The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-03

| 4
that subsistence duties are so simple that
they can be learned in day. or week.
or year 1t takes many years to make
an efficient officer of the subsistence de-
partment, and still longer TO make
good quartermaster. The president in
| making political appointments to sucn po-
sitions, is simply juggling with the health
comfort, and lives Of patriotic citizens.
A burial at sea on the 9Th OF July was
| the first suggestion OF the seriousness o.
| the errand on which We are bent The
soldier was in no condition OF health 20
| join the expedition, and was taken IL
with pneumonia soon after leaving Homo
lulu. He was plucky Throughout. and
| only expressed regret that ne did not die
| the day before, so as 10 be buried on
| Wake Island The silent crowd. with
| Bonded heads, gathered about the side OF
the vessel, and we all felt very far from
home as the body struck the water ana
! the farewell volley crashed out over rne
| sea.
There was much talk on board about
| two Spanish gunboats. said 10 be hover
| ing in and out of the Philippines. II We
| were attacked would we run or fight? The
| field guns of the Utah battery were
! brought on deck. and before arriving al
| Guam Island one Of the Ladrones, We
gave the battery some practice in shoot
ing from the unsteady deck ar bobbIng
target The guns were fastened 10
strong spring 10 prevent too heavy re-
coil. Considering the difficulty OF shoot
ing with field pieces from the deck OF
ship the practice was remarkably good.
Most Of the shots, even at three miles,
would have struck a ship. After the ar
tillery practice, the infantry kneeled
along the railing and took their turn at
the targets. The crackle OF musketry
swept along the decks. and gradually the
smoke bhickened about the China When
all the din was over and we fsned the
target up, we found that II per cent. Of
the shots had taken effect, and at ranges
varying from 300 to 1900 yards. The Colo
RADIO volunteers are certainly good Shots.
AS we approached Guam, where we ex-
pected to meet a convoy. the excitement
grew intense. We dropped the slower
boats behind US and went ahead. Was
it TO be an American cruiser or a Span
ish gunboat lurking about the inlet of
Guam? 1 think that as we steamed away
from the islands into the lines Of over
ahead without even seeing the spar of a
ship, the most bfoodthirsty members of
the expedition were disappointed. II was
not until the green masses Of the island
Of Luzon came into sight that we met the
Boston, and gave her ringing cheer for
the work that she had done at Cavite and
the Joy Of getting to an end Of our weary
journey.
From my window al Cavite look out
at the long row Of electric lights along
the esplanade at Manila These twinkling
lights suggest that the Spaniards are not
so demoralized. Indeed, from all accounts
l hear the Spaniards are by no menas |
"on their last legs
In front of Manila lie the foreign war
ships, and conpicuous among them the |
Germans, who are giving Admiral Dewey |
a great deal of trouble. They disregard |
the admiraPs orders that no ship shall |
move about the bay otter dark, and it is |
thought that they carry provisions into |
Manila. To prevent these breaches OF |
neutrality it would be necessary to bring |
matters to a crisis with the German |
commander. and this the admiral does
not wish to do until he is reinforced by |
the Monterey. AS it is, the German ad-
niral, Won Diedriechs. sent message to
Admiral Dewey objecting to his blockade
To this the admiral answer
I'd that it was an American port now.
and that any Infringement of the block
lde regulations would be considered as
IN act of war. Since then there has been
title trouble.
The English. on the other hand, have
proved themselves most friendly to us,
Wherever German ship goes, there an
English boar is sure to follow. This moral
support is great help to our fleet.
July 20--F'rom Manila we learn that the
Spaniards are more afraid of the insur-
,ents than Of the Americans. The blind
in which these people is kept is
,itiable. They assert that in two weeks. |
vhen the Spanish feet arrives they will
inc on the Olympia. However this could
e easily done if our men are allowed 10
e as careless on shore as they are on
oard this ship. Last night on the China
he officer of the guard was not to be
ound. He had probably gone to bed. All
he sergeants had been dismissed. and
My one coraporal was left. Capt Wood |
{ the Eighteenth found this fact out,
nd Of his own accord took the missing
fcer's place. j. B.