method. It has been my opinion for a long time that the ration of beans could be advantageously increased when it is impracticable to furnish potatoes and onions, which, because of the great difficulties of transportation in the Philippines, must frequently be the case. Paying commutation for fresh vegetables when they can not be furnished meets in a measure the great loss to the soldier when they are not supplied. E. J. MCCLERNAND, Colonel Forty-fourth Infantry, U. S. V., Commanding. HEADQUARTERS FORTY-SIXTH INFANTRY, U. S. V., To the CHIEF COMMISSARY, Division of the Philippines. (Through Adjutant-General Division of Philippines.) SIR: In replying to your letter of March 29, asking for report upon the food furnished the troops, I have the honor to say that I am glad to have this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the admirable manner in which the subsistence department has been managed in these islands during the past sixteen months. This regiment has been stationed in Cavite Province most of the time, with headquarters at Silang, 20 miles inland from Bacoor. With the exception of two occasions when traffic on the Bay of Manila was totally interrupted by typhoons, there never was a time that we lacked fresh meat of the very best quality-the best, in my opinion, that has been issued to the Army for many years. We have always had fresh vegetables, and at the same time we have realized the tremendous exertion it must have taken to keep up this supply. In this component of the ration great loss is inevitable, and it is necessary for the troops to understand the difficulties of supply in order that the occasional discovery of a few decayed potatoes may not lead to hasty denunciation of the commissary department. The other components of the rations have always been sufficient in quantity and excellent in quality, and the occasional spoiling of flour through humidity or weevil could not have been avoided in this climate. The sales stores have been of quite sufficient variety and excellent quality, with the exception of some canned goods, which seemed to have been too long on hand and to have been transported too much. What has given more trouble than anything else with the sales stores has been the shortage in what appeared to be original packages. I have given the matter some attention, as it was necessary to have monthly boards of survey for adjustment, and have come to the conclusion that these packages could not have been incomplete when they left the United States, but that the loss is due to very clever manipulation in these islands. The circumstance which first convinced me of this was the narrative of a surrendered Filipino officer, who pointed out the house in which the captains of his regiment were in the habit of meeting once a month to divide the loot, said loot consisting principally of what had been stolen off the Government cascos in transit in Manila Bay. It is difficult to make any suggestions that could be of assistance to the department, and I will offer but one, namely, that a certain amount of hard bread furnished for field service be put up in pound packages, which the soldier can put in his haversack upon starting out on an expedition. A very large percentage of all the hard bread issued is wasted by being broken up and thrown away. Very respectfully, W. S. SCHUYLER, Colonel Forty-sixth Infantry, U. S. V., Commanding. HEADQUARTERS FORTY-SEVENTH INFANTRY, U. S. V. CHIEF COMMISSARY, DIVISION OF THE PHILIPPINES, SIR: In reply to your letter of May 8, 1901, I have the honor to submit the following report of the quality and sufficiency of the food (rations and sales stores) furnished my regiment while on duty in the islands. The quality was, as a general rule, excellent. At one time the rations, for reasons unknown to me, were not furnished on time; the post of Gubat, for example, which was supposed to be supplied from the Manila depot, going about four months without receiving any supplies from that source. I had an ample supply at Legaspi and supplied these troops from month to month, so that, so far as I know, they never missed a day's ration, but I do not know why the subsistence department should have neglected this post, as it certainly was neglected. The dates were from about March, 1900, to July, 1900. For a long time all the posts were irregularly and inadequately supplied with fresh vegetables; this seems to have been entirely due to a lack of knowledge and interest in regard to the southern part of the island of Luzon. Merchant steamers constantly (at least once in ten days) visited the posts of Sorsogon, Legaspi, and Tabaco, and twice a month Gubat and Bulan, but for a long time fresh vegetables were rarely shipped by these steamers. When they did come they were sent in Government transports, which stopped at a great many places, the result being that when they arrived at the last stations the potatoes were generally rotten. One case that I remember distinctly at Legaspi, 70 crates of potatoes were landed, out of which we were only able to obtain 15 crates, after washing out the rotten matter in the sea and picking them over; these were really unfit for issue, but as the men had been without for a long time they were all issued. There was also a failure to supply fresh beef; and no substitute will take the place of it. Fresh beef could have been supplied frequently by sending it on merchant steamers with sufficient ice for its transportation, but in my regiment I personally knew of but one instance in which this was done. In this case an officer of the regiment in Manila notified the depot commissary of the exact hour of sailing of a merchant vessel; the beef was put on board with 500 pounds oice and came in fine shape. It is manifest that had the commissary in Manila taken the same trouble, the troops at all the stations could have been supplied frequently and without loss to the Government, except for the ice. It is manifest also that unless an officer had been specially detailed to look after this matter, it could not have been done at all, as merchant vessels rarely sailed at the time advertised. Some beef was bought in the country, but in most cases the cattle were driven away from occupied towns soon after their occupation, and later all native cattle died of rinderpest, so that for one year and four months the Forty-seventh Regiment saw very little fresh beef. The sales stores and other parts of the ration were furnished in great variety and abundance when requisitions were sent in promptly from the posts, except about the time previously mentioned in regard to Gubat, and I am unable to say why this was, as at my own post, Legaspi, we generally had a good supply and never got out, the lowest being on one occasion when we were reduced to five days' rations for the command. Respectfully, WALTER HOWE, Colonel Forty-seventh Infantry, U. S. V., Commanding Regiment. Col. C. A. WOODRUFF, A. C. G., U. S. A., SAN FERNANDO DE LA UNION, Chief Commissary Division of the Philippines. (Through the adjutant-general of the division.) SIR: Replying to your letter of May 8, requesting a report from me "upon the quality and sufficiency of the food (rations and sales stores) furnished the troops under your command while serving in the Philippine Islands," I have the honor to state that throughout my period of service here, some sixteen months, and my command having varied from about 1,300 to about 2,000 men, distributed usually among 15 to 18 subposts, not a single official complaint has reached my office concerning either the quality or the sufficiency of the food furnished us. On the contrary, I have heard nothing but praise for the subsistence department, both for the excellence and the abundance of the food supply, and from my own observation I believe that all this commendation is fully merited. In view of this marked efficiency, this comforting success of your department, under the far from simple conditions recited, I feel that it would be presumptuous in me to offer any suggestions-that is to say, I have none whatever to offer. I take pleasure in giving even these few good words for those who have always given us so much and so many good things. WM. P. DUVALL, Very respectfully, Colonel Forty-eighth Infantry, U. S. V., Commanding. HEADQUARTERS FORTY-NINTH INFANTRY, U. S. V., Col. C. A. WOODRUFF, A. C. G., U. S. A., In Camp at Aparri, P. I., May 17, 1901. Chief Commissary Division of the Philippines. (Through the adjutant-general of the division, Manila, P. I.) SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt this day of your communication of the 8th instant, requesting a report upon the quality and sufficiency of the food furnished the troops under my command while serving in the Philippine Islands. I take great pleasure in being able to say that at all times my command has been fully supplied with rations and sales stores. In fact, the variety of rations furnished for enlisted men (post, field, and emergency) has been phenomenal and, under the circumstances, unexpected. The quality has been excellent in all classes of stores. The fresh vegetables supplied, or money in lieu to purchase native products where your department could not furnish vegetables, owing to climatic causes or lack of transportation, has been an important feature. I am glad of the opportunity to give my testimony to the efficiency of your department on these islands particularly and elsewhere generally. I do not think any suggestions from me are necessary, as I can not see upon what grounds the enlisted man can claim any further improvement in the ration, or that the officers can have any complaint as to the quality and quantity of sales stores, of which also the enlisted men are allowed to purchase their full share. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. H. BECK, Colonel Forty-ninth Infantry, U. S. V., Commanding. MANILA, P. I., May 30, 1901. Col. C. A. WOODRUFF, Chief Commissary Division Philippines. SIR: In reply to your request that I write a report upon the army ration and the sales stores provided for my command with deported prisoners to Guam, I wish to say that we at all times found the ration good and sufficient. The prisoners being Filipinos, and not accustomed to American food, were at first inclined to ask for other food, but within a month they were loud in praise of their food supply, and now say that they never lived so well. The officers and families of the naval station were greatly pleased to be permitted to purchase delicacies from our sales stores; in fact, they were very dependent upon us and loud in praise of the Army Subsistence Department. I consider the ration excellent, and would recommend that the fresh meat and sugar component parts be kept bountiful. Very respectfully, H. B. ORWIG, Major, Thirty-seventh Infantry, U. S. V. MANILA, P. I., May 28, 1901. The CHIEF COMMISSARY DIVISION OF THE PHILIPPINES. SIR: I have the honor to make the following report as to the keeping and subsistence of the native prisoners of war deported to the island of Guam. We left Manila on the 16th of January, 1901. On the voyage the prisoners were well provided for, and enjoyed the trip very much. After landing at Guam the ration, according to instructions received from your office, was the full Government ration. At first the prisoners did not like nor care for certain articles of the ration, and a small saving could be made to be given to them in articles that they seemed to prefer. But as they became accustomed to the ration these savings fell off, and they used the straight ration without any addition whatever. I retained personal supervision over the issues and handling of the rations issued to them, and saw that nothing was wasted. They were fortunate in having a splendid cook, who, with a small amount of instruction as to the preparing of the different components of the rations, became very proficient and used every article savingly and judiciously. The prisoners were allowed to purchase from the sales department in small quantities, which gave them the opportunity of adding many small delicacies and changes to their regular daily fare. They purchased principally of condensed milk, preserves, canned fruits, pickles, and cigarettes. Fresh beef and fresh vegetables were procured of the monthly transports from the States, sufficient quantities being secured to last from one transport to another. The prisoners were contented and pleased with the rations furnished them and the manner in which they were prepared, and were high in their praise of their treatment by the American Government. On May 16 I received orders to transfer all subsistence stores and property to the officer designated by the Navy Department, and on May 18 this was effected. On May 21, in accordance with orders received, I left Guam for Manila by the naval transport Solace, bringing with me my clerk, and arrived here on the morning of the 25th of May. Respectfully submitted. GRANVILLE L. CHAPMAN, First Lieutenant, Thirty-seventh Infantry, U. S. V., Commissary. APPENDIX F. REPORT OF LIEUT. COL. B. F. POPE, CHIEF SURGEON, DIVISION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HEADQUARTERS DIVISION OF THE PHILIPPINES, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SURGEON, The ADJUTANT-GENERAL DIVISION OF THE PHILIPPINES. SIR: I have the honor to submit a report of the medical department, Division of the Philippines, for the month of June, 1901: I arrived in Manila May 25, 1901, and assumed the duties of chief surgeon of the Division of the Philippines June 1, 1901, relieving Col. Charles R. Greenleaf, assistant surgeon-general, United States Army, per General Orders, No. 105, c. s., these headquarters. The report of my predecessor, to include May 31, 1901, is so complete in all matters of interest connected with the medical department that I only desire to add a short supplement, bringing the operations of the department to the end of the fiscal year 1901. HEALTH OF THE ARMY. Accurate data for April and May not being on hand at the time of making the last report, the ratio of noneffectiveness from disease and injury to whole strength of command only covered the period ending March 31, 1901, and the rate for that month, the lowest yet reported, was 6.12. This low figure was still further decreased, as follows: The relative proportion of the different diseases shows no great change for the month of June. A slight increase in typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and diarrhea is noted, and a slight decrease in all other diseases. MORTALITY. For the month of June the mortality was 23 daily, or at the rate of 16.44 per thousand per annum. Causes of death as follows: Killed in action, 3 officers and 2 enlisted men; died of wounds, 1 officer and 1 enlisted man; injuries, 1 enlisted man; suicide, 1 enlisted man; drowned, 6 enlisted men; variola, 5 enlisted men; typhoid fever, 4 enlisted men; dysentery, 19 enlisted men; other diseases, 26 enlisted men; total, 4 officers and 65 enlisted men. The death rate is below the average, as shown by the report for the rest of the year, which was 3.6 per day, or 20.45 per thousand per annum. Dysentery, as usual, is the principal cause of death in the division. have The general questions of sanitation, supplies, transportation of the sick, etc., been fully discussed and need no further remarks in a report covering so short a space of time. On June 30, 1901, the second reserve hospital was closed, per General Orders, No. 149, c. s., these headquarters. This was done in the interests of economy, as the hospital was no longer a necessity. Contract Surg. Charles St. John, U. S. A., was killed in action at Paracale, Camarines Norte, Luzon, on May 22, 1901. The news arrived too late to be included in my predecessor's report. The following table gives the strength of the medical department for June, 1901, with gains and losses: In addition there were 7 male contract nurses on duty June 30, 1901. B. F. POPE, Lieutenant-Colonel, Deputy Surgeon-General, U. S. A., Chief Surgeon. APPENDIX G. REPORT OF COL. A. S. TOWAR, CHIEF PAYMASTER, DIVISION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HEADQUARTERS DIVISION OF THE PHILIPPINES, The ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE DIVISION, Manila, P. I. OFFICE CHIEF PAYMASTER, SIR: In compliance with instructions from your office, I have the honor to submit herewith a report of the operations of the pay department in this division for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901. There has been an average of 19 paymasters on duty in the division. The work has been hard, and the paymasters and their clerks deserve great credit for the cheerful and efficient manner in which they have performed their duties. The attending surgeon informed me that a large number of paymasters and their clerks reported to him for treatment, which he attributed to their hard work. The escorts of paymasters have been attacked several times, but in each case they have been able to drive off the attacking party with no loss of funds. In one case, the attack on Major Pickett, in northern Luzon, one corporal was killed. Payments have been made every two months as regularly as was possible under the circumstances. On account of the lack of water transportation payments in the Department of Southern Luzon were very much delayed. Steamers run to some of ports in the department only at rare intervals, and it is difficult to get to them from other ports, at times making a special trip necessary for one or two posts. If a bimonthly trip could be made by transports to all the ports in the department, it would greatly facilitate the payments, and I am informed by the chief commissary of the division that it would be greatly to the advantage of the subsistence depart ment. |