The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-14
wTTH OUR TROOPS AT SEA.
TRO0PSHIP DIVERSIONS FROM H0NO-
LULU TOWARD MANILA.


scenes on Board the Transport Austrnlhn
with Con, Anderson and Stan AbOnrd
After tho First Expedition for Mnnils
Left Hon0lulu-The Oregon Troops
UNITED STATES TRANSPORT AUSTRALIA, In
ROUTE TO MANILA. AT SEA. Sunday. June g.
At breakfast this morning probably not half Q
dozen OF the 1000 men aboard the Australia
had ever heard Of Guam or the Ladrone Isl.
ands. Now everybody lie studying the map oil
a chart or reading whatever can be found about
the islands in the Chnplain's library. The Cap
taln's copy Of Tho North Pacific Directory
has been tho rounds among the officers. and we
all know tho latitude. longitude and climate Of
the place we are going to capture. OF course
you will know the bald fact OF the conquest
long before this reaches tho light Of publica-
ton. Perhaps you know now that we are
bound there. The Navy Department come
lines does that. But II created n great stir
aboard the convoy this morning when the
signals from the Charleston were made out.
At sea the Charleston Ia boss Of tho little SQUAD
ron. because Capt. Glass. her commander, is
the senior naval officer.
There had been q lot OF signalling going on
among the ships Of the convoy on the way down
to Honolulu. for practice. and some OF the on
cers on the Australian were getting proficient
enough to read wlK-wag signals with consider
able accuracy. This morning. when the Charles
ton called the Australia and began q message
to Gen. Anderson. there was an interested
group along the rail trying to find out what It
was all about. They caught Just words enough
to start q lot OF excitement and speculation.
and there was great satisfaction when Lieut..
Mccain, Gen. Anderson's Assistant Adjutant-
General. made public the message. It was
from Capt. Glass, and this is what It said:
GIN; ANDERsoN: My instructions require me
70 capture the Spanish forts and vessels at the
ports will accompany this ship to Guam, as only
two or three days delay will occur. This may
ue mace pubic. GLASS.
The first inclination was to cheer. but almost
Instantly there arose the doubt that will not
down. which Is very disturbing. Action, sure.
and we shall see It. That is the first thought,
But shall we see it, There's the doubt. Will
the Charleston 60 In alone and do her work, or
will the troopships accompany herr The whole
afternoon has been given up to this absorbing
question. 1t hardly stopped for service. which
the Chaplain held on the hurricane deck. It
has Interrupted. accompanied and punctuated
the asslduous study Of all that was obtainable
In the way OF information about the islands.
One OF tho ships Quartermasters is an old
whaler. Twenty-Five years ago he touched at
Guam for wood and wnter, and in his opinion
it's a Just no account place whatever" The
third mate. Mr.. Hallett. has been there within
- Wv" yOoto' III Ic . DleSS6u IL no eVCE saw q
fort there. Blu we know they are there. The
Pacific Directory says there are two OF them
up on the hills, and there's likely to be a fine
bombardment. And maybe we shall have to
land some troops. Perhaps some OF the Spanish
that fed from the Philippines have
taken refuge there. We don't know for sure
that any got away from Dewey. but we hope
did and hat we shall find them there.
And perhaps there will be some transports to
Nobody can tell Just what transports
would be doing at such a place. but then they
may be there. and. by lingo. il they are.
only sure thing about 1t is that Guam Is at
least two weeks away. 80 we shall have plenty
OF time to decide these minor as we'll as the
weighty questions OF what we shall do some
before we get there.
THAT MIXTURE OF UNIFORMS.
Yesterday. when we pulled out Of Honolulu.
the Oregon officers were a picturesque lot. By
the way. they call the regiment the Second Ore
Ron. instead OF the First, as it Is. It seems
that there was a First Oregon. which went
70 the front In the sixties, and the Governor
proud enough OF its history to want TO
keep It inviolate and not mixed up with any,
thing else. So he called this regiment the Sec
ond Oregon. After you get used to 1t, 1t isn't
very puzzling to see some Of the officers with
on their collars, some with 3. some with no
numeral. and some with 2. They represent
parts Of the State and all its three regiments
Of National Guards.
Well. they came aboard after their brief stav
In Honolulu arrayed in immaculate white duck.
cotton and linen-in white duck that WINS once
but will have shrunk a lot in the
wash before 1t is so again-in all shades OF
brown and speckled linen and wool crash. In
seven Inherent kinds of caps. som all white
nd aNFnn rBhtN ASI
shaped alike. They wore white canvas shoes OF
sharp toes, round toes and square toes, high cut
and low cut; brown canvas shoes Of as many
varieties or more, for some OF them had white
straps on the brown shoes black and tan leather
'hoes and patent feathers. Their coats showed
l curious and interesting diversity of opinion
N tho matter OF braid. They showed also n
and contding trust In the knowledge |
the Chinese tailors Of Honolulu rs to what
he regulation braid" is. Some were braided
md some were not. Those that were bore
oraids Of all widths, but mostly OF the same
PATTERN. Some had brass buttons with anchors
IN them. others had brass buttons with guns.
md some Just plain brass. Some had pearl
buttons and some bone. Some had the proper
title Sits In the side for the sword. and some
lad curious little imitation shoulder straps.
All were worn with perfect unconcern and self
:omplacency as uniform"
Gen. Anderson took one glance around and
held a short conversation with his Adjutant.
1t luncheon all the Oregon officers appeared in
he regulation army uniform OF blue. 1t was
but It was uniform. This afternoon IL got
hot that the General relented. Perhaps he
ound the blue a bit uncomfortable. His own
Vhite duck Ii faultless. but Oregon is more
picturesque than ever. for 1t has added Chinese
'ath slippers to its list OF footgear. Also. some
them have flshed out big red silk handker-
hiefs. such as the p~rivates have. and wear
hem earelessly about the neck. A few stick
o blue and sweat. They looked like a COM
OF Fire Zouaves and Amoskeag Vet
rams. but they were In the way of being cool,
nd that 10 greatly to be desired.
The sea Is very quiet. but the Australia lives
to her rolling reputation. and tonight some
I the onicers and men who had lost their sea
9gs In the two days In Honolulu were seasick
gain. very much to their disgust and the
Of their comrades. All day punches
I soft. downy cotton and black velvet clouds
'andered aimlessly about the sky. The hor-
49, aA-