The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-12-01
Steamer Was Manned By a Crew Of Forty.
Nine Picked and Capable Men.
CARRIED FlfTY-NINE DAY. PROVISIONS
pruvisiunsd io' Cr.w and Army Officers for 100
DAYS and had In Hold 500 Tons Of 6icoi,
Flour, Cannsd Goods.

Washiae+a4az-pe 1.-The quarter
master General has received "A detailed
report by telegraph from Lieut.. Col g.
Il. Long. I'm charge of the transport
service at San Francisco, on the trans
port Manauense, which recently ar
rived at Manila, after undergoing
frightful hardships i'm a Pacific ty-
phoon. The report, which was request
ed because OF tie statements Of the un-
fitness for the vessel for transport SER
vice is as follows:
san Francisco, Nov.29.-In reference
10 your telegram, today transport
Manauense sailed Oct. % FOR Manila,
via Honolulu. Her capacity was 2S ofii-
GERS and $50 en-. listed men. She carried
II officers and $50 enlisted men. She
was inspected by Captain Metcalf, sur
veyor OF Lloyds Register, who officially
reported vessel in good order and con-
dRion when she left this port, both in
hull and machinery. She is class \
number 1. star !, Lloyds Also was
thoroughly inspected here by Treasury
Department Inspector OF Hulls ana
Boilers, who reported her in excellent
condition. Official reports of these OFF,
GERS are on file and recorded.
Treasury ofhcials would not allow
any unseaworthy ship whether Gov
ernment OF otherwise, To leave port;
would not gram clearance. Conse-
quently. expert opinion pronounced
Manauense perfectly seaworthy She
was provided with all life-saving APP
paratus, even more than Treasury De-
partment regulations required. Her
crew. under ordinary circumstances
numbers 80 men. She actually carried
from San Francisco a crew OF ~ men.
which fully met the requirements OF
Treasury officials. She carried - days
provisions for 400 enlisted men, and
officers by agents OF vessel for 100
days; besides she had in her hold 900
tons measurements of bacon, Hour,
canned goods and other commssary
supplies.
''Manauense was also thoroughly
Inspected by Coils. Darlington and
Maaus, Inspectors General. by Capt
Barnson. Marine Superintendent, am
by other transport officials. Lieut.. Col.
Hayes also frequently inspected trans
port previous to departure, All eN-
pressed themselves thoroughly satisfied
with every arrangement. The ship met
Lloyds requirements, which are the
NlsNtSl kItNn dilbnE NiipbihS Htpbit.
This in itself should be a sufficient
guarantee of seaworthiness.
The vessel made an average speed
OF 10 knots from Honolulu TO Manila.
Had her machinery been seriously inn
paired she certainly could not have
made the dist tanCe covered I'm the time
she dill. | believe, and all our officials
connected with the transport service
here concur, when Manauense left here
she was perfectly seaworthy. fully
manned and amply provisipnpd
Commcntingon the above port. Col.
Reilinger. i'm charge of the tlanspnrt
service here said II seemed clear that
the utmost vigilance had been used bv
everyone connected with tho inspection
of transports at San Francisco and as
the comnissarv branch had also shown
the care used bv tnein. such s1ardships
as had occurred must be attributable
TO the elements against which no
amount Of care could prevail with alb
solute assurance. Officers here have re-
ceive1 Honolulu newspapers showing
tat the Mansuense was all right when
she arrived there. 50 that the trouble
must have occurred between Honolulu
and Manila.