The Detroit times., 1913-02-18
u. S. Transports Are
Maae Ready for Orders

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S-By Sun
day. President Taft will have 1000
marines at Guantanamo bay, Cuba,
within ~ hours journey Of Vera Cruz.
and SO hours Journey from Mexico
! City.
The 1000 marines will make the
total force available at the Cuban
naval base about 1000 men.
The transports Meade and McCfel-
Ian, with the 1000 marines aboard,
were expected to sail from Norfolk to-
morrow.
The mobilization OF real fighting
force at Guantanamo is the backing
up OF President Tafts yelled threats
to Madero. in the diplomatic note
which he dispatched yesterday to Mex
leo City, in which 1t was stated that
there was "pessimism" In America as
to conditions In the Mexican capital
Less positive in its character, but or
significant interest, was the ordering
OF two transports to Galveston, Tex.
to be held for possible dispatch Of the
border patrol of the army.
Meanwhile, in the face OF these con.
tinued preparations for war, the ad-
ministration today retained It's de-
clared policy OF non-intervention,
State department officials minindzed
the possibility, while the fgh.inS
branches OF the government went aur-
riedly ahead preparing for all contin-
gencles.
With the exception OF on the south.
Mexico is surrounded now by Ameri.
can fdrces-battleships and troops A
border patrol of 1000 men is scattered
through Texas, Arizona, New Mexico,
and California. Three battleships are
at Vera Cruz, and-one is at Tampico.
On the west coast, there Is the arn;or
ed cruiser South Dakota, at Acapulco,
and the Colorado at Manzanillo. At
Guantanamo, the eastern naval base,
there are 10 battleships. IL torpedo
boat d stroyers and fleet of auxiliary
craft.
Available also for service on he
west coast are the gunboat Annapolis,
now en- route TO Amapala, Honduras,
the cruiser Denver, due probably to
day at Acajutla, Salvador. On he
east coast the cruiser Des Moines IL
en- route TO Bluefi elds, Nicaragua, and
the gunboat Nashville Is steaming TO
Puerto Cortez, Honduras.
People Hungry and Desperate.
The state department has almost
given up hope Of the Mexico City sit
uation clearing itself up The admin
istration earnestly hopes that all Am
orleans In the capital will depart at
the earliest possible minute. Offlcial
dispatches from Vera Cruz say that
foreign refugees are arriving there
by hundreds. Meanwhile, through the
strict censorship at the capital there
is leaking into the official dispatches
information that the populace, deepei-
ate in the steadily diminishing foot
supplies, wanting money now tied up
In banks that are afraid to open, and
spurred on by all sorts OF wild runors,
is bordering on 4 condition OF frenzy.
A few days ago II was the after
math" of the Diaz-Madero conflict that
the administration dreaded; now II
Is the concurrent occurrences that are
feared. With two armies so, busy
fighting each other part trey can
spare no time TO put down lawlessness
in the city, dangerous situation Is
believed 10 be at hand.
Vera Cruz is about "a hours jour
ney by rail from Mexico City, and
there are now the marines and blue
Jackets Nof three battleships at that
port TO draw upon for an expeditions
airy force" But President Taft, II vas
certain today, would not risk inhaming
the entire republic of Mexico against
all Americans by landing force OF
these men unless there was desperate
need.
The situation at Manzlnillo, on the
west coast, was also troubling the
state department today
An outbreak OF a1ti-American sentl-
ment led TO the hurried dispatch OF
war vessel TO that port This makes
the second wave of ant1.foreign senti-
ment that has brokeurout on the West
coast