Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-05-26
Off FOR THE PHILIPPINES
FRS. American Army to Leave For foreign
Land.
Three Steamships and $50 Soldiers Sail
Out of the Golden Gate for
Manila.


San Francisco. May 25.-The start
was made for Manila late this after
noon, and the first American army to
sail for foreign shore is now on the
broad Pacific.
At o'clock this afternoon Brig. Gen.
Anderson signaled from the Aus
tralia for the City Of Picking and
City Of sydney to get under way i'm
mediately. The signal was seen from
the shore, and the waiting crowds
commenced to cheer wildly. They
knew what it meant. as we'll as the
sea captains, for whom the signal was
intended. No time was lost on board
the transports. The crews worked with
viii, and in short time the vessels
were under way.
Then the $500 soldiers who had been
impatiently awaiting the signal to
start let themselves loose. They
climbed the rigging and swarmed all
over the big ships shouting and cheer
ing like mad.
The bay was alive with small craft
of every description, and huge ferry
boats were pressed into service to nc
| cornmodate the eager crowds and carry
| them to the heads of the Golden Gate
that a last farewell might be said. The
big transports steamed slowly along
| the water front, and the crowd on
shore raced along to keep them in
| sight
The noise made by patriotic citizens
| on sea and shore was something ter
| rife. Every steam whistle in the city
\ appeared to be blowing, cannon We're
| fired and the din lasted for fully an
| A q ha
traz island In the lead of the other
ships, the battery of United States ar
| tillery stationed there fired a salute
to Gen. Anderson. The colors were
| dipped In recognition and the steam
| ships sounded their sirens. The boats.
transports moved slowly forward, and
| not until the heavy swells of the Pa
] cihc ocean were encountered did they
! turn back.
1t was shortly after o'clock when
the vessels entered the ocean. and the
| sun glinting over the city gave the de-
parting soldiers last beautiful view
| of the country, to fight for the honor
| OF which they were sailing over 5000
niles. When last seen the transport
fleet was steamlng slowly to the south
west. After the pilots We're dropped.
the. vessels went ahead at full speed,
! and in six days. II all goes well, they
will enter Honolulu harbor and Join
the Charleston.
| The strain OF expectancy during the
| past few days has been severe on both
| soldiers and citizens, and after the
| noisy demonstration this afternoon the
townspeople felt relieved that 1t was
| all over.
| The three transports carried close on
| to $500 men. The expedition, which IA
under comand Of Brig Gen. Ander-
son, consists of four companies of reg
ulars under command OF Mai Robe.
| the First regiment, California. volun-
teers, Col. Smith; the First regiment,
| Oregon volunteers. Col. Summers;
battalion of fifty heavy artillery, Mai.
Geary: about 100 sailors and II
| naval officers. The fleet In loaded with
! supplies to last year, and carries n
big cargo OF ammunition and naval
stores for Admiral Dewey's fleet at
| Manila.
1t is not probable than any more
| troops will be dispatched before an
other week The Xetlandia Is being
put In shape to carry soldiers, but none
of the other transports are In port.
The China Is not due here until
| May 2sth. and If the steamships OF the
Northern Pacific are chartered and
put under an American register Il will
take some time before that fleet can be
| put In order.
1t is thought here that the fleet that
| left here today will not keep company
with the Charleston after leaving
Honolulu. They all carry coal enough
| to steam at full speed from Honolulu
| to Manila, while the Charleston, In
order to cconomize. coal, will not go
faster than ten knots an hour. II tho
| transports do not wait for the cruiser,
I they may be expected to arrive In
Manila about June Goth.