The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-11-29
Lived on Beer, Whiskey
And Hard Tack.
Were Almost Exhausted When
They Reached Port.

IManila, November 2s.-7.35 p. m.-The
transport Manauense which sailed from
San Francisco Octobsr 20 with Lieutenant
Colonel Webb and three companies Of the
thirty first infantry ON board mas arrived
here She narrowly escaped disaster. The
officers and soldiers were for twelve days
bailing with buckets. The steamer was
unsea worthy, undermannsd and short Of
provisions. Her engines broke down and
she rolled three days in typhoon.
Manila, November 2s.-s.I5 p. m.-
When the Ma nauenss anchored In Manila
Bay this morning, thir ty three days from
San Francisco. there was several feet Of
water In her hold and four hundred
grimy ..grsasy, hungry. exhausted soldiers
and sailors who had been passing buckets
Of water since November IL. night AID
day. First Assistant Engineer Dunlevy
was under arrest and, according to Col.
webb-Hayes' official report :he chief engi-
neer would also have been under arrest II
there had been anyone to replace him.
The Colonel's report also declares that
the Captain Of the vessel told him that
the only thing which brought them
through was the fact that the men were
green hoIns and failed to realize their
danger, while experienced seamen would
have deserted the ship and taken to the
boats In mid ooean. The Nanausnss Ia a
chartered ship flying the British flag.
She belongs to u firm OF which Senator
Perkins Of San Francisco. Is alleged to be
firm bought her for $4,000 and they
claim efforts were made TO sell her TO the
government for $1,000. She started
from san francisco accompanied by the
transport Pekin which carried the re-
mainder OF the re giment and encountered
heavy seas TO Honolulu without accident.
After starting 1t developed that she was
undsrmanned and soldiers had to be de-
tn lied to act as hremen, coal passers ard
walters and to do other work. Before
reaching Honolulu tie crew concluded
that the ship was not safe and the ma
joriry agreed to desert. They We're closely
watched, many OF the crew succeeding In
getting away and the ship l,ft Honolulu
with less than half her crew.
ne ChPkalu Va t1o tAausEcIs ANONcntei
IL, told Col. Webb Bayes that the vessel
had sprung aleak and an Investigation
resultsd in finding several feat Of water
in her hold. The stesm pumps were tried
but failed to work and there were no
hand pumps on board. However, forty
six buckets were found. others were i'm
provised and the soldiers not employed In
-oxh;r.. cha ulIp xxera oroa n 1 zad into II va
shifts and, stripped and forming lines
they began bailing, the officers working
with the men, passing the buckets which
we're sent ur to the deck by a windlass.
The longest time a shift could stand, was
two hours, and often the period was not
longer than half an hour. The bailinR
continued until the ship anchored here.
The same day the leaking was dis
covered, the machinery collapsed and the
electric lighting plant and eyaporating,
distiiling aud refrigerating apparatus
failed to work. There were no lamps and
the few candles found were exhausted
after a few days. During the last week
of the pass age the MGnauense was In ut
ter darkness at night. She had been roll
ing In heavy seas all the way. but No
yem ber 22. she encountered tpyhoon
aud pitched and tossed alarmlngiy.
The Pskln became separated from the
Mansusnss In the storm. The water rosa
rapidly and the bailing forcs was
doubled. But the buckets were gradually
smashed and taIrels and boxes were sub
stituted for them, the men working In
darkness with planks and pieess OF iron
shifting or being violently washed among
them. The fireman could only feed the
fires by being lifted on the shoulders of
other men, through water waist deep.
Tae typoon lasted two days and half.
. i'd in the midst Of 1t, the engines