The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-19

Washington, November 1S.--Absencu
of any evidence that fresh Instructions
had gone forward from Washington l.,
John Lind or Charge O'shaughnessy
wns understood In official circles her.
today to mark the advent of another
cisive Development in Mexico.
In spite of all the rumors of blockades
and intervention coming from Havana
and Vera Cruz there has been no sign OF
any activity at the navy or war depart
ments which might be expected to precede
adoption of any such radical steps by
the administration.
Moreover, 1t has been intimated in Of
ficial quarters that only by direction Of
Congress would such step be taken
Officials still decline to give any in
formation as to what has been accom-
plished by William Byard Hale in his con-
ference at Nogales with General Car.
rama and his eonsttutionalist cabinet,
Insnrrection Spreading
State department adYleas made public
| today Indicated that the insurrectionary
movement Is spreading rapidly. not only
and east. This last development is re-
garded here as very important because
the success of the constitutionalists in OBJ
tanning possession of the rich oil fields
IN the east and some deep water port
on the gulf coast would enormously
strengthen them from a military point of
view, the former insuring them a full
treasury and the latter an easy means OF
supplying themselves with munitions of
war from Europeans in the West Indies.
The state department is looking for
news of the capture by insurgents of Vic
toria, capital of the state of Tamalipas,
which would complete the rebel control
of the northern tier of Mexican states.
Consular reports today from Vera Cruz
stated that all bridges between Tampico
and Victoria had been destroyed, train
traffic totally suspended and the tracks
to the north and south of Victoria torn
up The city is about 100 miles north
west of Tampeo and it Is understood the
safety of considerable number of for
eigners is threatened by the military OPP
erations there. The German cruiser Bre-
men arrived yesterday at Tampieo, the
nearest port to Victoria, te afford refuge
to the Germans in that neishborhood who
can reach the coast.
Gathering Up Refugees
On the west coast the German cruiser
Nuremberg has been dispatched to San
Blan to gather up German refugees In
that neighborhood who fled from repic,
capital of the state of that name, before
it was captured by the Insurgents a
few days ago.
At the war department the strategists
are puzzling over the lack of activity by
federal forces in Mexico, who appear to
have offered no substantial resistance to
the triumphant southwark sweep of in
ssrgents.
No official comment was forthcom-
ing here tonight on the action of Gem
eral Carranza's foreign minister. Fran
cisco Escudero, in asking William Bay
continuing the conferences which have
been in progress at Nogales between
Mr.. Hale and the constitutionalist
leaders
Mr.. Hale. 1t has been understood in
official circles, was sent to the bor-
der in a purely unofficial capacity for
the purpose of putting the Washington
administration in touch with the Mex
lean revolutionists. He was expected
to inquire as to the attitude of Gem
eral Carranza toward armistice
pending the establishment of a new
provisional government and to discuss
tentatively the question of lifting the
American embargo on munitions of
war.
1t never has been suggested here
that the administration was consid-
ering formal recognition of the con-
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