The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-30
THE COST OF THE
i. S. TRANSPORTS
The Reply Made to the Senate's
Inquiry for Information.
THREE LARGE TABLES GIVEN.
With Fall Account Of the Original
Price Paid and the Cost OF All
Transports Bought aud Char
tered Since March 4, 1897.

WASHINGTON. March 29.--Acting Sec
r.etary Maiklcjosln has sent a report from
.he Qlartcr1nas;cr General TO the Senate
Tn reply to u resolution OF January 9lh
last, Calling upon the Secretary Of Nar
FOR a list of all transport ships and other
vessels purchased or chartered by the
War Department since March 4, 1887, TO-
s.etnler with t,alr names, from whom puT-
rlra.Sed or chartered, the cost OF purchase
or charter, the cost OF fitting UP or re-
pairing and The number and names OF
vessels sold and The reasons FOR such &C
lion.
The Departments answe: Is In the form
OF three large tables replying specifically
10 the various inquiries of the Senate
From these it appears that only one YES
sci was sold. the steam tug Atlantic,
which was worn out and condemned. she
brought s15oa. The transport Hooker.
which was fitted up for laying q deep sea
cable III the Philippines. grounded near
Carresidor Island. while en- route from
Manila 10 Hong Kong. and was lost.
The steam lighter. Bessie became the
property of the government under the
terms OF the charter for s12,e01. and was
renamed the kearnev.
IlIRTEDS PURCHASED.
II was shown that thirteen vessels have
been purchased by the Quartcrinastcrs
Department since March 4, 1897. exclusive
OF those purchased for the army trans
port service for transportation incident TO
the Spanish war. These included the
ferry boat John Hancock; the steam
tugs General Hunt. Martha and John
Barry. and ten steam launches at total
cost of 40. with s9,525 for repairs.
I1nrry-nino vessels of all classes were
purchased for the army transport dur
ing and since the Spanish war including
about twenty-five small craft Such as
tugs. launches and lighters, purchased in
,he Philippines. The total purchase price
of these vessels was $500. 455. and the
total cost OF refitting and repairing was
ss1S9. G92 The most expensive vessels
were the transports Grant, Logan, SheTi-
dam, Sherman. Thomas and Hancock. The
purchase price of the first five named
was ssfa en- each, and that OF the Ham
cock s6GGpGo.
EXPENSE OF FITTING UP.
The expense of fitting up these vessels
is stated as follows: Hancock, S94S.el':
Grant. SOS $50: Logan. siS3.S39; Sheridan,
s22a. l69: Sherman, s52G,a6i: Thomas.
sSsSs'.3G5.
ii thus appears that the Hancock,
Logan. and Sherman cost over one mil
lion dollars each, and the other three
named slightly less amount The Dur-
chase price of the transport Meade was
100000. and $3140tO was expended in nj
ting her up. The purchase price of the
Sumner was F164.59i. and $4,000 addi-
tionai was expended in fitting hcr up
The original cost of the hospital ship
Relief was Si50,eGo and s2G5aM was eX-
pended in her transformation. The nos
pitHl ship Missouri has cost the govern
ment so far s420G12. of which a little
more than half was expended in adapting
her 10 hospital purposes. Two Of the
large transports, burnside and Hooker,
are captured Spanish steamers. All the
principal transports were acquired under
the terms OF their charters. and We're
paid fer out Of the appropriation for the
national defence.
There We're la vessels chartered FOR the
transport service 81 a total cost of S10,GS1.
BIZ for services rendered and total cost
of Sl.S94,S 42 in restoring Them 20 their
original condition on cancellation of char
ters. Of the chartered vessels seventy
nine were attached 10 the Atlantic fleet
n cost for service of se.SS22Si and for
repairs OF S115.5SB. The remaining sixty
eight chartered vessels were employed
on the Pacific at 81 cost Of S1.77l9.eSJ for
services and SlO1. COS for repairs.