The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-18


been directed to supply either fresh of
desiccated potatoes. or combination oil
the two. An invoice of $4,000 in gold. Tor
use In China, has been directed made 10
the chief commissary at Manila. at his re-
quest
1t is learned at the Bureau OF Naval
Intelligence that the Russian Government
has two large vessels used as ice crush
ers, one located now at Port Arthur and
the other at Nladivostock. and II respect
fully submitted that the services of these
vessels might be procured in order to keep
open communication. in winter. with some
of the ro.ts on the Gull Of Pe-chi-i, IL case
of a combined movement Of the allied
forces.
Regarding the location Of the base OF
supply for troops in China, inasmuch as
Manila is situated in our own possessions
and but seven days from Taku, it would
seem to be the preferable. logical. and
military base. In this way the Manila
base can supply the armies in the Phil
ippines as well as the armies in China,
it drawing its stores frcm San Francisco
A secondary base will necessarily have
10 be established somewhere in China.
presumably Tak,i. ] see no object in cstab-
fishing a base in another country, at Ma
gasaki. and having one at Taku too. The
advantages Of proximity in having base
at Nagasaki will be more than offset by
the concentration of having one depot
for both armies at Manila and China,
and direct communication, as well as by
minimizing expenses"
The Signal Corps.
Gen. A. w. Greely. Chief Signal Officer
has provided for military telegraph line
of $50 miles He says:
"One first lieutenant and ten men
sailed with the Ninth Infantry for Chefoo'
carrying material and instruments Tor 'he
installation and operation OF nifty miles
of field telegraph line. The Chief Signal
officer sent on the Grant with General
ChafTee on July /. two officers with eight
additional men. and material for 100 addi-
ti5nal miles of field telegraph iine.
Major George f. Scriyen. signal officer
of volunteers. has been ordered to JOIN
General Chafree as signal officer of the
command. In the aggregate there are
either in China. or en- route thereto
four officers, eighteen men and loo miles |
of field line. There are neither ofhcers
nor men available in the United states, |
and there is no officer of the Signal Corps,
either regular or volunteer, on duty west |
of Washington.
"As Cuba is the only section from which /
officers can be spared, 1t is recommended |
that there be relieved from duty and |
ordered to report at the signal corps |
post. Fort Myer. Virginia, Capt. Edward |
B. Ives. signal officer of volunteers, now !
serving at Quemados; First Lieut.. Victor |
U. S. Volunteer Signal Corps. |
now serving at Santiago de Cuba, and First |
Lieut.. Charles b. Rogan. U. S. Volunteer |
Signal Corps, on duty at Matanzas. now |
on leave. In addition to these |
uorf cfc
officer, q. s. Volunteers, will be available |
for foreign service
Equipment for Troops.
Quartermaster General Ludinston gives
detailed report of the work of every
branch of his department. The clothing de-
partment of the army gives a list Of
clothing ordered shipped for the troops.
It is as follows:
Eight thousand five hundred overcoats,
10000 pairs Canton flannel drawers, 1,4oo
Sihley stoves, 1000 joints Sibley stove
pipe, 5000 wool blankets. 5000 lined
blouses, 5000 campaign hats. 5000 pairs
trousers, foot, heavy; 1900 pairs
trousers, mounted, heavy; 5000 ponchos.
10000 ID. B. flannel shirts, 10000 pairs
black calfskin shoes. 10000 pairs cotton
stockings heavy: $4,000 pairs woolen
stockings. 1000 wool undershirts, heavy;
u 600 pairs wooden gloves, 5000 pairs Arc
hoods.
Troops leaving States for China carry
a complete outfit of tropical clothing In
addition to their regulation winter cloth
ing and tentage. Troops from the Phil
ippines 20 fully equipped with tentage.
There has been shipped from Manila TO
Taku sufficient quantities of the follow
ing articles for 5.Gc0 troops: Blouses. un-
lined: trousers. kersey. foot. Is ounces;
D. B. flannel shirts. cotton stockings. light
weight: undershirts. wool. light weight
1000 drawers, $50 Sibley stoves.
For field transportation the following
provision has been made:
Sent from Manila 10 China with Ninth
Infantry: IS mules. 10 wagons. 4 ambu-
lanees. Sent on Leelanaw from San Fran
cisco: 253 horses for the Sixth Cavalry
Sent on Conemaugh from San Francisco:
2s0 horses for the Sixth Cavalry, II mules,
3 escort wagons, 3 ambulances. Sent on
Lennox from Portland, Ore; 3Ss horses
for the Sixth Cavalry, 100 pack mules, 90
riding horses for packers, bell mares,
100 apareios with complement OF packers
for TWO pack trains complete.
Four hundred thoroughly broken mules
are now en- route to Seattle. and can be
forwarded to such place as they may be
needed, also 2S5 aDarejos-
Soldiers Well Supplied.
The chief cuartermas.er at Manila re-
ports that the troops leaving Manila for |
Taku were amply supplied with all quar-
iermaster stores and the regimental quar-
terInaster supplied with ample funds. The
quartermaster Of troops on the transports
Grant Conemaugh. Leelanaw. and LennoA
ffad with
master funds liz gold. One hundred steril-,
fzers. twenty-five gallons per hour. are
being manufactured. and will be sent by
express to San Francisco soon as possible.
Eight TO go on Meade on August 1. Two
distilIing plants capacity GOO gallons each
per day also go with Meade. Sterilizers
are intended for making potable river CT
other fresh water which is impure Dis
tilling plants answer above purpose and in
addition furnish potable water from sea
water. II is contemplated to send addi-
tional distilling plants by succeeding
transports as rapidly as possible, having
IN view supply Of at least 5000 men.
Steps are being taken TO handle the
troops and freight for Taku from San
Francisco by the Manila transports,
stopping at Nagasaki and transferring the
troops and stores there into transports
that will run between Nagasaki and Taku.
Enquiry is being made by the Secretary
Of War, through the State Department, to
know whether this can be done.
Animal ships have been chartered and
Will be fitted up as fast as they arrive to
carry about 1900 animals, and can be
diverted to China II mules or cavalry
horses are needed there.
General Burlington, Chief OF the Ord
Sance Bureau. gives memoranda Of the