The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-01
is NOT ANXIOUS FOR WAR.
THAT is WHAT COL. ssELDRIf SAYS
OF THE FIRST CAVALRY.

The Commanding officer Has Re-
ceived no Letters From Members
of the Regiment Relative to a Ten
der of Service for China Cam
paiEn-COI. MeIdrin Expresses His
Views Upon the Question of For
eiGn Wars and the Custom of Hast
ening TO Tender Service-GeOrgia
HuSSars Nor other Savannah Com
mnnds Have Taken Action Along
This Line.
No military command in Savannah has
ever held meeting to consider a tender
of its services to the government for a
campaign in China. The time has never
appealed 20 the companies as ripe for
such action. As no tender of service was
made when II seemed positive that oil
foreign ministers in Pekin had been slain,
it is extremely unlikely that anything
looking toward a tender will be made,
now that there seems 90 be every reason
to believe the ministers safe. Should
some radical change in the situation oc-
cur. resulting in the thorough arousing
of the American people, services might
be offered, but the Chinese problem is
now, apparently, solving itself
Col. p. w. Meldrim of the First Reg
iment, Cavalry. G. S. T., was asked yes
terday if he had heard from any of the
officers or men of his command relative
TO China service. His reply was in the
negative. The question was induced by
the story from Atlanta, that letters had
been written Col w. G. Obear, inspector
general, expressing a desire on the part
OF some Of the cavelrymen to participate
in the war in China, and to have Col.
Obear az their head. Commenting upon
the story, Col. Meldrim said:
Il do not think that the First Cavalry Is
At oil anxious to go to China. 1t is body
of citizen soldiery. ready to do its duty
when called upon to discharge il, but not
anxious to become engaged in war. in
fact, there. is no command less disposed
to engage in any unnecessary conflict, and
yet there is probably no command less
disposed 10 pose as rough riders" Ger
tain troops in the regiment are older than
the state. The men are not adventures
OF soldiers of fortune. They prefer to avoid
war by all honorable means, but they will
do their duty if the necessity for their
service should arise.
Il am utterly opposed to all this tender
of service. If the general government
should require troops from Georgia. there
is a regular method of procedure. If a
call is made upon this state FOR regiment
of cavalry. the Governor Will probably
have the right to determine how he will
comply with that demand by the general
government. Gov. Gambler, himself a SOL
der would be allowed 10 name the field
officers, and in that event new regiment
might be organized, or some arrangement
might be made, whereby the present regI-
ment would be recruited up and the full
strength of a regiment in the regular
army say 1900, thus attained. The COM
plete organization then might be mustered
into the service.
Speaking for myself. I strongly hope
that there. will be no necessity for Amer
lean blood to be shed on foreign soil"
The Georgia Hussars, the only Savan-
nah troop of the regiment, has never had
the matter UP in meeting. Some of the
members of the troop have declared they
would respond should a call for their ser
vices be made but they are not making
! any grandstand plays just at present.