The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-16


Owing to their natural reluctance to en-
pioy troops save as a last resort and the
disinclination of the War Department to
supply such troops except under pressure,
the officials this afternoon were consider
ing an alternative proposition. This con-
templated the putting out Of commission
of several of the big ships attached 10 Adj
miral Remey's fleet, notably the Oregon,
and the addition of sailors and marines so
released 10 Admiral Kempffs landing force.
The big ships carry on an average OF more
than 800 men apiece.
There is a growing belief that il will be
necessary TO rganize another expedition
airy force at Tien-Tsin i'm order to keep up
communication. The Monocacy arrived
this forenoon at Taku. and If there were
an emergency, by pushing on up the river
she could have reached Tien-Tsin before
dark. The Mon0cacy on such a short trip
could easily carry fully five hundred men
in addition TO her own crew, so that the
safety Of the foreigners at Tien-Tsin is
assured.
Secretary Root declines to discuss the
military aspect of the situation. To the
newspaper men this afternoon he admitted
that the general situation was discussed
at the meeting of the Cabinet to-day and
that Secretary Hay furnished all the In
formation on the subject. He was asked
whether IL had been finally decided to
send any troops 10 China from the Phil
ippines. and replied that it had not. To
a further question as to whether there
was any prospect of such action. he said
he would not undertake TO talk about IL.
He was willing, however. TO make the
broad, general assertion that troops would
be sent to China In case il were found
that there was greater necessity for them
there than In the Philippines. To another
leading question he said positively that
so far as he was advised there was moth
ing in the present situation in China to call
for the immediate dispatch of troops from
the Philippines.
The navy has arranged with Quarter
master General Ludington to take a bat
talon of marines composed of 30 men and
eight officers TO Manila on the transport
Grant. which sails from San Francisco on
July 1. Should it be decided TO send troops
from Manila TO China there are now avail
able at Manila the big transports Logan
and Warren. with a capacity OF about
three thousand troops; the Sherman is due
Indiana and several other smaller craft
are available.
Among the foreign representatives. in
Washington the that the
United States would ugmen its military
force in China was received with very gen.
erai satisfaction, particularly in British
and Japanese circles.
dispatch from the Foreign Office, dated
Toxic. Wednesday. and giving informa-
ton from Picking up 10 the day before. 1t
states positively that Prince Tuan, one
of the Emperor's favorites and father of
the Chinese crown prince, has not been
appointed at the head of the Tsung Ii va
men nor given any official position. A re-
port is current in Japan and is repeated
as such by the authorities that Prince
Tuan is the real head of the Boxers. The
dispatch further says that all the diplo-
snatic representatives at Picking agree that
the Chinese government IS quite incapa-
BILE OF restoring order and maintaining
peace, so they have sent orders to their
respective admirals to bring troops for their
protection. The dispatch left Picking be-
fore the reported killing of the Japanese
chancellor. The Toxic officials express the
belief that the uprising in China was orig
inaIy anti-Christian but now has taken
the larger form of anti-foreign.