The herald., 1898-06-12
SOLDIERS FOR MANILA
GEN. MERRITT ASKS FOR A FULL
TWENTY THOUSAND
TRANSPORTS LEAVE TUESDAY
The Government Decides to Give the
New Governor-General Of the
Philippines All He Asks
Associated Press Special Wire


SAN FRANCISCO. June 11.-Major Gen
eral Merritt wants more troops. He is now
in communication with Washington on the
subject and hopes to receive word within
a few hours that the additional forces have
been granted him and have been started On
the way. That he wants them in a hurry is
suggested by the fact that it is known that
he contemplates leaving San Francisco for
Manila about ten days from next Wednes-
day, and Is deslrous that his entire expedi-
tionary forces shall precede him to the
Philippines. With the troops that arrived
yesterday and today he has a force Of
about 5000. From good sources 1t is learn
ed that during the past forty-eight hours
he has been in communication with the war
department, and has finally demanded that
the original quota of q, 900 specified by him
be filled.
The steamer Centennial. which was re-
jected by the government will be REIN
spected, as her owners insist that she is
thoroughly seaworthy, despite statements
to the contrary.
The Zealandia, Colon and China are be-
ing loaded with supplies, and are expected
to be ready for departure early next week,
but nothing definite is known by the Of
ncerS OF the respective shlps.
The Senator and Morgan City are being
fitted up for troops and both vessels will
be ready by the end of next week. They
were built for the Klondike trade, and have
large carrying capacity, and a few days
work will put them in shape as transports.
The third fleet will probably be composed
of the Senator, Morgan City, Ohio and Cen
tennial, If the latter is accepted after REIN
spection.
The work of organizing the engineer and
signal corps for Manila is proceeding slow
ly, as not enough men can be found. So
far only twenty-seven have been enlisted
by Major Thompson. Fifty men are wanted
in each corps, and>as California can't sup
ply them Major Thompson has telegraphed
east and asked for volunteers. This branch
of the service is better paid than any other.
This was payday for the Nebraskans,
and Major Whipple, assistant paymaster,
disbursed $40 900 to the regiment. The treas
ure was escorted to headquarters by squad
Of Utah cavalrymen, as upon other pay
days.
Major Kilbourne visited the North Da
kota camp and paid the troops for two
months. There are 6S4 men in the two bat
talons, and about $25 900 was paid out to the
officers and men.
. Major J. f. Bell engineer officer on .
Major General Merrtts staff and
. chief of the bureau of information of .
the Philippine expedition, this morning .
. received orders to leave for Manila on
Tuesday. He will depart on the first
. transport and will be accompanied by .
large corps of assistants.
1t is understood that General Merriam,
ommanding the department of California,
is to be furnished with about 1000 troops
and one of his officers is authority for the
statement that the government some time
ago notified him that at least that nImber
would be supplied from the east for the de-
fense of the Pacific coast, and In view of
the fact that the expeditionary forces are
soon to depart, leaving but few hundred
men under command of General Merriam,
1t is expected at his headquarters that the
defense troops will soon be started west
ward.
Mai Gen. Merritt, after two weeks hard
work. has decided to enjoy little recre-
alton and at the same time afford the mem
bers of his staff IA little pleasure. Accord
ing.y he ordered his headquarters closed at
noon today and this afternoon, accompanied
by his staff and several prominent citizens,
he left in a special car for Monterey. The
party will remain there over Sunday, re-
turning Monday morning.
Wyomiugs battalion at Camp Merritt
this morning received with honors their
governor, VIM. A. Richards. At II o'clock
the governor and his party, including Chief
Justice C. N. Potter of the supreme court
of Wyoming and j. D. Freebarn Of the
Stockgrowers' bank of Cheyenne, A. c.
Richards, the governors brother resident
of Shasta county, Cal, and George c. Hunt
of Oakland, the governors brother-in-law,
with ladies' of his family, arrived at the
camp and found the battalion drawn up 70
receive them. At an order from Capt. Mil
Ter the men presented arms. Gov. Richards
then addressed the volunteers briefly, tell
ing them how much 1t pleased him to be
among them again and thanking them for
the reception given the party and compli-
ment!ng them on their fine appearance.
When the governor ceased the battalion
gave three cheers and tiger for the gov
ernor. The companies were then dismissed.
In camp the governor visited every SOL
dier. Many of the men he knew personally.
At o'clock banquet was held In the offic-
ers' mess.
Georgia Recruits
SAN FRANCISCO, June 1.-THE $50 re-
cruits for the Twenty-third and Eigh-
teenth United States Infantry Regiments
who left Atlanta, Ga, last Saturday will
arrive at Camp Merritt today, having
spent the night OH the Oakland Mole. They
are all uniformed and completely equipped
One of the men, under guard for drunken
ness vainly attempted to escape at Los
Banos by jumping from the train and was
nearly run over. He Is now charged with
desertion.
A Warm Welcome
SAN FRANCISCO, June 11.-Recruits to
the number of $50 arrived from Fort Nc
Pherson, Ca, this morning and will go
into camp at Camp Merritt today. The
Red Gross Society breakfasted the men at
the societys headquarters near the ferry
slip and distributed bouquets Of flowers to
them just before the march to Camp
Merritt commenced. The new arrivals are
we'll equipped, lacking arms only, and
these will be furnished Immediately from
the stores now in this city.
Transport Expenses
SAN FRANCISCO. June 1.-THE govern
ment, it Is understood, pays $500 day for
the use of the Zealandia and Australia
For the tug Fearless, $4,000 was paid, the
tug Active, $4,000, and the tug Vigllant.
seo,000 The colliers Peter Jebsen and
Whitgift, now the Brutus and Nero, cost
the nation $215. 900 each. The charter price
of the Morgan CITY is 5000 a day The