The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-10
Ninth, Thirteenth and Twenty-first
Regiments Are Going
BY SUEZ CANAL ROUTE
WILL RELIEVE VOLUNTEERS
NOW IN PHILIPPINES.
Why the Expedition Will Start From
the Atlantic Coast, Instead of the
Pacifc-May Be Delayed By Lack
of Transports-Present Force at
Manila.

New York, Dec. ga dispatch to the
Tribune from Washington says; The next
regiments to start for Manila viii embark
at New York about the end of this month
and viii go through the Suez canal. The
expedition win consist of three regiments
Of regular infantry, distributed between
two of the largest converted transports
owned by the government, with perhaps
q convoy of two warShips. Arrangements
are now being made for this eXpedluon
by Adjutant General Corbin as rapidly as
possible in view OF its great Importance,
especially as II involves cooperation ny
the state and navy department autnorl-
ties as we'll as those of the war depart
ment.
The decision to use New York as the
point Of embarl1ation, instead OF san
francisco, whence all the Garner FORCES
started for the Philippines, was reached
by General Gorbin after a careful review
of a. number of considerations, chleI
among which was the urgency Tor haste
The early completion of the treaty OF
peace with Spain renders Indispensable q
prompt increase OF the American forces,
not only at Manila. but to provide add
sional garrisons for important centers IN
the archipelago, which win Immediately
fall under American dominion, with its
accompanying responsibility Tor the Sc
curity of life and property.
At the present time the government IS
wholly without available transports IN
the Pacific ocean to meet the emergency.
lantic, it is believed, Will therefore be
particularly advantageous for the doupie
purpose Of bringing home from Mania
such volunteers as can soon be spared
and increasing the transport fleet in the
Pacific. The three regiments of regulars
have not been selected, but as none but
those now in New York state and other
Atlantic garrisons can well be spared, the
conclusion was forced upon the author1-
ties that economy, as we'll as rapidly OF
action required them to be sent by way
n al instead
neying across the continent and then I'M
dertaking the trying and monotonous
voyage on the Pacific, with no haven of
rest after leaving Hawaii.
FORCES AT MANILA.
The garrison under General Otis at
Manila now consists of one company of
the regular engineer battalion, six troops
of the Fourth regular cavalry, SIX bat
terieS of Ihe Third and Sixth regular ar
tllery, three regiments-the Fourteenth,
Eighteenth and TWenty-th ird-of regular
infantry, fifteen regiments OF volunteer
infantry and six batteries OF volunteer
artillery, including the Aston light bat
terry, which already has homeWard orders.
1t will be the effort of the authorities to
return all these volunteer regiments and
batteries 10 The United states as speedily
as possible. bringing them home, as far
as feasible, in the order in which they
reached Manila after Admiral Dewey 5
victory, and il is believed that on arrival
there early IN February of the three regi-
menrs Of regulars from New York, at
least six Of the volunteer commands may
be released from the duty that has al
ready grown irzsome to them.
The expedition from New York could
start in the course Of the next week II II
were not for the exigency in Cuba, which
demands the utilization of the entire
marine transportation resources of the
government on the Atlantic coast just at
present for providing protection to all in
teTests in that island promptly on the
departure Of the Spanish garTiSonS. Al
though the Ninth, al Madison barracks;
the Thirteenth, at Forts Porter, Column
bus and Niagara; the TWenty-hrst, at the
PiattSburg barracks, all in New York, as
well as other regiments Of regular intan-
try at posts east Of the Rocky noun
tains, are equipped ready to start prac-
tically on the tap of the drum, a delay is
essential for at least two weeks to secure
the necessary transports. The vessels 10
take these three regiments from New
York to Manila will probably be the Ber-
lin, with a capacity for 600 men, and the
Chester which can comfortably provide
for 1900 men. These ships are declared
to be in excellent condition and capable
of carrying all the supplies and equip
ment essential for the force, besides haV-
ing the advantage Of roomy decks and
plenty Of elbow-room for 5000 men and
The necessary officers.
1t viii depend on the reports Of officers
who may accompany the expedition,
whether the transports after reaching
Manila shall return 10 the United States
by way of the Atlantic or the Pacific, al
though il MAY be considered advisable, in
view OF the Iact thaI most OF the Garner
regiments which reached Manila were
from the Pacific coast, that the trans
ports proceed to San Francisco, in order
to land the returning troops near their
homes. Actual steaming distance for
fuIl-poWered vessels from New York to
Mania via Suez is given by naval hydro
graphers as 11,605 nautical miles while
that from San Francisco to Manila via
Horolulu is given as 1850 knots. To
Manila from New York by way of the
Cane of Good Hope is 1855 miles and by
way OF the Straits of Magellan and
Samoa it IS 900 miles.