The Portland daily press., 1882-01-30
CHILL AND PERU.
An Interview With Ex-Secretary
Blaine.
HIS ACTION IN TEE MATTER Ex-
planned.

HIS ACTION IN TEE MATTER Ex-
PLANNED.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29-The Post will pub
lish tomorrow morning the following interview
with Ex-Secretary Blaine upon the subject OF
the recently printed diplomatic correspondence
relating to Chill and Peru. Concerning the
published statement that the instructions to
Mr.. Trescott had been drafted and committed
to Mr.. Trescott without the knowledge OF the
Post, Mr.. Blaine said "that statement mas
absolutely no foundation in truth The in
structions were not only gone over at length
with the President but when written were
twice read to him for criticism and change. l
have the original draft in my possession with
the modification desired by the President
clearly noted. Referring to the change OF
policy inaugurated by Secretary Frelinghuysen
Mr.. Blaine says: 1t is the undoubted right OF
the President is of private citizen to change
his mind. have seen no reason to change my
mind as to the wisdom of the course marked
out. Time, reflection and development OF
events have all the more strongly confirmed
me and fear one result of the change will be
the utter destruction of the commercial inter-
ests of the United States on the South Pacific
coast.
IT see" said the reporter, ''some papers ac-
cuse YOU of an intention or desire to annex
Peru to the United States" At this sugges-
ton Mr.. Blaine showed some impatience.
"Why,' said he, "you might as well think OF
annexine Terra Del Fugo or the Island OF Juan
Fernandez My dispatches ON the Isthmus
Canal question discaimed for the United
States any desire for territorial acquisition IN
Mexico or Central America. Itnever occurred
to me that the annexation OF South American
territory called for a disclaimer.
Upon being asked whether any attempt was
made by the United States government to push
the claims of private citizens against Peru,
Mr. Blaine said ION the contrary that was
carefully avoided
Referring to the Landreau claim Mr.. Blaine
said: John G. Landreau is living and is citl-
zen of the United States with legal residence
in Louisiana, and now and has been for several
years past American consul at Santiago de
Cuba. to which post he was appointed by Gen.
eral Grant. Again, referring to the change OF
policy toward Chilli, he continued: "There
seems no possible need of Mr.. Treseott being
in Chill if he is simply there TO be helpless
witness of the utter spoliation of Peru. That
could have taken place without the presence OF
special envoy of the United States who is
forbidden to protest and actually appears as
aiding and abetting its spoliation. What l
mean fby spoliation appears plainly enough
from Mr. Trescott's original dispatch published
Saturday morning. He says Chilli demands
the absolute cession of the entire province OF
Tarapaca, and besides that $20,000,000 in mon
ey, payable is sixteen years, during which
time africa is to be occupied by Chilli, and If
the twenty millions are not paid africa is to be
absolutely annexed to Chill. Besides all this
Chill appropriates the guano deposits OF the
Lobos Islands. Mr. Trescott adds that If Peru
refuses these conditions Chilli will then decline
| the further mediation of the United States. In
| other words Chilli is willing and glad to accept
| the mediation of the United States if that me-
diation can be used to induce Peru to submit
| quietly to destruction. But If the United
| States special envoy cannot be used for that
end Chill will have no more to do with him
| and he can pack up and come home in a meek
and lowly frame of mind that would be fit for
such returning journey The demand of
| Chill is equivalent to the destruction of Peru
| for the reason it takes from the latter country
a great body of her guano and
| all her nitrate BEDS and thus deprives her of
| her sources of revenue. What Chilli is taking
| from Peru is relatively far greater loss to
| Peru than the loss of the eleven seeding
| States would have been to the American
Union; far greater than that, greater indeed
| than if the Pacific coast had Joined the rebel
| lion and gone out forever. That would have
taken all the cotton lands, all the sugar lands
| and all the precious mineral lands from the
| United States and woald have destroyed our
| fate is to be inflicted on Peru. and Chilli now
| permits the United States to mediate only on
| condition that she will promote this wholesale
| destruction of friendly republic, destruc-
ton as complete and cruel as the partition OF
| Poland.
do not precisely understand from Mr. Tres
| colts despatch whether the Lobos Islands are
subject to redemption, bit no matter whether
| they are or not, Peru is not left with the power
| to raise twenty million cents. Chill evidently
| wanted territory, not money; the Lobos Islands
would sell at auction for twice twenty millions
| and Chilli will derive very large amount from
| their ownership. africa and the Lobos Islands
| will be as completely in her possession as Tara
paca. Of course Chilli is entitled to a war in
| demnity, and all the instructions sent out from
| the department while was Secretary recog-
nized that fact in the fullest degree. She is
| entitled, as an u1d phrase went, to indemnity
for the past and security for the fnture But
| Peru ought to have been allowed to pay cash
| indemnity and ought not to be subjected to the
| destruction of her nationality. The territorial
| indemnity demanded is very valuable. The prov
| ince of Tarapaca contain wonderful beds of nj
| trate of soda which sre capable of producing an
enormous revenue Under judicious manage
ment this province is estimated to beiworth abot
| thirty to forty millions year. Besides this
province Chilli takes the province of africa and
the Lobos Islands both of very great value,
| The Lobos Islands are not seized by reasons of
their contiguity or for military defences They
are three little islands off the coast of northern
| Peru and estimated to contain several million
| tons of guano and worth very large sum in
| ready cash.
In explanation of Chilis easy conquest of
| Peru Mr.. Blaine said the Chilian government
received iron clad ships from England and
| material of war from the same source and
Chilian soldiers marched to Peru clad in
uniforms of English cloth and with English
muskets on their shoulders. English sympathy
has stood behind her at every step in her con-
| quest and English commercialsinterests will
receive tremendous impetus from Chili's
aggrsndizement. / think the result of this
| Peru-Chilian war destroys American influence
| on the South Pacific coast and literally wipes
out American commercial interests in that
vast region. / dislike to see England win
ming great commercial triumphs in field that
legitimately belongs to the United States.
Chili's victory throws the whole Peruvian
business into English hands. the export of
guano and nitrate is all now absorbed by Chill.
English bankers will furnish the money, Eng
lish merchants will transact the business and
English ships will carry the cargoes. Chilli
will gain from it in two years more than the en-
tire cost of her war, and England will absorb
the business as she absorbs the trade of Portu-
gal, of Egypt, of Austria or Of Bengal.
Upon being asked whether the instructions
with MIR. Trescott contemplated war with
Chill said, 'The United States surely never
intended to make war upon Chilli. His in
strnctions aimed at the triumps of peace not of
war.
Question-What first induced you to use
the moral power and influence of the
United States to save Peru from destruction?
Answer-Peru appealed earnestly to the
United States to save her. She sent special
envoy to Washington to request, to implore, to
supplicate our aid. She did not ask military
interference. She merely asked the United
States, speaking by her great authority, would
save her from destruction. She felt the heavy
hand of England upon her at every turn.
LATER.
M. Leon Say will be minister of finance; M.
Varroy, minister of public works: Gen. Biilot,
ministsr of war, and Admiral Jaureguiberry,
minister of marine.
THE LONDON TIMES