Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-30
MANY SICK SOLDIERS.
A HosPITAL-TRAIN WITH THih-
TEEN CARS AT FORT MONROE.
THERE WERE NO DEATHS EN- ROUTE.
Men are suffering Mostly from Fever.
Two schooners Seized in Norfolk'
Hut Subsequently Helensed-ihe
Naval Battalion.

NORFOLK, VA, August 29-(Special)-
A hospital train Of thirteen cars ar
rived at Fort Monroe this morning. 1t
came from Tampa direct via Columbia
and Richmond, and the eighty-fve sick
aboard were under the care of Surgeon
Major Richards and Assistant-Surgeon
Shaw.
There were no deaths en- route, but
many Of the men are very i'll, indeed
suffering mostly with malarial- and
typhdd-feyer. Three members of the
Fifth Maryland-Privates LOCKER, Cox,
and stephenson-are about the only vol
unteers aboard.
PROMPTLY CARED FOR.
The other men are principally from the
Fifth Regular Infantry and Fifth and
Sixth Regular Cavalry. The sufferers
were transferred to the Field Hospital on
litters. and were made comfortable with
out delay. They were not permitted to
remain aboard the stuffy tourist sleepers
an hour after their arrival.
A detachment from the Fourth Vir-
ginia Regiment, sent from Jacksonville
to bring back deserters who have been
apprehended. arrived here this morning
for Levi Nelson and Luther Wallace,
both of Company E. who have been under
arrest for some days. The detachment
left Norfolk with their prisoners this
afternoon for Jacksonville via Fort Mon
roe. A stop was made at the latter
Of
a. who was arrested in that city
TWO SCHOONERS SEIZED.
The schooners Mary +. Palmer and
William Palmer, Of Bath. Me, which ar
rived here last week from Guantanamo.
were seized by the custom-house officials
for not having foreign clearance. This
delinquency made the vessels liable to
forfeiture, they having gone from Key
wet TO what the Treasury Department
considered a foreign port. and afterwards
returned from there 10 the United States
without proper papers. The Mary T..
Palmer was towed from Key West 70
Guantanamo by the gunboat Niagara,
and the schooner William Palmer from
Key West TO Guantanamo by the gun
boat Lebanon.
Both captains thought they ought to OBJ
tain clearance papers, but were Informed
by the senior naval officer in command
that Guantanamo. having been captured
was an American port, and as they were
merely being towed 10 the fleet 10 sup
ply them with coal, no custom-house pa
pers would be needed They proceeded
TO the feet of Guantanamo and dis
charged their coal and then sailed for
this port, a bill of health being given
them by the fleet. The vessels were
promptly loaded at Lambert's Point with
Pocahontas coal for Boston when they
arrived. but were unable to enter and
clear on Friday.
PROMPTLY RELEASED.
Colonel William Lamb, OF Lamb & Co,
the consignees, went 10 Washington and
saw the Chief OF the Bureau of Equip
men;. by whose orders these schooner5
had gone from Key West TO Guantana
mo- He got the Chief 10 request the
Treasury Department to waive all for
,nalitles of papers, as Il was IN time OF
war. and both owners and captains were
only showing their patriotism in being
willing 10 20 where the government de-
sired. Commodore Bradford made the
request Immediately to the Bureau Of
and on receiving his letter the
bureau telegraphed the Collector 10 re !
lease the schooners Immediately.
The Acting Chief Of the Bureau OF I
informed Colonel Lamb that |
this was setting precedent which would !
no doubt govern all such cases, as the l
vessels had really worked a forfeiture 4
by falling to comply with the navigation !
laws OF the United States.
THE NAVAL BATTALION.
Commander Cake and Lieutenant Up
shur. OF the Virginia Naval Reserves
have returned from Richmond. where
they went TO confer with Aoting-Ad1u-
Stern In regard 10 fully
equipping the Virginia Battalion The
trip was very successful one. Guns are
TO be furnished all four OF the divisions !
and Divisions c, Of Hampton, and d. OF
Norfolk. are TO be uniformed Immediately.
The water distilling ship Iris. the only
one in the navy. which has for several
months been fitting up at the Norfolk
hayward. left this morning for Lam
berts Point. after which il IS said she
VIII proceed TO Cuba 10 supply the naval
vessels and troops with distilled water.
Her tanks, which have a capacity OF
about million gallons. were fued with
SAP water yesterday and the dsulling