The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-20

49, ~ ILL iOaoI ia
Secretary Hay Immediately after the
meeting. He sat dow and had a long
talk with President Mckinley over
the long distance phone and it oon be-
came known that the president had
decided that it would be be-. for him
to come back from Canton to the ma
tiOna capitol.
The cabinet officers talked owe the
possibilities of reinforcing the troops
in China. There was no disposition
shown to withhold these troops; the
only question was as to the amount of
additional force available. That was
a technical question, 81 it was left to
the val department officials to decide.
The only point laid down was hat the
government would e forward all the
troops that could be spared at this
time.
One question discussed by the oabi-
net appeared to have a very practical
aspect abou it. Technical men had
made objection to the further conduct
of the Chinese campaign with an in
ternational force without some work.
Ing understanding as to the duties of
eac of the powers represented. 1t
was suggested hat an international
conference be called hastily at n
of the capitals-London, Berlin, Paris
or Westinghouse define the part to
be taken by each power and the quota
of troops to be furnished by it n to
arrange for the selection of a COM
mander-in-chief of the allied forces
TO SEND MORE TROOPS.
This suggestion did not meet with a
favorable reception. 1t was felt by h
cabinet that the United States should
send what force it could dispose Of to
China as far as seemed necessary and
should not make agreement with 9TH
er powers as to the number. This de-
cision involves the increase of the
1@~- IA-DAI for ~
The responsible officers evaded any
specific statements to the extent of this
increase. 1t was, however, gathered
that the achievements would be limit
ed only by the ability of the govern
ment to spare troops from the COM
mands now in the United States and
Cuba. The estimates varied as to now
many could be spared, but the general
opinion was that somewhere between
1000 and 5000 men could be shipped 10
tine east from Cuba and the United
States in addition to the troops al
ready under orders. A statement pre-
pared by Adjutant General Corbln
|, shows that there are now a grand
/! total of 10, 665 officers and men in
: 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 further service.
General Woods last reports indicate
that owing to the tranquility prevail
ing in Cuba nit will be entirely safe TO
decrease the military force there quite
largely; but even with these CUBAN
troops it will b necessary, if the cabi-
net plans are carried out, to divest the
| home posts of garriSonS save in the
case of the heavy artillery organiZa-
tions at sea coast points.
AVAILABLE FORCES.
About all of the troops within the
borders of the United States that would
be available for Chinese service under
a call are these regiments: The Sec
ond, Fifth Eighth and Tenth cavalry
intact, one squadron each of the First
and the Sixth cavalry, n First, Tenth
and Eleventh regiments of infantry
complete, one battalion each of the
Second, Fifth, Seventh, Fourteenth,
Eighteenth, TWenty-third and TWen-
ty-fifth infantry regiments, and three
companies of the Twenty-fourth infan-
try.
This available force of cavalry and
infantry aggregates about 5000 men.
Some artillery undoubtedly would be
sent and there are light batteries K,
of the First artillery; A, and f, of the
Second; C, and f, of Third; B, of the
Fourth; D, of the Fifth and c and NJ,
of the Seventh available. There are
besides companies c. and D, of the
engineers and four companies of the
| signal corps.
Secretary Root was reluctant Il ad-
init that there was any necessity for
more American troops i'm China n
at the close of h day he said that
thu far he had received no orders for
reinforcements. Continuing, he said
tha the regiments already slated for
Chinese service, those now in China
and those af1oat amount to 0,66o 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 10, 900 men represented more
than the United States pro rata share
of the international force which is to
| operate against Pekin. The var de-
partment, he said, so far has respond
ed in full to every demand made upon
il by the joint conference OF foreign
in China h situation
has changed so rapidly from day to
day as to alter h estimate OF the for
eign commanders several times. 1t IS
possible that the est1mate OF uoops
| needed for Chinese service wfn De
| again increased. II so the United
| States will respond. BY securing this
| country and denuding It OF all regular
| troops, except a very few OF the heavy
| artillery in charge OF seacoast
| guns and by Xxi still furtner os-
/ mands upon forces in Cuba and PORTO
/ Rico, we might possibly gather between
5000 and 1000 additional troops Tuis
however, would be the limit unless the
war department diSregarded a recon-,
mendation of General Macarthur n
drew still further on the available
troops in the Philippines. This, howev-
er, was a future contingency wnfcn
would not have to be met TIL 1t arose.
Secretary Root expressed the hope
that the first reports of the disastrous
battle of h 18th at Ten Tsin might
prove TO be exaggerated, but the war
department, 1T was stated, had no Of
fetal information beyond that trans
mftted in Admiral Remey's cablegram
of this morning.
caused here by the complete misunder-
J standing that has been conveyed to the