THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. 202 climate of Southern Florida. Doubtless the troops were sent there under the impression that it would be possible to embark them at an early date. But even if the men were ready, it was weeks before the transports were collected and prepared to receive them. And until the Spanish fleet was disposed of,it wouldhave been a piece of rashness to embark an army. So for weeks the mensweltered in the sun and sandof Tampa. Evenin regulararmies that have constant experience of war and war conditions it is States learned by a costly experience that while it is easy to find men by tens of thousands, the complex machinery of an army cannot be improvised. And these rapid promotions of mere politiciansled to well-founded discontent,which manifested itself inno little friction. The story went how there were two brothers in the army at Tampa. One hadgone through West Point, the military academy of the United States, and, after fifteen years of service in the West and severalIndian campaigns, held the rank of lieu-T COLONEL FRED. D. GRANT tenant. The other had gone in for politics and held a commission three weeksoldas colonel on the staff. Such a state of things does not tend to militaryefficiency.

General Miles,the American Commander-in-Chief, was fullyalive to the danger there wasin this attempt to rapidly create anarmy and hurry it into the field. If he had had his way the summer would have been devoted to a purely naval war, while the army was deliberately and efficiently prepared for an autumn campaign. But he was overruled,and from the first day the military preparations were directed towards operations in Cuba at an early date. The first great mistake made was the concentration of a considerable force at Tampa, in the enervating recognised that, unless the most careful precautions are taken as to water supply and general cleanliness, a large camp occupied tor any length of time becomes a hotbed of fever. The great standing camps at Tampaand Chickamauga were ill supplied with water, and the medical and sanitary service was short-handed from the first. The inevitable result followed. Evenregiments that never moved to the front had a terrible death roll, and a still longerlist of men sent back to their homes with shattered health and shortened lives. There never was a more costly economy than that which had cut down the Americanmilitary budget during the thirty-three years between the Civil War and the fight with Spain.