The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-25
Seven VIII BE Used I'm the Cuban
Transport Service and the Other
VIII Go to the Philippines.
ANOTHER EXPEDITION SOON
PROBABLY UNDER
WAY FOR PORTO RICAN INVASION.
FOrty-Nine Transport Steamers Now
Under Charter or Owned by the Cow
eminent, and More to he Secured.


addition to the War Departments lists of
vessels available for transports and freight
service was announced to-day. This was the
purchase of eight large ships of over $500
tons burden each for use on the Atlantic
coast Seven of the eight to be used on the
Atlantic coast were obtained from the At
lantc Transport line. which operates its
steamers from New York Philadelphia
and Baltimore to London Heretofore the
practice of the War Department has been
to charter all the vessels which it has used
and the announcement to-day of the ac-
QUESTION of the ships by purchase is dis
tinctly new departure in the policy of the
government, due it is believed. to the fact
that the owners and agents of the various
companies heretofore have asked such high
prices. 1t was authortatively stated to-
day that impressment of ships on the Allan
tic coast would not be resorted to, but such
as were desired would be obtained in some
other way. The purchase price of the ships
secured from the Atlantic Transport line
was not stated at the department, but it is
understood that the amount approximately
Is four millions All the vessels of this line
are to be delivered to the government at
New York. Owing to their large capacity
for carrying passengers and supplies they
constitute formidable addition to the fleet
of forty-one ships already under charter by
the government for transport uses on the
Atlantic coast.
To-days acquisition is presumed to be
decidedly forward step in the arrangements
for the Porto Rico expedition, although the
officials of the department decline at this
time to say to what port they will be or
dered. Added to the dozen ships already
available for this expedition the eight ves-
sells make up a fleet that will transport an
army fully two-thirds and probably as large
as that which General Shafter took with
him. Nine of the transports heretofore
chartered by the government are at Tampa,
two are on their way there from New York,
while one remains at the latter city. 1t may
be that some of those at Tampa and now on
their way to that city will be utilized for
transporting some of the reinforcements
for Skaters army, as there are a large
number of soldiers at Tampa as well as
great quantity of supplies
The vessels purchased from the Atlantic
transport line, together with description
Of them furnished by the department., is
as follows: The Massachusetts, Manitoba,
Mohawk Mobile and Minnewaska. They
each have an average tonnage OF 800 tons,
are fitted with twin screws, driven by triple
knots per hour when fully loaded, upon
coal consumption of sixty tons a day. The
Michigan and Mississippi each Of S,7OO tons,
engines developing a speed of IN knots
per hour, on a consumption of thirty-hve
tons of coal per day Every one of these
seven ships has refrigerating capacity for
LOCO tons of fresh meat and an additional
capacity for 1000 head of cattle and horses.
The fact that these vessels have re-
frigerating capacity Of over two million
pounds of fresh meat was no doubt an i'm
portant consideration in determining the ac-
ton of the officials in securing the vessels.
The commisSary department is anxious to
furnish fresh beef to the soldiers in the
West Indies as far as practicable and with
such large steamers available for the pur-
pose they will be enabled to put their wishes
into effect Fresh beef is regarded in the
American and in the English armies as an
essential and almost Indispensable feature
of the soldiers rations, and the officials
piled the health of the soldiers will be bet
ter maintained and more satisfactory re-
suits secured in every way.
The other vessel purchased on the Attain
tic coast was the OLDHAM, of the Neither
lands American Steam Navigation Com
,pany. She is used for passenger and freight
business, is ,656 tons burden and is built of
steel. She is fitted with triple-expansion en-
gines, capable Of driving her at speed of
capacity of 1000 passengers and can carry
a regiment of troops, together with their
equipments and supplies.
For the uses of the commissary depart
ment exclusively General Egan is having in
spected two ships which are now at New
York They are the Port Victor and the
Port Chalmer both over 5000 tons, with am
pie storage capacity for refrigerated beef.
The probability is that both vessels may be
taken by the government and put in thor
ough repair. Another vessel for the same
purpose probably will be necessary soon,
ard then frequent trips with large cargoes
of beef and other supplies aboard will be
made to Santiago and other places. Gen
eral Eagan has been waiting on this matter
before awarding the contracts for supply
ing the beef, which he now expects to make
in a few days.
For the Philippine expedition the depart
ont hoe IN q q
is to be delivered. at San Francisco. It's ca
pacity is a regiment of troops with their
equipments and supplies The officials with
hold for the present the name of the
steamer.