The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-01-16
Special to The Journal.

WASHINGTON ID. &, Jan. ia LlOob
,r,a~qs-fnC analysis Of the needs of
s~r transport service has been for
v7-sad uv Secretary of War Taft to
senator J. H. GalIinger, of New Hamp-
shire chairman Of the Joint Commits
son rn Merchant Marine, who placed
- same before the senate today. IL
81, compiled by a special committee
~ p. General staff. of which 1t. Col,
$ Leach. was chairman, and trans
---aG % the Secretary through Gen
ar Caaflae. chief OF staff. As the
frs report Of its kin d, il is properly
natter of much interest
m closing the committee Of the gen
e-r -aT saws: so far as concerns
lie ia-sr.sts Of military transports,
s-~ -ua-ention. subsidy or other as
,-anc. by the United States TO the
/ American Merchant Marine, viii pro-
s-r- The greatest return for the mon
e. ayu nded If the legislation is 50
framed a. 10 require or strongly en-
courage The construction Of ships OF
-l- tw0 sizes and with the proportion
zrE .~.-1eements described in this re-
por-. This endorsement Of the ship
PING ri1 Hv the general staff Of the
army coupled with that previously
given ar .h2 general board of the
navy through Admiral Dewey, its
president. brings both departments in
Inc for the bill and it is expected
their racOmm andatiOns. made for the
inst -ime viii go far toward assist
ing The passage Of the bill through
The t0g>a.
Conveys Plain Lesson.
The frankness Of the general staff
IN commenting on the transport ser
vice ID ,he Spanish war and drawing a
comparison between what shipping is
TOW available and what should be
IN time If war, is almost astonishing
and conveys a plain lesson. Speaking
Of The Santiago expedition of 1898, the
report says that the QuaTtarmaster' S
Department chartered every AmeTi-
can vessel that could be obtained IN
he Atlantic ports in the twenty days
,o.oWing the declaration Of war" As
q result Of this strenuous endeavOr il
o'.ained only Sc vessels averaging
$500 GROSS tons and of these but two
we're over 1000 tons. The official
records ii continues afford ample
evidence that the safe arrival was due
a he -OOd fortune Of continued fine
weather. A severe storm encounter
would have scattered the feet. prob
az with great loss Of life. and would
1aFe defeated the object Of the eX-
telEion. There is nothing except its
Successful arrival 10 justify its depar-
~0e. The fitting up of these ships
vas little more than normal "
ID cooking could be done on board
snip except 10 make coffee. Sanitary
arrangements were crude and INSULT
cen. OF ventilation there was prac-
.ca.y none. This feet OF
S-l1s could not have embarked, under
reasonable oversee transport cOndi
IONS. force Of more than 5000 OF
-..''' mon, and when so embarked the
AH'ai.ion could have been despatch
6. I'D a hong voyage only at great j2o
e.aE ot The welfare Of the men and
w 'ac success Of the enterprise"
All Vessels Available.
N'nIaUlng the report comments on
aa tac. ,har in this small and badly
Jumped fleet were all the vessels oh
a,na1le without The impressment OF
A-'E.e3n or purchase of fOreigl
s As 10 our present condition
.. ~.noral staf makes the following
,'.'.A III. II appears that now, and
NE immediate future. the fOrcs
- winch cur military establishment
s maintained cannot be eXerted Over
@ he first quick blow. so very and
...-. asngly important. cannot at all
~. >~n an expedition Of any greater
I'D. 1a embarked without delay. eX
~. hF The use Of foreign vessels.
-S condition cannot improve until tn,
-.5...an s6a-eOing merchant marin'
- increased in tonnage TO approx
-a'E .wo and a half times its pres
volume, by the addition Of ships
a'tea IN size and design TO quicl
.'r-s.2n into suitable transports
'l't under conditions which
~ their voluntary surrender 10 the
80 States on demand a fOregOn'
, -. As such provisions arr
s-a'd In the shipping bill, it j