The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-14
Transport Tartar With American
Troops Reused Clearance.
SHIP IS OyERCROWDED
ACTION OF BRITISH AUTHoRI-
TIES AT THAT PORT.
Claims That the Vessel Is Flying
the English Flag and Is Under the
Control of Great Britain-War De-
partment Has Submitted Matter
to Ambassador Choate.

! Washington, Sept. ia cable mes
sage was received at the war depart
ment today concerning the transport
Tartar, which has been held at Hong
kong. Secretary Root thought it was
of sufficient Importance to take to the
president for consideration.
After Secretary Roots return from
the White House he had conference
with the commissioner of navigation.
Mr. Chamberlain, and also decided to
take up the matter Of the Tartar With
the state department, with a view OF
having the ship cleared at Hongkong.
A dispatch was sent to Colonel Met
calf of the Twentieth Kansas, who is
in command of the troops on the trans
port, asking if in his opinion the ship
was overcrowded, and if there was just
ground for complaint of the subsistence
furnished the men. A dispatch was also
sent to General Otis, asking for fur
Their information concerning the Tar
tar and the supplies with which she
was furnished. No decision can be
reached until the state department has
communicated with our embassy at
London, as it is question which may
be settled by the British government.
The war department made public the
following dispatches:
sept. lI.--OOIDlll, w ash
ington: British authorities refuse to
clear Tartar because overcrowded, au-
thorize S24. METCALF."
Cable From Otis.
Manila, Sept 13.-Adjutant General,
Washington: Tartar sent to Hongkong
to dock, as requested by Major Long;
no dock large enough at Nagasaki. She
has capacity for ], las men and Ill cabin
passengers. She took back LAP men
and 81 cabin passengers. On her trip
from San Francisco she carried COM
fortably 1,145 men and So cabin pas
sengers. OTIS
A private cable message from Hong
kong says a complaint was made by
400 discharged regulars on board the
Tartar of overcrowding, whereupon
clearance was refused. The Twentieth
Kansas volunteers, with General Fun
ston, are aboard, but it is believed the
volunteers made no complaint, and are
anxious to have clearanceS granted the
ship in order that they may proceed
homeward.
The army transport Tartar, which is
reported detained at Hongkong by the
British authorities, was chartered by,
the United States, and is owned by the
Canadian Pacific Steamship company.
She sails under the British flag. 1t is
said that under these conditions she is
subject to the British navigation laws,
as being chartered by the United States
does not entitle her to American regis
ter. The British consul can determine
whether she complies with the British
navigation laws, and if she does not
he has authority to unload her.
Went to Hongkong to Dock
The quartermasters department does
not know why the Tartar went to
Hongkong, but it is supposed that it
was for the purpose of docking her. |
The Tartar sailed from San Francisco
July "a. She carried 1921 men. 1t is
stated at the war department that she I
was under the supervision of the board |
of health at San Francisco, and that |
she would not have been allowed to !
sail into port if she did not comply |
with the regulations. When she ar |
rived at Manila General Otis reported |
her with all on board well, and no |
deaths She sailed from Manila Sept. 4 |
with l 1903 men on board. r.
1t was stated at the war department. /
this afternoon that the Tartar matter
had been referred to Ambassador
Choate, which makes an international
question of it. The contention of the
war department. is that notwithstand- /
ing the Tartar flies the British flag, /
the assumption of British authority i
over her is unauthorized, as she is
chartered by the United States govern
ment.