New-York tribune., 1900-07-17
AROUSED TO THE CRISIS.
THE PRESIDENT RETURNING
TO WASHINGTON.
AN EXTRA SESSION OF CONGRESS- POS
SIBLE - PREPARATIONS FOR SEND
ING \ STRONG FORCE To CHINA
rnT rzLEeRArH To TIE rnnrSr-l


rBT TELEGRAPH To rHE ra1a-xr1
Washington July 16-The state War and
Navy departments to-day we're as fun of activ-
ity as they were tvo years ago. when the war
with Spain at its height AT last there
seemed 10 be some adequate official realization
that the conflict in China would dwarf the short
Spanish campaign into comparative fnsignii-
canoe Admiral Remey's awakening dispatch.
which arrived at 90 a. IT.. was as follows;
Che-FoO. July IG
Bureau Navigation, WashInEtons
Reported that allied forces attacked native
city morning 18Th. Russians right. with 9th
Infantry and marines left Losses aflfed
i"re-S large Russians over 400 including
artillery colonel; Americans over 80: Brit
ish ever 50; Japan. - including colonies
French - Colonel Liscum. 9TH Infantry.
kTIIedj RISc Captain Davis. Marine Corps.
Captain LemIy, Lieutenunts Butler and Leon
ard wounded At evening allied attack on
native city rePuISed with great loss -
hrmed- REMEY
The AtmireTs us- of the words reported
n opening his dispatch and details not yet
confirmed" in cl0sIuE. were disregarded alto
gether. and not the slightest hesitation was
exhibited IT accepting his Information as hsv-
ing reached him from rhs highest sources With
the reputation he holds for extreme COuserva-
tET, the belief is general among naval af1-
ciais that later detailed reports viii give a
On the instant
CABINET COUNCIL HELD
The dispatch was promptly forwarded TO the
President at Canton. and a council OF the Cab
met members IN town was called by Secretary
Hay, which was attended by Secretaries Root.
Gage and Long and PostmasJer-Gen Smith
Through the use o. the telephone the President
was able 10 have the advice Of those present on
the exceeding gravity OF the situation and 10
announce his determination 20 leave Canton
for Washington at the earliest pracricab-e mo-
nent. II the course OF the conference it was
made plain that this Government must now
pr@r-re for action on as great a scale. perhaps
as it did TWO years ago. and thar a trustworthy
report Of the murder Of Minister Couger and
his family and the American colony ar Pekins
would compel the prompt couvenins OF Congress
in extraordinary session
One OF tha Cabinet officers declared after the
meeting as i 10 anticipate any doubt as TO
the attitude q the United States on the question
OF war os .retrt5utiou that this Government
viii undertake 10 learn quickly who is responsi-
bic for the horrible crime at Pekiug and will
punish them TO the extent OF It's power II IS
not with all China, but with those Chi
I nese who have Offended and those who may
/ hereafter support the murdeTers Extermina-
/ ton is none too severe for them If that takes
| al the power OF modern civilization
| In The Army. II was quickly realized that
! better transport arrangements must he made
! for hurrying forward the ten thousand men Al
| ready destined for service in China and proba-
| by the trebIins OF that force Immediately. The
| arrangements already made do not give anv
/ promise OF landing more than four thousand
/ Regulars al Taku before the first week OF Au-
gust and perhaps i've thousand more in October.
NEED OF HASTE RECOGNIZED.
| The casualties n the 9th Infantry. including
| the loss Of It's colonel. forced on The War De-
/ PartmeUt officials new vi=w OF the emergency
and convinced them that men sent after August
would probably be too late 10 save the forces
that p-ecede them Admittedly strenuous e.
forts were al last being made 10 meet the new
demand. but details were not divuIged and
hereafter the attempt viii be made TO keep
secret all Army preparations with about the
same result III all likelihood was obtained
before the Santiago campaign in 1895.
Adjutant-GeneraI COr5in in explaining this
policy to-day said
The less We say and the more We do the bet
ter, as serious IL looks now Every plan We
publish now viii be known n China a month be-
IoTe IL can be carried out II IS indispensable
10 military success not 10 tell the enemy " nat
YOU propose 70 do American newspaper dis
patches telling or the troops We send and OF
their destination would undoubtedly be cabled 70
China and conveyed 10 our opponents The
Chinese dIvulged none OF their plans or prepara-
tiOus- They are keeping all thel~ information TO
themselves and can do no better than 70
keep them in ignorance Of our purposes
In the Navy no disposition IS yet displayed to
observe unusual reticence- It was announced
that the gunbOat Princeton had sailed to-day
from Hong-Kong for Annoy on her way 10 Shang-
hal, and that the cruiser Philadelphia had gone
into dock at Puget Sound 10 make ready for
orders to Asia # needed later on also that the
Buffalo had reached Colombo. and would hurry
Taku as rapidly as possible.
II was also declared that the Marine Corps
would be recruited TO its fun strength and
arrangements would be made 10 send out a bat
talon from New-York by way OF Suez on the
Prairie. If no other ship was available.