Evening star., 1898-06-08
MORE TROOP TRANSPORTS
The Problem Said to Have Been Solved hy
the War Department.
1t Is Expected That Eighteen Shirss
Will Bc Obtained for the Philip
pine Expedition.

Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn OF the
War Department announced with consider
able satisfacti today that the problem Of
securing an adequate number of transports
fer troops 10 the Philippines appeared to
have been solved. He made this statement
after having chartered six additional ships
to those heretofore smeG and taken the
preliminary steps for obtaining five more
ui'der certain conditions. If the latter are
secured the War Department will have at
its disposal altogether eighteen ships for
the Philippine expedition. enough to ae-
cCnmodate. in roun1 numbers, as many
thousand men, should they be put to that
use exclusi ely. AS some of them, how
ever, will carry cavalry horses and some
artillery, the actual rumber the ships will
take may be reduced somewhat and some
of the vessels Will in all probability make
a second voyage before their charters are
Cancelled. AS q result of the acquisition of
the additional vessels extraordinary activ-
ity in fitting them out fer the work intend
&C will be inaugurated and no time lost in
preparing for the third and later expedi-
ton for the reinforcement of Admiral
Dewey.
The following are the names of the ves-
sels just chartered:
The Indiana, now at Seattle, capacity
1000 men; the Morgan City. now at San
Francisco, capacity 1000 men; the City of
Para. capacity 1850 men; the Victoria.
which is at Tacoma, Wash; the Olym-
ria. which will be at Tacoma on the
10Th instant, AMI the Arizona, which Will
be at the same place on the 10th of July.
The following is list of the vessels OBJ
tanned by the War Department and those in
DyC ali for ftn pani iGr oct
Australia, City of Sydney, City of Pekin.
China, Colon Zealand; Ohio. Indiana. Nor
gan City, City of Para, the Tacoma, Co.
lrmbia, Olympia. Arizona. Victoria, Sena-
ter Queen and City of Pueblo.
Too Much Demanded.
The last three named vessels belong to
the Northern Pacific Steamship Co., and
their character depends on the granting to
them by Congress of an American register.
Assistsnt Secretary Meiklejohn made an
original proposition for these ships over a
week ago. but the company held out for
some time for higher figures than the gov
ernment proposed to give them. The terms
CT charter are entirely satisfactory to the
department.
The department also has the privilege OF
taking the Tacoma and the Columbia of
the Northern Pacific line if they need
ed. The former vessel will arrive at Ta-
coma on July 81 and the latter at Portland
on August Z. 1t may be that the depart
ment will not need to avail itself of the
services of these vessels because of the
pcs sible return of some of those which
have already started or are about to start
for the Philippines. A distinct point in
favor Of the government in the charter of
these vessels is the privilege given by the
company to me government to redeliver
them at Hong Kopg. This will result in
material saving to the government. as the
vessels may not be needed after making
one trip.
1t is with considerable regret that the
government officials have been compelled
to resort to the practice of impressing
vessels into the service of the United
States government.
This. however, they have found neces-
sary in the case of the three vessels of
the Pacific Coast Ste amship Company.
which are desired by the department, and
which they have been unable to secure
because of an inability to agree upon the
terms of charter.
The vessels referred to, viz, the Senator.
the Queen and the City of Pueblo. have
not yet been actually impressed into the
service, but will be If after an examina-
tion by General Merritt they are found to
be in satisfactory condition for transport
purposes. If the question of compensation
for the use of the vessels is not agreed
upon between the agents of the government
and the company it will be adJudca ted
hereafter either through the court of claims
or through some other method that may be
devised by the government
First Instance of lmpressment.
This Is the first instance in which i'm
pressment of vessels for the use of the
government has been taken during the
present war, but it is understood that the
intention of the War Department hereafter
is to adopt such measures wherever there
is disposition on the part of agents, own
steamship lines to embarrass the
government by holding out for fancy fIl,-
ures for the charter of ships. This VIII
apply either to the Atlantic or the Pa:iric
coast, the necessity may arise. Officials
characterize the action of the companies
as showing a lack of patriotism for the
interest of the government during the pres
ent emergency, and say they are not dis
posed hereafter to have this interfere with
the active and prompt procurement of ves-
sells which may be needed