St. Paul daily globe., 1891-12-29
Officials Comforting, But Any
Intention to Go to War
Is Denied.
Minister Montt Realizes the
Need Of Extreme Caution
at This Stage,
But His Countrymen Said to
Be Wofully Ignorant OF
Their Danger.
Wild Rumors Worked Into
Thrilling Reports Of Com
ing Battle.

ing Battle.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2S. - Secretary
Tracy's Office presented a busy scene
this morning. Within an hour he saw
Senator Allison. of the senate commit
tee OH appropriations; Senator Came
ron, chairman of the committee on naval
affairs; Senator Butler, of the same COM
mittee; Senators Frye and Hale, Chief
Constructor Wilson, Chief Engineer
Melville, Capt. Phillips, who is to CON-
mand the new cruiser New York; Com
mander Chadwick, and lastly Charles
Cramp. the shipbuilder.
Notwithstanding this sign of official
activity and the reports thatare printed
of unusual work at the navy yards, the
officials of the navy department deny
there is the least speck of war cloud on
the horizon. Assistant Secretary Soley
says that he has already expressed his
views as to the navy yard work. When
asked where the San Francisco is bound,
he declined to give a definite answer,
but when lie was reminded that the last
time she went out for gun practice" as
ICpCIlt Uy luo uCpiI IlllCAts ShO udu
next been heard of at Valparaiso, he
said that the vessel had no orders for
Chill.
Unanimous I'm Denial.
A naval officer who should know,
when asked if the cruiser was bound
for Acapulco, replied that she would not
go as far south as Mexico. He also
stated that the Baltimore was now prob
ably north of Panama on her way to
San Francisco. Commodore Folger,
chief of the ordnance bureau, added to
the general denials by saying that there
was no unusual activity at the naval
gun factory. Mr.. Cramp also insisted
that his force was no. working faster or
| longer than usual.
At the department of state matters
moved along In the usual fashion, and
there was not trace of warlike excite
ment. The officials say that nothing
mas been heard from Minister Egan
since the 23d inst. Why he did not at
tend President Months inauguration
Saturday they did not know, and doubt
ed the correctness of the report to that
effect.
At the war department, neither Act
ing Secretary Grant nor Maj. Gen. SchO-
field, who would certainly be in position
to know, had Ony information of an in
tention to appoint Gen. Miles to CON-
mand the army in the event of war with
Chilli. In fact, the only sign of war
like preparation visible at the executive
departments consisted in an order is
sued Saturday for the immediate prep
aration of the new twelve-inch gun, Just
completed at the navy yard here. for
transportation to California, together
with 1000 pounds of prismatic powder
and II 900 SiX-inch shells.
uOntt Is Anxious.
Senior Nontt. the Chilian minister,
| called at the department of state at
| noon. He was Immediately shown into
Secretary Blaine's private office and had
an interview with the secretary for half
an hour. 1t was impossible to get more
than hint of what passed between the
secretary and the minister during the
interview, but that is probably sufficient
to warrant the supposition that matters
are not proceeding in manner as salts
factory to the government of the United
States as could be desired.
Notwithstanding the fact that Secre-
| tary Blaine is now dealing almost en-
tlrely directly with the CHILEAN minister,
instead of with his government through
the Intervention of Minister Egan, 1t
does not appear that the result has been
a saving of time, and there is reason to
suspect that the secretary is chating at
the delay he encounters in securing q
final response TO the representations
made by this government concerning
the attack on the Baltimore's men.
During the afternoon Representatives
Lodge and Boutelle called at the navy
department. They are both Republican
members of the house committee on ma
val affairs, the chairman of which, Rep
resentative Herbert, is absent from the
city. Unless the house OF representa-
tiveS reeurs TO
The Old Randall Rules.
the naval committee will retain in its
charge all matters relating to appropria-
tionS for the naval service. while in the
! senate the concurrent action OF the CON-
| tee on appropriations and the committee
| on naval affairs is usually necessary to
secure provision for any naval expendi-
| lures.
Secretary Tracy has been in commu
| nlcation with members of each Of those
committees during the day, but with
what purpose is not definitely known.
| An officer of the department, speaking
| of the consultation, said: at means just
| this: That we are abiding by George
| Washington's maXim-in time of peace
| prepare for war. We do not believe
| there will be war, but if the administra-
ton failed to exercise all OF its power in
the matter of preparation, it would be
| open to severe criticism If hostilities
| actually ensue."
News reached the navy department
! this afternoon that the cruiser San
| Francisco had arrived at San Diego,
| CAL. and was at anchor in the harbor.
| 1t was rumOred that she would await
the Charleston at that place and trans
| fer to the latter vessel certain muni-
tionns of war which she carried from
| San Francisco.
An officer of the state department said
| tonight that so far as he was aware
| nothing had been received from Minis
! ter Egan since the inauguration of
| President Montt. The ChIlian minister
] also yet remains officially unadvised of
anything pertaining to the Inauguration.
Secretary Tracy said tonight that the
| United States steamer San Francisco,
which arrived at San Diego, Cal, was
! there for the purpose of engaging in tar
! get practice. He said further, that no
other orders had been issued to her CON-
| mander.
READY FOR BUSINESS.