The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-25
NEW TRANSPORTS.
Eight Big Ships Purchased By the
Government.

Washington, June 24.-An imnorta, =
addition to the War Departments LIST ~
vessels available for transport and Freight
service, was announced today. This was
the purchase of eight large ships of ova,
5000 tons burden, each, seven for use on
the Atlantic coast and one on the Pacific
coast.
The seven to be used on the Atlantic
coast were obtained from the Atlantic
Transport line, which operates steamars
from New York. Philadelphia and Baltj-
more to London. Heretofore the war de.
partment has chartered the vessels which
it has used and the acquisition of the
ships by purchase it's distinctly a new
departure in the policy of the government
due, it is believed to the fact that the
owners and agents of the companies here
tofore have asked such high prices. It
was authoritatively stated today that i'm
pressment Of ships on-the Atlantic coast
would not be resorted to. The purchase
price of the ships secured from the ATTAIN
tic transport line was not stated at the
department., but, is understood that the
amount approximately was $4,000,O0O.
All the vessels of this line are to be deliy-
cred to the government at New York.
Owing to their large capacity for passen-
gers and supplies, they constitute for
midable addition to the fleet of forty -one
ships already under charter by the gov
eminent for transport use on the Atlantic
coast.
Today's acquisition is presumed to be a
decidedly forward step in the arrange
ments for the Porto Rico expedition, al
Eos.. L., -
decline to say to what port they will be
ordered. Added to the dozen ships already
available tor this expedition the eight
vessels make up fleet that will trans
port an army fully two-thirds as large as
that which General Shafter took with
him. Nine of the transports heretofore
chartered by the government are at Tam
pa, two are on their way there from New
York, while one remains at the latter
city. $50
1t may be that come of those at Tap1na
and others now. on their way to that city
will. be utilized for transporting some OF,
the reinforeeInents for Shaftef sarmy AS
there are a large number of soldiers at
Tampa as we'll as a great quantity of sup5
plies. The vessels purchased from the
Atlantic transport line, with the deserip-
tfon of them furnished by the department.
are as follows: Massachusetts,, Manitoba,s
Mohawk, Mobile and1 Minnewaska. They
each have an average tonnage of 800
tons, are fitted with twin screws, driven
by triple expansion engines, developing
a speed of 10 l-2 knots per hour when
fully loaded, upon coal consumption
OF sixty tons day.
Michigan and Mississippi each of 300
tons single screw, driven by triple ex-
pansion enignes, developing a speed of
II IA knots per hour on consumption of
35 tons of coal day.
Every one of these sever ships has a
refrigerating capacity for 1000 tons of
fir esh meat and additional capacity for
1000 head of cattle or horses. The fact
that these vessels have refrigerating Ca
pacity of over 100000 pounds of fresh
meat was no doubt an important consid-
aretion in determining the action of the
officials in securing them. The commits
sary department is anxious t6 furnish
fresh beef to the soldiers ins,the West
Indies as far as practicable.