The Washington times., 1913-02-18
Rear Admiral Badger
To Provide Quarters for
Entire Force on Ships

Following orders that 1000 marines be
sent Immediately. to Guantanamo. the
Navy Department today instructed
Rear Admiral c. ]. Badger, COM
mander-in-chief of the Atlantic feet,
to provide quarters for the entire force
on the battleships now at Guantanamo,
so that all of them, to be used as a
landing force If needed, can be rushed
to the east Mexican coast at high
speed.
1t is the purpose of the Eavy and
War Departments to use the marines
and ene regiment of cavalry for initial
relief, if the aggravated situation in
Mexico should demand Intervention.
The cavalry would be used for re-
connaissance and to protect the fianks
OF the advancing column of marines,
whose first purpose on landing at Vera
Cruz would be to seize the railroad and
thus hold the only means of transpor-
tatfon that would permit speedy in
vasion of the Mexican capital. The
cavalry could be employed in main-
tanning the line intact.
Preparations Made
Despite the pacific tone of the note
sent to President Nadero by President
Taft yesterday preparations are being
made as rapidly as possible to place an
expeditionary force in a position where
II can be landed in Mexican seaports In
the shortest possible time after the
President shall have decided that inter-
ventfon can be STAYED of no longer.
Reports that The reserve fleet at
Philadelphia had beec given general Or
ders to be placed in commission were
denied at the Navy Department today.
such orders will not be issued until an
extreme occasion arises, because only
30 per cent OF the men required to COM
DiefalN
None OF the vessels had more than one
third OF its full crew prior to the dis
patch of two vessels TO Asiatic waters
when Americans appeared to be in
danger there. and large number of
piue1ackets were transferred from other
vessels of the reserve feet to make up
Iuli crews for the cruisers bound for
the Mediterranean.
Inc declson OF the Navy Department
10 send the transports Sumner and
mcclellan to Galveston, where they will!
ne USED t. transport THE Third Cavalry
aow held at Fort Sam Houston und sr
oroers TO be ready to entrain on short
notice. threatens to eliminate tbe pro-
posed junket of the Senate and Housa
naval committees 90 the Panama
canal zone. The Sumner was placed an
their disposal fer this purpose. If these
ransposts are actually used when they
reach Galveston it is highly probable
mat they will be Immediately sent 10
me Atlantic coast again and held to
carry the Third Brigade. now held un-
der arms. -......
Red Cross To Help.
In case Americans fieeing from Mex
ico City are unable to leave Vera Cruz.
II is planned that the American Ped
cross shall provide the necessary funEs
Tor their transportation to the United
states. Brig. Gen. George Davis. and
W. i. S. Doyle held a conference TODAY
so far no appeal has been addressed
10 ule American Red Cross.
Ihoer he stress of war in the MeNi-
an capi.ai The American colony there.
hnder the lead OF Ambassador Wilson
has constituted new municipal colony
IN effect, and are now carrying on ali
The activities and functions of a com
plete but isolated place
relief corps has been oraanized TO
better sanitary conditions. an armed
guard was constituted last week a tenn
porary bank has been establi;hed in
which the cash OF he Americans has
been pooled 10 be supplemented whom
necessary by DrCmlssorv notes TO no
issued BY Ambassador Wilson. the pub
lication of q small newspaper has been
begun TO supply the colon-- with ne1ys
anc a supply depot has been Instituted
70 provide in the best possible way for
the material wants Of the American and
foreign population.
All the newspapers published in Mex
leo CITY have been suppressed. and the
embassy bulletin has been started i'm
order TO supply Americans with the
most news available, and in this way
quiet their alarms by detailing the sit
nation as Ii exists.
Fear of Pestilence.
The fear Of pestiIence prompted the
organization OF the relief co.ps. The
refugees ERE huddled into small ,uar-
ters. the water supply at the embassy
was cut off yesterday. and is uncer-
tain. dead horses and dead men litter
tne streets. the supply OF food Is short
And all Of the conditions OF WAL from
which epidemics spring are now exist
ant In the Mexican capital
The organization OF the sanitary re-
nef corps is designed to ward off the
dangers of plague which might prove
much more fatal than the erratic fire
0f the rebel and federal forces
The censorship established on all out
SONG news except the kilograms of the
embassies appeared to have no effect
On the news coming from Mexico City
today. The kilograms from ANITA ssador
wilson were few and except as they
related to the establishment of a san
nary relief corps. in the absence of
activity on the part of either the White
Cross or Red Cross organizations, re-
ferred only to routine matters.
Consul Miller, at Tampico, reported
that communication between that port
ana Mexico City had been partly re-
sumed.
The revoiutionists in Nuevo Laredo
are quiet. according to Consul CARROTS
report Americans there have not been
mcieeted and private property has SO
Tar been respected. A report has reached