Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-17
Admiral Murdoch Ordered
to Keep Eye on Situation

The Navy Department, at the sugges-
ton of the State Department. has cabled
instructions to Admiral Murdoch, COM
mander-in-chief of the Asiatic station. to
direct the senior American naval COM
mander at Hankow to keep in touch with
5 the commanders of the ,r foreign
naval vessels there and to work to COM
mon purpose in the protection of foreign
life and property, if they should be en-
dangered-
Admiral Murdoch evidently is alive to
the Importance of the situation. He
! cabled from Manila that he dispatched
ethe New Orleans back to Shanghai, at
the mouth of the Yangtze river. Prob
ably this was in view of the threat of
the revolutioniStS to capture the WuSung
forts, which command the entrance to the
river In the possession of the revOlu-
uonists these forts would effectually cut
off all communication with Shanghai,
with its vastly important foreign in
tereStS.
Three Ships at Hankow.
Admiral Murdoch further reported to
the Navy Department that the American
naval force at Hankow at this moment
comprises three vessels, the Helena, Ell
eano and Villalobos, the two latter light
draught gunboats. captured from the
Spanish during the last war. Another
such gunboat. the Samar, is lying in the
Yangtze river at Ichang. about 800 miles
above HankOw, and is near to the center
Of trouble, Szechuen province.
In addition Admiral Murdoch reports
that four torpedo boats are in the river
at Chung King. but whether or not they
are American or foreign craft does not
appear.
The Helena. Elcano and Villalobos
carry so men altogether. Should the
emergency present itself. little more
than half of these men could be landed.
This force is deemed sufficient to protect
the American consulate from an attack.
The bluejackets are kept we'll drilled for
such landings, as the Chinese situation
may present.
eight four-inch guns; the Elcano, four
four-inch guns, and the VillalobOs eight
guns of about the six-pounder type.
These could be used. 1T is believed, to
good effect should there be an uprising
in which the lives or property of foreign
ers would be endangered
Rebels Show Ability.
Explanation of the circumstances under
which the German bluejackets were land
ed at Hankow and came into collision
with the mob is awaited with great
anxiety here. Up to this time the officials
have been filed with admiration at the
leaders in preventing any attack on for
eigners in China
The point of interest now is to learn
whether the Chinese mob referred to in
the Berlin dispatches has been commit
ting acts of violence within the limits of
the foreign concessions which extend for
about two miles along the banks of the
Yangtse river at Hankow. If their activ-
tiles were exhibited outside of the con-
cessons the matter would not have the
same grave International significance that
would attach to ii IL the outbreak Oc-
CURED in the concession.
. In the latter case, it seems almost
certain that the senior American naval
commander, Capt. Knepper of the Hell
ena would feel il his duty. under his
instructions. to land his forces to CO.
operate with the Germans in the de-
Tense of the concessions.
The State Department, well as the
Navy Department. is greatly embarrassed
in dealing with the situation by the diff
Guilty of keeping in Geographic cofnmuni-
cation with Hankow. Such dispatches
as emanate from that point appear to
come in the most irregular manner
More Marines Sent.
Regarding the report from Manila
that 100 American marines had been dis
patched from that port to Picking to
reinforce the legation guard there. it is
said at the State Department that the
movement is In the ordinary routine To
relieve the marines who have been on
duty at the legation at Picking for the
last year. OF course. If the emergency