The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-21
THE AMERICAN FORCES.
Ninth Regiment wiI Reach Tien Tsin
Toward Last of June.

MINI Regiment Will kkeaen Ahem Ishn
Toward Last Of june.
New York, June 20.-Chagrin rs ex-
pressed that Gen. Macarthur cannot start
the Ninth regiment for Tien Tsin before
next Sunday, says the Washington cor
respondent Of the Tribune, and that the
United States must be represented alto
gether by naval forces, until the last day
Of June, at least. OF the 800 men CON-
posing the crew of the flagship Newar k,
Sc were at Pekin, 104 were with Capt.
McCalla in the international column and
as nearly 100 are non-oombatants in the
flre-room force Of the vessel, there re-
manned only 100 fighting men to guard
the ship. Perhaps that fact would ex-
plain why, according to reports from
Taku, the Newark landed no men to
assault the forts on Sunday morning.
The Oregon will not reach Taku for at
least a week II not 10 days, as she will
be compelled to proceed cautiously most
of the way through waters poorly
charted for vessels Of her draught, al
though 1t Is plain sailing for lighter
ships.
The Iris from Manila will carry no
men, but is sent solely to furnish fresh
water and other supplies to the fleet.
The gunboats Princeton and Marietta
win probably start from Cavite on We'd
neaday to join Admiral Kempff. The
Zafiso, which Admiral Dewey purchased
at Hong Kong in April, 1898, is simply
a fleet tender, with little capacity for
carrying men or stores, but being useful
as dispatch boat, may be ordered as
a general utility transport.
The orders to Col. Liscum Of the
Ninth infantry direct him to proceed to
Pekin for the relief and protection of
the American legation, and to take sub
sequent orders from Minister Conger.
Beyond this he has the fullest discretion,
and will be governed by circumstance
as he finds them. He is expected to con-
fer with the American admiral on
reaching Taku, whose assistance he will
have If he needs 1t for landing his expe-
dition. 1t is also thought that Col. Lis
cum will not hesitate to act concurrently
with other forces which he finds at Tien
Tasin, and which, like his own, art
bound for the same destination.
One Of the higher officials of the wal
department says: 'Col. Liscum must
reach Pekin as expeditiously as possible.
If he can peaceably buy a ticket on the
railway he will go through on regular
train. II the train is attacked, doubt
less all passengers Will combine for de-
fence. If 1t become necessary to detach
few companies of his command to fur.
nish a proportionate part of force re-
quired to maintain communication with
the basss of combined operations, Col.
Liscum will not hesitate TO assume his
share of the responsibility. If he gets In
a tight fix he win have the satisfaction
Of knowing that another American
regiment will come to his support within
few days as they will be only that fai
behind him from the time he leaves
Manila"
If the Princeton and Marietta join
Admiral Kempff, as seems probable now
he will have at his command more
numerous and effective fleet of gunbolti
adapted to service ON the Pei-Ho rivel
as far up as Ten Tsin than any of the
other naval powers they represented.