The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-05

would probably be made with difficulty and
slowly and might indeed, be deferred until
the next morning which, allowing for the
difference in time between Washington and
Hong-Kong. would bring the dispatch to
this city somewhere after midnight tonight.
The Navy Department has now secured
two vesSels-the Australia and the City of
Pekin in San Francisco-which will be
loaded with coal and supplies and rushed
off to join Commodore Deweys fleet
Whether or not they will carry troops will
be determined positively when the commo-
dore is heard from upon this matter The
Pekin is now en- route to San Francisco
from Hong Kong and Yokohama and is due
on the 9TH inst. She is owned by the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company and is one of the
largest vessels in the Pacific waters. She
was built in Chester, Pa, in 1874, is 42S feet
long, 4S feet beam, q feet depth of hold
She has cargo capacity of 4,50O tons and
can easily accommodate 1000 troops The
City of Pekin is not noted as a swift YES
sci, but could probably average fourteen
knots an hour across the Pacific.
The Navy Department is hurrying togeth-
er an exceptionally large stock of ammuni-
ton to go forward by the City of Pekin,
to recruit the ammunition of Commodore
Deweys fleet. The first shipment of pro-
jectiles left New York yesterday, and addi-
tional shipments will be made until the full
quota of powder and shot will be in San
Francisco within the next ten days. There
will be a total of more than 10000 pro-
jectiles of various caliber and weight. For
the four big eight-inch guns of the Olympia
there will be 500 eight-inch steel armor
piercing projectiles, weighing about 900
pounds each. For the sx-inch guns of the
Olympia, Baltimore and Boston and other
ships there will be one thousand steel pro-
jectiles. The other shipments will include
about 10000 six-pound rifle balls, 1900 FIVE
inch shells, 5000 three-pound balls and 5000
one-pound balls. The Navy Department is
fortunate in having laid in an ample stock
of projectiles of all weights and sizes, SO
that there will be no delay in getting a full
supply ready for shipment to Commodore
Dewey. The supply of powder is not sc
readily obtained, as powder has been dis
tributed to the several fleets and ships as
fast as 1t has come from the powder mills
But owing to the emergency in the case OF
the Asiatic fleet powder intended for other
uses will be forwarded to San Francisco and
sent to Commodore Dewey. The recent ex-
plosioas of powder mills have not crippled
the Navy Department in securing supplies
of powder, but they have caused some de-
lay in filing the orders of the War Depart
ment.
Should it be decided finally by the Presi-
dent to send troops to assist Commodore
Dewey to hold Manila, the War Depart
ment officials say that the small number OF
regular soldiers available are ready to move.
1t is thought, however, that If troops are
sent they will be made up largely from the
volunteer forces that readily could be con-
centrated. at San Francisco from various
States west of the Rocky mountains. Such
regular troops as might be available are
several companies of the Fourteenth Infan-
try stationed at Vancouver barracks (the
larger portion of this regiment being in
Alaska) the Eighth Cavalry al Fort Mead,
S. D.; the Fourth Cavalry, some of which
are at Vancouver and others In California.
and the Third Artillery, also located on the
coast 1t is believed however. that the
officials would be disinciined to part with
the artillery. as it may be needed for the
defense OF the Pacific coast, and they do
not think it at all likely cavalry would be
sent. because of the great expense entailed
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