Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-13
COUNT wALDERsEE TO COMMAND.
Correspondence With the German
GOYernment on the Subject.

Government on the Subject.
| The Department of State has made public
the correspondence had with the German
| government relative to the selection of
| Field Marshal Count Won Waldersea for the
chief command of the cooperating foreign
forces in China.
The first official intima:'on on the subject
was received August I through Mr.. Jack
son, United States charge d'affaires in Ber
lin whose telegram was to the following
effect:
Advised of the declared willingness of
the Emperor of Russia that the Russian
forces in the province of Chill be put IN
der the chief command of Field Marshal
Count Waldersee.
"A preference for the German comman-
der-in-chief has also ben expressed by the
Japanese government.
The government of Germany states its
desire to be given early Information III re-
gard to the views of the United States gov
eminent respecting the chief command. and
also to be advised of the manner in which
the United States would be disposed to join
the forces under United States command
in Chill to the army operating there under
Held Marshal Count Wdl1ersee.'
This was followed on August by an
other telegram from the charge d'affaires
in Berlin reporting that Italy and Austria
had also accepted Count Won Wadersee as
the chief commander.
On August 10 Mr. Jackson telegraphed
that Great Britain had accepted the Ger
man chief command on the condition that
he should be generally accepted by the
powers. As a necessary detail of the COM
mon understanding the German emperor
makes the suggestion that one or more mil
itary officers of each cooperating nation
ality should be attached to the headquar-
tiers of Count Waldersee, in order to
carry on communication with the respec-
tive national contingents Early advices Of
the views of the United States on the sub
ject, he added. were awaited.
~ ,t~l,t 81 h. ell
memorandum in response to the above
cabled dispatches from the charge d'affaires
in Berlin was telegraphed to Mr.. jackson
for communication to the German foreign
office:
THE government of the United States
will be much gratified to secure the COM
mand of distinguished and experienced
an officer Count Waldersee for any
combined military operations in which the
American troops take part after the
rival of that officer in China, TO attain The
purposes declared by this government in
the circular note delivered to the powers
under date of July 3.
THE general commanding the American
forces in China has already been author
lied to agree with other commanders as
to a common official direction of the Nari-
Gus forces In their combined operations
preserving the integrity Of his American
division as a separate organization. y
copy of this communication will be trans
mitted to him.
las considerable time must elapse be-
fore Count Waldersee reach China
and conditions are rapidly changing, it
would seem desirable to leave questions of
method to be determined in view of the
conditions which may then exist. The
suggestion of his majesty, the German en-
peror, that more military officers
of each nationality should be attached
to the headquarters with the national con-
tingent meets the approval of this gov
eminent"
The communication of this memorandum
having been made as directed, the Presi-
dent received the following congratulatory
telegram from the German emperor:
"HOMBURG, Schloss, August IL, 1900
His Excellency, the President If the
United States:
81 received with pleasure the decision
of the United States that American and
common cause of civilization under one
commander -in-chief. The brave army of
your country, which has shown of late SO
many warlike qualities, united with Eu-
rope, will be irresistible. Field Marshal
Count Waldersee, who will have the honor
to America. His wife is an American by
birth. l beg your excellency to accept my
heartfelt thanks for the confidence the
United States places in the leadership of
Count Waldersee. WILHELM Il"
To this telegram the President cabled the
following acknowledgment:
WASHINGTON, August H. 1900
His Imperial Majesty, Wilhelm II:
Il am gratifed to receive your majesty's
message of good will in relation to the Sc
lection of Count Waldersee, and, like you,
l see in our common effort to discharge q
common duty of humanity an additional
recognition of the kindly ties and mutual
and Germany. WILLIAM MCKINLEY"