The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-24
coxHANDkR OF THE ALLIED FORCES.
Admiral Remey Goes to Tteu-Tstn to Aid II
the Selection Of q Competent Leader.

the Selection Of q Competent Leader.
WASHINGTON. July 2s-Despatches received
here from Rear Admiral Remey. commander
inch Of Of the American feet in Asiauc
waters. tells of views being exchanged between
the foreign commanders a. Tien-Tsin and Taku
In regard to the selection OF a supreme comman
der Of the allied forces In the campaign against
Pekin. There has apparently been some con-
Germ manifested among the commanders over
The fact that several nations have on the ground
onncers OF equal rank. thus complaining the
situation and making embarrassing the chances
Of the selection OF commanding officer s1tls-
factory to all concerned. No persons In official
position are more sensitive IN regard to ques-
tons Of precedence than military men. and the
rule Of seniority OF rank Is so hard and fast that
the problem Of selecting an officer TO command
the allied forces i a serious one. Admiral
Remey telegraphed the Navy Department yes
terdsy that he was goins to Tien-Tsln from
Taku for tho purpose Of participating In the
discussions Of the foreign commanders over
the selection OF a leader.
Admiral Remey has been instructed as TO his
course In the conferences at Tien-Tsin. On ac-
count OF the smallness Of the American force
on Chinese soil he Is rot to insist that the COM
mander-in-chief Of the Pekin expeditionary
force shall be an American, At the same time
he is to urge that the selection be made on the
ground Of fitness and not with entire reference
to high rank and the prominence OF any one
nation in the number OF troops in
China. In other words the United
States Government directs Admiral Re-
mey TO point out that the rule OF
common sense and not the rule OF military prec-
edence or OF numerical predominance should
apply. 1t Il the policy OF this Government to
discourage the attempt OF any nation having
troops on Chinese soil to endeavor TO secure
the honor and advantage OF military leader
ship by sending to Tien-Tsin an officer
Of higher rank than has been assigned
to the duty by any OF the other nations
concerned, or to give any nation the
right to insist that because it's forces are
larger numerically than any other nation
one OF Its officers should be in supreme COM
mand. We're this policy not to apply It would
be an easy matter for a nation having a COM
paratively small force In China to send an
oficer Of the highest rank In the armies OF the
world TO command the allies. or for a nation
numerically superior In It's military representa-
ton TO designate a. supreme commander an
officer not At TO conduct such an important
campaign. The dangers Of these things are
patent to the Government.
On high authority II may be stated that II the
commanders at Tien-Tsin get into a squabble
over the selection Of a commander the United
States will appeal TO the Powers to take the
matter out OF Inc hands OF their military ard
naval chiefs In China and settle the question OF
command among themselves. Should d'ssen-
sions at Tien-Tsin threaten to cause further
delay In the advance on Pekin the United
States will suggest TO the Powers that an
it'll TO dispose OF The controversy in a manner
sa satisfactory 10 all concerned The statement
was made by the sam high authority. that the
conference, could be arranged and the delegates
begin their slit ngs within twenty-four hours.
Paris was suggested as a good place for the
conference, and should the commanders at
Tien-Tsin fail to agree. and Paris be selected.
Gen. Horace Porter, the United States Ambas-
srdor st that place. would be the American rep
rNa.ntatiye,