The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-17
PRES. M'KINLEY TO RETURN
CHINESE TROUBLE DEuI4NDS HIS
PRESENCE IN WASHINGTON.


Special Cabinet Meeting-An Troop,
That Can be Spared to be Sent TO China
-1O,605 Now Enroute.
Washington, July 16.-To-day was the
most exciting Washington has known
since the battle of Santiago AT the
cablegram announcing the defeat Of the
allied forces at Tien Tsin and then came
the Associated Press account tboth
printed elsewhere) of the fight. A spe-
cial cabinet meeting was held on re-
ceipt of this news with such members
present as happened to be in town.
Great reluctance was manifested on the
part of the participants to answer ques-
tions as to the nature of the delibera-
lions. The best indication of it's nature
was the departure for the White house
of Secretary Hay Immediately after the
meeting He had long talk with Pres
ident Mckinley over the long distance
telephone and it soon became known
that the president had decided that it
would be best for him to come back
Not to Withhold Troops.
The cabinet officers talked over the
possibilities of reinforcing the troops in
China. There was no disposition shown
to withhold these troops; the only ques-
tion was as to the amount of additional
force available. That was a technical
question, so it was left to the war de-
partment officials to decide.
The only point laid down was that
the government would send forward all
the troops that could be spared at this
time One proposition discussed by the
cabinet appeared to have a very prac-
tical aspect about it. Technical men
had made objection to the further con-
duct of the Chinese campaign with an
international force without some work.
ing understanding as to- the duties Of
each power represented. 1t was sug-
gested that an international conference
be called hastily at one of the capitals
London, Berlin, Paris or Washington
to define the part to be taken by each
power and the quota of troops to be
furnished and to arrange for the seec-
ton of a commander-in-c chief of the al
lied forces.
No agreement w I'm POweIB.
This suggestion did not meet with
favorable reception. 1t was felt by the
cabinet that the United States should
send what force it could dispose of to
China as far as seemed necessary and
should not make any agreement with
other powers as to the number. This
decision involves the Increase of the
force of troops destined for China. The
responsible officials refused any specific
statement as to the extent of this in
crease; it was, however, gathered that
the reinforcements would be limited
only to the ability of the government to
spare troops from those commands now
in the United States and Cuba.
Number of Trnop. 80 b Npnrrh.
The estimates varied as to how many
could be spared, but the general opinion
was that somewhere between 4000 and
5000 men could be shipped to the east
from Cuba and the United States, in
addition to the troops already under
@orders. A statement prepared by Ad-
jutant- General Corbin shows that there
are now a grand total of 1855 officers
and men in China, en- route to China,
en- route to Nagasaki or under orders
for Nagasaki. This table, of course,
includes the Inflated Ninth infantry,
which may not be in condition for fur
ther service. General Woods last re-
ports indicate that, owing to the tran
guilty prevailing in Cuba, it will be en-
trely safe to decrease the military force
there quite largely.
But even with these Cuban troops it
will be necessary, if the cabinet plans
are carried out to divest the home posts
of garrisons save in the case of the
heavy artillery organizations at sea-
coast points.
Th- Troops Avn'lnble.
About all the troops within the bor-
ders of the United States that would
be availa BILE for Chinese service under
a call are these regiments: The Sec
ond, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth and Tenth
cavalry regiments intact, one squadron
each of the First and the Sixth cavalry,
the First, Tenth and Eleventh regi-
ments of infantry complete, one battal-
ion each of the Second, Fifth, Seventh,
Fourteenth Eighteenth, Twenty-third
and Twenty fifth infantry regiments
and three companies of the Twenty
fourth infantry. This available force
of cavalry and infantry aggregates
about 5000 men. Some artillery un-
doubtedly would be sent, and there are
Light Batteries K of the First artillery, |
A and f of the Second, and F Of the |
Third, B of the Fourth, d of the Fifth |
and C and M of the Seventh available. |
There are besides Companies G and D |
of the Engineers and four companies of |
the Signal corps.
Secretary Root was reluctant to ad- |
nit that there was any necessity for |
more American troops in China, and at
the close of the day he said that thus
far he had issued no orders for rein
forcements Continuing, he said that
the regiments already slated for Chinese
service, those now in CHINA ana those
afloat amount to 10,6 666 men of all arms.
Secretary Root said that in view of the
small standing army of the United
States, of our insignificant force of field
artillery as compared with that of the
great European powers, and of our lack
of territorial interest in China, this ten
men represented more than
the United States proper share Of the
force which is to operate