The Portland daily press., 1882-05-08
THE PERUVIAN COMPANY.

Cross Examination of Senator Blair Re-
sumed-
WASHINGTON, May 6.-The examination OF
Senator Blair was resumed this morning, be-
fore the foreign affairs committee. !.
The witness thought there could be no doubt
but English influence predominated CONNER
cially in South America, and that Chilli holds
commercial relations almost exclusively with
European nations, particularly with England,
from whom she has received substantial imam
cial aid. That is true OF Chill IN respect OF
her trade The witness thought it would prob
ably apply to other South American republics,
and he wished it might be reversed. The Wit.
ness thought the greater part OF the press OF
this country, was conducted in the interest OF
foreign countries SO far as these foreign cues
great metropolitan journals of New York to
his view. were Enthusiastically So
Mr. Blount inquired what the witness would
suggest in the matter of the Monroe doctrine
as applicable to this Peru-Chilian affair.
Alt seems to me when the opportunity
was offered us, without violating any obllga-
ton to any European country, to have preserv'
ed peace between Peru and Chilli, and made
Peru strong commercial ally OF the United
States, would have embraced the opportunl-
ty. In that way we would have secured con-
troll of the canal, which now seems in fair
way to pass to the control of European nations.
Representative Lord suggested that some eff
fort be made to restrict the investigation to
proper limits.
Mr.. Blount suggested secret session to de-
termine the point.
Chairman Williams-The committee do not
desire to restrict Mr.. Blount in his examina-
ton I trust he will continue.
Mr.. Blount then resumed, asking - w hat was
the amount of the Landreau claim as put by
the Peruvian Company?
Al think Shipherd placed the amount at
about $135 900, 600, principal and interest.
O.-What was the amount of the Cochet
claim?
A.-Four hundred and eiahty millions, with
interest. Substantially, l think billion dol
lars. A hundred millions or two would not
make much difference.
Odd you expect the Peruvian Company
would succeed in getting SO large claim ac-
knowledged?
Alt was always clear to my mind that
they would not get a great amount of it.
Q.-Would is not have proved exceedingly
embarrassing and aburdensome to Peru to have
acknowledged and paid these claims?
A-Under American management it would
be far less burdensome than it now is under
her OWE.
Q.-What do you mean by American man
agement?
Al mean an American company and the
Anglo-Saxon energy and capital, and the emil
grafton which would have been diverted to
Peru.
Mr.. Belmont-Was there not an idea of an
American protectorate?
A.-Not at that time; not until November,
just about the time 1 severed my connection
with the Peruvian Company.
Mr.. Wilson desired to call the attention OF
Mr.. Blair to correspondence between himself
(Blair) and Shipberd. The latter had declined
to produce it. He (Wilson) thought the COM
mittee would like to have it, and he called the
Senator's attention that he might produce it
Monday if it appeared to him proper to do SO.
Mr.. Blair replied that he had no correspon-
dence with Shipherd save such as was strictly
private and confidential, and growing out OF
their relations as attorney and client, and he
must decline to produce it.
Mr.. Wilson stated that the object of the COM
mittee was simply to learn if it threw any
light on the subject under investigation,
whether any effort had been made to influence
the intervention of this government or to pre-
vent peace between Chilli and Peru, except
through the Acknowledgements of these claims.
The witness replied that he knew nothing
whatever of the loss of certain State Depart
ment papers, nor if any government official
would be interested in affecting the policy of
this government in the interest OF these
claims, and of any effort or expectation OF Sc
curing American intervention, or OF any ex-
pectation or effort to prevent peace between
Chill and Peru unless these claims were allow
ed. He recognized the fact that there were
obligations higher and more binding than
those subsisting merely between individuals,
and were he in possession of any knowledge or
any correspondence of the character mentioned
or sought under the resolution calling for the
investigation, he should consider it his duty to
refuse to withhold anything under the shield
of professional considerations.
The examination was then postponed till
Monday morning.