The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-04
GEN. MERRITTS JOURNEY.
fEANrs ON n VOYAGE THAT
RROUeHr MIN TO MAx1Lh.

Lookout for Hostile Vessels Near Manila
HEADouARTERs OF EIGHTH ARMY CoRpv.
ByB. NEWPORT. Manila Harbor, July 2B ,1ap6
The expeditions to the Philippines were d.
reoted to follow tho same route. namely. viz
Honolulu, stopping there to coal, thence tc
Guam, where coaling from the colllers could
DO effected in the quiet waters OF tho harbor
and toa line OF rendezvous stretching 600 miles
due east from Cape Engano. the northeast
point OF the island Of Luzon. Tho expedi-
tons under Gen. Anderson and Gen. Greene
TOOK, as far as was known at the time w
LETT Honolulu, the prescribed route, and Il
was our expectation that we should follow the
same course In company with the five ships
which. with the Newport, made up Gen. Mer-
ritts expedition. Guam Is the largest island
OF the Ladrones. and makes q convenient place
for coaling. but the most direct road to Ma
Mia from the Hawaiian Islands lie past the
Farallan de Pajaros. the most northerly island
OF the Ladrones, $50 miles north Of Guam.
This course is 1870 miles, or about 1T miles
shorter than the other route. II was UNDER
stood that Admiral Dewey had been ordered to
send vessels to meet the expeditions on the line
OF rendezvous, in case the approach b. OF Spanish
warships made a convoy necessary. The mon
1tor Monterey was supposed to be due at
Guam about the time Gen. Merritt's expedi-
ton would arrive there and the plan was, in
view OF the uncertainties OF the situation, to
try to.pick up theMonterey and have her convoy
the feet. It must be remembered that the last
news We had was the announcement that Ca
mara's fleet was on Its way through the Sues
Canal, and that IL was going to be a race as to
which would get to Manila first, the unarmed
transports or the hostile warships.
The Newport got away from Honolulu about
noon on July 8 and steamed out through the
narrow channel on the reef to Join the 1--WE
steamers awaiting her arrival a few miles
out. The news about the Spanish feet had
caused a mild panic among the ladies Of Homo
iun and furnished food for the argument Of
the l-told-you-so pessimists among the men
who prophesied the descent OF the Spanish |
neet on the islands at no distant date. They
were the only ones, be It said, who looked with
eouanimity on the Monadnock and her towing
steamer. which lay idle in the harbor. not at
tempting to coal and making no visible prep
arations for the long journey.
The departure Of Gen. Merritt's expedition
was looked upon as an event OF peculiar inter-
est because of the situation Just described.
When we came up to the transports we found
had happened. and after a few min
utes OF conversation through the Signal Corps
we learned that one OF them had broken down
and would not be able to san for some hours.
Ten. Merritt thereupon decided to leave them
20 proceed according to the original plan and
himself take the shortest road to the rendez.
'ousI1ine. trusting to Admiral Dewey's fore
thought to meet him II necessary with an ef-
ioient convoy. So the Newport headed straight
or the northern Ladrones, and the beautiful
outlines OF the mountains OF Oahu were soon
stern OF us and rapidly disappeared in the
'athering gloom OF twilight. The sweet-scent-
ID wreathes which decorated officers and men.
vccording TO the friendly and sympathetic cus-
ON OF the islanders. were reluctantly put aside
every one settled himself according to his F,
biity and to his taste for the long voyage.
Qahu driiis were actively resumed. rough ia ]
iRue suits substituted for the more or less mill 1
AIRY looking uniforms worn ON shore. and the Z
moving onestamonRithe men staked out claims ]
n the deck which promised various degrees /
I comfort by night which the crowded quar- G
BIB below denied them. C
a more motley looking crew never walked I
he decks Of the pirate ships of old. From nm /
nown sources were produced hats Of strange I
napes and armen OF stranger cuts and a L
ishabille was assumed which would have put d
Long Island farmer to the blush. Even the a
ENTITY OF the Aston Battery society pets was :"
Jon ioSt IN the Heterogeneous crowd and ny g
efion curls fast fell before the ruthless snip 2
the BARRIERS hair cropper. disclosing BUMPS. II
resumably pugnacious. to puzzle the most ar. N
snt p~hrenolo9ist. t6
Few OF the soldiers had appreciated how n
UGH OF their comfort had been hitherto ae- c(
lred to them by the w~asherwoman and as the q
Iys passed and the dirt accumulated to. n ~
INT beyond endurance the struggles to keen
othes and person clean. though often ludi-
GUS, we're continuous and persistent, The
TO ana ait decks looked like tenement house
lck YARDS except Tor the absence Of feminine
and whenever It happened to rain
I'D. which It did at intervals. modestv waa
- discount. and the rail was lined with war
'rs In the bun. %scrubbinR away at tbeir
'thes like mad. The scuppers ran with soan-
ds,: and when the sun; again :beat hotly ON
snip an oVerpowering odor Of steaminp
wing garments fingered along the decks and
cry rope huttered with towels and 'undar- I
ar In various stages ofpurity. There was no ia
water provided for washing, but there ioi
q an abundance OF salt water and several he
oWer baths. which we're In almost constant 1T,
The heat was not great: but somewhat IL
because we wero running ahead Of Ks
, easterly trade winds. The thermometer WI
Arked for days nothing higher than 95o or Blu
Ter than S0o day and night. But even this
drove the officers to discard tha I'll
stoned-up linen blouses. and one by one they n,
'eared In smart tennis suits or linen coS. RI,
mes suggesting Newport lawns or Long AM
and beaches. Pajamas were tacitly consid- No
d as.uniforms before 8 O'Clock in the morn. KAl
and after 10 at night. and Conventional
OF dress were never very strictly regarded. A..
n at mealtimes. ANo
the sordid duties of transport life WE
a multitude OF small distractions, the men
. as busy as bees almost all day long. In II
evening the spirit OF argument was rife. No
o so dull. 80 abstruse. so profound bnt r,
9 started. held the men In loquacious inter Nh
nge OF opinions for hours together. and the ~.
irs OF the universe would have been set Nor
once for all II the voyage had been a uttIa cnr,
Eer. Spanish lessons were popular with anv
J Officers and men. and we seem destined ~ /
to bring to the Philippines not only n ;act
age In government. but a revision OF the MIN
as of speech and anew system Of p~ronuncia- WI,
Z. The twilight hour. when the air was full Yer
: nTU a.'osooInef irderant WIN. the smoke of 8
oiuiu Vi nioniiaS' was generally occupied clar