Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-04
STEAMER CHARTERED
Troops and Supplies to Be Sent to
the Philippines.
THE CITY OF PEKIN OBTAINED
Ships Sail Probably to Join the
Oregon.
ESTIMATED DEFICIENCY

Negotiations were closed today for the
| charter of the Pacific mail steamship City
of Pckin for the transportation Of troops,
munitions of war ard military stores from
San Francisco to Manila for the occupa-
| ton Of that port until the close of the war
| The City of Pekin is now at San Francisco
and is to be ready to start on her long
journey across the Pacific by the 18th in
| slant. Unless present plans are changed
| she will carry 1000 troops anG a large car
go Of ammunition, ordnance stores and
| other supplies.
| The McCulloch's Movements.
The news of the arrival of the converted
| revenue cutter McCuloch at Mrs bay,
| China, from Manila, was conveyed to the
| Navy Department first through the Asso-
| ciated Press dispatches. Indeed. up to noon
| today the department was still in Official
| ignorance of the arrival Of The dispatch
| boat. The officials Immediately, began to
| calculate as to waen the first report by
| cable might be expected from Commodore
| Dewey. 1t was found by scrutiny of the
| maps that Mrs DAY lies about forty miles
away from Hong Kong the cable terminus,
| and there is not believed to be any COM
| munication by wire between the points.
If the McCulloch put into Mrs bay in
/ ~
undoubtedly because, in the opinion Of
Commodore Dewey, the British neutrality
| laws would not permit the ship to enter for
| the purpose of communicating with her
| home government She is neither disabled
| to the point where she might claim the
| benefit of toe emergency clause, nor is her
| cca: entirely exhausted, 80 that that might
| be made plea for entry. While she might
still go into Hong Kong, It is said by some
| naval officers that to do so tor the sole pur-
| pose of cabling to the United States gov
| ernment respecting the progress of hostil-
| tiles would be practically using the British
| port as base of operations against the
| enemy. However there are Other officers
| who do not take this view of the law, and
| would chance an entry into the cable port
| Surprising that the dispatch boat is in
| Mrs bay, she would probably send an Off
Ger on native boat or some other means
| OF transportation than the warship's boat.
| to Hong Kong with the dispatcn from Com
modore Dewey. The time consumed in this
operation would depend upon the hour the
| officer started, for if the McCulloch, as sur
| missed, arrived late in the evening or at
| night the journey would probably be made
| with difficulty and slowly, and might, in
| deed, be deferred until the following morn
| ing, which, allowing for The difference in
| time between Washington AMI Hong Kong,
| would bring the dispatch 10 this city some
where after midnight tonish-.
| Spanish Cruiser ut the BarbadOes.
| A crack Spanish cruiser, believed to be
| the Alphonso XIII. is today reported to be
| at Barbados, in the West Indies. There
| are conflicting reports on this point how
ever, and if there is a cruiser there she
may be the Carlos V, which left Madrid
| some time ago for cruise along the Span
| ish coast as it was, supposed. The AL
| phonso XIII is new protected cruiser OF
over 5000 tons displacement, with excel
| lent ordnance while the Carlos is still
more formidable craft of over 5000 tons.
! The first-named vessel is reported from an
other source to be in a port of Spain, SO
| there is some confusion in the reports.
| Surprising any cruiser is in that section
of the West Indies, she would be almost
in the pathway of the Oregon coming
| northward, and thus exposed to capture if
the battleship thought it worth while to
| lie in wait for the expulsion of the Spanish
| cruiser from the British port under the
| neutrality law. AS to the Oregon herself,
| the opinion is expressed that she is in no
| particular danger at the hands of the
! Spanish fleet that may be approaching the
| coast from Cape Verde, as she will proba-
| bly, keep close along the Brazilian coast
within the three mile limit where she
| cannot be attacked except by breach OF
| neutrality.
| Following the Brazilian shore line closely
would bring the Oregon to point where
she would have only a very short run to
make across the high in order to eff
| feet junction with Admiral SIMPSONS
fleet.
| Movements of Sampson's Fleet.
Even in the face of press advices that
the admirals feet has sailed, the officials
at the Navy Department adhere to their
rule to decline to give out any information
as to the ships movements. 1t is believed
however, that the admiral has not taken
his entire fleet away but only a sufficient
| NUMBER OF the more powerful vessels to
fLsure the safety of the Oregon, and has
gone to met that ship To have withdrawn
| all of the fleet would have amounted to an
| abandonment Of the blockade, which would
| cause some difficulty from a diplomatic
| point of view if it is renewed, as it proba-
bly, would have to be later on
| Ex-Secretary Herbert Calls.
Ex-Secretary Herbert was at the NAVY
| Department today in conference with some
| OF the officials. Few men are more graft
ned than the Secretary at the victory
! schieved by the American force at Manila,
| and he felt a special interest in the mat
| ter because Commodore Dewey was chief
! OF the equipment bureau of the department
during Mr.. Herbert's administration. ami
| thus the two men became warm friends.
Mr.. Herbert is also able to point to the
action of Congress in fixing the price of
armor at $500 ton. as it has just done in
the naval appropriation bill. as a complete
WIND f11f fov,
clusion he had himself arrived at two
years ago. At that time he recommen ded
to Congress that $500 per ton he fixed
unen fair nrfca for tho