Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-03-21
BRATTLEB0R0 LOCAL.
Letters From Cuba and the Phil
ippineS.
News From Chaplain Smith.

news from Ondpldln OUllNI'
A letter received from Chaplain S.
]. Smith of the 18th United States
Infantry formerly of Halifax, gives
an interesting account of the voyage
of the chaplain and of the United
States troops which he accompanied,
from San Francisco to Manila. He
sailed on the Sheridan, one of the
large ocean steamers which the gov
eminent has recently reftted as a
transport, with every modern appli-
ance. including ice machines, cold
storage plant. and hospital The
number of enlisted men on board was
1915, with 109 cabin passengers. In
the course of three or four davs more
than half the voyagers were down with
seasickness, but after two or three
days more all began gradually to get
about" The daily routine of sea
duty kept the four weeks passage
from being too monotOnous. On each
of the four Sundays. religious SER
vices were held by Chaplain Smith
and other clergymen who were on
board. Many of the young soldiers
suffered from homesickness in addi-
ton to their seasickness, and were
glad of the ministrations of Chaplain
Smith The cooking department of
the ship, which is equal to feeding
1000 soldiers. and the cold storage
plant carrying provisions sufficient
for as many men for a voyage to
Manila and back were a revelation
when first inspected.
The island of Guam was sighted and
it's harbor entered Jan. 21st. OF
this the letter says: 81 have heard
that the island of Guam was only a
miserable little island composed of
nothing but rocks and sand but |
must say that in all my travels in
the tropics. have never visited a
more charming spot than the beauti-
full little harbor of San Luis d'Apra,
with it's Gibraltar-like entrance and
the long stretch of snowwhite beach
backed by stately palms. and cocoa
nut groves. very amusing incident
occurred while waiting for the quaran-
tine officer to come to us. Some
natives came alongside with articles
for sale A two dollar bill was hand
ed to one of them in payment for the
things he had sold to one of oul
passengers. He looked it all over
and thinking it to be of no value
handed it back to the purchaser; but
upon being assured that lit was worth
two dollars in gold" he turned to his
comrade, who seemed to be in part
nership with him. they looked the
bill over once more, then laughing
very heartily, and suffering some
thing in his native tongue, he DELHI
erately tore the bill in two and hand
ing one half of it to his mate. HI
jammed the other half way down int
his trousers pocket" At Guam
several native monks were taken OIL
board and made comfortable on thei
journey to Manila.
y The journeys end in Manila harbo
was reached Sunday morning, Jan
26. The ship was kept in quaran
tine a day, and then Decentralization
took place, with all it's attendant eX
element. "What shall l say of tn
old city? Well. just imagine dror
ping several thousand modern Var
KEGS right down into an old Spanisl
city of the 10Th century. and if yo
can think out the effect, it would hav
had then, you will get fair picture O
Manila of to-day" Chaplain Smit
mentions the great pleasure he fel
in meeting Mason S. Stone, formerl
superintendent of schools of Vermont
and now filling that position in Manil
with great devotion and success:
Tuesday evening he visited some c
the schools which our government ha
established in the city, and found tn
bright, earnest faces of the pupil
and their evident wish to gain eth
freedom that education gives" an il
spiration. Chaplain Smith sale
on the 9th of February for his pre-
ent station at Cebu.