The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-17

ing from Manila the Ninth and Fourteenth
regiments of infantry and Battery F of the
Fifth Artillery he had spared all the men
that he could with safety to American in
terests in the Philippines. The Secretary
Of War had previously received a formal
recommendation from General Miles tina;
about $500 men composed of the regulars
that had been longest in the Philippines.
he sent to China. and this has been fol-
lowed to considerable extent by sending
the Ninth and the Fourteenth.
With a force % say i, 200 men in China,
an officer of high rank would ordinarily
command. and General Miles has sGs-
ges.ed that Mai. Gen. James C. Bates be
sent from the Philippines to take charge
Of them. No determination has been
reached in regard TO this recommendation.
but the War Department would prefer that
Briga1ier General Chaffee be retained as the
commanding officer OF the American forces
on Chinese soil if such retention will not
act to the detriment of the interests of
the United States through having an Off
Ger Of the Junior general grade serving
there. The original intention was to send
only a brigade of troops to China. and it
was while this was the plan that General
Chaffees assignment was made.
The American troops TO go to China
under present arrangements will consti-
tute a division, calling for the assignment
of a brigadier general. General Chaffee
was selected to go to China because he
was considered to be the best man in
the army for the command. Unfortunately
there is no vacancy in the list OF major
generals of volunteers to which he can
be appointed. 1t is not likely. however,
that he will be displaced. Other general
officers will be ordered from the Philip
pines to China but care will be exercised
that these are junior to General Chaffee.
Transports and Supplies.
The officers of the Quarternaster Gener-
ais Department have been quietly pre-
pairing for just such contingency as is
now presented in China. They have expe-
dited work on some of the transports in
the Pacific and now feel assured that the
Harcock Will be able to leave San Fran
cisco probably as carly as July "A, instead
of August 10. the date set for her next
voyage, and the Meade will go on August
1. The Sumner which was to go August
i, is supposed to have sailed yesterday
with part of the Fifteenth Infantry and
a large quantity of supplies for the troops
in China The Quartermaster General has
closed a deal by which he will come into
the possession Of the Thyra, freight and
animal steamer, which is due to reach
Seattle on August Is. All these vessels |
will carry troops. animals and supplies to |
China
A large quantity of clothing and other |
supplies, especially adapted for Chinese
service. went out on the Sumner yesterday
and more will so on the Meade on August
]. Expecting winter campaign in North
China. where the rivers freeze as early as
November /, the Quartermaster General
and his associates had large amount OF
winter clothing and winter camp equip |
mont made, and all these articles will be
on Chinese soil, If nothing unforeseen hap
pens, by September 1. Some OF the sup
plies are ], 400 Sibley camp stoves, $500
overcoats. 6G00 wool blankets. 5000 heavy
winter uniforms, 10000 pairs Of caIfskin
shoes, 1900 PAIRS of gloves, 5000 pairs of
Arctic overshoes. 5000 canvas lined
blanket hoods, $4,000 pairs Of flannel
drawers. and 1000 wool undershirts. In
addition to these there has been shipped
from Manila to Taku suficient quantities
OF Uniform underwear, gloves, Sibley
stsves, etc, for 5000 troops All the troops
going TO China from the United States are
fully equipped with tropical clothing.
How TO get the American re-enforce-
ments to China in the quickest possible
time Is a problem with which the Officers
OF the Quartermaster G neraIs Depart
ment are now concerned. a conservative
estimate is that the troops now under pre-
paratory orders to China will not reach
Taku before October ], while the others
to be ordered will, Of course, arrive later
than that. Every effort is being made to
get more transports, but the War Depart
ment have little hope of being as success
full as the situation demand