The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-09

Judge that the rebels ere steadily
drawing nearer.
The only anxiety felt by foreigners
here Is as to the fate Of the Americans
and other foreigners who were report
cd hemmed in fifty or sixty miles up
the Panuco river Some refugees give
the number of refugees az high as
one hundred,
Fear for Foreigners.
a feet of small boats which re-
turned from q trip of rescue up the
river on Wednesday said they had
been unable to find a single foreigner
anywhere. The anxiety is due to the
fear that these Americans and others
have either been slain or have been
driven further In to the interior.
There is no particular fear of i'll
treatment from the Mexican federals
or the regular constitutionalist forces.
but from the bandits who prey and
murder in the trail Of the larger
forces,
Boats manned by Mexicans, who
came out TO the fleet today report
that the city is quiet and the federals
in complete control They are con-
fident, 1t is said that they will win at
the last stand where they will bring
everything they have into action.
Their heaviest guns will be used
into action.
The federal Notifications that form
the land side are such the only pos
sible chance for the constitutionalists,
is to take the city by a grand assault
or a siege If they had a navy they
could become masters of the city very
quickly, bust as Ii is they Will have
To come up against a powerful ar
tillery defence and the loss of life Will
be tremendous, The city at present is
falling back on staple food, as the
constituttonaiists have shut off all
fresh food supplies from the land side
and none comes in from the gulf,
There is plenty OF water. bat there Is
danger of an epidemic.
Oil Field Rumors.
The widest of rumors about the
situation in the oil fields fly about the
feet of war vessels and merchantships.
II is said from federal sources that
the rebels are burning oil derricks
and crude oil in enormous quantities,
ravaging all the country side. No
confirmation can he obtained for this
as no foreigner is allowed to land at
Tampico and all business Is suspend
ed. An attempt Of the federals To
make Tampico absolutely safe from
the gulf at night has just been, de-
feated by Lieutenant, Allan shannon
Farouahar and ten men of the United
States naval tender Dixie. They have
Just captured a Mexican schooner
which was sent up from Tuxpam by
the federals to destroy the lighthouse
on Lobe island. The schooner came
up yesterday and sailed about the
light which Ia situated on Rocky
coral reef and then anchored,
Immediately thereafter Lieutenant
Farquahars and ten men all heavily
armed boarded the schooner. The
MeXicans made no resistance and al
lowed their schooner to be towed into
the fleet where it was searched. It
was discovered that the schooner and
it's crew had come to take off the
lighting apparatus, the keeper and
the machinery to run it.
The destruction Of the light would
have made all entrance to the harbor
by day or night very hazardous. With
the lighthouse on Jerry Point destroy
ed and the main one at Tampico ex~
tinguished. there would have been no
point by which navigators could steer
through the coral reefs which enmesh
the harbor. Lobez island is two
miles long and half mile wide, all
coral reef. More than one wreck APP
pearx on W. TockA Rse{A run for