The record-union., 1898-06-02
Vessels Not Expected to Sail Before
the Middle Of Next Week.
Major-GeneraI Otis Issues an Order Which
Thoroughly Establishes the Division
and Brigadss at Camp
Merritt.

SAN FRANCISCO, June l. - Orders
have been received from Washington to
rush the work of preparing the second
fleet of transports for dispatch to Ma
Mia. The work on the steamers Zea-
landia, Colon and China is progressing
more rapidly under specific orders is
sued by General Merritt, but unless
larger forces of men are put to work
on the vessels they cannot possibly be-
ready before the middle Of next week.
A great deal depends upon the Cow
ernment whether or not the vessels geu
away even by that time The stores
for the expedition will have TO be-
brought from the Mare Island navy
yard, and there will have to be some
very active work to get the supplies
aboard the vessel by the middle of the
coming week
The steamers Centennial and Ohio
will not arrive from Puget Sound for
some days yet, and they will have to
undergo repairs before the carpenters
can commence the work of arranging
the hunks for the troops. 1t is doubt
full if these vessels can sail with the
other vessels of the fleet
The army officers are inspecting sew
eral other vessels which may be util-
lied for transports The steamer Cleve-
land was inspected to-day and the ship
Roanoke was also examined The
Roanoke is a four -masted vessel of
enormous carrying capacity and it is
understood that should she be char
tered she will be used as a hospital
ship. 1t will take her about sixty-five
days to sail. down to the Philippines.
The Roanoke can be turned over to the
Government in a few days, if neces-
sary.
There are several cases of measles
among the Dakota volunteers who ar
rived yesterday, and the Dakota camp
has been temporarily located at a dis
tance from the main body. The health
of the North Dakotans does not alarm
the officers, but the isolation was made
as a precautionary measure.
Major-General Otis this afternoon is-
sued the following order, which thor
brigades at Camp Merritt:
Headquarters Independent Division,
Philippine Islands Expeditionary
Forces, Camp Merritt, San Francisco.
CAL, June L. 1898.
i GENERAL ORDERS, No. L.
lin obedience to General Orders
No. from headquarters, the United
States Expeditionary Forces and De-
partment of the Pacific, the undersigned
assumes command of all troops here in
camp. and they will constitute a pro-
visional division. to be officially desig-
mated Independent Division, Phlip-
pine Islands Expeditionary Forces.''
The following named officers will for
the present constitute the staff: :
Captain John l.. Sehon, Assistant
Adjutant- General and aids, Adjutant-
General.
First Lieutenant F. w. Sladen
Fourth Infantry. aide.
Captain George Ruhlen, Quartermas-
ters Department, Acting Chief Quar-
termaster.
Captain Charles Mcclure, Eighteenth
Infantry, Acting Judge Advocate.
Captain l. S. Mallory, Second Infan-
try. acting Inspector General.
First Lieutenant j. F. Bell, Seventh
Cavalry, acting Engineer and Ordnance
Officer.
Temporary commanders of the Second
Brigade are announced as follows:
OF the First Brigade, consisting OF
regular troops, Colonel Samuel Over
shine, Twenty-third Infantry.
OF the Second Brigade. consisting of
the Minnesota, Kansas. Idaho and
North Dakota troops. Colonel c. Nee.
Reeve. commanding Thirteenth Mime
sofa.
OF the Third Brigade, consisting of
the Pennsylvania, Colorado and Utah
troops. Colonel Irving Hale, First Col
orado Infantry, United States Volun-
teers.
Of the Fourth Brigade. consisting OF
the California, Montana, South Dakota
and wyoming troops, Colonel Harry c.
Kessler, First Montana Infantry, Unit
ed States Volunteers. e. S. OTIS,
Major General United States Volun-
teers, Commanding.
No troops arrived here to-day, but
tomorrow 1000 men from South Da-
kota will reach this city and take up
their residence at Camp Merritt.
The sum collected by the Red Cross
Society UP to noon to-day amounted to
S33. .t96. The society is working night
and day to prepare abdominal bandages
CONTINUED on Eighth Pagel