The evening times., 1898-07-09
PURCHASE OF 4 TRANSPORT
The Berlin, Of the Red D Line,
Has Been Bought.
WILL CARRY TWO REGIMENTS
Orders Have Been Issued That She
Shall Be Made Ready to Sail I'm
Four Days-The OLDHAM Leaves
New Ycrk for Santiago With Sup
plies for the Troops.

NewYork, July 9.-Another large trans
atlantic steamer. the Berlin. has. passed
into the hands of the Government and
will be fitted up as troopship, under
rush orders.
! The steamer was advertised to sail at
noon today for Southampton. She had
| considerable freight aboard and two hun
dred passengers in cabin and steerage
had booked TO sail on her.
kilograms received from Washington
yesterday morning caused a stoppage Of
| the work of loading and later in the day
the removal OF the freight in her hold
| was begun. The steamer was purchased
outright by the Government. She belongs
| TO the Red d Line. owned by the Inter-
| national Navigation Company, the owners
OF the st. Louis. the st. Paul. the Har-
vard. and the Yale. now under charter
Tor use as auxiliary cruisers.
The Berlin was formerly the City of
Berlin. In 1875 she held the transatlantic
record. Her time between New York and
Queenstown was Z days, 15 hours, and As
minutes.
The Berlin was built at Greenock, Scot
land. in 1874. She will be the largest
troopship afloat. being 4SS feet, inches
in length. Az feet in breadth, and 34s
screw.
1t is calculated that two entire regi-
ments can be quartered on board the
Berlin. A large part of the space on
board OF her has been used for freight,
OF late years. and she is therefore not
cut up in cabins and saloons like the St
Louis and the ST. Paul. This will permit
cots and hammocks being placed to such
advantage that more men can be car
nf he
cruisers.
Negotiations for the purchase of the
Berlin were conducted In Washington.
The fact that she was here and could be
delivered to the Government without de-
lay, resulted in a quick bargain being
struck. She was turned over to the
quartermaster's department today, and
the orders are that she be made ready
to sail in four days. Whether she will
be sent with the troops to Santiago or
be used for the Porto Rico expedition
will depend upon the situation next
week.
John C. Jamison is captain of the Ber-
lin. She has been sailing under the Brit
ish flag.
Owing to the delay in loading tents and
clothing, the OLDHAM. recently purchased
from the Holland-American Line, was un-
able to get away at ) o'clock. the hour
set for her to sail yesterday, but she
passed out the Narrows ats o'clock. She
carries the first OF the combination over
coats and shelter tents which the Gov
ernment has had made. There are 1900
OF them on board. They are of light can
vas, and have proved success in the
German army.
Besides the tents. the OLDHAM has on
board 10000 blankets. thirty tons of picks
and shovels. 1O.0oo rubber ponchos, and
three carloads of clothing, shoes and
miscellaneous quartermaster's supplies.
Capt ]. T. Airy remains in command.
c. F. Bond is first officer. and Charles c.
Mccarthy, who sailed from this port for
Alaska on the yacht Actia, and got as
far as Buenos Ayres. is the second officer.
The OLDHAM will stop at Charleston to
take on a part of the brigade of troops
going from that port to re-enforce Gen.
Shafter. The OLDHAM also carries fifty
iaborers for the quartermaster's depot
at Baiquiri-
Another of the Government trans
ports. the Port Victor. was moved up to
the Mallory Line pier yesterday. and be-
gan taking on 800 tons of Red Cross sup
plies and a quantity of commissary
stores for Gen. Skaters troops.
The Mobile, the third of the trans
ports purchased from the Atlantic Trans
port Line, was moved up to the foot of
Canal Street yesterday, and workmen
went to work fitting her up to accommo-
date troops. She will be ready 10 sail
on Tuesday.