The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-26
MExIcANs EAGER TO MARCH.
TROOPS swARMING THE BORDER
READY TO INVADE.

The Government in "A Position TO
Put Fifty thousand Men on the
Frontier within Ten Days should
Occasion Require-A Force TO he
Sent by sea TO Land Near the Qua
temaIan Capital il HOstiIities Are
DecIared-The GuatemaIan Army
Too Small to Successfully Cope
with the Mexicans.
Comitan, Mexico, Jan. 25-The govern
ment is pushing forces to the Guatemalan
frontier almost daily, and Guatemala is
using every effort to work up patriotic
meetings in the hope of gaining larger
reinforcements. When persuasion fails it
is given out that when the government
needs men it will press them into SER
vice. Nearly every horse within 100 miles
of the border has been secured by one
means and another. and strenuous efforts
are being made to get more.
City Of Mexico1 Jan. 25-A telegram
has been received at the United States le-
cation here from Secretary Gresham, ex-
pressing President Cleveland's hope that
some favorable means of settling the
boundary dispute within themselves. or.
failing in that, would agree on a refer
ence of the controversy TO friendly arbitra-
ton. This message has been transmit
ted TO President Diaz.
The arrival of Gautemala's reply to
Mexicos final demands has caused con-
siderable war fever throughout this dis
trict. As yet, however, nobody outside the
foreign Office has seen the reply. Rumors
of every sort are afloat, most Of them to
the effect that the Gautemalan govern
ment covers once more the old ground,
seeking at once to evade the issue and Sc
cure delay.
Ignacio Mariscal, minister of foreign
affairs, would say nothing of the docu-
ment to-day except that it was enormous
ly long and would be laid before the cabi-
net meeting tomorrow. A statement is
! expected from the government soon after
this meeting, although Senor Mariscal
declined to say thati would be made.
The war scare has taken possession Of
almost everybody, foreign and native.
Most of the foreign ministers are said 10
have informed their government that war
is almost inevitable. The government is
buying horses and is working its small
arms factory night and day with double
the usual number Of men. The governor of
this federal district has offered President
Diaz two battalions to 90 to the front
the moment war shall be declared. 1t is
| understood that the government does not
intend to begin the war on land. The
! first hostile step, If Guatemala still re-
fuses to yield will be to blockade her
ports Foreigners here express some
doubt as to the effec ctiveness of such a
| blockade, since the Mexican navy has
| but half a dozen small craft, manned by
hardly 800 seamen and officers.
No information as to the difficulty could
be obtained from any trustworthy source
this evening. The ministers and minis
terial newspapers are entirely non-com-
initial, although the situation may not be
altered by decisive action in the cabinet
! tomorrow, it is expected that on Monday,
at the latest, the government will declare
itself.
St. Louis, Jan PA City of Mexico
special to the Globe-Democrat says: The
war department in this capital is all ac-
tivity. The entire Office forces are work
ing over hours, and an unusual spirit of
life and general animation is seen on
every hand The humber of troops already
on the frontier is 1900 and several brig
AIDES are in readiness TO be pushed to the
front at a days notice. Throughout the
republic, the same activities are noted,
and there is no doubt that Mexico could
put 60 900 men on the Guatemalan frontier
within a week or ten days. should occa-
sion demand. The general health and
equipment of the Mexican troops now in
the south are very good, and reports from
the probable seat of war are that the
soldiers and officers are in high spirits
and anxious to push forward at the COM
mand from headquarters.
'It was reported yesterday at Salina
Cruz, in the state of Oaxaca, that ar
rangements are being quickly made by the
Mexican war authorities for the Guate-
malan invasion as soon as hostilities are
declared. The theory is that the armed
corvette Seargosa, the gunboat Oaxaca
and all the Mexican boats on the Pacific
coast will be employed in landing troops
at San Jose, Chatamala, or at some other
convenient point. Immediately on land
ing the forces will be pushed with all pos
sible speed across the country toward the
capital, which lies only about fifty miles
from the coast, and where 1t is naturally
expected the hard lighting will occur.
AT the same time the Mexican rural
forces will be ready to start from various
points on the border not occupied by Mex
lean troops and cavalry. sweeping through
the country like a whirlwind. The rurals
will aim to clear up things as they go
and be on hand ready to cooperate with
the sea forces by the time they have ar
rived before the city of Guatemala. The
artillery and other heavy guns will be
shipped by sea and as the Guatemalans
will probably do all in their power to
prevent a landing of the Mexican forces,
it is evident that the artillery mounted on
the Mexican ships and that designed for
beseiging service will be at once brought
into play In this event, as there are sew
eral good landing places along the
Guatemalan coast, there will be no diff
Guilty in eluding opposition, should 1t
be shown at the regular harbor. The
Guatemalan forces are altogether too
small to put up good fight at more than
one or two points, and so Mexico will
probably have little trouble in gaining
land.