Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-07


> for the successful maintenance Of a
hostile naval force on the coast OF an
enemy will take its place or the Texas
. shore line.
These cruisers comprise the present
fifth division of the Atlantic fleet. now
at New York. and which are ready for
sea. The division comprises the flag
ship Tennessee, Montana, North Carolina
and Washington, all powerful armored
cruisers Of 1880 tons displacement. un-
der command of Rear Admiral Sydney A.
Staunton.
The military force will establish It's
Headquarters at San Antonio under COM
mand of Mai Gen. William II. Carter,
assistant chief of staff. assisted by sew
eral brigadier generals, who will COM
mand the brigades into which the grand
division will be divided. These brigades
will be placed at strategic points
throughout the Department of Texas, IN
Guiding not only the Mexican border
towns. to which particular attention will
he given. but also Galveston and the other
seaports.
Gen. Wood Dodges Reporters
Secretary Dickinson and Gen. Wood
were several times in conference with
President Taft before the CABINET meet
ing, which was postponed from IL TO II
o'clock to give the President time Z"
write a letter to Secretary baiinser
and to see a number of callers. On
one of his visits to the President Gen.
Wood instead of returning through 'ne
executive offices to the main door'
wbere reporters were awaiting him,
Jumped out of a rear window OF oec[e-
tary Norton's office and returned 10 lhe
War Department. ~ Nv;
dences that the administration mas oeeh
getting in readiness for d1spatchlhs
number of troops to the border, q mum
Der of conferences having been helo at
the White House.
No Connection With Revolt.
OF course, it is Impossible to move so
large a body of troops into the vicinity
of Mexico I'm the present disturbed con-
dition of that country without giving
rise to the very natural conjecture that
a crisis has arisen that promises TO de-
uand the efforts of United States troops
To maintain order. 1t is, however III
possible to secure any official aoilissioil
that there is any connection whd.ete,
between the present military anu nav.
i'm Mexico In the War Department anu
in the Navy Department the statement
is made that the orders now peihs en-
ecuted for the movement or troops anu
ships are in conformity with plans idiu
long ago and without reference to COIL
dtions in Mexico.
The Secretary of War, Tor instance
pointed to the fact that so FAR as tney
have gone the orders to the troops lookeo
to their Decentralization at the headquar-
tiers of the Department of Texas I'm san
Antonio, which he indicated was quite re-
mote from the Mexican border.
For his part Secretary Meyer SAID ina.
when he was in New Orleans last fall ne
had promised the people Of the south that
he would send some warships into the
Gulf of Mexico to hold extensive man
euvers and practice drills on the coast
so as to let them see for themselves the
present state of development of the navy.
His purpose was to appeal to the pa.
triotism of the people for one reason anu
again, to in some measure, compensate
for the decision of the Navy Department,
10 practically abandon the navy yard at
> Algiers opposite New Orleans on the
Mississippi river. which he was satished
Is no longer necessary for naval uses
beyond the handling of small craft. so
one part of his plan was to send the bat
tfeship Idaho up the Mississippi river as
> far as Vicksburg, following the cruise
list year of the battleship MISSISSIPPI
which had gone up as tar as Naau nr,la
Il
operate in blue water, some or tnem
going into Galveston.
benefits to the Navy.
Secretary Meyer also referred to the
opportunity afforded by the allowance by
Congress for the improvement of the
naval station at Guantanamo, Cuba 10
enlarge the accommodations ashore at
that point for bluejackets and marines.
He said that it was his purpose to gather
up about 600 marines at once ana seno
them by transports to Guantanamo.
where they might practice at the rlne
butts and be thoroughly drilled in foot
movements and in landing operations:
But even in the light of all this official
exclamation Of the remarkable activity
suddenly exhibited in army and navy cir
cles. il is apparent that in at least some
quarters much thought has been gwen
70 what has come to be regarded as
very unsatisfactory condition OF aHairs
lust south of the Mexican boundary.
That todays movements We're not sud
denly conceived Is evident from the fact
that recent changes in army commands
have been made with special reference
to the rapid mobilization OF large NIL
tary force in the neighborhood of the
boundary between the United States and
Mexico. Only about ten days ago Gen.
Duncan, just promoted from the rank OF
colonel was assigned to command OF the
DSpai VI AS<>~~s
Hoyt.
Ordinarily Cen Duncan would have had
month or more to prepare himself 1or
the change of quarters, but instead ne
was requested to proceed to San An
tonic with dispatch, his orders intimatins
important developments In that quarter
in short time.
Plans for the rapid concentration OF
troops on the southern boundary nave
long been in existence 1t Is the DUST
ness of the general staff to prepare plans
of campaign against any country WIN
which by the most remote possiolil'S the
United States might be expected 10 come
into hostile collision. These plans are
kept up to the latest moment every
change in railroad schedule Oeing hoteu
and the exact state of the railway trans
portation facilities being recorded. IL Is
these plans that were drawn upon TO-DAY.
n is true that they do not cease at the
MEXICAN boundary. but that Is as FAR as
troops will move at the present time.
The State Department omciais assert
that they know of no present intehtlon
70 send troops into Mexico Their last
adytces from Mexico are not materlaiy
different from those contained In the
press dispatches. Ambassador wilson
in now in Washington, and has oeen IN
consultation with the officials or the state
Department regarding Mexican condi'
lions AS II is nearly fortnight since
he left Mexico City he has no additlonai
light to throw upon the situation.
Great Britain Interested.