The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-11-20
Admiral Brown Tolls tho Story OF
tho Closing Scenes.
He YINDICA7ES THE ACTIONS
or tho Cruiser Baltimore and Minis.
ter Esnn..-The Cable Company Cut
the Cablo and Minister Egan Did
the Best lie Could Under tho Cir
cumstnncc...Scvcral Wron. lmprcs.
sions CorrcCtcd--.Admlral Browns
Statement of tho Case.

SAS FRANCISCO, Nov. l9.-Tho United
States cruiser San Francisco, flagship OF
the Pacific squadron, which lott here
April for Chile, returned here this
morning. The vessclwas present at the
closing scene OF the Chilean revolution.
Admiral Brown, in an interview with
representative OF the Associated Prose,
said that the fall OF Valparaiso after tho
defeat OF Balmaccdo forces Mt Vina Del
Mar by tho congressionnlist forces
under General Canto, was attended
with scenes OF carnage and rapinc. The
reports Of tho bombardment OF lQuiquc,
the admiral stated, had been much ex-
aggeratcd. Concerning all tho actions
OF the San Francisco and the report that
she mad given Balmaccda information
in regard to the landing of the insur-
gents ut Quintcro, the admiral refused
to talk at any length.
while at Acapulco" said he, ~ sent
a full report concerning all the actions
OF the San Francisco to the secretary OF
the navy. think it will 90 there to-day
or tomorrow and l cannot anticipate
the departments action in the mattGr.
The effect OF the landing OF the rcvolu-
tionists at Quintcro, was known in Val
paraiso long before we loft the city. in
fact long before either Minister Egan or
my officers knew OF it."
''llow about the Baltimorc's cutting
the cable ut lquiQuc?" was asked.
"The Baltimore did not cut the cable
at al, " replied the admiral. ",rhc in
surgents had possession OF Iquique and
refused to allow any messages from Val
para!so 20 pass through TO Lima, The
Bainaceda government. Which was the
only government in Chile recognized by
tho United States, warned the cable
company that unless they opened COM
munication with Lima according to COLI
tract they would forfeit their charter
and all their privileges. The company
explained the facts to the insurgents
and made every possible offer to induce
them to let Ba!maceda's messages pass
through, but all in vain; then the COM
pany decided to cut the cable"
"Iou have no doubt heard OF the
charges made against you by the con-
SrcSslonailsts
"Oh, yes" said the Admiral, smiling.
what have you to say about them, :"
was asked.
"Therc is nothing to be said, as moth
ing OF tho kind ever took place They
declared among other things that Bal
maccda was OH board my ship. but |
suppose they are satisfied now that he
was not. since he killed himself in the
rooms OF the Argentine legation ut SAM
tingo. The general impression was that
the president was concealed in 4 con-
vent by the archbishop. Had he come
on board the San Francisco | would GER
tainly have given him refuge. There
was no chance for him to escape, how
ever, as every avenue was guarded by
soldiers OF the Junta."
"Whut do you think OF Minister
Egan?' was asked.
"Ilc conducted himself through the
entire trouble with the dignity demand
ell by his position. No man situated
as he was could have done moro. Some
criticism was made against him, l see,
for not sending official dispatches con-
iirming the capture OF Valparaiso. but
they did not uuderstand't Tie condition
OF affairs. Mr.. Egal was NJ Santiago,
and all communication between that
place and Valparaiso was shut off for
several days. The news reached tho
minister in 4 roundabout way, and he
tclcgraphed to Washington. but ne was
Ignorant OF the fact that the wires were
down."