New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-03
TIE SHERMAN AT GIBRALTAR
AN ELEvEN-DAY VOYAGE ACROSS THE
ATLANTIC
INCIDENTS OF LIFE ABOARD THE BIG TROOP
sH1P-NO ILLNESS AMONG THE MEN.

INCIDENTS OF LIFE ABOARD THE BIG TROOP
sH1P-No ILLNESS AMONG THE MEN.
On BOARD L. s \. Transport Sherman. Gibraltar,
Feb II (SpeciaD.-Exacuy eleven calendar days
after passing Sandy Hook the troopship Sherman
dropped anchor of the Rock Of Gibraltar. and
having received pratique from the health author-
ties prepared to coal and provision ship for the
run TO Port Said. her rcxt stop on the way to
Manila.
The passage was marked by perfection OF man
aremcnt on the part Of the authorities on board
and the excellent health Of soldiers sailors and
passongors For q few days a northwest gale made
everything damp but at no time there any
actual discomfort Sickness record that speaks
well for those upon whom the responsibility OF
TRANSPORTING the two thousand troops and passen-
gers rested.
Despite tho heavy weather which lasted nearly
scyortv-two hours. the health and behavior or the
troops have been excellent We'll az the Sherman IS
couinped for carving troops there will undoubtod
rs bc many minor changes made In her domestic
economy. needs may arise. Tho canvas beds.
laced on iron tubing have proved both cleanly and
convenient. and whom one compares the 80 per cent
mortality among tho Spanish troops repatriated
from cuba 20 Spain with the clean bill OF health
offered by tho sherman. carrying two thousand
troops there seems little 10 say.
The method of ventilation has been tested 10
Some degree. although the ship has not yet on
colntorcd any hot weather. Al the auxiliary ven
cold air. and il was found I'm the bad weather that
the not air considerably reduced the general damp
ness resulting from wet decks and closed matches.
Conversely. II tho apparatus VIII keep Tn" sleeping
and messing decks warm and dry in cold. damp
weather bv the use Of hot air. il should. through
the use Of artiGcialy cooled air keep the same por-
lions of the ship comfortable I'm the tropics.
Some of the women of the party have had rather
q hard time. owing To The weather. and In the last
three or four days before reaching Gibraltar new
faces were constantly showing deck, their
owners having kept dscrectly below for the first
week Tho Misses Page. daughters Of the Colonel
commanding the regiment. were exceptions, and
proved better sailors than OF the younger
officers in brand new uniforms and buttons.
THE MAsCOTs on BOARD.
The masco,s on board include small hrindle
pup a wise-looking fox-terricr and a pocket edi-
ton Of Afro-American humanity. The three are
in perfect harmony and know no such thing as
army allowance in ratons. being fed generally
and persstenuy by their admirers.
Among the troops many Western men, who
never saw salt water big vessel before. and
their efforts finding their way about are lud
crous one recruit declared that he had no place
to loaf as he had been ordered down from tho
roof (meaning the upper decI0 10 the cellar (the
berth deck) and fired out OF that place. His ser
geant told him 10 go out In the back yard. a
place for which he searched ndustriOusly for
time
February
height The sea running high from the port
| quarter causing the ship roll heavily. When
the spray began swislling across decks oil bags
were used with good results and the decks kept
comparatively dry when tho ship rolling
most a detachment OF troopers parted from their
| moorings on the berth deck and rolled down
pile OF Hfe-proservers slowed Convinced that
! the worst had come, they desperately clutched the
! belts and struggled into them. in which condition
they waited for the ship to sink, declining 20 give
up their cork Jackets until the sea had become
! smooth. one big corporal from the East Side de-
! fed the elements by bawling old songs that have
| been sung and whstled on New-York's streets for
ten years. lie declares that he has found a song
cure for seaslclnoss.
1t was on February that the sun first dried the
decks after the Sherman left New-York Harbor.
As an evidence OF gratitude the band Of the Sd
Infantry turned out and played operate and popu-
lar music 10 n thousand rather sckly looking SOL
diers. In most cases II was their first appearance
! on deck, and the enthusiasm subdued by the
motion Of the ship The women had frightened up
! with the weather, pat on smart gowns. and easily
| led in the conversation. The gray campaign hats
Of the soldiers on the main deck covered the for
! ward part OF the ship like a field Of mushrooms.
! but when the band. at the end Of the concert
started up the National air. the hats rose with
one motion, and pallid and bronzed faces showed
the feeling aroused 10y the familiar strains. heard
under such unusual conditions.
SCHEMES OF The SOIDltlt BD1 >.
Among the nearly two thousand men comprising
the ships company there is wide range Of orig
inal occupation that makes their presence seem the
result OF a sort Of exodus to a tropical Klondike
Nearly every has plans for working a
scheme" in the Philippines irrespective OF the fact
that they are all under articles to the United
States Government for a term OF service Of mot
less than year" There BARRIERS intent on
opening Dewey shaving parors"; embryo ply
sicans determined 20 sell specific remedies to the
sicky Filpinos, young lawyers learned in the
intricacles Of golf and tennis, bent propoundng
law. and half dozen Adventures. who calmly
declare they intend TO live IN the islands and not
do any work at all
The same strange classification is 10 be found
among the sodlery who hope that within their
tern. Of enlistment they may become so familiar
with the conditions and resources OF the Islands
that the promotion OF stock companies other
methods Of exploitation may be an easy and re-
munerative matter Nor IS there any lack OF skilled
brains among the men enlisted one company hav-
ing no less than two lawyers. ono Western brewer
and several stenOgraphers and clerks. These are
Regular Army men. II IS 10 be remembered bu,
with them enlistment has been only means to an
end.
Ono night after supper dozen Of the Army ON
GERS and women passengers were grouped near the
| forward end or the promenade deck, singing songs
| OF home and country. From tho lower deck the
| Columbia the Gem OF the Ocean" Then the mer
! grew restless They wanted 10 Join in the singing
but discipline was TOO strong At the close Of the
| FIRST verse they dropped restraint and epplaudec
heartily. The singing continued, despite the notice
able fact that hardly any OF the officers knew the
| words. Then when the officers mad sung them
| selves out the men. after courtcously applaudiug
| broke into n mighty chorus - Marching Through
| Georgia" that rose and swellod in darkness that
| enshrouded the deck and lost itself In the SOUND
| OF the breaking And so 81 went on. first the
officers and then the men singing different songs
| but with the same feeling al heart. until hOarst
and tired they sent to bed by the tones Of the
| buRle sounding taps
| When within forty-eght hours Of Gibraltar there
was scurryng for pens, ink and writing materials