The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-30
PULLING UNCLE SANS LEG.
now NE WAS " WORKED NJ OWNERS
or PACIFIC TRANSPORTS.

~
-
Vsnseis Hired bv the Day That Couldn't
Maintain Their Guaranteed Spoed-The
Case OF the Morgan City TranSport-Fat
sums of Gravel Money" for Soldiers
YOKOHAMA. Oct. 5.-War is mover an econom-
teal operation, and history ~tostlfles that patriot
fam seldom acts as a deterrent to modify the
Eapacity OF those human harples who consider
the public treasury legitimate prey ut oil times
udwhose appetite becomes phenomenal when
ever an emergency arises in the life OF n ma
ton. Our hasty preparations for war with
Spain naturally cost enormous sums. because
the Government was at n great disadvantage
in tho market. particularly in the purchase and
hire Of vessels. and there are many cases too
wellknown TO need repetition whore the own
ors Of comparatively worthless ships have got
ten rid of their property at extraordinary valu-
atone, But Il may have escaped the notice Of
many who are interested In such details that
the expedition to the Philippines has been
conducted with a most wasteful expendi-
ture OF money. particularly for the trans
portation OF the troops. Without going into
confusing particulars. l may state that. In
general terms, tho steamers which conveyed
the troops were hired at rates varying from
$500 to $500 per diem. tho Government to
furnish the coal In addition to thisp price. The
obvious way Of dealing with this problem
would have been to have put the transports In
command OF naval officers. or. II that we're i'm
practicable. TO have appointed TO each ship an
the vessel under his inspection fulfilled the
sort was done or even thought OF. rs far as Is
known and, consequently, there was az enor-
claimed to have a speed Of sixteen knots never
reeled on, under the most favorable circun-
stances, more than thirteen when sI y the tr9pS Sps
speed was diminished by at least 20 per cent.
1eet 81 these expensive TRANSPORTS lay
ordered home proceeded 70 take q their coal q
to The. blush, The case. Of one ship was. par
t%icularly ridiculous; she was eoaiiDg at
burning from ten TO. aiteen tons to run
her pumpDs, dynamos, distiiier IA and bd.t Ice ina ma,
with anything like an approach to the ordinary
speed Of ssoalipG. Once, away from Manila
"soiered'' as much as they chose. for there was
no check put on their navigation. The coaling
the ships were ordered to take, in only enough
e. last then, to Hong Kong, and. after partially
S aaiifs and sdsffE n GIaAf BY t this plan i was p n
to save money. because coal Is slightly cheaper
l a., a9 eng t KSnG Than ste n Nsga on tbe BSS 81 so 9he
I k6 sSSh s t%p tS Ssy' sa lSeSSe sa 70 $50 e. O On T the Of am aSnF
&c bso Go sasy fSSR IL q ~ s3 hSpS IN he son s' cases q sss ana ID
$1,000 or moro In Others. Their speed was
elonR nearly seven day, from Hong Kong to
SReSs9kI less than eleven hnndr ed miles. The
eisyysS o. Knots moe ue an Sa Reur. a aitSous b. she shSis easily ssfy
makes fftesn; She arrived at at aong Kong nG1 a.
IL o,eloeE EAST sstu t6sy I might a nad ann hd's SaS eS SSai-
thing aboard at that honr. but did not sail until
the following morning; At Nagasaki she made
fingered t aIons Soms sv's at The com sooGmfortstlse
speed Of eleven knots, presumably, because she
on the Pacific passenger. route until Dec. 10:
The Zealandia was caught in a typhoon. or at
lost some Of her upper works, Vent into dock
there for one month the S, G9vernmtnt paying
s SeSt.edp s at dl the ' cost aet TO hi tGe G Goye 14GnS1fh "
sailed Tor Ban Francisco. The Board. q sur
in very bad condition. and had been for a long
time. but when she left the dock q few days
might be prolonged and the history Of every
one Of the score OF transports which went to
credit OF those who are responsible for the full;
himent Of their contracts. But have said
pisgeeda they i s@0 we're %e Chartered 1 ! f IN good Dr. faith Ron on
terms most favorable TO the companies which
9]s sSssers sHs9 fbe e aaver rns way Of they tRs Un htsd
States IS now. and will be for a long time.
common talk 10 shipping circles in the East.
the ends q. he earth Is not provided Tor In the
army. regulations. hut there is among these
lhWS vi III kONGIuulculO VI u III at
ordinary one which is to the great advantage
Of some, OF the enlisted mon and aconsiderable
iI Ssio 70 a sns s aIsfsp who if Is discharce Cd att at The e8-
piration Of his. term Of service Is entitled, to
s5fEs Psg f at t his rS 5Geer n Sn to d sSf PLACE SSS and Od a 81
the distance. Consequently. a private IN the
miles Of the distance between Manila, and the
gets free passage on q transport to San Fran
cisco. having only his food 70 pay for. In case
from his discharge. his service is counted as
continuous; he has Increased pay In conse;
g fRsss %% Tsar whsR he Sr Is Sise tsr% d e sS ths end
he Will be entitled to travel pay as
s s6OT he stated StSSs from 70 MH whsre tSe p Hs may She BE
he was last enlisted. Thus q mar. who;
after fIteen years Of SERVES. is discharged
plus 20 per cent, increase allowed by act OF
Congress for service in actual campaign, and
$1,08 Tor every twenty miles, Of the DISTANCE
from a9 Manila 2 p the he I gl9tfIe Of biz Ms e%nbli III time 9 ,d II
stake to begin civil life on. II he chooses to
Ee-enlist and to leave his surplus money In the
, Pay tRis %Sns 1a aSG az e t Ssts end + per- Of cent sRred Interest Sears.
+. i re i u Eastern Ter h States $ AND $In YIN f hsTsS Ss S sRtIt led
sum he may have on interest, will leave him
tt 70 Rar aSr SEVERAL T1sn.i9 f SanSred q do iHnT at str'ii Es
terest In the Paymasteris hands. and cases
are not infrequent In Manila where men have
have received nearly $1,000 travel money.
There are already quite a number OF. men
0reaeinR very fast. One or two were discharged
on, the, transports on the way out and were
where they were enlisted. Several discharged
men have already re-ealisted. induced. no
distance across the Pacific Ocean when their
time 10 out. One discharged man decided to
reJoin his company. and was sworn In Just he
was the first man killed that day. This incl
dent discouraged re-enlistment for q time, but
NAaaa l