Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-03-10
TO MEXICAN FRONTIER.
Twenty Thousand Troops Ordered to
Texas.

| time OF peace Is now under way by or
der of the president as commander-in in
chief Of the army and navy, the objec-
tive being the country north Of the
Mexican boundary and the waters OF
the two oceans at either end Of It.
Twenty thousand soldiers, more than
one-fourth Of the army Of the United
moving toward the Mexican boundary:
four armored cruisers comprising the
| fifth division Of the Atlantic fleet have
been ordered from northern waters to
the naval station at Guantanamo
Cuba, and most Of the Pacific is or
shortly will be on its way to assemble
at San Pedro and San Diego, CAL, and
1000 marines are preparing to make
the Guantanamo station their head
quarters.
1t was officially announced at the
White House and at the war and navy
departments today that the purpose of
this great mobilization unprecedented
save in war times, is the training of
officers and men under service condi-
tions, and practice in cooperation Of
the land and naval forces. Unusual
pains were taken by all officially con-
cerned In the matter to give this color
to the sudden activity, but these state
ments were accepted with increasing
| reserve. There have been many joint
manoeuvres during past few years, but
these have been planned far in ad-
vance and carried through without a
ripple Of excitement, or even of evil
dence Of interest at the White House.
Today the executive officers were
STEPPED with mystery; the entire
morning was given over to confer
ences with officers of the war and
navy department. This atmosphere q
mystery and the jealous efforts to
minimize the importance of the busi-
ness, lent curious significance to the
fact that Gen. Leonard Wood, chief of
staff Of the army, in an effort to elude
| interviews slipped out of one of the
rear windows Of the presidents office
and beat a mastery retreat through
the secluded portions of the White
House grounds to a rear entrance Of
the war department.
The real significance Of these activ-
tiles which have been confined appar-
emily to the last forty -eight hours or
less is thought to relate very directly
to the conditions in Mexico, and to
the growing belief that the situation
there is by no means so satisfactory as
the Mexican government would have
it believed to be. There are persistent
reports that the physical condition of
President Diaz has lately become such
as to alarm his adherents and that
momentous developments are to be
prepared for.
One report which was current here
today was that the Pearson syndicate,
heavily interested in enterprises In
northern Mexico, had appealed to the
British government for adequate pro-
lection Of themselves and other for
eign interests in preparation for the
| chaotic conditions which would almost
| certainly follow any serious loss OF
prestige to say nothing Of the collapse
of the Diaz government. 1t was said
that the British ambassador had
taken up the question with the state
department here with the suggestion
that unless the United States took i'm
mediate steps to exhibit its disposition
and ability to protect foreign interests
in Mexico. the European governments,
more particularly Great Britain and
Germany, would be compelled to do so.
OF course no direct confirmation Of
this report was obtainable, but the
sudden burst of martial activity gave
it color.
Senior De La Barra, ambassador OF
the Republic Of Mexico, who has been
in New York, returned to Washington
tonight to fulfill a social engagement
and returned at midnight to New
York. He disclaimed any knowledge
of any change in the internal condi-
tions of Mexico and as for the health
of President Diaz, he insisted that
nothing in the personal or official Of
the communications Of the president
indicated anything but his usual sat-
isfactory condition of health. More
over, he stated that, apart from
sporadic disorders connected with the
revolt in isolated parts Of Mexico, the
situation was normal.
hn
this evening that the Mexican insur-
rectos had been giving considerable
trouble to the contractors engaged on
the work of damming the Colorado
river, across the line from the Impe-
rial valley in California, and that Mex
leo was sending by way Of the Gulf Of
California a regiment Of federal troops
to guard the work which was under
floods in the Imperial valley and the
surrounding country. Two hundred
Mexican soldiers sent through Yuma,
Arizona some time ago for this pur-
pose were gobbled up by the insurrec-
tos and never reached their destina-
ton.
The president told callers today that
Texas and the adjacent country Of
fered an admirable field for manoeu-
vers at this time Of the year but vouch-
safed no further information.
No such secrecy ever before has
marked the preparations for practice
manoeuvres. Quite the contrary; at
other times the participating officers
have been only too glad to draw pub
lie attention to and arouse public in
terest in the work of the army and
navy. Furthermore, 1t was freely stat
ed today that the appropriations for
army manoeuvres for the current fiscal
year are all but exhausted and it is
pointed out that in ordinary circum-
stances no such movements as those
sprung on the army and navy during
the past forty-eight hours would be
thought of. Hence 1t was inevitable
that Washington should be skeptical
tel