The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-03
.ENROUIE IO MANILA
What Life Was Like Aboard a
Troop Ship.
J0BBERY AND ROBBERY
Criticisms on Volunteers and
POIitics-Made Generals.

| Dor, July 1L-Hot, sticky, and dry, wha-
could be mora trying TO the best disposi
ton? The heat takes you by the throat
| and chokes you. AS es last resort unless
there is crowd ahead of you, you try
! the shower bath; but after a few trials
you realize that salt water at a tempera-
ture Of eighty-three degrees Will not cool,
and leaves you more sticky than before.
10 add to the general discomfort, the ice
machine on board promptly broke down,
and the luke-warm water from the heated
tanks Of the ships sticks in ones throat.
The engineer had notified the company
that the ice machine would not last
through the trip, but that corporation did
not care enough for the comfort of the Off
GERS to make the necessary repairs.
Was ever an officers mess so badly sup
piled than this one on board the China :?
Generosity and patriotism are not the
leading characteristics of the Pacific Mail
Company. The food we had would dis
grace the worst sailors boarding house.
The meat served was so bad that on uni
versal complaint over 5000 pounds were
dumped overheard to poison the fishes,
and the steward was forced to buy from
the United States commissary depart
ment. The cooking was bad, the service
wretched, the quantity limited, and this on
board the China, noted on ordinary trips
for having the best table on the Pacific
After charging $500 a day for the use
Of the ship, it was impudent to ask the Off
GERS $50 day for food unfit for convicts.
Fifty officers on board have signed a pro-
test-refusing to pay more than 81 a day
the price charged on the Zealandia, where
the food was excellent and ice was fur
nished throughout the journey.
The enervating effect of the climate
is making itself felt on the most ener-
getic land the motto of the ship is fast
becoming Never do today what you can
just as well put off till tomorrow"
In spite of all the difficulties in the way
of this expedition, it has so far been sue
cessful. For instance, although among the
volunteers it has been almost impossible
to keep quarters clean, on account of lack
Of discipline and the general inexperence
Of the officers, still the health Of the men
has been excellent, and only four deaths
have occurred in alone on the Zelaudia,
- d.
The private who died on the China was |
really victim of one of the innumerable |
mistakes of management made by our |
government in the details of this war. |
he was refused on medical examination |
out was passed over the heads of the
doctors by authorized enlistment from |
Washington.
Examples of mismanagement might be
Indefinitely multiplied. For instance, the
iattling guns sent on board are of the
ype of 50. The first one tried in prac-
ice the other day discharged with the
'arrels in every position but the right one,
md the bullets struck against portions of
he carriage and went flying about the
eek. Several men were slightly wounded
mother instance is the presence on the
hip Of sutler, with all his goods. SUIT
ers have been abolished by law, but this
ne, a brother of a representative in con-
ress, succeeded in showing himself on
card and getting transportation for him
elf, his clerk and his goods free of charge,
'hile the United States commissary was
oliged to leave part of IT'S supplies on the
ocK in San Francisco for lack of room.
/ is needless to say that the sutler ar
anged store on the lower deck, where
9 Is gradually getting from the soldiers
uch money! as the latter have not given
, the Chinese crew for Chinese whisky,
grewsome mixture. The commissary is
onfined to the hold. The authorities on
oard are either Indifferent or ignorant
r helpless to remedy these abuses The
was established to take the !
lacepf suffers, and give the men articles !
cost prices. The heighth of the ridicu
us is reached, however, when the clerk |
the bureau Of Information claims to be |
correspondent for one of the New York | !
allies. The Cyprus convention was sold |
an English clerk. We have ARRANGED !
alters so as not TO place temptation in
lie way of government employees.
The days succeed one another in duh {
onotony. There is the noise of drilling {
lie continuous blare of trumpets. and the |
u crowd with its very primitive and
'cesary clothing, very dirty. too. that '
Gets one at every turn. Under these 7
nditoas the news that General Green t
as planning landing party on Wakes T
land was received with enthusiasm. 5
axes Island is a coral atoU II degrees c
'rth. los degrees SO minutes east. 1t is 4
It of the usual course Of ships. and only /
S.ted by those unfor,unates who are i
wen on to the sharp coral reefs o.. run P
10 the low-lying shore at night. The {
and rises fifteen feet above the sea level il
ID IS twenty miles dong by half mile q
de All leaned over the railing eager TO h
ten the first glimpse Of land. The ships r
ctor told Us how two shipwrecked men !
ID guarded and lived on opposite sides I
rather ends Of the island. The soli- Il
de SO wore onrhem thar when they were O
gAt claiming that there were ghosts a
the island. On Investigation the ghosts o
rned out to Pc rats that they had taken 4
Aore With the goods they had saved from b
q ship. p
At II a small white line sprang into re- L
fetched and grew before Us until. two n
les on Wakes Island we stopped and 5
opped anchor, but failed 70 ind bottom. P
70 boats were lowered. and General
cen with small party started 10 take o
session Of what heretofore had been an 3
claimed reef IN the Pacific. II might 5
possible 10 use this for telegraph or e
4Ens station. but the absence % a har- Il