The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-17
From Four to Eight Thousand More
Troops to Go.
MAKING OUR TOTAL $4,000 TO $4,000
Mckinley wiz R ,turn to Washington. No Ques-
ton Of Apology or indemnity Will be Lis
cussed by This Government. The
Demand is Fer Justice.
(By the Associated Press.)

Washington, July 16.-The decision of
the Administration at the end of a most
eventful day is that the United States
Government is still not at war with the
Government of China. The big happen
ings at Tien Tsin, coming on top of the
stories of the last struggles at Pekin
have not affected the attitude of the Ad
ministration on this point the United
States and China are technically at peace
But this statement should not be accept
ed as indicating a purpose on the part
of the United StatCes Government to
hold its hand in the administration of
swift and adequate punishment upon the
| Chinese, without regard to station, who
| may be responsible for the outrages of
the past few days 1t means simply that
the Government of the United States
feels it can best achieve that purpose
| by regarding the status officially as one
| of peace. To hold otherwise would seri
! ously cripple the Government in its efforts
! to obtain satisfaction for the outrages
! the Americans in China have suffered
| We should find the ports Of China, now
open to us, closed, and all sorts of i'm
| pediments would be encountered which
| now are missing. Therefore, according to
the Administration view, declaration of
war would afford not even technical
gain while it would be actually a heavy
drawback Chairman Cannon, of the
House Appropriations Committee is au-
! thority for the statement that money in
! plenty is at the disposal of the President
to meet the present emergency, and that
there is no necessity for called session
| of Congress on that score.
| The day was the most exciting Washing
| ton has known since the battle of Santiago.
At the very beginning came Admiral
Remey's cabegram announcing the de-
then came the vivid Associated Press ac-
feat of the allied forces at Tien Tsin. and
count of the fight A special Cabinet
meeting was held on receipt Of this
| news. with such members present as are
| in town. Great reluctance was manifest
ed on the part of the participants to
answer questions as to the nature of the
deliberations. The best indication Of
its nature was the departure for the
White House of Secretary Hay imme
diately after the meeting. He sat down
and had a long talk with President Nc
Kinley over the long distance telephone,
and it soon became known that the Presi-
dent had decided that it would be best
for him to come back from Canton to the
National capital
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 propo-
sition discussed by the Cabinet appeared
to have a very practical aspect about it.
Technical men had made objection to the
further conduct of the Chinese campaign
with an international force without some
working understanding as to the duties
of each of the powers represented. 1t was
suggested that an international confer
ence be called hastily at one of the CAPT
taIs-Londou Berlin, Paris or Washing
ton--to define the part to be taken by
each power and the quota of troops to be
furnished it, and to arrange for the Sc
lection of a commander in chief of the
allied forces.
This suggestion did not meet with a
favorable reception. 1t was felt by the
Cabinet that the United States should
send what force it could dispose ~ to
China as far as seemed necessary and
should not make any agreement with
other powers as to the number. This de-
cision involves the increase of the force
of troops destined for China. The re-
isnonsible officials evaded any specific
statement as to the extent Of this in
crease 1t was, however, gathered that
the reinforcements would be limited only
by the ability of the Government to spare
troops from the commands now in the
United States and Cuba. The estimates
varied as to how many could be spared,
but the general opinion was that some-
where between four thousand and eight
thousand men could be shipped to the
East from Cuba and the United States In
addition to The troops already under or
ders. statement pre- pared by Adjutant
General Corbn shows that there are now
a grand total of 1869 officers and men
in China, en- route to China, enroute to