The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-08-09
TWO LARGE TRANSPORTS PuR-
CHASED.

Twenty-seven hundred men OF the
Philippine expeditionary force
mustered here are booked to go to
Manila. At General Merriam's head
quarters it was thought that after
the departure OF the steamers Scan
dia and Arizona, scheduled to start
within the next ten days, no more
troops would be sent to the South
Pacific for many weeks, if at all.
The Government, however, has just
purchased two additional transports
the Athenian and the Tartar-aud
they are to be sent here from Van
couver, B. c., Immediately to take
supplies and soldiers to Manila.
The Athenian and the Tartar have
been in the Alaska fleet OF the Cana
dian Pacific Steamship Company,
and the dispatch in yesterdays
Examiner stating that they had
been bought by this Government
through the agency of the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company, is fully
confirmed. The vessels will arrive
here early next week. The Athe-
nian will carry 1900 men and the
Tartar 1,200. By this means two
full regiments can be sent to the
Philippines in addition to the one
going on the Arizona.
A question OF interest is as to what
two regiments will be lucky enough
to be assigned to the new transports.
1t is admitted that the Scandal will
be filled with detachments Of re-
cruits for regiments which have
already gone across the Pacific.
The Arizona, Athenian and Tartar
will therefore be able to carry a
regiment apiece There are five
regiments to select from-the
Twentieth Kansas, Fifty-first Iowa,
First Tennessee, Seventh California,
and the Eighth California-and it
seems to be certain that either the
Twentieth Kansas or the Fifty-first
Iowa will depart on the Arizona.
The one left behind will probably
60 on either the Athenisn or the
Tartar. The remaining ship will
therefore take either the First Ten
nessee or the Seventh or Eighth
California. AS California already
has one regiment at Manila, the
general belief at army headquarters
is that the First Tennessee will be
given the preference over the two
remaining California regiments.
After the departure of all these
transports there will be still left of
the Philippine expeditionary force
in the city about 1900 men.
The steamers Lakme and North
Fork have been furnished by the
Johnson Locke Mercantile Company
to convey $50 troops to Honolulu.
4 OF the $50 men booked to
go, it is likely that at least 100 will
be from the volunteer engineer bat
talon, the remainder consisting of
troops from the First New York.
The steamers Charles Boynton
and Samoa, the next vessels to take
troops to the Hawaiian Islands,
4 Il are expected to start for
Honolulu before the end of next
week, and will carry between them
an additional 730 men.
The Government has decided to
make permanent troopships of the
steamers Arizona and Scandal.
Workmen have begun work on the
vessels with the purpose of making
accommodations for soldiers of a
more stable and elaborate character
than had been originally intended.
The Arizona is to be fitted with
hunks for 1900 men, and 1900 will
be accommodated on the Scandal.
The latter vessel is now in charge Of
United States officers, the German
crew having been paid and dis
charged. The vessel will go to the
drydocb at Hunters Point this
morning and after some repairs will