The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-06-24
THE NEXT FLEET FOR MANILA.
VIII Require Rapid Preparations TO ~.
Ready To Sail ON the bay Set
for Departure.


SAN Francisco, June ls.-It will re-
luire some very rapid work on the part
OF both the local military officials and
the department at Washington to hav.
the third fleet of transport steamers
ready for sea by the cath inst, the
date reported To have been set for it,
departure. Very little work is being
done on any of the vessels, and only
one is being coaled for the trip. sup
plies have not commenced To arrive in
sufficient quantities To be loaded on the
vessels To prevent the numerous DELAYS
which retarded the earlier departure OF
the first and second leets.
Little work is being done on the
City of Para, and as the Valencia was
only chartered yesterday morning, and
needs much work to be done on her t.
prepare her for sea. it looks as il ia,
date of departure would have to be ex-
tended not a little unless the three
vessels first named compose the thire
fleet.
1t is said in military quarters thar
ones in the third feet, but that other
vessels will be chartered or impressed
| into service, and that the third fleet
will be large enough to transport al
the troops now here. If there are any
grounds for this statement, a date
later tn an June "A will have to be Sc
lected, as the vessels now being con-
sidered by the department are 10
northern waters, and will not arrive
here for week or more.
The steamer Newport, now in port
and scheduled to sail for Panama and
way ports OH June IS. will be added 70
the fleet of vessels already chartered
for the third expedition.
In order TO hasten the work Of pre-
pairing the third feet of transports for
service, Gen. Merritt yesterday issued
an order directing Maj. Ten. Ruhlen
and Maj. w +. Wadsworth to super
wise the loading of the vessels and or
dered them To hire competent steve
dores and all other help necessary 70
prepare the vessels for sea with
promptness and dispatch.
Gen. Wesley Merritt. in command %
the expeditionary forces, spent the
morning with Gen. Otis at Camp Mer-
rift. discussing the troops to Toe So
lected for the next expedition. The
exact organizations chosen will prob
ably be announced to-day. Eight
thousand is the number that has been
fixed, on and it is possible that even
more will 90. The date OF sailing Will
be the earlies, possible, before the 25tA
of June, if the transports can be
loaded in that time.
Gen. Merritt and his staff and Gen
OTIS and his staff expect to go on TINS
expedition, if no orders from the wal
department come to alter their plans
The troops that remain being compare
lively few in number, will be left I'm
/. der command of one of the brigadie
generals. Large quantities of ordnanc
{ stores of all kinds are on the road from
( the east, and are expected in time 70 b
taken with the next sailing fleet.
: Ammunition sufficient to last for az
. extended period of time, gatling guns
all kinds of mountain guns and every
thing necessary TO field service are IN
cluded in the requisition. -Four sieg
!. guns of five and seven-inch calibe
will be taken for the artillery. No Ign
artillery pieces will be taken, but Ia
a heavy artillery need not suffer for Tea
of lack of work.