Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-07-21
Miseellaneous Reaaina.
OUR ARMY In CHINA.
Ouartermastsr Department Preparing for
all Possible Emergiences.

OUR ARMY IN CHINA.
Ouartermastsr Department Preparing for
all Possible Emergiences.
The adjutant generals Office Tuesday
night made public detailed statement
showing the provision made by the
war department in the equipment OF
the expeditionary force to be sent by
the United States to China. The
strength of this force in all the arms
of the service aggregates 1866 1t is
possible that this force may be further
Augmented to the extent of two or
three thousand men; as was fore.
casted at the cabinet meeting today ;
but the general preparations herein
enumerated by the quartermaster's
and commissary departments hold
good for whatever army may be dis.
patched.
The commissary general has made
all arrangements for feeding the Chi
nese force from the base already estab-
-lished at Manila. The 9Th cavalry,
now afoat, and all the other troops
following them from this country, will
carry sixty days. field rations.
Owing to the fact that the Gulf of
Pechili is ice-bound about. the 1st of
November, preparations have been
made to land at Taku before that date
six months supply of commissary
stores. Fifty thousand dollars in gold
for use in China has been invoiced TO
the chief commissary at Manila, and
Major H. J. Gallagher, of the commits
sary department, who made an excel
lent record during the Cuban cam
.paign, has been detailed to report to
General Chafee as chief commissary of
the troops in China. The commissary
department has made inquiries as to
the possibilities of securing fresh meats
and vegetables for the troops in China,
and this detailed information has been
forwarded to Major Gallagher. Owing
to the probable scarcity. of fresh sup
plies on shore the department has had
recourse again to canned beef, but for
the present campaign it has been put
in the form of beef stew, corned beef
aud corned beef hash, and sufficient
vegetables, such as potatoes and on.
ions, have been canned with it to OBJ
viate the difficulty experienced in
Cuba, where the troops were forced to
eat beef from the cans without further
cooking.
The bureau of naval intelligence and
the bureau of military information
have informed the commissary general
that the Russian government has two
large and specially constructed vessels
for use as ice crushers, one now located
at Port Arthur and the other at Valdi-
vostock, and the commissary general
suggests that it might be possible to
procure the services of these vessels to
keep open communication in the win
ter with some of the ports on the Gulf
of Pechilli in case of combined move
ment of the allied forces. Every prep
aration that has been possible has been
made by the commissary general to
secure an abundant and suitable sup
ply Of food for the American forces
who are on shore, even though all
communication should be blocked by
the ice during the winter months.
Troops leaving the states for China
will carry a complete outfit of comfor-
table clothing in addition to their reg
ulation clothing and tentage. Owing
to the severe weather that may be en-
perienced in northern China during
the winter, the expedition will carry
1,400 Sibley stoves, $500 overcoats,
5000 pairs of Arctic overshoes, 5000
blankets, lined canvas hoods and other
extra heavy winter clothing in proper.
tion, sufficient for the 5000 men.
To secure suitable drinking water
for the troops on shore, one hundred
sterilizers of capacity of 25 gallons
her hour are being manufactured and
will be- sent by express to San Fran
cisco as soon as possible. Eight
will be ready to ship on the Meade on
August l. The Meade also will carry
two distilling plants of capacity of
600 gallons per day each. 1t is con-
templated to send additional distilling
plants by succeeding transports as rap
idly as possible, having in view the
supply for at least 5000 men.
Inquiry is also making in Japan to
know whether small cast iron stoves,
suitable for burning the soft Japanese
coal, can be obtained in Japan for the
use of the troops in China. This will
be in addition to the Sibley stoves al
ready mentioned.
Animal ships have been chartered
and will be fitted up as fast as possible
TO carry about 1000 animals. Pre-
parations have been made to send
whatever lumber the army may need
from the United States.
The chief of ordnance reports there
is an abundant supply of ammunition
for small arms and machine guns OF
rifle calibre on hand for prolonged
war on large scale.
Ample provision has been made by
the medical department for surgical
and hospital appliances and attendants,
and the signal corps will also be well
of Hampton.
Columbia State, Wednesday,: Gov
\