Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-30

any Americans in that city. Arthur E.
Saunders the United States vice consul at
that port is an Englis'hman He has
held the office since April, 1909, and was
no citizen of this country available for
the service. SO far known no men,
Der of the American Archaeological Society
party which has been exploring In the
vicinity of Cyrene is in Tripoli ut this
time Mr.. Norton. leader of the expe
dition. was in London at latest reports.
1t Is believed here that the scientists
will suspend their operations in Tripoli
during the continuance of the war be-
tween Italy and Turkey, as 1T is not like
ly that either party to the strife would
be able to protect them from mob
violence.
Chester at Gibraltar.
The scout cruiser Chester. which re-
Gently was sent to Tripoli to insure the
peaceable prosecution of the scientific ex-
plorations near Cyrene, arrived at GibraI
tar yesterday from Boston. The vessel
will take on coal and provisions at
Gibraltar. Unless teh crisis that has
arisen should necesstate a change in
her orders. she will leave in a day or
two for Malta.
According to her sailing orders when
she left Boston she was 70 touch at NAL
ia to exchange some sailors with the
gunboat Scorpion and supply that vessel
with some new small boats and then pro-
coed to Cyrene to afford protection to
the American archaeological excavating
party.
Whether there will be any change in
her orders remains to be seen. The Navy
Department has no present intention to
send any more vessels to the Mediter-
ranean. so that for some time to come
the Chester and the Scorpion will be the
only American warships in those waters.
They do not constitute very formidable
force, but undoubtedly will suffice for any
service that may devolve on them in the
protection of American interests. Neither
is fighting ship in the strict sense of
the word The Chester is scout cruiser
and her main strength lies in her speed
and cruising radius. Her battery con-
sists of two 5-inch guns and several rap
id-f1re guns of small caliber. The Scor-
pion is a converted yacht and carries
eight small guns.
The Scorpion IS the station ship at Con-
stantinople but she will be ordered to re-
main at Malta or vicinity for the present
to assist the Chester in safeguarding
American interests. In the event that
serious situation should arise IN Constan-
tinople the gunboat probably would i'm
mediately return to her post and be
placed under the orders of the American
amba ssador.
1t is probabI that the Chester and
Scorpion will remain in TripoIitan waters
for the protection of American interests
and for purposes of observation. They
will act in conjunction with the American
consul Wood
American Interests There.
Although few Americans live in Trpoli,
many American merchants engaged in
the foreign trade have some interests in
Tripod, but these are not such as would
require the protection of a man-of-war
That trade might be interfered with by
the Italian blockade of Tripolitan ports
but as that is incident to warfare regu-
iarly conducted there probably will be no
ground for protest.
Even blockade wouM require the
service upon the United StatNS of notice
by Italy, which would doubtless be so
framed as to impose no hardship upon
legitimate trade, providing the vessels
carrying merchandise had sailed from
their home ports before the actual out
break of hostiities.
The declaration of war has come with