The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-12-29
WAR CLOUD GROW.
Government officials Endeavor to
49, Allay Apprehension.
BUT THE SITUATION rs CRITICAL.

General Grant, Acting Secretary of
War. Says the Talk of Hostilities
with Chile Is All Nonsense. but
All Is Activity in the Departmental.
The Breeze on the Border.
I WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-The govern
ment officials are still trying to allay all
apprehension of war with Chile, but
preparations are being made for war,
and 1t is undoubtedly believed by every
one who is fully acquainted with tho
situation that there will be demon
Htration Of hostilites in short time.
1t may safely be asserted that nothing
could happen more unexpectedly to the
government officials just now than q
peaceful settlement of this trouble. The
conviction that this is so does not arise
from the fact that active preparations
are being made I'd meet any contingency.
Such preparations would have to be
made as matter of precaution even If
the government were ever SO sanguine
OF a settlement without appeal to arms.
War Almost Certainty.
1t is not possible to judge of what a
cabinet officer thinks of such situation
by reading his public declarations. But
there are means of knowing what his
private Judgment is, and by these means
1t is learned that in the highest official
circles the most serious possible view is
taken of the situation. The possibility
of war has passed into a probability and
the probability into almost a certainty.
u. Il, 4l,nA l.x,s .A-r.,A
poets hostilities, and will be surprised at
Rny other outcome.
The war depart tment is as active as the
navy in its preparations. While deny
ing that the Chill an affair is giving them
any concern, preparations are being
made for the ntassing of the regular
troops.
General Grant the acting secretary of
war, said, when asked for an explana-
tion of the unusual activity in army
circles: "Nonsenae to talk of war with
Chile. Nonsense Why do they not
talk of war with Italy? The situation
on our Mexican border is what seems
serious to me. i think there is positive
danger of our getting into troublc with
Mexico. They may complain of our per-
mitting CARA ard his band to pass back
and forth across bur border. We must
4hNe lt0upS bueFe W prtfeub tulS. lU
begins to look to me as if CARA might
succeed in getting up serious revolu-
ton. The situation is serious, aud we
have got to look put for things all along
the Mexican border"
The Breeze on the Border.
San. ANTONIO, Tex, Dec. 2O.-The sit
nation on the border is becoming more
serious. and it is believed that the
tr0fil,ln will Iant la without
considerable bloodshed, as the revolu-
tionists continue to boldly organize their
forces on this side of the border without
any apparent fear of interruption by the
United States military authorities. GEN
eral Stanley, commander of this depart
Inent, sent a number of dispatches last
night to the diffdr post commanders
along the border, instructing them all
to take the field with detachments of
their forces and scout for the revolution
lists. An order was also issued by Gem
eral Stanley for the United States
troops stationed at this post TO be pre-
pared TO leave for the scene of the
trouble at moments notice, and they
left here on special train this morning.
They will be distributed along tho
border at different posts, thus strengthen
ing the military guard. The order pro-
dueed much excitement at the post
here. In addition to the increase in the
military protection the entire ranger
force of the stale is to be sent to the
frontier.
DR.. Ornales, tile Mexican consul here,
has received number Of kilograms
from the. Mexican authorities to the
effect that the rbvolutionists are miss
ing near Rome, Tex, and that Catarino
Cara and other leading reyolutionists
are being protected on United States
territory. The donsul is instructed to
report to the United States authorities.
Mad NoniAo4na AL