The evening times., 1901-04-26
THE ECLIPSE EXPEDITION
Scientists Stop at Manila En- Route
to Sumatra.

The Naval Observatory Farty Pro
.,.. yjded With n Gunboaf to Complete
Its Voyage to the Island Where
Observations Are to Be Made.
BALTIMORE. April 26-A letter has
been received here from member of the
United States Naval Observatory expe-
ditiOn on route to Sumatra Island. for
the purpose of observing the solar eclipse
OF May Is The letter was dated at Ma
Mia, March ., and follows:
The United States Naval Observatory
expedition to observe the eclipse of the
sun on Sumatra Island, May Is left Hon
oIuIu at sunrise February 2S, and entered
Manila Bay Sunday, March IS. at sunset
We sighted land Sunday morning at
daylight, when at a distance of twenty
or thirty miles from the northeast point
of Luzon- The only other land which we
had seen for two and a. half weeks was
the volcanic island Of Assumption, one
of the northern members of the Ladrone
group, near sunset March u
NO ships were sighted after leaving
the Hawaiian Islands until we were
rounding the Boieader light, northeast
Luzon. where we passed the United States
Army transports Thomas and Lawtou.
From that on we passed numerous mer-
chant ships and hundreds of native sail
boats with their peculiar grass mat sails,
some of them of q bright orange color.
Each of them had an American flag at the
masthead or tackled on the sail in some
place. as a matter of protection. for 9TH
erwise they might be treated as pirates
Consul General Williams kindly took
our party over the battle ground of Ma
Mia Bay and explained the various things
Of interest concerning the fight Some Of
the smaller Spanish boats have been raised
and others are being worked at, but there
are yet visible Numerous wrecks showing
the work of the guns aboard Dewey's feet
on the morning OF May / 1898.
We have been busy transferring our
freight from the Sheridan TO the General
Alava purchasing materials necessary 10
take along upon our expedition and seeing
Manila
The city contains much of interest. yet
on the whole many OF our party are much
disappointed with it Personally I think
it extremely interesting. The natives as
rule would never take prizes at beauty
show and cross between the Hawaiian
and the Chinese would represent them al
most perfectly The Chinese here seem TO
be generally a superior class, and many OF
the Chinese laborers are a finely built
class of men
.The FiIipinos seem to be rather cIcunIy.
but otherwise unattractive in person They
are an accommodating lot however. es-
Decially the native policemen, VINO seem
to take pride in their work and uniforms
and are said to make efficient officers, but
are reported to be pretty rough On the Chi
nese whenever they nave the opportunity
Our expedition VIII sail upon the Gen
eral AiaVa next Tuesday. March 2b, and
Will probably be about ten or twelve days
in reaching POdang, upon the west coast
Of Sumatra The General AlaEa was puT-
chased from the Spanish Government af-
ter the close of the SpauiSh-AFnerican
war and IS a fine little boat. 10 feet
long and 500 tons gross register She is
said to be q very seaWoTthy boat built
specially for typhOOnS, and has been IN
use by our Government as lighthouse
tender. although officially guubUat. She
was used by the Spaniards as troop !
ship The only diSaSTseable thing about
her is her lack Of passenger accommOda-
tions- Admiral Remey told Us we would 1
have To cough it somewhat as far as aC-
cOmnedatIons We're concerned but ether
wise would md her a tDe boat, and
that she was the only one here that was
available She carries crew Of seventy
three sailors. thirteen marines, and six /
officers.
..,The captafn is Lieut. Cozndr- ". p |
HalSey and the executive officer Ensign |
Gilbert Chase. The other officers are Ma |
val Cadets L. &. koIbfIs :. L. Watson,
w Y Tofm and Acting B5ats7gJin T. r. |
Hazard. The marines ara under one ser
Seaut ard two corporals.
we spent Il pleasant afternoon with !
Father AigueZ- director OF the Manila /
Observatory. conducted by the Jesuit /
Fathers Father .Alguez IS considered the /
ieadinS typho9u expert, and hopes to 90 |
10 SumaIra 10 see the eclipse
Get rid of your neuralgia headache by using |
ROYAL Headache Tablets; safe and