The record-union., 1898-12-10
The Next Expedition Will Go Via
the Suez Canal.
Expected to Embark at New York About the
End Of the Month.
VIII Consist of Three Regiments OF
Regular Infantry, Distributed
Between Two of the Largest
Converted Transports Owned by
the Government, With Per-
haps a Convoy of Two Warships.

NEW YORK, Dec. "a dispatch to
the Tribune" from Washington says:
The next regiments to start for Ma
Mia will embark at New York about
the end of this month, and will go
through the Suez Canal. The expedition
will consist of three regiments of regu-
Z lar infantry, distributed between two
of the largest converted transports
owned by the Government, with per-
haps a convoy Of two warships. Ar
rangements are now being made for
this expedition by Adjutant General
Corbin as rapidly as possible. in view of
its great Importance, especially as 1T in
wolves cooperation by the State and
Navy Department authorities, as we'll
as those of the War Department.
. The decision to use New York as the
point of embarkation, instead of San
Francisco, whence all the earlier forces
started for the Philippines, was reached
by General Corbin after a careful re-
view of number of considerations,
chief among which was the urgency for
haste. The early completion of the
treaty of peace with Spain renders in
dispensable prompt increase of the
American forces not only at Manila,
but to provide additional garrisons for
important centers in the archipelago
which Immediately fall under American
dominion with it's accompanying re-
sponsibility for the security Of life and
property.
At the present time the Government
is wholly without available transports
in the Pacific Ocean to meet the emer-
gency. The dispatch of two vessels
from the Atlantic, it is believed, will
therefore be particularly advantageous
for the double purpose of bringing home
from Manila such volunteers as can
soon be spared and increasing the
transport fleet in the Pacific. The three
regiments Of regulars have not been
selected, but as none of those now in
New York State and other Atlantic gar
.risons can we'll be spared, the conclu-
sion was forced upon the authorities
that economy as we'll as rapidity of
action required them to be sent by way
of the Mediterranean instead of jour
neying across the continent and then
undertaking the trying and monotonous
voyage on the Pacific, with no haven of
rest after leaving Hawaii.
The garrison under General Otis at
Manila now consists of one company of
the regular engineer battalion, six
troops of the Fourth regular cavalry.
six batteries of the Third and Sixth
regular artillery. three regiments-the
Fourteenth, Eighteenth and Twenty
third, regular infantry-fifteen regi-
ments Of volunteer infantry and six
batteries of volunteer artillery, includ-
Ing the Astor Light Battery, which al
hnc ha,,o n
the effort of the authorities to return all
these volunteer regiments and batter
les to the United States as speedily as
possible, bringing them home, as far as
feasible, in the order in which they
reached Manila after Admiral Dewey's
victory, and it is believed that on the
arrival there early in February of three
regiments Of regulars from New York
at least six volunteer commands may
be released from the duty that has al
ready grown irksome to them
The expedition from New York could
start in the course of the next week if
1T were not for the exigency in Cuba.
Which demands the utilization Of the
entire marine transportation resources
of the Government on the Atlantic coast
just at present for providing protection
TO all interests in that island promptly
on the departure of the Spanish garri-
sons Although the Ninth at Madison
Barracks, the Thirteenth at Forts Por-
ter, Columbus and Niagara, the Twen-
ty-first at the Plattsburg Barracks, all
in New York, as well as other regiments
of regular infantry at posts east of the
Rocky Mountains, are equipped ready
TO start practically on the tap of the
drum, delay is essential for at least
two weeks to secure the necessary
transports.
The vessels to take these three regi-