The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-11-23

Preparations are being made for 400
marines to sail from Philadelphia on
Saturday, either for the canal zone or
for Nicaragua.
This will be the first armed force to
land in Nicaragua, if developments in
the situation there within the next few
days require such a course. All de-
ponds upon action to be taken by the
state department, which is marking
time pending the receipt of additional
details Of the killing of the two Ameri-
cans, Groce and Cannon.
Rush Orders.
The departure Of the marines comes
as result of rush orders sent to the
League Island navy yard after the state
department received the preliminary re-
port Of execution of the two men by
President Zelayas orders. It had been
intended to send the marines to Panama
to relieve 80 marines on duty there. The
date of departure from Philadelphia
had been set for December 3, by which
time the troop ship Prairie would have
been ready to sail. BY working night
and day the League Island force will
be able to finish repairs on the ship by
November 81
If necessary, the $50 marines now in
the canal zone could be utilized in Mic
aragua in addition to the 400 to be taken
south by the Prairie.
With the troop ship Buffalo on the
Pacific coast and the Prairie on the At
lantic, the marines quickly could be
transferred from one coast of Nicaragua
to the other over the Panama railroad.
Rear admirals galore were at the navy
department today, but in no instance
hot
there had to do with the trouble in
Nicaragua.
1t was stated at the navy department
that shallow waters along Nicaragua on
the Atlantic coast made the sending Of
battleship there useless, and such ac-
ton is not contemplated. Preparations
are being made by the navy for any
emergency, but it was denied that rush
orders had been given for the compile
ton of repairs on such vessels as the
Paducah and the Dubuque It was adj
mitted, however, that the Albany and
the Yorktown would remain for the
present in Magdalena bay. It had been
generally understood that they were to
be ordered north.
Secretary Meyer returned to the navy
department today from Boston and i'm
mediately took up the situation with
Assistant Secretary Winthrop and Rear
Admiral Potter, chief of the bureau of
navigation, with a view of determining
how the navy would be able TO comply
with any request which the state de-
partment might make upon it. In gen.
eral, the officials told the secretary that
the navy was ready for any emergency
which might arise.
Awaiting Details.
The state department is awaiting ad-
ditional information as to the details of
the killing, and until that information
is cabled to the department here no i'm
portant developments are looked for.
The departments action in recogniz-
ing the blockade of the port of San Juan
del Norte is in effect a recognition Of in
surgency, but this action in all proba-
bility will be followed by what is much
more important, recognition of beIliger-
ency.
Recognition of beIligerency is a mat
ter of the highest consequence to the in
surgent forces. Once their belIigeTency
is recognized, Zelaya will be held to
strict accountability for any prisoners
he may take, as the United States would
undoubtedly see to it that they were
treated in every respect as prisoners of
war, according to civilized standards