The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-08

< Four armored cruisers, Tennes- -> see, Montana, North Carolina and . % Washington CISCO officers and mem. < \ to assemble at Guantanamo, Rear < -> Admiral Sydney A. Staunton com < < manding. < % Most of the Pacific fleet 10 as- ~ -> sembe at San Pedro and San < < Diego Cal, Rear Admiral Thom- > \ as commanding. N Washington March 1.-The most exten- sive movement of troops and war ves- sels ever executed in this country in times of peace is now under way, by order of the President, as commander-n- chief of the army and navy, the objective being the country north of the Mexican l boundary and he waters of the two oceans at e U end of it.
 Twenty Isand soldiers, more than one-fourt the army of the United states-of III arms of the service. are \ moving toward the Mexican border; four K Errmareo cruisers, comprising the fifth di- sYsfon of the Atlantic fleet. have been ! ordered from northern waters to the naval station at Guantanamo, Cuba, and most of the Pacific fleet Is or shortly will be on it's way to assemble at San Pedro and San Diego, Cal. and 2o00 marines are preparing to make the Guantanamo station their temporary headquarters.
 It was officially announced at the White House and at the war and navy depart ments today that the purpose of this mobilization, unprecedented save in war times, is the training of officers and men under service conditions, and practice in cooperation between the land and naval forces Unusual pains were taken Hoy all officially concerned in the matter Eto give this color to the sudden activi- ties. but these statements were accom- fpanied with increasing reserve.
 Movement Is Mystery
 There have been important joint ma Eneuvers during the last few years but Fthey have been planned far in advance kand carried out without a ripple of ex- citement or even of evidence of interest at the White House. Today the executive Eoffices were steeped with mystery, the en- &tire morning was given over to confer Fences with officers of the war and navy I6epartments. This atmosphere of mys- ftery, and the zealous efforts to minimize |the importance of tho business lent curl ous significance to the fact that Gen. h Leonard Woods, chief of staff of the Iarmy. in an effort to elude interviewers, kipped out of one of the rear windows of 1.-the Presidents office and beat retreat Xthrough the secluded portions of the IWhite House grounds to a rear entrance of the war department. The real sig lnifcance of these activities. which nave been confined apparently to the last AS hours , or less, is thought to relate di- 1ectly to the conditions in Mexico, and Ito the growing belief that the situation |there is by no means so satisfactory as |the Mexican government would have 1t believed to be.
 There are persistent rumors that the physical condition of President Diaz has lately become such as to alarm his ad- herents, and that momentous develop ments are to be prepared for
 One report current here today was that |the Pearson syndicate. heavily interest led in enterprises in northern Mexico, had appealed to the British government for adequate protection of themselves and other foreign interests in preparation for the chaotic conditions which would al- most certainly follow any serious loss of prestige, to say nothing of the collapse of the DiGz government. It was said that the British ambassador had taken up the uuestion with the state department here, with Suggestion that unless the United States took immediate steps to exhibit its disposition and ability to protect foreign
 Interests in Mexico. the European gov ernments, more particularly Great Britain and Germany, would be compelled to io so.
 Report UncOnfirmed
 Of course no direct confirmation of this report was obtainsble but the sudden burst of martial activity gave 1t color.
 Ambassador De La Barra, of the Re- public of Mexico, who has been in New York, returned to Washington tonight to fulflll a social engagement and returned at midnight to New York. He professed
 ignorance as to the meaning of the mob
 li:ation of American troops and knowl- edge of any change in the international conditions of Mexico. As for the health of President Diaz. he insisted that noth-
 ng in the personal or official communi- cations of the President indicated any
 thing but his usual satisfactory condition pf health Moreover. he stated that apart
 from sporadic disorders connected with
 the revolt in isolated parts of Mexico the situation was normal.
 It was said that one reason for the re- turn of Ambassador De La BaIra to New York tonight was to meet there to-
 morrow Senor Limantour. the Mexican
 minister of finance, who arrived tonight
 &om France.
 Henry Lane Wilson, the ambassador to
 texico, has been io the United States for kbout 10 days. and left for Crawfords-
 lila Ind to visit .his mother who is ill.