The times., 1898-07-10
PURCHASE Of A TRANSPORT
The Berlin, Of the Rel D Line,
Has Been Bought.
WILL CARRY TWO REGIMENTS
Orders Have Reeu Issued That She
Four Days-The OLDHAM Leaves
New York 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 a 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
10 the Red ID Line, owned by the Inter
| national Navigation Company. the owners
of the st. Louis. the st. Paul. the Har-
ward. and the Yale, now under charter
for 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 7 days. Is hours, and 4s
| minutes.
| The Berlin was built at Greenock. Scot
| land. in 1874 She will be the largest
| troopship afioat being ass feet inches
| In length. 44.2 feet in breadth. and 349
| feet depth of hold. She has a single
screw.
1t is calculated that two entire regi-
ments can be quartered on board the
J 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
| ried than on any one of the auxiliary
| 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 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 10 get away at o'clock, the hour
| set for her to sail yesterday. but she
w
carries the first of the combination over
coats and shelter tents which the Gov
| ernment has had made. There are u 900
of them on board. They are of light can
vas and have proved success in the
| German army.
Besides the tents. the Obdam has on
| board 900 blankets, thirty tons of picks
| and shoyeis 10.o00 rubber ponchos and
| three carloads of clothing. shoes and
| miscellaneous quartermaster' supplies.
Capt. J. T. Airy remains in command.
| c. T. 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 Obdam also carries fifty
laborers for the quartermasters depot
al Baiquiri.
| Another of the Governments 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 viii be ready 10 sail
on Tuesday.