The Saint Paul globe., 1898-05-12
EARLY AID FOR DEWEY
THE CHARLESTON ORDERED TO
SET OUT AT ONCE

and ProjectiIes, and VIII Not
Wait to Convoy the Troops to
Sail on the City of Pel<in
and the Other Transperts-A
Slow Ship.
WASHINGTON. May 1.-THE navy
department has decided to have the
cruiser Charleston start immediately on
Its relief mission to Admiral Dewey.s
fleet at Manila. The orders issued an
ticipate the departure Of the Charles
ton from San Francisco at once. 1t Is
proposed to get the ammunition and
stores aboard and she will leave with
out waiting to convoy the City Of
Pekin, and the other ships loaded with
supplies. The orders to the command
ant OF the navy yard at Mare island are
to put on board the Charleston all the
ammunition she will carry so long as
her steaming capacity is not retarded
1t Is the understanding here that at
least $50 tons of ammunition could be
put on board. By extraordinary efforts
on the part Of the authorities here all
the powder, shot and shell requisite for
OGen
sembled at San Francisco already,
though it was thought at first it would
take until after the fifteenth to draw
these supplies from various other
points. The ammunition includes 800
rounds of the big projectiles for the
eight-inch guns Of the Olympia, about
10000 six-inch shells and 1000O fve-inch
Shells as all Of the cruisers of Admiral
DeWey's fleet mount five and six-inch
guns. There is also an ample supply
OF the smaller sizes of shot and shell,
for the machine and rapid-fire guns.
The stock of powder will be in three
lots, aggregating over 10000 pounds.
Owing to the hurried departure of
the Charleston, it is not expected that
she will wait fer any considerable num-
Der of troops, as these will follow later
on the other relief ships. She has a
crew Of about 300 men, and this prob
ably will be augmented by a marine
guard of few hundred men.
AID FOR DEWEY.
The Charleston Is protected cruiser
Of $3.50 tons displacement, built Of steel
and mounts eight guns in her main
battery. She has twin screws and an
indicated horse power Of $685. The
authorities here hardly expect her to
make more than thirteen knots with
her heavy stock Of coal, ammunition
and supplies. Her coal bunkers are
rather limited SO that she probably will
have to stop at.Honolulu to recoal. Her
trip to Manila will take about two
weeks.
The City Of Pekin, which will follow
her, is very fleet merchantmen. capa-
BILE of being pushed seventeen knots or
more; so that even with the handicap
she has of starting several days after
the charleston, there is a prospect she
may overhaul her in the race across the
Pacific and reach Manila first. This
will depend, however, on how soon the
City of Pekin can be made ready for
start. Saturday is the earliest day
mentioned.
The Charleston is commanded by
Capt. Henry Glass. Aside from carry-
ing ammunition and supplies to Ad-
miral Dewey the Charleston will prove
valuable adjunct to his squadron. She
VIII come next to the Olympia and
Baltimore in point of size and effective
ness.
In determining upon this speedy de-
parture Of the Charleston the authori-
ties here have had In mind not only
the need of giving early relief to Ad-
miral Dewey, but also have been some
what apprehensive of the attitude of
the Philippine insurgents. The news
| reports reaching here from the Philip
pines, indicating that the insurgent
forces might resort to massacre, are re-
ceived with serious attention by the
officials, is they recognize that our
present position in controlling Manila
bay imposes certain degree of re.
! sponsibility in seeing that civilized
methods prevail, and that the insur-
| rectionists do not resort to lawless and
| incendiary measures.
ORDERS For CHARIESTAN