The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-03
GEN. MERRITT'S TROOPS
SECOND EXPEDITION MAY NOT
START FOR TWO WEEKS.
Reports Current that Hawaii VIII BE
Has Thrown It's Lot with America.

SAN FRANCISCO. June 1.-The report
from Washington that the annexation of
Hawaii is about to be consummated is given
much credence by the officers at Camp
Merritt and they are already figuring on
an order to send troops to the islands to
look after Uncle Sans interests. and some
of the volunteers who fear that they will
not be sent to the Philippines counting
upon being turned to Hawaii as a place of
second choice.
General Merritt Is arranging the details
of the second expedition to the Philippines,
but has not yet made public the assign
ments of troops for the expedition and he
will not make the order public until the
date Of the sailing of the fleet has been
determined. 1t is stated in some quarters
that the expedition cannot possibly sail for
two weeks yet and it is even semi-officially
stated that the vessels will not be ready
for ten days yet. Just what is causing the
delay is mystery. The owners of the YES
sells say that they have not received any
hurry up" orders from washington and
that they can perform their share of the
contract at short notice as soon as definite
orders are received.
The Brutus, the collier recently bought by
next Saturday. Her alterations have been
completed and she is now receiving stores.
The Monterey is taking coal on in sacks
and her magazine is well filled She, too,
will be ready next Saturday. The Monad-
mock is expected shortly from Puget Sound.
1t is the belief in naval circles that the
Monadnock will be kept in Honolulu.
Four batteries of heavy artillery, now
stationed at the Preside, will go to Manila
with the next expedition and their places at
the Preside will be filled by men from the
ranks of the heavy artillery volunteer force
now in camp at the Presidio.
The present formation of brigades at
Camp Merritt is only temporary and made
only for administrative purposes. reor-
ganization will be effected when the Sec
ond expedition reaches the Philippines.
The scarcity of water on the Preside
reservation has thrown the men now en-
camped there into serious predicament.
The supply in the reservation reservoir is
about exhausted and the pumps which sup
ply the water are not powerful enough TO
keep the reservoir filled. The men have
been ordered to discontinue bathing until
the situation can be remedied
General Merriam has issued an order di-
recting Troop E. Fourth United States Cav
airy, to proceed here at once from Van
couver to join the four troops now sta
toned at the Preside. The troop is ex-
pected to arrive in this city within week
Battery G, of the heavy artillery battalion
of volunteers now stationed at the Preside,
has received orders to proceed to Fort
Candy next Sunday.
The Pennsylvania volunteers are In a Sc
rious plight. They need shoes so badly that
the regiment is seriously crippled for lack
of them. Many of the men cannot drill on
account of the dilapidated condition of their
footgear.
The work of coaling the transports China
Zelandia and Colon is proceeding steadily
The Zelandia will be fully coaled within
twenty-four hours, but the other two YES
sells will not receive their supply before
Monday or Tuesday. Patent hunks, con-
vertible into settees, probably will be put in
all the three vessels. The steamers Ohio
and Centennial, now due here, will join the
fleet of transports. 1t is stated that the
accommodations for troops on the China
are even worse than those on the City of
Picking, which carried away the First Cali
fornia Regiment. Military officers here hope
to effect change for the better before the
soldiers embark.
It is semi-officially stated that two more
vessels will be chartered by the government
for the second Manila expedition, but the
impression prevails that they will be
golfers, one of which will accompany the
Monadnock in the event of that monitor
being sent to Honolulu, as now seems prob
able.