The San Francisco call., 1898-06-07
WILL START
 FOR MANILA Monterey and Brutus to Sail This Morning. EVERYTHING IS IN READINESS. MoNADNoCK AND wITGIFT TO
 GET AWAY NEXT. Engineers, Boiler-Makers, Ship Car penters and Calkers Working
 Night and Day to Get the
 Centennial Fixed Up.
EVERYTHING IS IN READINESS
MONADNOCK AND WITGIFT TO
 GET AWAY NEXT.


 steamer Brutus, will not sail for Honolulu until this morning. AS soon as the Brutus was repaired the coast defense steamer met with an accident that necessitated a delay. The coil in the distiller began to leak, and it had to be repaired. It was sent to the Union Iron Works, and was returned last night. The two vessels will therefore, get away this morning with the first tide AS the Monterey Is going to the tropics, it was essential that the appa- ratus for distilling water should be in first-class order, and, therefore, the coils of the distiller were sent to the Union Iron Works for an overhauling.
 Uncle Sam is going to make the best of bad bargain, so gangs of engineers, boiler-makers calkers and ship-carpen- ters are at work on the old steamer Gen. tennial, trying to make a new vessel out of her. Considering the age of the steamer the hull is in good condition, but repairs and alterations will have to be made in nearly every department before she can be used as troopship.
 The United States Inspectors Of Hulls and Boilers went over the vessel yester- day, and it will depend upon their report as to whether a new boiler will be put in or few more patches on the old one. Il never saw boiler like the one in the Centennial" said a boiler-maker yester- day There are so many patches on 1t that it takes an expert to find the original structure. There are patches upon patches, and braces here and there to hold the affair together. Altogether, those boilers are fearfully and wonderfully made and are a credit to the men who have made them hold out so long"
 In the engine-room gang Of men IS at work overhauling the machinery, and In the steerage the carpenters are altering tf-t,e. mt in for the troops. Many of the compart- ments have been torn down, ana good, comfortable quarters will be put III. me ne calkers are hard at work getting the decks in order, and the crew IS trying 10 make the old craft look ShlpShape. All III all the Centennial is the poorest excuse for A troopship that has yet been paiHieo off on Uncle Sam. ,x. ,,ho,o ,,ur- chase along with the Ming Chow by tne United States Government, was toio eAo So cl,;s.Nely in Sundays Call, went to tIiS navy yard yesterday where the stars anu strines will be raised to-day and the Ves- sel renamed The launch Amy Nas eIn- pIoycd nearly all yesterday morning tah- t us tLe stores and supplies out ol tne vessel and landing them at Vai!eJo-Slleel wharf The goods will be put III a pond ei warehouse and sold to the hgnesI bidder by the agents of the steamer. All the wood work Is to be remoVeu ron ie .iie . Witgift and she will be fitted out in the same manner as the Brutus. AS soon as the alterations have been made sne will convoy the Monadnock to Honolulu and then tow her to Mauila- She Will take down about 2OOO tons of coal and a few hundred soldiers. She Is me, roomy vessel, almost new, and splendid quarters in the tween decks can be put up for the men.
 The accommodations for the men that will go to Manila on the China have been reuCGeled and now the cracK ocean liner will De as well fitted out ss the colon. raj there are only two in row, and eacH mau can get in and out without dist 5- ins lis neighbor. A passage way is pro vided between each tier of hunks. so there will be no more climbing over each other in order to get to bed.
 The China will not get into the stream to-csy, as all her coal is not aboard and the mems quarters are not completed Yesterday the carpenters had to be laid of because of the fifty Chinese passen- gers who are still aboard. The latter have been refused landing by the Collector of the Port, and the Mail Company has no plac, to put them until the l,clgic arrives at the wharf. As soon IS she docks :he Mongols will be put on her and the work of putting in the hunks will be com pleted The Colon is all ready for her stores but the Government has not be- gun to send them down yet, so she will probably keep the China company at the Mail Company's wharf until tomorrow. All the work on the Zealandia was hn- ished last night. and. according to prom ise Captain Howard has the vessel ready fo. her final inspection to-day. Nearly all the stores are slowed away, and as soor as the soldiers aboard the Zsa- landia will be ready to sail.
 The Valencia, the Pacific Steam Whal- | ins: Company's new passenger steamer, Is expected in from Puget Sound to-mo lcw, and or her arrival she will be inspecte | by the Government authorities. She Is a ] firs class vessel and the chances are dat sae will be one of the troop ships that will follow the China, Zealaniia and | CCiOn.