[Illustration: 1. The Eighth United States Infantry going ashore for drill at Malta.]
[Illustration: 2. Colonel Jocelyn and Captain Croxton, Eighth U. S. Infantry, at Malta.]
An excellent example of the advantage to our interests in offering our flag to ships that desire it is afforded by the attitude of the Atlantic Transport Line. That large fleet of steamships is owned and governed by Americans. Ninety per cent. of the stock is held in this country; more than half of the officers of the company are Americans. The owners want the American flag to replace that of England, but they are unable to accomplish their desire owing to the present laws. This fleet would be a magnificent addition to the little shipping our country has at present; not only would it be a valuable addition to commerce, but it would be of inestimable value in time of war. In fact, it would be almost like building fifteen or twenty extra transports, for the line has proved its willingness to turn over its ships to the government when necessary. The transports _Thomas_, _Sherman_, _Logan_, _Sheridan_, _Grant_, _Buford_, _Kilpatrick_ were all formerly ships of the Atlantic Transport Line, as were also the hospital ships, the _Missouri_ and the _Maine_.
The two new ships built by this line, the _Minnehaha_ and the _Minneapolis_, are undoubtedly better adapted for use as transports than any other private ships afloat to-day. They are especially adapted for the transportation of mounted troops, the most difficult problem of ocean carriage. These two sister ships are among the largest afloat, and have permanent accommodations for one thousand animals, so arranged that a long voyage could be made without any serious loss of stock. Their freeboard is exceptionally high, and their immense deck room would allow transportation of many guns and troops. The cabin accommodations are ample; in fact, if these ships had been especially built for use as transports they could scarcely be constructed in a more available manner. They are not as fast as some of the mail steamers, but they are fast enough to keep up to any convoy, and what they lack in speed they make up in steadiness. I crossed in the _Minnehaha_ during the most violent part of the great storm that swept across Galveston, and although the seas ran mountains high it was not found necessary to put the racks on the tables save one day, and even then they were not really needed. The steady running is due to the broad bottom and the extra wide bilge-keels. If some heavy rapid-fire guns were mounted on these ships, as they were put on the American liners, the _St. Paul_ and the _St. Louis_, they would make the best transports ever seen; they could go almost anywhere without convoy of warships, and still take care of themselves.
