The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-18
THIRD MANILA EXPEDITION.
Rapid Work Required IL 1t Is Intend
ed to Start June "a.

Rapid Work Required IL 1t Is Intend
ed to Start June "a.
SAN FRANCISCO. June lit will re-
quire some very rapid work on the part of
both the local military officials and the de-
partment at Washington to have the third
fleet of transport steamers ready for sea
by the oath inst the date reported TO have
been set for its departure. Very little work
is being done on any of the vessels and
only one is being coaled for the trip. Sup
plies have not commenced to arrive in suf-
ficient quantities to be loaded on the vessels
to prevent the numerous delays which re-
tarded the earlier departure of the first and
second fleets.
1t is said in military quarters that addi-
tional vessels will be chartered or impressed
into service. and that the third fleet will be
large enough to transport all the troops now
here. The vessels now being considered by
the department are in northern waters and
will not arrive here for week or more
The steamer Newport, now in port, and
scheduled to sail for Panama June %,
will be added to the feet General Merritt
to-day issued order directing Major
General Ruhlen and Maj. w. A Wadsworth
to supervise the loading of the vessels, and
has ordered them to hire all help necessary
ness and dispatch.
The most absorbing topic of moment
among the men at Camp Merritt just now
is the selection of the troops for the third
expedition in case only part of those here
are taken. The Idaho. Minnesota, Seventh
California. North Dakota and Wyoming
regiments, which were called upon to send
details of men to guard the vessels at the
CT hat
regiments would be among the first to go.
To-day this impression was strengthened by
another order detailing an officer and a
sergeant from each of the regiments named
to proceed to the wharves and receipt for
commissary stores.
Gen. Wesley Merritt, in command of the
expeditionary forces. spent the morning
with General Otis at Camp Merritt discuss
ing the details of the next expedition Eight
thousand is the number that has been fixed
on, and it is possible that even more will go.
The date of sailing will be the earliest posi-
BILE, before the 18th of June If the trans
ports can be loaded In that time General
Merritt and his staff and Gen. +. II. Otis
and his staff expect 10 go on this expedi-
ton if no orders from the War Department
come to alter their plans. Large quaint
ties of ordnance stores of all kinds are on
the road from the East and are expected IN
time TO be taken with the next SAILING fleet.
Major General Merritt late tonight an
nounced his selection of the troops which
will comprise the third expedition TO Ma
Mia. General Merritt has selected regi-
ments and battalions aggregating 1850 OIL
GERS and men, and the tlve transports which
will be prepared for the expedition can
easily accommodate $3.50 men, so that a
few hundred more soldiers may be sand
wiched in at the last moment If desired.
Regarding date General
rift says that the expedition will sail, if
possible On June 20. but il may possibly
be delayed until July l. 1t is doubtful II
General Merritt will accompany the troops,
who will be commanded by Brigadier Cen
oral King. The brigade on this last exped-
ton will comprise the two Idaho bat
talions. who will sail on the Morgan City:
the Seventh California. on the Indiana; the
Thirteenth Minnesota. on the City of Para
one battalion of the Wyoming regiment on
the Ohio, two battalions of the North
Dakota regiment on the Valencia. In add-
ton the Valencia will carry as many recruits
as can be accommodated from the various
new squads who have lately enlisted.