Gilpin observer., 1899-11-30
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
Soldiers Nearly Lose Their Lives on .
WOrthleRH TranHport.

Worthless Transport.
Manila, Nov 2S.-When the trans
port Manauense anchored in Manila
bay this morning, thirty-three days
from San Francisco, there were sew
eral feet of water in her hold, and 4OO
grimy, greasy, hungry, exhausted SOL
diers and sailors had been passing
buckets of water since November 18th,
night and day.
First Assistant Engineer Dunleavy
was under arrest, and according to the
official report of Colonel Webb Hayes,
the chief engineer would have been un-
der arrest also if there had been any
one to replace him.
The colonefs report declares that the
captain of the vessel told him that the
only thing which brought them
through was the fact that the men
were greenhorns and failed to realize
their danger. while experienced sei.-
men would have deserted the ship and
taken to the boats in mid ocean.
The Manauense is II chartered ship
flying the British flag. She belongs to
Il firm of which Senator Perkins of San
Francisco is alleged TO be junior
member. The officers say the firm
bought her for S45. 900, and they claim
efforts were made to sell her to the
government for S15O,0OO. She started
from San Francisco accompanied by
the transport Peking. which carried
the remainder of the regiment, and en-
countered heavy seas to Honolulu,
without accident.
After starting 1T developed that she
was undermanned and soldiers had to
be detailed to act as firemen. coal pass
ers and walters, and to do other work.
Before reaching Honolulu. the crew
concluded that the ship was not safe
and the majority agreed to desert.
Though they We're closely watched
many of the crew succeeded in getting
away. and the Manauense left Homo
lulu with less than half her crew The
captain of the transport. November
18th, told Colonel Hayes that the YES
sci had sprung Il leak, and an inves-
tigation resulted in finding several feet
of water in her hold The steam
pumps We're tried, but failed to work.
and there were no hand pumps on
board. However. forty-siX buckets
were found. others We're improvised
and the soldiers not employed in work
ing the ship We're organized into five
shifts. and stripped and forming lines.
they began bailing. the officers work
ing with the men passing the buckets
which were sent up to the deck by Il
windlass. The longest time Il shift
could stand was two hours. and. often
the period was not longer than half an
hour. The bailing continued until the
ship anchored here.
The same day the leak was discover
ed. the machinery COLLAPSED, and the
electric lighting plant and distillinw,
evaporating and refrigerating plants
failed to work. There We're no lamps.
and the few candles found We're ex-
hausted after a few days. During the
last week of the passage the Manau-
ense was in utter darkness at night
She had been rolling in heavy seas all
the way. but November 22nd. she en-
countereh typhoon and pitched and
tossed alarmingly.
Throughout the remainder of the
voyage the engines of the Manauense
failed frequently and the ship would
roll for n few hours. while the engines
were repairing. Then the steamer
would proceed again for few hours.
After the storm the water supplied to
the ship at Honolulu had to he used for
the boilers. and there was little or none
for drinking. In fact it is asserted
that during the last week of the voy-
age the men lived almost entirely on
whisky. beer and hardtack.
The officers and soldiers were entire
ly exhausted when they reached Ma
Mia. They declare that the engineers
were grossly incompetent. The officers
also say that the behavior of the troops
was beyond praise. For days they
worHcd in the dark. suffocating hold.
with water sometimes up to their
shoulders. and planks Swashing about
In II manner dangerous to life and limb
The officers took the lead in bailing and
encouraged the men.
The captain of the shin promised the
men p cents II day for bailing. but he
now proposes TO nay them II dollar and
half. The soldiers talk of attaching
the ship.