Evening star., 1898-06-11
THIRD MANILA FLEET
VIII Be Made Up of Six or Seven
Big Transports.
SEVEN LIGHT BATTERIES TO GO
Two Companies VIII Go From
Washington and Vicinity.
TROOPS ARRIVE AT FRISCO

San FRANCISCO. June u.-So far as is
now known, the third Manila fleet will con-
sist entirely of the Para. Ohio, Indiana,
Victoria. Olympia, Arizona and possibly the
City of Puebla The steamship Peru is the
next Pacific Mail vessel due from China
She is American ship, and may be
taken for a transport The City of Rio de
Janeiro and the Alameda are also likely to
be chartered or impressed into service when
they arrive from across the Pacific.
The government has fixed the following
war valuations on Pacific Mail steamers
already taken: City of Peking. s65O.OO0; City
of Sydney, si75oOO; China, 100000; Colon,
$1,000
If any of these vessels should be de-
stroyed by the enemy the government
would have to pay the valuation. If any
of the vessels lost by the action of the
elements the company must stand the loss.
Compensation for Use of Vessels.
The government. 1t is understood, pays
$50 day for the use of the Zealandia and
Australia For the tug Fearless s15O.GOO
was paid; the tug Active, $4,000. and the
tug yigilant. $4,000. The colliers Peter
Jebsen and Whitgift, now the Brutus and
Nero. cost the nation S215,00 each. The
charter price of the Morgan City is $500
ing been seized. must be returned intact,
or their value, which is considerable paid
to the Pacific Coast Steamship Company.
1t is regarded as probable that they We're
impressed because Senator Perkins is one
of the owners. and no member of Congress
can be party to contract with the gov
ernment
owners of sailing vessels are profiting by
the government demand for transport
steamers Every Hawaiian packet now in
port has more freight offered than she can
carry in three trips, and the trade promises
to increase rather than diminish.
Artillery for the Philippines
Seven batteries of light artillery will go
to Manila if present plans are carried out
Orders have been issued for Batteries B.
H. and l. Of the Sd Artillery now at the
PreSdio to join the command of General
Merritt for duty in the Philippines. Light
Batteries d and G. from the 9th Artillery
stationed at Washington barracks and Fort
Myer, Va. will leave Tuesday for San
Francisco. They will also report to Cen
eral Merritt. Besides the batteries now at
the Preside and those from the 9th, the
expedition will have the Utah Artillery.
A battery of mountain howitzers for use
in the Philippines has arrived at the Pre-
sidio. 1t has been placed in charge of
Lieutenant Carson.
The $50 recruits for the 23d and 18th L.
8. Infantry Regiments. who left Atlanta
Ga, last Saturday. arrived at Camp Mer-
ritt today. They are all uniformed and
completely equipped.
Stan officers Selected.
1t is semi-oficially announced that Brig
adler General Otis had chosen for ad-
jutant general of the 4th Brigade, Captain
of I nj cd
ply of New York, and for brigade quarter
master Captain A W. KimbalI, son of Col
onel Amos s. kimbal, L. S. A, at present
depot quartermaster at New York city.
The rumor that Camp Merritt is to be
temoved 10 the Preside seems to have little
foundation in fact. Gen. Merritt's aids say
they have heard nothing of such a change
and that it is rot in the line of probabili-
ties. The water supply at the Preside is
inadequate for such large number of
troops, and it is said that should it be de-
cided to again transfer the camp that Be-
nicia, near the Mare Island navy yard. and
not the Presidio, would be the spot Sc
1ected.
The transport Zealandia is loaded to the
water line with provisions ard other sup
plies for Manila. Work the China and
Colon is progressing satisfactorily. and the
Morgan City can be made ready in a short
time. In spite of activity among the steam
ers, there is still doubt as to the sailing
date, though definite unofficial announce
ments have frequently been made that the
fleet will sail next Tuesday or Wednesday,
The Third Expedition.
The third sailing expedition will probably
be composed of the regular troops here
now, whose organizations are being rapidly
filled UP to the war strength.
The four batteries of ths Sd Artillery,
commanded by Major Hess; the six troops
Of the 4th Cavalry, under command OF
Col Kellogg and Major Rucker. and the
companies of the 18th and I'D Infantry not
included in the next expedition will be Sc
lected first in accordance with General Mer-
ritt's plan of taking all the best-trained reg
ular troops a the advance guard of his
army.
Col. Morris. 4th Cavalry will dispose Of
his surplus. recruits by sending thirty of
Troop + To Boise Barracks, Idaho, and for
ty-two Of Troops ID and III to Fort Yellow
stone, Montana
The so recruits from Georgia cannot
reach this city before tonight. The trains
were delayed IN the desert.
Troop a. 4th United States Cavalry, from
Nalla Walla, will be here In a day or two
The Nevada cavalry will also arrive soon
Private George ID. Coun of Company c.
10th Pennsylvania Volunteers was accI-
dentaily wounded during target practice at
the Preside. He was marking at the butts
when bullet struck an iron rod sustain
Ing the target frame. fragment of which
became detached and inflicted a painful
but not necessarily fatal. wound upon
Coun's head