Evening star., 1900-07-17
WAR DEPARTMENT PLANS
TO HAVE 10000 SOLDIERS IN CHINA
BY THE END OF AUGUST.
All That Can BE Spared From This
Country and Cuba VIII
BE Sent.

Further inquiry at the War Department
today develops the fact that 1t Is the pur-
pose of the administration to have about
1050o soldiers in China by the end of Au-
gust. and that the entire machinery of the
War Department will be devoted to that
end. This number includes the 9th Reg
iment Of Infantry. now at Tien Tsin; two
battalions OF the 14th Infantry and a bat
terry Of the 5th Artillery, which left Ma
nila yesterday for Taku; two squadrons of
the 9Th Cavalry. now en- route to Nagasaki
on the Grant and all the infantry and cav
airy troops in the United States recently
ordered to the Philippines.
With the possible exception of a detach-
ment of the 18th Infantry, which was
scheduled to sail from San Francisco on
the transport Sumner yesterday. none of
these home troops have yet left the United
States
1t will tax the quartermaster's depart
ment to the utmost to get them to China
within the next two months.
Dispatch of Artillery.
In addition to the above troops, orders
have been given for the immediate dis
patch of several batteries of the Sd Artil-
lery. posted at San Francisco, and several
other points on the Pacific coast.
These artillery troops will be among the
first to proceed to China. Arrangements
are being made for their transportation on
the transport Hancock. Under the rush or
ders just issued the Hancock will leave on
the 24th instant with the Sd Artillery. The
arrival of these batteries will add mate
rally to the efficiency of the army in China.
The only other artillery force ordered to
that country Is Captain Reilly's battery OF
the 5th Artillery
AS the result of an examination of the
records of the War Department the officials
are satisfied that Lieutenant Colonel Cool
idge of the 9th Infantry is now with that
organization In China, and has been in
command since the death of Colonel Lis
cum. Major Foote is not with the regi-
ment, so far as known. He was in the
United States at the time the regiment
was ordered to China and arrived at Ma
Mia the day after Its departure.
1t is supposed that he accompanied the
expedition which left Manila yesterday. If
Lieut. Col. Coolidge is not with the regi-
ment the command will devolve upon the
senior captain present as all the field Off
GERS. with the exception of Coolidge, were
killed or wounded in the fight at Tien Tsin.
Col. Daggart VIII Command.
Whoever is In command will be super
seded. however, on the arrival of the next
expedition from Manila In about a week by
Col. A S. Daggart, commanding the 14th
Infantry. That officer will have supreme
command until the arrival. about the 1st
proximo. of Gen. A. r. Chaffee now with
the troops on the Grant.
1t is said that the Chinese reinforcements
will be limited only by the ability of the
government to spare troops from those
commands now in the United States and
Cuba The estimates varied as to how
many more could be spared. but the gen.
eral opinion was that somewhere between
1000 and 5000 men could be shipped to the
east from Cuba and the United States. in
addition to the troops already under orders.
Their dispatch to China would increase the
American military representation to 10000
men