Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-25
The Official Communication Received
by Mexico.
GREAT EXCITEMENT AT THE CAPITAL
Six Thousand Men on the Frontier
Ready to Act
NO DECLARATION OF WAR YET

on the streets and in the newspapers but
war talk. Mexico. it is said. has 5000 men
on the Guaterlalan frontier ready for ac-
ton.
The official communication of Guatemala
| in answer to the demands of Mexico over
the threatened international bouni iary dis
pLte was delivered to the national palace
| this morning. 1t came in on !he Vera
Cruz railway mail train last night, having
| been forwarded to Vera Cruz by boat in
waiting.
Foreign Secretary MaTiscal was engaged
today in making careful reading of the
reply, which is very voluminous and covers
many pages of closely written matter.
1t is generally understood that the import
| of Ciuatemala's reply is the same as indicat-
ed in the telegram received from Mexican
Minister Godoy at tie time it was delivered
to him by the Guatemalan government. Its
tone is evasive and negative and the for
eigr department said that the declaration
of Mexlco's position may be expected in
side of four or live days by which une
the leply of Guatemala Will have been con-
sidered in all its bearings.
Mexico to Send an Ultimatum.
While not showing any heat over the re-
ply of Guatemala, the Mexican authorities
hold firm as ever to their position, aud
it is generally understood that early next
maia by the corvette Zaragosa. which will
at once declare war that republic un-
less it accepts the demands of Mexico in
every particular.
In any event, the Zaragosa, it is expect
| ed, VIII bear a note to Minister Godoy, in
Structing him to request his passports
| from Guatemala. Should its answer be
| negative, he will be protected and land
| ed ON Mexican soil by the corvette, which
! will then be detailed tor the transportation
of troops and munitions OF war.
Activity in the War Department.
The war department in this capital is all
| activity The entire office forces are work
| ing over hours and an unusual spirit Of life
and general animation is seen on every
| hand. The number of troops already on
the frontier is lsoao, and several brigades
are in readiness to be pushed to the front
at a days notice.
Throughout the republic the same activi-
ties are noted ard there is no doubt mat
Mexico could put $1,000 men on the Guate-
malan frontier within week or ten days
ii occasion demanded. The general health
and equipment CT the Mexican troops now
in the south are very good, and reports
from the seat of the probable war are tnat
the soldiers and officers are in high spirits
and anxious to push forward at the COM
man6 frcm headquarters.
Considerable feeling is manifested in this
city cver the visit to the national arm
factory of a member of the Guatemalan
legation in company with the Italian min
lister. The parties appeared at the factory
without previously announcing their IN
tenticn of making the visit.
Being without instructions, the COM
mandel of the factory telephoned to head
quarters for information. The reply was
that under existing circumstances it would
be inccnvenient that the diplomats be given
admission, and while the commander was
profuse in his apologies, the visitors had
to go away as Ignorant as they came IN
regard to the operations of MeNico's big
establishment.
might cut in the near future.
Trial practice has been given the range
cannon, as reformed by senors Mondragon
and Perez, two officers of the Mexican
army. The improvements are notable, and
materially affect the rapidity of fire, ac-
curacy and general effectiveness OF the
cannon now in use in the army.
Preparing for Invasion.
A Salina Cruz dispatch says: 1T is re-
ported here that arrangements are being
quietly made by the Mexican war authors
ties for the Guatemalan invasion soon
as hostiIties are declared. The theory is
that the armed corvette Zaragosa, the gum
beat Oaxaca and all the Mexican boats on
the Pacific coast will be employed in land
ing troops at San Jose, Guatemala, or at
some other convenient point. Immediately
on landing the forces will be pushed with
all possible speed across country toward
the capital which lies only about fifty
miles from the coast and where il is nat
uraily expected that hard fighting will
occur.
At the same time the same Mexican rural
force will be ready to start from the va
riouS points on the border now occupied
by Mexican troops and cavalry, sweeping
through the country like a whirlwind.
The rurales will aim to clear up things
as they go and be hand and ready to
cooperate with the sea forces by the time
they have arrived before the city of Guate-
mala. The artillery and other heavy guns
will be shipped by sea, and as the Guate-
malans will probably do all in their power
to prevent the landing of the Mexican
forces 1t is evident that the artillery
/. mounted on the Mexican ships and that
designed for beseging service will be inn
diately brought into play.
I'm this event, as there are several good
landing places along the Guatemalan coast
there will be no difficulty in eluding the op-
position should it be shown at The regular
harbor. The Guatemalan forces are alto
gethcr too small to put up good fight at
more than one or two points, and SO Mexico
will have probably little trouble in gaining
land. The evident policy of Guatemala Will
be to concentrate all the forces possible on
the coast and northern frontier at the
strategic poirt, and have the forces fall
back upon the Notifications at the Guate-
malan capital, if unable to hold their own
against the MeNicanS. That this Will be pos
sble is not easily seen In view of the aGroit
plan vhichMexico is evidently laying to rush
in ard capture their chief city on the very
start. Should the GuatemalanS destroy the
means of subsistence in the track of the
invading Mcxicans, the rurales will be used
for foraging purposes, well as for gen.
eral fighting when needed.
Little Hope Of Peace Now.
Officials at the Japanese legation in this
city are inclined to the opinion that there
is little hope of successful outcome OF
the peace negotiations about to be begun
between Japan and China. They regard 1t
as far more likely that the attempt viii
end in complete fiasco 1t is said that
there is considerable question whether or
not Janan will consent to receive the COM
missioners at all.
If the commissioners are full pienipoten-
tiaries with power to make conclusive
terms or il they come bearing a distinct
proposal to Japan from China, and 10 which
Chinese authorities have already agreed.
they will be received and treated with. II,
en- the other hand, China has followed her
usual custom and appointed her represent
atives merely ENJOYS ad referendum, they
will not be received. for it would lie folly
for Japan, it is held, having the upper
hand and not being the applicant for
peace, to say that she is willing to accept
when there is possibility of China's de-
clining to abide the action Of her repre-