is still problematical. While it
is claimed that the people are pacified,
evidences of hostility toward American
sovereignty are apparent. The news
papers published in both Spanish and
English contain almost daily accounts
of hostilities, depredations or disturb
ances of the peace. Against these arm
ed bands the civil government is em-
ploying the constabulary, a force of
about 5000 men.
Il found a large proportion of the
troops occupying church property,
monasteries, colleges and converts.
This l believe to be entirely wrong,
and 1t should be discontinued without
delay"
while the supplies have as a rule
been abundant and of good quality,
there is, in my opinion, too much cold
storage meat used for the good of the
troops Its~constant use. becomes very
distasteful, and In the opinion of many
eminent physicians, it is not the most
healthful"
Gen. Miles says the Philippine ISL
ands are as defenseless to-day as. they
were five years ago, and renews his
recommendation that at least one
strategic position be fortified beyond
the possibility Of capture by any for
eign fleet or fleets.
PestiIence n ScOurge.
"In my journeys through the archi-
pelago 1 was frequently appealed to
to aid in assisting the people to obtain
a food supply, of which they will be in
great need in the near future. 1 do
not think there is to-day a people so
sorely afflicted as the 100000 of in
habitants of this archipelago. Pesti-
lence has prevailed, having been in
some districts a serious scourage, re-
sulting in the reported death of nearly
rs, 900 people, while it is estimated that
the number not reported is fully as
large"
Cen. Miles recommends that trans
ports should be used to bring out
wheat and corn, and then used to bring
carabaos and cattle.
Portions of Gen. Miles report were
sent to the different chiefs of bureaus,
and replies from several officers have
been received.
Gen. Gillespie, chief of engineers,
says:
''That Manila harbor or any other
harbor in the insular possessions is not
now defended, or is not in process of
defense, is because Congress has not
so willed it,"
Canteen Defended by O'ReiIly.
Gen. O'ReiIly, surgeon general, says:
1.-THE bad effect of the climate on the
health of the army is simple fact. l
think we must consider these sick
rates as part of the price of occupancy
of the islands, and not expect any
very great diminution for the future.
There should be some improvement
when the troops are taken out of the
native villages and comfortably settled
in permanent barracks.
1.-The prevalence of alcoholism in the
army as shown by the sick report is
much greater in the United States than
in the islands The last annual report
of the surgeon general showed the is
land rate to be only two-thirds of the
army rate at home"
Gen. O'Rielly defends the canteen
system as a means of keeping soldiers
away from the attractions of saloons.
Gen. Weston, commissary general,
says.
I'm my Judgment it is not a feasible
or economical plan, and there should
be no departure from the present sys-
tenn of supplying frozen beef"
Gen. Weston says his office has never
received any complaint about frozen
beef, but, on the contrary, uniform
commentator.
1t is understood that reply has been
received from Gen. Hughes, who was
commanding in the Philippines, and
one of the officers to whom Gen. Miles
refers in his report. This reply was
not made public. Gen. Miles, however,
who had been furnished copies of the
replies of the different bureau officers,
sent each note of a few lines stating
that the replies to his comments on af-
fairs in the Philippines were all of a
gentlemanly character save that of
Gen. Hughes.