Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-05-11
SHIPS TO CARRY SOLDIERS
Negotiations in San Francisco With
Large Steamship Concerns.
The City Of Picking Bought and Charter Of the
Australia Sought-0ther Vessels
Named.

ton for the transportation o
troops to Manila, San Francisc,
paper says. The Quartermastel
General, through his assistants
here, has been in communication
with the Pacific Mail Company
John d. Spreckels Bros. & Co.
Goodall, Perkins & Co. and Other
steamship companies.
The result of the inquiries has
been to satisfy the Government
that a sufficient number of vessels
can be had to carry 5000 soldiers
to the Philippines. The follow
ing telegram was received from
Washington last night:
Washington, ID. O., May g.
The Wsr Department this after.
noon telegraphed to San Francis
co asking for immediate tele-
graphic bids from the steamship
companies there for the transpor-
tation of troops to the Philippine
Islands. 1t is understood that the
Government proposes to take
advantage of the law relst-
ing to the. impressment of
ships which can be converted into
auxiliary cruisers, and that the
Picking, Rio Janeiro and Peru
will be taken Immediately if they
are in port. Otherwise such yes
sells as can be Immediately made
available will be impressed for the
purpose of carrying to the Philip
pines some five or six thousand
men, who are to be transported
Immediately after the receipt of
Admiral Dewey's report of his
operations in Manila.
"Tbe regular army will be cali
ed upon to furnish cavalry from
Fifth and Seventh Regiments, and
such men as can be secured from
the Fourteenth and Fifteenth In.
fantry will also be taken. The
remainder of the troops to make
up the five thousand will be the
volunteers from the States of
California, Oregon, Washington.
Colorado, Nevada and Idaho. 1t
is not believed by the authorities
that it will be necessary to send
men of. war to convoy the ships,
and it is desired that they shall
be sent without men of war as
conso rts; first, because available
warships are small in number,
and secondly, because of the diff
Guilty of supplying these ships
with enough coal to warrant them
attempting to keep up with the
fast Pacific liners which are to be
used for the purpose"
Negotiations have already been
entered into for the purchase or
charter of the Australia. The
latter is a commodious as we'll as
speedy craft and can be fitted
up, at comparatively little expense,
as troopship. The Mariposa,
which arrived from Australia last
night, may also be bought or char
tered from Spreckels by the gov.
eminent. Both vessels have rec
ords as ocean travellers. Mr..
Spreckels said last night that they
could be fitted up to carry 1000
men each. Such vessels will just
fulfill the requirements for trans
porting the soldiers.
The Picking could easily carry
1000 men and the City of Sydney
of the same company could also
carry a thousand men. The Sgd
ney is due from Panama and way
ports on the 9th. The Pacific
Mail Company have one or two
other vessels that might be press
ed into service for transportation.
The China, one of the largest
steamers in the service, is on her
way from China to San Francisco.
She flies the Hawaiian flag, but it
is not presumed that the war de =
partment of Hawaii will object to
her carrying American troops. AS
far as can be learned, Hawaii has
not yet declared neutrality.
The Government has been also
looking over the available list of
colliers to carry coal to Com mo-
dore Dewey's feet. The Southern
Pacific has the San Mateo and
Mineola, both powerful carriers.
The former is under the Hawaiian
flag, while the Mineola flies the
Stars and Stripes.
Mechanics Home, corner Hotel