The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-11-26
UNCLE SAM ALERT
Quietly Preparing for Posi-
BILE War With Colombia.
SECRET ORDERS ISSUED
Troops are Being Prepared for Quick
Transportation, and Navy is
Gathering Large Force to Act
on Short Notice.


A Washington special says: No az
tempt is now being made on the part
of the authorities of the war depart
ment to hide the fact tnat active mill
tary preparations are being made Win
a view to possible conflict with CO.
lCmbia.
Troops are being quietly prepared
for transportation to. the isthmus IN
the event of declaration of hostilitles,
and the navy department is gathering
a large naval force where it can DE
sent to Colombian waters on short nc
tice.
1t is authoritatively stated that the
general staff has just submitted to
Secretary Root a comprehensive plan
for the operations Of the army in the
event of it's becoming necessary to
send troops to the isthmus or to Co.
lombian territory. Regiments have
been designated for the duty and are
now being put in shape for immediate
foreign service. 1t is understood that
the Sixteenth infantry, now at Fort
Mcpherson, Atlanta, Ca, is one OF
those designated for this service in the
plans of the general staff.
Orders Kept Secret.
OF course the orders sent the va
rious regimental commanders are con-
fidential in their nature and it is not
possible to get official acknowledgment
of what regiments have been chosen.
Monday the navy department decid-
ed to send two more ships to isthmian
waters, probably the castine and Ma
rietta. The purpose N ordering Ad-
miral Evans, commanding the Asiatic
squadron, to proceed Immediately with
the battleships Kentucky, Oregon and
Wisconsin and the cruisers Albany,
New Orleans, Cincinnati and Raleigh
to Honolulu from Chinese waters is to
have this powerful feet ready to pro-
ceed at once to Colombian waters
should the Bogota authorities be so
short-sighted as to declare war upon
the United States or commit some
overt act which would warrant warlike
proceedings on our part. Honolulu is
mach nearer South American waters
than Manila or any point to which the
squadron would ordinarily be sent.
The Panama people have no fear OF
molestation at the hands of Colon
bia so long as they enjoy the protec-
ton of the United state. and they are
apparently paying no attention to the
Colombian threats. 1t Is known, how
ever, that they entertain some fears
that the officials Of this government
may urge them to pay Colombia some
part of the $10,000,0Oe eatal money as
salve for the wounded feelings of the
Bogota government. Monday the Pan
ana people caused it to be announced
that when they got that ten millions
they would invest s9,O0O,oOo OF it in
United States bonds, using the other
s1.o0O,oOO to get their government in
good working order.
It is not likely that there will be
material developments OF any kind un
til after the arrival Of General Reyes.
OF course, he can have no hopes of
inducing this government to change its
attitude. While he is doing a good
deal of talking about breaking OF dip
lomatic relations with the United
States and about another Boer war, it
is the belief in official circles here
that Panama can be induced to avert
such a catastrophe by the judicious
use of American dollars.