The San Francisco call., 1899-11-20
WHO SHOULD Be
THE CAPTAIN OF
THE TRANSPO
Interesting Question
of Authority.
CAPTAIN BUTLER BLUFFED
HAD TO GIVE UP HIS CABIN TO
THE QUARTERMASTER-
DR.. Giannini and Five Hospital Corps
Men Volunteer to Care for
the Smallpox Ia
tients.

The old question of "Who is boss?" is
apt 10 make the voyage Of the Pathan
lively one before she reaches Manila.
There is a quartermaster on board who
believes there is nothing In the way OF
authority on the ship that can in any way
come up to his position. He cannot navi-
gate nOr does ne know what to de when
the weather picks up, but in his own
estimation he commands the snip Just the
same.
Captain Detchmendy Of the regular in
fantry was detailed by orders from de-
partment headquarters as quartermaster
and commissary of the Pathan while on
her way westward. There is nothing in
this which includes supreme command.
and IL is laid down in the instructions
furnished quartermasters by Colonel
Long that they must not interfere with
the officers and crew or the vessel, but
Detchmendy couldn't keep his hands of.
When he came aboard the morning OF
the day on which the transport sailed
he went to the captains cabin, and find
ing ii comfortable. he chose II for his
own. Captain Butler is something or a
naturalist and he had among other things
in his cabin some tropical plants, col
lection of live birds and few curious
lizards. These Captain Detchmendy had
thrown out upon the deck, and then he
installed himself. When Captain Butler
heard of il he was sufficiently angry 10
beard the commanding quartermaSter In
the cabin and have IL out with him, but
Detchmendy would not give up the cabin.
He told Captain Butler that he alone was
in command and 10 prove II ne sum-
moned the chief engineer and told him 10
light his fires and nave steam up within
an hour and half, as they might be
getting under way in that time. lie did
not know that no chief engineer who un-
derstands his business Will get up steam
on a big vessel in any such time as that.
nor was he aware OF the fact that steam
was already up and had been all day.
Butler made himself bunk up In the
chartroom and the vessel went 10 sea
with the quartermaster sun runnlns
things. II might be interesting TO know
how he will run matters IL the snip strikes
a typhoon.
transport is one that has come up more
often than any one supposes in the ser
vice just started by this Government
Captain Butler is master OF BRUSH snip
under charter or perhaps he would never
have allowed himself 10 be so imposed
upon. Had he followed the example or
some American captains who have run
up against commanding quartermasters,
IL would have been hard for Detchmendy'
but Butler probably did not wish 10 nave
any trouble while the vessel was uHuer
charter He did refuse. however, TO al
low his crew TO clean up the quarters oc-
cupied by the soldiers. 1t is Colonef
Longs orders that the soldiers Keep thelf
berth decks clean. Captain Detcnmenuy
reversed this and wanted the snip crew
TO do it. But the ships crew VIII not
do it, -...,o.
There have been various vague stories
regarding this same question or authority;
One was that of colonel VINO DeneNeu
he would take possession or the captain
cabin because he thought II more com
fortatle than the one assigned hlIn he
learned a lesson in transport authority
and remained In his own quarters an
other wanted TO reach Manila by What
his ruler and old chart told MN was
the shortest distance. He thouSht the
vessel was not headed properly by the
compass but he, too, learned a lesson. IL
was a case of who runs the snip that
brought the Scandia To standstll IN
midocean until some army Subaltern
learned that the had not the authority or
a major general, even If he were at sea,
and a number of other things OF similar
nature have cropped up now ana then 10
teach landsmen what To do aboard ship.
But Captain Butler Is new TO the Amerl-
can transport service. II he makes an
other trip he ne VIII proP9pyy in yor rc5 himself
The four men from the Forty-elghth
Regiment that have been taken down
with smallpox have been sent OUT 10 Inc me
recently vacated camp near the fort. Inc
men are Corporal Charlie Arter, COM
pany F. Clint owens of Company +,
Lee Matthews of Company NJ ana Lon
ME BRYANT of Company c. In addition
10 these four. James Fleming and wade
Porter of Company Il are under detention
in the hospital in an Isolated Waru 10
await developments.
Some one had to go out with the cases
to the detention camp, ana as soon as IL
was known there was to be another siege
OF Il out there, Dr. II. y. Giannint, an
acting assistant surgeon on duty at the
hospital and a young physician well
known in this city. volunteered Tor the the
duty and was accepted. With him the
following hospital corps men oHered
themselves: William c. Dickey and
Samuel J. Perry, nurses; Max List, COOK
John X Rinken, orderly, and John f.
billiard. ambulance driver. They took
their patients in the ambulance Sunday
@ ana S SSeTa wTpT oWt Weeks before Rey @
see their friends again. The cases are
not serious ones, but they are none the
less contagious. II is hhopeT9;, T, however, T,evt
eighth was recruited at Fort Thomas.
where the Thirty-first was recruited. The
Thirty first brought the disease with II.
and the Forty-eighth has done the same.
II is believed they need a bonfire at Fort
Thomas.
The Forty-fourth Infantry will leave for
the islands to-day and as a finale to Pre-
sidio life. Colonel McClernand ordered
dress parade and review i'm heavy march
ing order yesterday afternoon. To those
who had never seen a soldier in heavy
marching order the ceremony was par
ticularly interesting. Every man had, be-
sides his arms and cartridge belt, his
and blanket roll and rubber poncho
tucked under his belt. They were well
laden. but they bore their burdens
sturdlly. The regiment made a fine ap-
pearance and looked ready for business.
With the assistance Of rain and six
inches of mud. Captain McAlexander.
quartermaster and commssary of the
general hospital. has succeeded in secur-
ing an appropriation OF $500 for outside
repairs To the hospital. which means a
board walk to keep people from sinking
out of sight. Through all the last storms
people picked their way through a soft,
clinging rubber-like paste hunting for
dry spots and finding puddles. a good
part Of the old parade ground had been
tracked into the hospital buildings before
Captain McAlexander secured his ap-
preparation.
First Lieutenant Clarence B. Millhoff.
duty on the transport st. Paul. Acting
Assistant Surgeons Elwin w. Ames
James B. Hallwood. William II Tukev