The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-06-16
The SECOND EXPEDITION
SOLDIERS BOUND FOR MANILA
NOW ON THE HIGH SEAS
Thousands of People Witness the De-
parture of the Fleet-The Boys
Well Cared for on Ship

| SAN FRANCISCO, June 15.-Shortly after
noon the announcement was made that the
lsteamer Senator, which had been lying at
her dock all night taking on cargo and un-
,dergoing repairs, was ready to go into the
stream, and about 1 o'clock the order was
igiven to cast off. AT the same time Major
General Greene ordered the transports
Colon, China and Zealandia, which had an
chored off the Mail dock last night, to
weigh their anchors and to proceed up the
bay to join the Senator, which had con-
ltinued her voyage oceanwards without
looming to anchor.
Thousands of people had assembled along
the docks to witness the departure of the
fleet, and when the signals ordering the YES
sells to get under way were observed, a
mighty cheer went up. Added to lhe cheer
ling of the people was the blowing of the
whistles and the ringing of bells. Every
steam vessel in the harbor with steam up
blew long blasts from their sirens, and
every factory and mill in the manufacture
ling district saluted the vessels with blasts
from their whistles. Bombs were exploded
land cannon were fired, and amidst this hub
bub the four stately vessels bearing their
loads of humanity and munitions of war
passed down the bay. The excitement was
Intense.
The water front was black with people,
and the waving of flags and handkerchiefs
presented a beautiful sight. The vessels in
THE harbor dipped their colors as the trans
ports passed by, and countless yachts and
lother small craft trailed behind the big
steamers as closely as safety would permit.
| The transports themselves were pictur-
iloI "
occupied by a soldier. High up into the
rigging they climbed; every portfolio was
filled by smiling face and the guard rails
were hidden beneath struggling masses try
ling to get points of vantage to get one last
glimpse of the city and the thousands of
people who have treated them so kindly
since they have been in this city The SOL
lldiers were as jolly lot as could be found
and to see their happy faces one could
sea rcely imagine that many of them were
going away to fight for the honor OF their
flag in a foreign land and that many of them
possibly would never return. The men
cheered themselves hoarse and waved their
hats and handkerchiefs until their arms
ached.
| The small bay craft continued on down
! the bay with the soldier boys, every now
and then Salut1ng the DIG steamers, WHICH
were picking up their speed at every revo-
luton of the propellers At last only the
more powerful of the consorts could keep
I'D with the big liners and one by one they
dropped behind Tug boats and ferry
boats, chartered for the occasion. followed
the vessels down the bay to the Golden
Gate.
The afternoon was we'll nigh gone when
the transports reached the ocean and only
few of the goodbye boats were with
them. but the men were still perched in the
rigging and waving their good-byes In re-
Spouse to the waving adieus Of the people
on the decks of the smaller boats. The send
off that was given the boys was one that
will linger in their memories to the grave.
The four vessels will make fast time 10
Honolulu, where they will recoal and pro-
coed on their way to join the first fleet of
transports which left this city three weeks
ago today, bound for the Philippines. 1t is
expected that the China will reach Honolulu
| first, but after leaving the Paradise of the
Pacific, superior speed will count for little
| as the faster boats will watt for the slower,
so that the vessels will reach their dest!na-
ton about the same time.