Evening star., 1899-03-11
ARMY TRANSPORT SERVICE
The War Department Watching Its Opera
tions With Interest
Praise of the English Officers Who
Inspected the vesse1s-The Time
Made to Manila.

The report of the Grants safe arrival at
Manila with the 4th Infantry and battal-
ion of the 18th Infantry is a source of con-
siderable congratUlation to the War De-
partmeut. which is now looking forward to
the speedy arrival of the Sherman at the
same port. The Grant left New York jan
uary 10 and the Sherman did not leave un-
til February 2, but allowing for the time
that the Sherman picked up on the Grant
in the run from New York to Gibraltar. 1t
is thought that she will probably beat the
Grants time by about four days in the full
run. This would bring her to Manila about
March Is.
The War Department is taking great in
terest in the performance of the transports
on this long run, and II the Sherman and
the Sheridan equal the Grants record for
speed, and for the health and safety of the
troops, the department will feel that this
government has transport service better
In quality, if not in quantity, than that Of
Great Britain herself.
This, in fact was the comment of the
English officers who inspecte3 both the
Grant and the Sherman at Gibraltar They
were surprised not only at the number of
men who were housed on a single trans
port, but at the complete arrangements
that were made for their health and com
fort. The number of tub and shower baths
the simplicity and cleanliness of the canvas
cot arrangements, the swinging mess ta-
bieS tiat coofu be removed TO give eXerciS-
ing space on the decks and the effectiveness
of the galley system and the messing ar
rangem ants Were all subjects of comment
by the foreigners.
These favorable comments on being trans
mitted to the War Department, were the
source of considerable qualification, par
ticularly as the department has not been
overburdened with that sort of thing re-
Gently at home. The department spent con-
siderable time in working out the details
or the transport service and feels that it
now has practically perfect system. The
loading is done in such way that the Off
Ger in charge not only knows just where
everything Is on board, but can get at 3ny-
thing that is likely to be wanted on the
voyage. The men are provided with read
ing matter, there Is a chaplain aboard each
vessel, so that religious services can be
held whenever desired, and the hospital ar
rangements are as good as anything of a
like size to be found Oh shore.
The fact that there has been so little
call on this feature of the service is re-
garded by the department as the best
recommendation for the remainder of the
system. The government now has thirty
one vessels in the service which it owns.
and fourteen others under charter All of
the latter are on the Pacific. together with
the Warren, the Hancock and the Grant
while the Sherman and the Sheridan are
on their way there as fast as steam can
carry them.
Among other things that have gratified
the department were the coufeeHes extend
ed to the American troops touching at
and drilled under arms in the presence of
the British officers on duty there receiving
congratulations on their fine appearance
from the English commaudant