New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-25
EIGHT LARGE SHIPS BOUGHT.
NEW POLICY IN SECURING TRANSPORTS
ADOPTED BY TIE WAR DE
PARTMENT


Washington. June 24-An important addition
~ the War Departments list of vessels avail
able for transport and freight service was an
nounced to-day. This was the purchase or
.aven large ships Of over $500 tons burden each.
,or use on the Atlantic Coast. and one for the
pacific Coast Seven OF he eight. to be used
m the Atlantic Coast. were obtained from the
Atlantic Transport Line. which operates its
steamers from New-York. PhiladelT ha and Bal
tinore to London. Heretofore the practice Of
the War Department has been 10 charter all the
vessels which IT has used, and the announce
,oent to-day OF the acquisition Of the ships by
nurchase is distinctly new departure in the
noicv Of the Government. due. 1t is believed, 20
the fact that the owners and agents OF the
various companies heretofore have asked such
high prices.
II was authorltatvcly announced to-day that
,,,nressments Of ships on the Atlantic Coast
would not be resorted to, but such as were de-
sired would be obtained in some other way.
The price of the ships secured from the At
lantic Transport Line was not given at the
Denartuent. but it is understood that the
or,ount. approximately was 600. All the
vessels Of this line are to be delivered to the
Government at New-Ycrk. owing TO their
large capacity for carrying passengers and sup
niles they constitute a valuable addition to the
feet of forty-one ships already under charter
nv the Government for transport service on the
Atlantic Coast.
WILL CARRY a LARGE ARMY
To-davs acquisition is presumed to be a de-
cidedlv forward step in the arrangements for
the Porto Rico expedition. although the OIL
cals of the Department decline TO say to what
port they will be ordered. Added TO the dozen
ships already available for this expedition
the eight vessels make UP fleet that
will transport an army fully two-'hruS
as large as that which General smarter
took with him. Nine Of the transports hereto
fore chartered by the Government are at
Tampa two are their way there from New
York while one remains at the latter city II
nav be that some Of those at Tampa ana now
on their way 10 that city will be utilized for
TRANSPORTING some Of the renforcements for
Skaters army. as there are large number
Of soldiers at Tampa as we'll a great guam
tity Of supplies
The vessels purchased from the Atlantic
TRANSPORT Line. together with the description
q, them furnished by the Department. are as
follows: The Massachusetts,. the Manitoba the
Mohawk the Mobile and the Mnnewaska. They
each have an average tonnage Of o.'oO are nj
ted with twin screws driven by triple expansion
engines developing a speed Of l2t2 knots an
hour when fully loaded, on a coal consumption
Of sixty tons day: the Michigan and the Mis-
sissippi each Of 300 tons single screws. driven
bv triple expansion engines developing a speed
of eleven and a quarter knots an hour on con-
sumption Of thirty five tons Of coal a day
Every one Of these seven ships has re-
erjeerating capacity for one thousand tons Of
fresh meat. and an additional capacity for one
thousand head Of cattle or horses. The fact
IA 4 r1frlEeYaflnC CapaClty
Il over two million pounds OF fresh meat was no
doubt important consideration IN oete'nll-
inc the action Of the officials in securing the
vessels. The Comm.ssary Department IS anN-
ious 10 furnish fresh beef to the soldiers IN the
West Indies SO far as pracucabie, ana WIN
such large steamers available for the purpose IL
will he enabled 10 put its wishes into erect
Fresh beef is regarded in The American ana
English armies - an essential ana aI'os' III,
d,spensable feature of the soldiers railons, ana
the officials think that by keeping the army
we'll supplied the health Of the soldiers VIII be
better maintained and more Satisfactory Icau''S
secured in every wav.
The other vessel purchased on the Atlantic
coast was the Obd0m ~ the Holano-Afne'IOd
Steam Navigation Company. The vessel mas
capacity for one thousand passengers. ana can
carry a regiment of troops. together "lth 'heT
equipments and supple
OTHER SHIPS UNDER INSPECTION.
For the uses Of the Commssary Department
exclusively. General Eg IN IS having two ships
inspected which are now at New-York They
are the Port Victor and the Tort Chalmer. both
over 1000 tons with 1mple storage capacity
for REFRIGERATED beef .'he probability is that
both vessels may be taken hN the PoVerhi"[
and pat in thorough repair. Another vessel ior
the same purpose probably VIII BE- necessary
soon. and ther frequent trips with large caIEoeS
Of beef and other suppliea aboard WI. nr "rnelcu
TO Santiago and other places. General hsah has
been waiting on this matter before aWardlhs
the contracts for supplying beef, when ne no"
expects 70 make IN few caNs. r.....
For the Philippine expedition the department
has purchased large steamer which ls 10 De
delivered at san Francisco. It's capacl'y Is
regiment Of troon3 with equipments ana sup
plies The officials withhold for the present ,.'e
name Of the steamer.