The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-08-28
SQUADRON TO BEIRUT Ordered There to Support Any Demand Made by
 J. s. for Murder of
 American Consul.
PRESIDENT DEEPLY MOVED.
AN IMMEDIATE CONFERENCE
 WITH SECRETARY HAY.

WITH SECRETARY HAK.
 No Drastic Action, Planned at Present.
 All Facts VIII be First Ascertatned--
 Several Days syilI be Taken Before the
 European squadron Can Rendezvous
 at Beirut-Turkcy Must Give Ample
 satisfaction. r#
 Oyster Bay, N. Y, Aug. 27.-President Roosevelt tonight issued orders that } the European squadron. under conn lnand of Admiral Cotton. should pro- ceed immediately to Beirut, Syria, to be in readiness to support any demand made by the United States on Turkey on account of the assassination of Wil- liam c. Magelssen. United States vice consul at Beirut, Syria.
 The president manifested anxious in- terest in the announcement of the as- sassination os Vice Consul Magelssen, the first information concerning which was conveyed to him by representa- tive of the Associated Press. Shortly af- < terWard he received from Acting Secre- tary of State Loonlis a telegram com municating to him Minister Leishman's cabiegram concerning the murder and advising him of the steps already taken by the state department.
 The president tonight is in close com munication with the department and will be kept advised fully of the details of the incident as they are ascertained.
 For several days President Roosevelt has been following closely the develop rnents of the situation in Turkey. With the country in such turmoil. as now prevails. almost anything is likely to happen. With a view to considering the subject the more carefully the president and Secretary of State Hay had arrang- ed for a conference tomorrow at Saga more Hill. The secretary is now en route to Oyster Bay.
 At the conference tomorrow the pres ident and Secretary Hay will consider the Turkish situation carefully.
 x In the absence of facts concerning the assassination of Vice Consul Magelssen, the president will take no decided ac- ton beyond that already taken in or dering the European squadron to Bei- rut This action is viewed now as a precautionary measure. It is the de- termination os the United States to support it's demands upon Turkey for the punishment of the murderer or mur- derers Of MT. Magelssen: but until the circumstances surrounding the murder are known officially and precisely, the United States, it is stated, will not take any drastic action A demand that officials of United States be afforded protection for their lives and property will be made and the Turkish govern rlerlt will be held responsible for the assassination of Consul Magelssen, with the review may be of the circum- stances of the case. s
 President Roosevelt is concerned over the situation as it has developed to- day, because it indicates an intolerable condition of affairs in Turkey He re- calls the fact that only recently Rus- sian consul was murdered in Turkey.
 The European squadron is so situated that it will require several days for it to rendezvous at Meirut. Meantime the officials of the state department will be fully advised by Minister Leishman of the details of the crime and the presi- dent then will be in a positionsto pre- sent to Turkey the demands of the United States with a naval force on the spot Of sufficient strength to enforce them adequately.
 Washington, Aug. 2s.-Acting secre- tary of the Navy Darling sent this ca blegram at 12:15 tonight to Rear Ad- Iniral Cotton at Nice: ". %..s
 .Vice consul at Beirut reported assas- sinated Proceed immediately to near est port. Report.
 Signed " Darling" .a It is expected the squadron will get away immediately upon the receipt of this cablegram, the Brooklyn, San Francisco and Maefias going together.
 Washington, Aug. 27.-Prohnpt and vigorous action is being taken by the United States government to secure the punishment of ali persons implicated in the assassination of United States Vice Consul William c. Magelssen al Beirut Syria, Sunday last. Minister Leishman al Constantinople, who re- ported the fact to the war department has been instructed by the state de- partment to demand a thorough inves- tigation of the affair and the punish. s rnert of those involved in the crime; and the European squadron. consisting of three warships, has been ordered te proceed immediately to Beirut to SUD- bort the demands of the United States minister should this be found necessary This latter measure was determined up. on as a result of conferences whict have been held by telegraph and tele' pone between the officials here and the president at Oyster Bay. The latter felt that no time should be lost in dis patching Admiral Cotton's squadron tc Turkish waters, and he gave instruc' tions to Acting Secretary Darling thai immediate orders be given Admira Cotton to proceed at once.
 The presidents determination to lost no time in getting the squadron to Bel rut was also due ill part to information received by Acting Secretary Loomis of the state department tonight from the president Of the American board o1