The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-06-05
Sent Monthly to the
Philippines.
TO PAY OFF, AMERICAN SOLDIERS
Interesting Facts Relating to the
Maintenance OF the Army
in the Far East.

WASHINGTON, u. q. June a.
The money sent 20 the Philippines
every month to pay the American
land forces, u all of Il were In gold
would weigh almost exactly A Ions
ton-precisety speaking. SEP pounds
II all IN silver K would tip the scales
at $4,000 pounds. Thus II appears
that IN wages alone the army Of tbs
archipelago consumes "a pounds u
Eold per diem OF ilSo pounds II all
Yer every day, Putting Il otherwise,
our fiEhting men ~ the Islands draw
from the treasury 81 the United
States little over three pounds Of
gold per hour or about fodr-fifths Of
an ounce every minute.
The pay 81 the American troops IN
the far distant archipelago amounts
60 sssa.eeo a maath. Just about ov-
cry 90 days a paymsster leaves san
Francisco for Manila With 81 soo. oed
in cold cash. T.hia money IL placed
by the war department 10 the er,,dit
OF Col. Fox. chief paymastef at the
department % tho Pacific. at the sub
treasury at san Francisco. lie turns
u over To the officer aetected 60 con.
yey u 60 the Philippines. and Il 4
taken directly from the sub-trcasurY
70 the steamship under guard q a
file % soldiers
Most % the money u in eoi,i-
double eagles. eagles and haif-eaEiFs
This Is chiefly because silver weighs
80 much: but ther~ l. some silver at
- In dollars ard In subsidiary coin.
rs well as few thousand dollars
IN notes United States notes have
not yet obtained general recognition
IN the Philippines. ard noe being ais-
Ipseed Of easily on that account. sill
Yer and gold are more convenient Tor
ordinary dealings Another ohIec-
ton 10 silver out there - that people
IN that part - the world arr aecus-
toned 10 accefA the white metal at
or near it's bulIton value. and they
do mot realize that Uncle Same
stamp makes u worth Ice cents on
the dollar. Gold. on thu other hand.
''gc-sa'' everywhere.
AZ the suh-treasury the money v
put up in bags--efe gold In sacks Of
$4,000 each. AMI tho silver In bags
of 1900 each The haes are packed
In wooden boxes especially made for
the purposs. II 10 necessary that
the boxes shall b. very strong. b.
cause OF the great weight % their
contents A bag containing sza.ooo
IN god weighs TsA pounds avoirsiu-
poss. while silver dollars weigh -
pounds for every tfoo0 Two bags
Of silver or five bars 81 gold SO ~
each box. 80 that a bcx Of gofd coin
weigh. exactly zsi pounds sud repre-
SCENTS 500 e0o. while a box % silver
pleces contains 5000 and weighs us
pounds
Fractional silver. however. weighs
iess--s10oo worth OF u tips the scales
at n little over IS pounfs--mnd Of
such subsidiary coins considerable
quantities are sent TO Manila. where
change IL needed az murh as IN the
country. Before IRE outbreak * hos
TITLES with the natives practically
ali Of the cash forwarded 10 the
Philippines was In gold. but the pro-
portion Of silver y increasing. and
the next consignment viii include 4
lot % nfcksis These last. Of course.
are very heavy for the value repre-
scented. 1900 worth OF them weighing
20 pounds
When the steamship arrives At
Manila the pay officer In charge Sees
20 II that every box of money taken
out OF the specie room 80 intact. with
seals uniisturbsd. Under guard By
a file Of soldiers they are carried 10
the shore. ard are handed over 20
the senior paymaster at Manila.
who verifies their contents and re-
eeipts fer them. Then. as they are
required. the chief custodian Of the
funds daiss them out 10 the Huiord-
irate paymaSters. who distribute
them among the troops. Payday ar
rives once every two months In the
Philippines.
One can say that the expense Of
feeding one soldier. for one dav y
about 20 cents. Reckoning IL at this
rate. the total IL easily calculated.
There are now IN the Philippines
- GO American soldiers and officers.
The officers number abou; $50. which
estimate leaves q. 40 men to be fed.
Their nations AZ 20 cents a day tota'-
up s547o per diem. or 10000 per
month.
These show that Uncle Sam IL pay
ing pretty heavily for the luxury OF
acquiring foreign territory. The
items Of pay and raiions. Of course.
represent not nearly the whole Of
the expenditure involved. There are
many thousands OF tents to be fur
niahed and large number Of horses.
Uniforms are costly. and a soldier II
supposed to require a suit Of clothes
and two pairs 0f shoes every year.
with an extra pair 81 trousers. half
dozen pairs OF gloves. and all sorts
OF etceteras.
The commissary department keeps
at Manila an immense stock 81 what
are called sale articieg." that ~,
things that are not furnished gratis
by the government. but which men
and officers want to buy.