Evening star., 1901-02-18
All Volunteers Will Be Brought Home
by July l.
TRANSPORTATION PLANS APPROVED
Thousands Of Soldier Boys to Be
Made Happy.
b 80 ATS TO BRING TIL L NJ

After careful consideration of the subject
the SECRETARY of War has approved plan
prepared by Adjutant General COrbin and
General Bird in charge of army transporta-
ton for the return home of all the volun-
teer troops in The Philippines on or before
the LIST of July next without the employ
ment of any additional transports. The
Sheridan arrived AT San Francisco a few
days ago with the :'Ith Volunteer Infantry.
Four other transports now on their
way across the Pacific. The Indiana left
Manila January >: with 800 sick soldiers:
the Pennsylvania left January 2S with tif-
teen officers and 4S7 men of the Both Volun-
teer Infantry; the Meade left February I
with twenty-four officers and 5ti2 men of
the. 1lth Volunteer Cavalry and the Buford
left the l0h instant with twenty-eight
officers and Nh men of the 9th Eolun eer
Infantry, Col. Cummns commanding.
Under the original schedule adopted some
time ago for the return of about 5000 vol
unteer troops, reducing the effective force
in the Philippines to 6o.tat0 men. transports
will sail from Manila as follows: March /.
the Logan. with the I'D and the 34th Vol
untary lnfantres, commanded respectively
by Coils. Cronin and Kennon. March 10,
the Garonne, with the 3,th Infantry, Coz.
Rice commanding, and the Thomas, with
the 18th Volunteer Infantry, Col. Birk-
hfmer commanding.
Regiments Yet to Come.
With the departure of these troops there
will be only sixteen regiments of volun-
teers to be considered in the matter of
transportation. Although most of the avail
able vessels are limited In capacity to one
regiment. some of them will be able to
carry two regiments owing to the depleted
strength of the latter. None of the regi-
ments are at their maximum. and the aver
age is about 500 men to regiment. In ad-
dtion to the schedule already stated, the
quartermaSterS department has arranged
to have the transports at Manila on the
dates named available for the transporta-
ton of the troops.
The Grant, with capacity of 1.S36 men,
is already at Manila and readily carry
two regiments of troops. Other vessels
with their stated capacity will be available
follows
March /. the IawtCn, with one regiment
March Il, the Sheridan, with two req
mentS.
April l. the Indiana. one regiment.
April II, the Pennsylvania and the Meade
with one regiment each.
May l. the Buford. Hancock. kilpa atrick
and the Warren, each with one regiment.
May il, the Logan, with two regiments.
May 23, the Thomas, with two regiments.
Fresh Troops Going Over.
These movements contemplate carrying
fresh troops from the United States as
rapidly as possible to replace the volun-
teers, and each outgoing vessel will carry
its complement of men. The outgoing
schedule so far as arranged provides that
the Indiana will sail from San Francisco
April ) with two battalions of the 10Th and
27th Infantry: the Pennsylvania April 10,
with two battaions of the 10th Infantry,
and the Meade, April 10, with two bat
taHons of the 9TH Cavalry.
If by any mishap the transports should
be prevented from carrying out the ap
proved schedule. it will be necessary for
the department to charter or more
steamers to assist in the general plan of
discharging the entire volunteer army in
the United States by the 30th of June next.