Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-11


pines.
These ships will be docked in order that
they may attain their highest speed on
the outward voyage, and their accOmmO-
dations for troops will be thoroughly
renovated to guard against possible in
fection after their West Indian voyages.
They are expected to transport the Sew
enth and Nineteenth regiments of in
fantry and the First and Seventh regi-
ments of artillery, although some other
command may be substituted for one Of
these before their sailing dates. The
Seventh infantry is now distributed at
posts east of the Missouri, the Nineteenth
IN Porto Rico, the Seventh artillery is
along the Atlantic coast forth of WASH
ngton and the First is in the coast de-
fenses south Of the Chesapeake and along
the gulf.
The project to send these regiments by
way of New York city and Suez is based
on considera tions similar to those which
governed the war department in sending
the Grant, the Sherman and the Sheridan
by that route. The expense of transport
tat1on OF the troops by rail across the
continent amounting to $4,000 a regi-
ment. is saved, and the transports are
sent to the Pacific, where they are most
needed, as few Cuban or Porto Rican
eafrlsons Will require much more moving
about for long time to come. 1t is also
essential at this time to release a number
OF chartered vessels now used by the
army In the Pacific, and the Thomas,
Meade and the Logan are required in
their places.
On the Pacific coast two more regi-
ments-the Sixth and Sixteenth regi-
ments of infantry-will start for Manila
this month. The former will leave San
francisco on the Sherman on May %,
! and the latter on the Grant, a week later.
Within week it is believed that General
Otls Will be IN position to begin send
ing home the volunteers from the Philip
pines by every available steamer, as inn
portant reinforcements are about due to
reach him. These consist of a regular
infantry regiment and II batteries of ar
tlllery. The latter are believed to be
more needed at Manila just now than
anything else, as they will relieve prac-
tlcally all the small arm soldiers, volun-
| teers and regular, now required for the
forces of the city
1t is explained by army officers that
while infantry and cavalry troops are
needed for aggressive forward move-
ments, we'll trained battery of artillery
IS almost equal to regiment Of infantry
for holding an entrenched position, and
the arrival of II such batteries at this
time will be of incalculable advantage to
General Otis in maintaining positions al
| ready taken and deterring the insurgents
from threatening the city of Manila The
1Wenty-HfSt infantry and light battery
p of the First artillery left San Francisco
on April 49, The transport is relied on
to make the run across the ocean in 2S
days and should arrive within a week.
The Newport, which nearly a year ago
took General Merritt to Manila, has ma de
the trans-Pacif1c voyage in 25 days. and
as she left San Francisco on April 20.
she is nearly due. She carries light bat
terry F. of the Fourth artillery and light
battery F of the Fifth artillery and a
number of recruits. The Warren also
left San Francisco on the goth with eight
batteries Of the Sixth artillery and is
scheduled to arrive next week.
General Otis has informed the war de-
partment of the sailing of six chartered
transports from Manila for San Fran
cisco, the City of Puebla and the Zealan-
dla having started today, the Pennsyl-
wanna and the Nelson will leave tomor-
row and the Cleveland next day, and the
ST. Paul on Friday. The Cleveland ana
Nelson are freight boats, but the others
could have brought volunteers if it had
been considered advisable to reduce the
effective forces during the negotia tons
now being conducted with view OF
ending further Filipino resistance to the
American government. The Para, which
carries 200 men, has been stationed for
several months at Ceuba and the St.
Paul, with capacity for a regiment, has
been at IloilO since fall. These vessels
VIII be returned to their owners when
they reach San Francisco, and as rap
idly as possible all the remaining char
tered vessels will be released