The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-08-16
HORSES OFF FOR MANILA
TWO HUNDRED SHIPPED ON THE
TACOMA.
An Interesting Experiment Being
Tried by the United States-The
Vessel win Stop at Honolulu.

Vessel win Stop at Honolulu.
| SAN FRANCISCO, August de
spite the ominous handsha<ings by
steamship men and typhoon tales by
tars who have sailed the China sea,
the wind-jammer Tacoma will put to
sea at noon to-day or tomorrow and
square away for Manila with 21O Gov
eminent horses and mules aboard.
| The experiment. which is daring and
costly novelty in shipping is expect
! ed by all concerned to result success
! fully, and to give to the Army i'm the
! Philippines the means of land trans
portation eagerly awaited. The Ia
coma will accept a favorable tide, and
towed by a tug outside the Heads,
will work out to where the trades are
| blowing
Yesterday the live cargo of the Ia
coma was put aboard. 1t kicked Wig
orously as any quadruped may law
! fully do when lifted fifty feet and
swung inward a half a hundred more,
! but every beast was slowed safely in
! its stall before O'clock.
Lieutenant Cameron, Fourth Cava1-
/ ry, United States Army, who is master
over ship. cargo, captain and crew,
| got things moving early, and at 6
o'clock yesterday morning the first
| long-eared passenger was hoisted in
a padded box from the wharf, and
after a startling mid-air journey.
dumped in the tween decks. Here
three handy cavalrymen made short
work of placing him in his stall, and
thereafter every half hour saw the
colony on the vessel increased a
score.
1t is hoped that not a horse or mule
will be taken from the ship until the
cargo is landed in Manila. a stop
will be made at Honolulu, but only
for a day or so.
The trip of the Tacoma is the out
come of the Governments desire,
stronger once than now. to have
mounts for the cavalry and teams for
baggage and freight in the Philip
pines. It was learned that the ma
tive horses and mules were poor sub
stitutes for the sturdy stock of Anne
RIGA, and there being an entire alb
sence of steamships available for the
purpose, the Tacoma was chosen to
make the experiment of attempting
to deliver at least 200 beasts of bur-
den to the forces under Major Gener-
al Merritt. Steamship men looked
askance on the project, and others
predicted an unhappy ending. but
Lieutenant Cameron. to who m was
left, with Major Ruhlen, the entire
matter of arrangements. is confident
of success unless unforeseen disaster
occurs. There will be no surprise if
3 per cent of the cargo is lost by
death from sickness or stress of
weather, but a larger loss is not look
ed for Toward the end of safety ev-
cry effort has been directed. When
the Tacoma came into the hands of
| Lieutenant Cameron she was a fine
clipper ship, stanch and handsome,
but with no special fitting for horses
The Tacoma is a three maSted sky
sail ship, of Lisa tons gross burden,
222 feet long, 40 feet broad and 90
feet deep. In order to make room the
main deck from the break of the poop
to the topgallant forecastIe was Gov
cred with false deck, very strong
and flush with the after house. On
the main deck under this and in the
former and 30 i'm the latter. These
stalls are ingeniously constructed of
heavy, rounded, smooth timbers. so
arranged that the chests. crops and
TANKS of the animals are within a
few inches of them. while the floors
have cleats to afford a firm footing.
Above each stall is puIly with n
rope attached to a two foot canvas
sling, which will be passed under the
belly when it is desired to rest the
| horse or mule. These devices are NOT
to be used at all times. After storms
or when the animals are exhausted
by the motion of the shin they will
he supported by the sings and will
learn to let their weight down on
them.
In good weather every animal will
he exercised each daV on the track.
which is formed by the aisles which
pass all about the ship, and which is
about 300 feet long.
The condensin@ plant is on the false
deck forward of the main hatchway.
and has capacity of 1000 gallons n
day. 1t is calculated that the con-
sumption for all purposes will not be
over l.5O0 gallons day.
There are to he about thirty men of
the Fourth ravalrv. one trairmaster.
eighteen civilian Transfers. SURGEON
Emerson. Veterinary Surgeon Ph,r-,-
mer, Engineer Murray Henry and n
crew of about eighteen. For the
comfort of the men nothing has been
neglected.
lola STILL a BOTHER
PARlS, July 30.-The expulsion of
Emile lola from the Legion of Honor
promises to create serious division
IN the organization. The well known