Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-25
TO GO TO PHILIPPINES.
Orders to Headquarters, Staff and Two
Companies at Washington Barracks.

By direction of the Secretary of War the
following changes of local interest in the
stations of engineer troops have been or
dered:
Headquarters staff and COMPANIES L
and M. Sd Battalion of Engineers, will be
relieved from duty at Washington bar
racks, District of Columbia. placed en- route
to San Francisco. Cal. not later than Sep
tember Is, 1868, and reported to the COM
manding general, Department of California,
in time for embarkation on the United
States army transport sailing on October
1, 1903.
Companies E and F, I'd Battalion of En-
gineers. will be relieved from duty in
Manila, Philippine Islands, not later than
November 30. 1903. and placed en- route
to the United States on the first available
transport and upon arrival in San Fran
cisco, Cal, will proceed to Washington
barracks. District of Columbia, for sta
ton.
Such enlisted men of Companies l. and
M as will have six months or less to serve
on October l, 1903, and have not expressed
their intention to re-enlist will be trans
ferred to Companies G and H, I'd Battalion
of Engineers. after which the outgoing
companies will be filed to their present
authorized strength of ninety-three enlisted
men. Non-cOmmissiOned officers will be
transferred as privateS or should they pre-
fer they may be discharged for the con-
Ven1ence of the service. Vacancies thus
created will be filled by the enlistment
or assignment from rendezvous of the ne
cessary recruits.
The transfers above authorized will be
commenced two months prior to date of
salllng and completed as soon as prac-
ticable
Upon arrival in Manila of COMPANIES I,
and M the eleven vacancies now maintained
IN each company, under the provisions of
general orders No. 81, April 3, 1902, provid-
ing for a detachment of engineers for duty
at the United States Military Academy
may be filed by the transfer thereto from
Companies e and F, I'd Battalion of Engi-
neers. or from other organizations on duty
In the Division of the Philippines of a suf-
fcfent number of enlisted men desiring to
remain in the islands who have at least one
year to serve, or less than year provided
they have signified their intention to re-
enlist upon the eXpira ton of their present
terms Of enlistment.
Company commanders will make every
proper effort to induce their men to make
allotments of pay in favor of their de-
pendent relatives.
Attention is invited to general orders of
May 20, 1902, directing that organizations
designated for service in the Philippine
spective stations be furnished with GER
tiicates that they have been inspected and
are protected against smallpox.
The baggage to be transported will be re-
duced to the lowest practicable limit. Bag
gage accompanying troops/b by rail will be
limited to $50 pounds per man, and any
excess of this weight will be shipped by
freight in advance.
New Type of Warships.
The cruiser Colorado launched here today
is of a new class of vessels added to the
American navy. She is an armored cruiser
of the first class, yet she, bears the name
of state, an honor formerly only accord
ed battle ships. Coupled with tremendous
battery power she has the speed of
ocean liner.
The vessel is 5O2 feet long, 50 feet 6 inches
wide, with draft of "a feet inches. Her
speed requirement calls for twenty-five
knots an hour for four consecutive hours
She is fitted with twin-screws, twin triple
expansion engines which must develop 3d.
900 indicated horse power.
All of the armor is of the most improved
Kruppized type. The water line region is
guarded by seven and one-half foot belt
reaching from bow to stern. Amidships for
a distance of 244 feet abreast the engines,
boilers and magazines, the belt has max
imum thickness of six inches.
Forward and aft this belt will have a
uniform thickness of three and one-half
inches. Five-inch armor will surround the
6-inch guns at the four corners of the Su-
on the main deck. The four
S-inch guns are mounted on two balanced
turrets, with slanting faces, having armor
Of six and six and one-half inches thick A
belt of cellulose, extending from bow to
stern above the protective deck, will auto
plug all shot-holes admitting
water.
Up-to-Date Battery
The fighting force of the Colorado is CEN
tered principally in two batteries. She will
carry a main battery of four up-to-date s.
inch and fourteen 6-inch rapid-fire rifles
battery of eighteen 14-pounders
and twelve 3-pounders, and supplemental
force of eight 1-pounders, two field pieces,
two machine guns and six automatic guns
for service on the bridges and in the tops
The 8-inch guns are designed to fire once
every fifty seconds. and the 6-inch guns
are expected to fire three times minute
The contract price Of the Colorado was
s.. $50, 600.