Evening star., 1901-04-10
Military Transport Service to the
West Indies.
ABANDONMENT BEING CONSIDERED
Cost of Using Merchant Lines
to Be Ascsrtained.
PETITION FROM NEW YORK

The War Department is seriously con-
sidering the abandonment OF the military
transport service between New York and
West Indian ports, which was established
during the Spanish war as military neces-
sity. 1t has been represented that the
transportation Of troops and freight, in
cluding horses and mules, cam be done by
the regular merchant steamship lines at
less expense than by the present transport
service. In order to determine that cues
tion the War Department recently invited
proposals from the merchant lines and
these proposals were opened by the depot
quartermaster at New York city this after
noon.
A similar course was followed about a
year ago and IL was then demonstrated
that the government would save nothing
by transferring its transport business in
the West Indies to the private steamship
lines. In fact. IL was stated that the gov
ernment had saved over 100000 during
the two years from June, 1898, to June
1900 by the maintenance OF it's own trans
port service. Opposition has also risen on
the part of some prominent New York mer-
chants on the ground that the suggested
change was solely in the interests of pri-
vate steamship companies and was not real
economy.
A Petition From New York.
Recently petition was sent to the Pres
ident and Secretary Root by a prominent
commercial organization in New York pro-
testing against the abandonment of the
government service, but suggesting that IL
that service is discontinued the business be
given to American ships. This petition was
accompanied by letter from Gov. Odell OF
New York to the President suggesting that
American ships, rather than ships sailing
under foreign flag, be given this service
in case II is determined to make change.
The Quartermaster' department is rather
inclined to turn the transportation service
over to private companies, but, unless the
bids show II can be performed cheaper, no
change in existing arrangements will he
ordered. Secretary Root was influenced by
the insistence of large shipping firms in
New York to take up the subject.
Alleged Free CarriaRe of Passengers.
The steamship owners contended that
they had suffered serious loss through the
government transport service in the num-
i5er of passengers diverted from their ves-
sells to government ships. The War
Department has not only transported
. all its soldiers and supplies to and from
Cuba and Porto Rico, but thousands OF
passengers, aside from those connected
with the government. 1t is said that hun
drcds of private individuals desiring a free
trip to the tropics have been authorized TO
make the passage on the War Department
vessels. Many instances are of record
where ladies have accompanied officials at
the governments expense. These facts be-
came known to the steamship line owners,
and they are insisting that If the
transportation service is not abandoned
the War Department should stop carrying
any but accredited officials having busi-
ness either in Cuba or Porto Rico.
1t has been asserted that if the govern
ment transport service is abandoned all the
money paid to steamship companies will
go to vessels flying foreign flags. On the
other hand, II Is held that this cannot be
avoided, owing to the existence of only one
company with ships under American regis
ter. Several lines under foreign register
maintain a regular schedule of ships be-
tween New York and the islands.
The Pacific Transport Service.
There is no intention to abandon the Pa
cific transport service, as there are scarcely
sufficient ships now to maintain frequent
communication between San Francisco and
the Philippines. If the intention Of the
government is carried out, it is stated the
transports plying between New York and
the West Indies will be sent to the Philip
pines or they may be sold at public auc-