New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-20

/ conferences with his aids ana TALKED
with Admiral Dewey. head of the gen
eral board the organization which de-
cides upon matters of naval policy.
Huerta has dropped his demand for
simultaneous salute, the unheard oil
thing which he proposed should be
adopted. But he chung to his original
suggestion Of formal agreement, news
of which was given exclusively in The
Tribune yesterday in the following
summary of his proposal:
THAT the United States formally
agree TO return the Mexican salute.
This, too. was turned down by the ad-
ministration. Washington made no
secret of its intention TO respond TO
/ Huertas salute, but it would not make
an agreement in the matter. Huerta' S
scheme was obvious. He wanted to es-
tablish, for use in Mexico, that he had
demanded and obtained a salute from
/ the United States. He would doubtless
call this recognition
Recognition Out Of Question.
This was precisely the case, and il
caused the administration, in sending
its last final message" which was
practically the fourth of the communi-
cations of the sort, definitely to state to
Huerta that nothing that was to be
done would be considered by the United
States as recognition Of any sort.
Not counting those who may have
slipped out during the last two or three
days, there are about a thousand
Americans in Mexico City, including a
number Of women and children. Most
Of them, however, are men. They have
a definite scheme Of action in the event
Of an anti-American outbreak in Mex
leo City. Certain zones have been
established and Americans residing
therein are to proceed with all dis
patch to certain centres, there to mob
ilize, arm themselves with rifles and
ammunition that have been hidden
away and fight for their lives if neces-
sary.
City there are go rifles and two ma
chine guns. There are also men in
Mexico City familiar with the operation
of the automatics, while practically all
of the American men who have vent
ured 10 linger in the danger zone know
how 10 use the old American army
Krag J0rgensen rifles.
The British, French, German and
ammunition on hand. as well as a
handful Of sailors or marines 10 assist
in their protection.
Official information was received here
tonight that the German government
has chartered two merchant ships to
take refugees at Vera Cruz.
Ship for American Refugees.
/ The American steamer Esperanza,
which has been chartered by the Navy
/ Department, will soon be ordered TO
| Vera Cruz, there TO embark American
refugees from Mexico City.
From Mexico City to Vera Cruz. or
from Vera Cruz to Mexico City, which
may become the more important order
of things before forty-eight hours have
passed, it is go miles by the Mexican
/ Hallway, which is the best line but il
requires twelve full hours TO get there
according 10 the fastest and normal
passenger schedule. The first half Of
the journey is up the mountains to the
. Plateau, which begins at Esperanza,
which is 200 feet above Vera Cruz.
The line is simply a succession Of
great bridges, tunnels and hazardous
stretches on the sides Of the mountains.
There are half hundred points where
a single stick Of dynamite might injure
the line beyond repair.
AS far as possible the American ma
rines have already taken precautions
against the line being interrupted.
Their first step will be to seize this i'm
portant line of communication between
the sea and Mexico City. The other
railway line TO Mexico City Is the In
| teroceanic, narrow gauge road. From
Vera Cruz to the capital over this line
1t is 30 miles The American intelli-
gence officers have given this line also
important consideration and study, and
II necessary it will be utilized.
Aviation Equipment, Too.
The Secretary OF the Navy issued the
following statement at , o'clock:
THE Mississippi has been ordered to
embark 300 marines now at Pensacola
and all the aviation equipment, in ad-
dition TO the two hydro aeroplanes
being placed on board the Birming-