The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-21
IN CAMP BEFORE MANILA
The End of a Hard Journey
Across the Pacific.
FAULTS OF VOLUNTEERS
philippine Labor and Philippine
Dfrt-Re markabIe Mahogany Fur
nifure-Lrck of Discipline Among
the western TrOOps-How the Ma
tives Looted the Spanish shops.

stHuGiSOil DTiSdut TtdtHeu JQe Day Oh
Manila and caught sight of the wrecks
of Montojo's fleet that had been smashed
by Admiral Dewey. They landed at Ca
wife. which is not prepossessing, but
worse even than Cologne was once re-
puted to be- Yet 1t was land and that
was grateful after thirty-eight days at
sea. The Suns correspondent, from
whose letters this matter is quoted
says:
"ft was no easy task getting the three
big transports loaded in San Francisco.
but that was byplay TO the work of I'M
loading them. An immense amount of
stores had been slowed away in the holds
of the troopers. The single item of ra-
tons gives some notion of it. There are
nearly 2.400 men in the First Brigade. and
the equipment order provided rations for
six months for them, or nearly 10000
ratisns. Each ration weighs four pounds.
or total of nearly 1000 tons simply of
rdtions. Then there was ammunition,
tons of 1t. Enough for hard campaign
with lot of lighting. Tons more of COM
missary stores for sale to officers. More
stores. camp equipage, tents by the hum
dreds, mems kits. kettles, pans, boilers
and patent stoves. And besides all this
stuff for the army, the Pekin had more
than 1000 tons of stores for the navy
As the pier of the Cavite navy yard
was not larg enough for the troopsips all
the stuff had TO be lightered ashore. The
lighters are curious affairs. ali of teak, as
everything else is there, except when il is
of Mahogany. They are from six TO eight
feet wide and from forty to sixty feet
long, and were lowed by all sorts of old
steam launches and small boats that were
in use at the navy yard when the Spanish
cruisers and gunboats went down. 1t was
found that by paying the Fiiippinos twice
a day they would work These natives
are small bodied. but very muscular. They
easily outwork the big Oregon and Cali
fornia soldiers.
Last night seventy of them unloaded
a casco and half more than 100 tons Of
cargo. and carried the boxes a hundred
yards and up a flight of stairs into the
commissary's storehouse, between Z and
10 o'clock. Major Jones says Filipino la
Dor is the best he has ever seen. and ne
has had great deal of experience.
THE men have fairly comfortable quar-
tiers, having cleaned the old barracks in
the navy yard The officers are almost
palatially housed. The Spaniards who
were stationed here knew how 10 1--we.
The rooms are immense. with ceilings at
least fifteen feet high. The floors are OF
teak and are kept bare. The furniture Is
of mahogany. The rooms were furnished
beautifully when the Spaniards went out
but there was only enough left for US
to show what 1t had been. The insur-
gents who looted Cayite when the Span
iards went out had not stopped at the
navy yard gate. Great mirrors, chairs,
beds, desks tables, settees, sideooards,
all were taken, and when Admiral Dewey
found out what was going on and set
marine guard in the yard 10 stop the
footing. only the heavier pieces were left.
The tables are beautiful and the beds
are wonders of woodworking skill. They
are enormous affairs. each with great
high canopy frames Of finely carved ma
hogany. The frames are solid mahoga-
ny and the corner posts are carved out
of mahogany logs In place of springs
the posts and sideboards are bound to-
gether with woven cane, such as is used
to seat chairs in the States The desks
are fine and roomy. and beautifully made.
"A few Of the chairs escaped the hooters,
and they are of more kinds than one can
find in a Grand Rapids factory, most of
them OI HldiOSdAy. IitShA 6c-AhS NCAC
not the only ones who helped themselves.
Men in the First California and Second
Oregon took what they could get, and a
captain from Oregon took fine piece of
furniture from a native and told him to
charge il to the Government. The Ore
gon men were first ashore, and, having
raided the commissary stores on the ship.
were ready TO grab whatever they could
in the navy yard. When Gen. Anderson
got ashore he set a guard from his old
regiment of regulars. the Fourteenth, who
were not to be fooled with.
Discipline is almost lacking among the
volunteers. In the two regiments men
toned there Is material to make the best
soldiers in the world. but most of the
officers are the finest lot of county poll
ticians ever gathered. In Honolulu a pri-
vate came back drunk, refused to work
and threatened to strike the officer of the
day. The law provides the death penalty
for such case. This man was sentenced
to two months police duty excepting the
camp clean) and a fine of $40. He is a
voter in Oregon. These undisciplined
troops pay no heed to orders about eat
ing fruit and drinking, and the result is
an average of a dozen on the sick list
every morning in each company. (They
have since fought well.)
THE Fourth of July, 1000 miles from the
nearest home shore, was great day.
The sun shone, but brisk wind made the
day pleasant. In the night, under a full
moon, the boom of cannon and rattle of
rifles across the bay. where the Spaniards
and insurgents were at il, gave the only
reminder of the grim work to do. All
work except necessary police and guard
duty was suspended on shore and aboard
ship for the Fourth. The sun rose from
behind the mountains back of Manila to
see the ships of the squadron dressed out
in all their many-colored flags swung in a
string from stem to stern over the tri-
attic stay. Across the bay a few miles
the advancing day showed two significant
things. cloud of smoke marked the
German ships, and presently out OF it they
came and in sullen silence steamed down
to Mariveles Bay. opposite Corregidor Is
land, with only their own flags flying,
and with no disposition on board to burn
powder in saluting the birthday of the
Stars and Stripes. But over the English
ships foated the many-hued symbols of
rejoicing, and when noon came and our
deep-voiced guns gave double three
times three, and then three more to the
nation back across the bay rolled the an
swering thunder as the British ships broke
out the Stars and Stripes and answered
gun for gun our own salute.
''In the morning the entire brigade was
reviewed by Gen. Anderson and Admiral
Dewey. Aguinaldo had been invited to
be present with the general and the adj
miral but he sent word that ne was Gin
disposed" and that probably was true
But he sent his band in his place. and 1t
is no doubt true that every one at head