Evening times-Republican., 1903-12-30
ISSUE SECRET ORDERS
Pacific Coast Troops to Prepare
men For Instant Service
at Panama
! CLASH is EXPECTED SOON
The Above Orders Were Sent at the
Instance of the General Staff Which
Believes Colombia Is Already Getting
Troops Within Striking Distance of
Panama-colombia's Contentious.

Washington, Dec 3o.-Secret orde:s
have been sent to the commanding Of
ficers of troops in various sections of
the Pacific coast to prepare their men
for instant service at Panama in case
of necessity These orders We're sen.
at the instance Of the general staff.
which is now convinced that there
will be fighting at the isthmus
The army transports Sherman.
Crook and Buford are under orders 10
be in readiness at San Francisco to
transport troops to Panama.
General Arthur Macarthur. COM
manding the department of California,
was recalled somewhat hurredly from
Honolulu to prepare for the work dt
Panama, and he is now supervising
the active preparations at San Fran
Tisco.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Shaler OF
the general staff, one of the most ex-
pert men in the army in the matter of
fortiflcations, has been ordered to Pan
ANA to make reconnaissance of stra-
tegic points to be occupied by Ameri
can forces, and to report fully by cable
the trend of military developments.
The general staff. 1t is learned, does
not accept the general report that 1t
is practically impossible for Colombia
to land troops near Panama. Accord
ing to information to the war depart
ment, Colombia Is not only able to ge,
troops within striking distance of Pan
anna. but is now doing so, and a clash
between the Colombian and American
forces is probably only a matter Of
few days.
The force ordered to prepare for
transportation to Panama are: The
First, Fifth, and Twenty Fourth bat
teries Of field artillery. Presidio OF San.
Francisco: Eighth battery of field ar
tiilery Vancouver barracks: troops A.
b. c. and d. Ninth cavalry (negroes).
Monterey. Cal; troops l, X. L, and NJ,
Ninth cavalry. Presidio: Fifteenth IN
fantry, Monterey; Nineteenth infantry,
Vancouver barracks; Tenth infantry
San Francisco: battalions of the Thir-
teenth infantry at Fort Mcdowell, Fo.t
Mason, and Benicia barracks, Cali
fornia: four companies of the Six
teenth infantry at Fort Slocum, N. Y,
and eight companies OF the same regi-
ment at Fort Mcpherson, Ga. Not all
OF these troops are to go to Panama
but all are under instructions to b.
in readiness and selectiops will na
made of the most available forces.
A special meeting of the cabinet was
held yesterday afternoon for consid-
Grafton of several important questions.
Secretary Hay being Ill, Secretary
Root has charge of matters concerning
General Reyes note. The principal
subject discussed was the protest lodg-
ed by General Reyes. as representative
of Colombia, against the action of this
government in the recognition of Pan
anna and the preservation of peace on
the isthmus.
The main allegations. pleas. and con-
ten;ions of the Colombians are SUBJ
stantially as follows:
That the United States should con-
serve the peace of the isthmus by not
preventing Colombia from compelling
the submission of Panama.
That the maintenance of order on the
isthmus should have been left to the
power holding sovereignty, which. in
this case, is the sovereignty hitherto
recognized by the United States.
That the theory Is inadmissable that
the United States should now permit
dismemberment Of Colombia merely
to prevent temporary disturbance of
transit across the isthmus.
That Colombia should not be re-
quired to submit to the loss of terri
tory simply from fear that interruption
of transit might occur by her efforts
to prevent such loss.
That the, sovereignty of a nation Is
paramount to the purpose OF avoiding
transitory prejudice to commerce.
That the United States could most
effectually prevent interruption OF
transit by notifying the Panamanians
to abstain from obstructing the Col
ombian government in re-establishing
order.
That If the United States will use Its
troops to preserve Colombian sover-
eighty, Colombia will. by virtue OF
martial law, grant full authorization
for the construction of the canal.
Colombia asks that, in the event of
rejection Of its proposition, the United
states keep naHQS OIL, WHlle SolollDtd
whips Panama into submission or
that the United States should grant a
money compensation to Colombia for
the loss OF her territory, the amount to
be fixed by The Habue tribunal.
United States Answer.
To these pleas and contentious and
to the other arguments submitted by
General Reyes, the United States. VII.
return the reply, first, that the action
was in the interest of peace and order
on the isshmus; second. that Panama
is an independent government, recog-
nized by the powers OF Europe. and IL
is not within our power to compel her
submissions; third, that the efforts OF
this government will continue to be
exerted to prevent bloodshed on the
isthmus and keep the traffic open.
The United States will fatty refuse
to submit to The Hague or any other
tribunal the amount of damage claim-
ed by Colombia for the loss of her ter
ritory thru revolution. Such submis-
c;np unllid hp a confession of reSpOn-