Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-30
GREAT CARE SHOWN
Troopship Manuense Was Inspected
Before Sailing.
DEEMED TO Be FULLY SEAWORTHY
Lieutenant Colonel Long Reports
to the Department.
RATIONS WERE SUFFICIENT

The quartsrnaster general has received
detailed report by telegraph from Lieut..
Col O. F. Long, quartermaster in charge
of the transport service at San Francisco.
in regard to the transport Manuense. which
recently arrived at Manila after undergoing
great hardships N a typhoon. The report
was requested because of the reports or
the alleged unfitness of the vessel for trans
port service. The report is as follows
Reported to he I'm Good Order.
SAN FRANCISCO, November 20. 1899.
Quertermastar General, Washington, d. c.
Reference to your telegram today. trans
port Manuense sailed October 25 for Manila
via Honolulu. Her capacity was % officers
and $50 enlisted men, She carried II ofti-
GERS and $50 enlisted men. She was in
spected by Capt. Metcalf surveyor OF
Lloyd's register, who officially reported YES
sci in good order and condition when she
left this port, both in hull and machinery.
She Is classed number one. star one,
Lloyds. Also was thoroughly Inspected
here by Urea Department inspector of
hulls and boilers, who reported her in eN-
Cellent condition. Official reports OF these
officers are on file and recorded.
Treasury officials would not allow any
unseaworthy ship, whether government or
otherwise, to leave port; would not grant
clearance, consequently expert opinion
WORTHY. She was provided with all life
saving apparatus, even more than Treas
ury Department regulations required. Her
crew under ordinary circums stances num-
from San Francisco crew of forty-nlne
men, which fully met requirements of
treasury officials. She carried fifty-five
days provisions for 400 enlisted men and
was provtsioned for crew and army officers
by agents of the vessel for 160 days. Be
sides, she had in her hold 900 tons meas
urement of bacon, -four. canned goods and
other commissary supplies.
Inspectors Thoroughly Satisfied.
Manuense was also thoroughly inspected
by Coils. Darlington and Maus inspector
generals, and by Capt. Barneson, marine
superintendent. and by other transport off,
Gals. Lieut.. Col. Hayes also frequently
inspected transport previous to departure.
All expressed themselves thoroughly salts
fed with every arrangement and provision
made here. The ship met Lloyd's require
ments, which are the highest known among
shipping people. This in itself should be
a sufficient guarantee of seaworthiness.
The vessel made an average speed of
ten knots from Honolulu to Manila. Had
her machinery been seriously impaired she
certainly could not have made the distance
covered in the time she did. | believe, and
all our officials connected with the trans
port service here concur, when Manuense
left here she was perfectly seaworthy, fully
manned and amply provisioned.
(Signed) LONG,
General Superintendent.
Ascribed to the Elements.
Commenting on the above report, Col.
Bellinger. in charge of the transport ser
vice here. said it seemed clear that the
utmost vigilance had been used by every
enc connected with the inspection of tram
ports at San Francisco, and as the con-
missary branch had also shown the great
care used by them, such hardships as had
occurred on the ManuenSe must be al
tributable to the elements, against which no
amount of care could prevail with absolute
assurance. Officers here have received Hon
olulu newspapers showing that the Manu-
euse was all right when she arrived there,
so that tho alleged trouble must have oc-
CURED between Honolulu and Manila.
Food the Manuense.
In response to a dispatch sent by Gen.
Weston, tnQuiring as to the provisioning Of
San Francisco replied:
'Sixty-six days complete garrison ration
and liberal quantity sales stores on board.
Ships agent reports hundred and forty
days aboard for captain and crew: for de-
pot commissary eighteen tons each timed
bacon, two hundred -four, twelve coffee
ground, forty-two dried fruit and five
cady, timed"
Gen. Weston says that there were rations
for stxty-two days for each man, and that
there would not be any question about
ample food supplies.