Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-27
About s,5b Trskined Soldiers Believed
tgBe With chafse.
SEVEN HUNDRED MARINES ON HAND
About 5000 requirements Under
Offers for the East
THE DEPARTMENTS PLANS

Although the War Department lacks
definite official Information in regard to
the movements Of certain troops ordered to
China, 1t Is fairly well established that
there are now about $500 trained and we'll
seasoned American soldiers in the vicinity
OF Tien Tsin under. the immediate command
OF Major General Chaffee. This statement
Is based on the belief that General Chaffee
and the soldiers with him the Grant
have landed on Chinese soil by this time
and are making the best Of their way 70
Tien Tsin. The latest dispatch received
from General Chafree announced that he
would sail on the Grant from Nagasakl for
Taku on the 18th instant. Inasmuch as the
trip could easily be made by that fast YES
sci in two days, 1t Is inferred that the troops
have now landed in China.
The detachment consists of two squad
rons of the 9Th Cavalry, numbering about
500 men, 800 unattached recruits, incud-
ing about forty hospital corps men. and a
battalion of marines, numbering go men.
making in all 1,410 men. Owing to their
greater radius of action. the cavalrymen
are counted as easily equal in efficiency
to double their number of infantry in a
fiat country like that upon which they
will be called upon to operate in China.
The officials of the War Department ex-
pect to hear from Gen. Chaffee at Taku
tonight or tomorrow.
The Latest Reinforcement Sent.
The War Department has received no d.
rect information yet Of the arrival in China
of the last reinforcements sent from the
Philippines, but from indirect Information
received from several sources 1t Is salts
fled that they reached there two or three
days ago. and are now in the neighborhood
of Tien Tsin. These troops included two
battalions of the 14th Infantry, numbering
about 800 men. In command of Colonel
Daggett and Captain Reilly's battery Of
the 9th Artillery, numbering about 100 men,
or 900 in ALL
The only other American soldiers now in
China are the officers and men of the 9th
Infantry. which took such gallant part
and suffered SO severely in the attack on
Tien Tsin on the 18th instant. There are
about 200 men in that organization. Add
ing to this number the reinforcements re-
Gently landed from the United States and
the Philippines General Chaffee has under
his command an effective fighting force of
1900 soldiers. There are also at Tien Tsin
about 700 United States marines. in com
mand of Major Waller. These should also
be included in the force under command of
General ChafHe, ana make a total strength
of 1920 men.
Under or4er. for China.
About 5000 reinforcements are now under
cr0ers for service in China. but the last of
them will not be available much before the
LIST Of October. The transport Sumner left
San Francisco onithe 18th instant with
about 800 troops and will land them in
China about the middle of next month.
Two additional transports with soldiers
and marines for China will leave San Fran
cisco in a day or two. They will reach
their destination about the LIST of Septem-
Der. The remaining reinforcements will he
shipped across the Pacific as rapidly as
possible within the next two months
All these troops are being forwarded with
view to ultimate service In the Philip
pines as the relief of the volunteer army,
which must be brought home and dis
charged by June 30 next. prolonged war
in China would. however necessitate A
change In this program and require other
provision for the relief of the volunteer
army in the Philippines. In case the pres
ent program is carried out. the homeward
movement of volunteers will begin in No
yephar