The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-07

I'd
WftNStxN48S#SA uniform of the
A.1Bsh country to which
N.4:: they belonged.
@===ssssSSsss Whether the at
BENZ. f. TRACY. tacks upon the
seamen of the Baltimore was precon-
ceived or not their real cause can only be
found in the bitter hostility OF the Chilians
towards the United States The feeling is
largely due to false and malicious reports
which have been put forth at Iquique and
later at Valparaiso in reference to the ac-
tion of the navy Of the United States dur
ing the progress of the revolution. II is
due to the navy to state that so far from
having given cause for such feeling its con-
duct, under instructions from the depart
mont, have in every respect been fair, just
and temperate"
The secretary then gives copy OF the
letter of instructions sent on March 26 last
to Admiral McCann, and aftsrward to Ad-
miral Brown. This letter of instructions
declared in part: "Insurgent vessels al
though outlawed by the Chilian govern
ment, are not pirates unless committing
acts of piracy. Observe strict neutrality.
Take no part in tho troubles further than
to protect American interests. Take what
ever measures. are necessary to prevent in
jury by insurgent vessels to the lives or prop
erty Of American citizens, including Amer
ican telegraph cablei. llndeavor to
surgents until American citi-
zens and property are removed,
using force il necessary, only as last re-
sort. and when serious injury Is threatened.
American vessels selzed by the insurgents
without satisfactory compensation are
liable to be recovered fOrcibly, but you
should investigate the matter fully before
taking extreme measures, and use every
precaution to avoid such measures if possi-
ble." On the point of neutrality the Ameri-
can admirals are told to abstain from any
proceedings which shall be in the nature of
| assistance to either party in the present dis
either party could be inferred. AS to grant
ing an asylum to political refugees, the
instructions say: 1.-The obligation to receive
political refugees and afford them
an asylum is in general one of
pure humanity. It should not be,
the situation, and should in no case become
Il meas whereby the plans of the contend
ing factions or their leaders are facilitated.
You are not to invite or encourage such
refugees to come on board your ship. but
should they apply to you, your actions Will
be governed by considerations of humanity
and the exigences of the service upon
which you are engaged"
These instructions, says the report which
were prepared in the navy department and
carefully considered by the cabinet, show
concluaively that the navy Was directed to
preserve an attitude OF absolute fairness
and impartiality. so strongly did this dis
position prevail among the officers them
selves that before the instructions were is
sued Admiral McCann had already,
upon his arrival on the station,
published general order, enjoining
officers and men to maintain the strlctest
neutrality, to abstain from discussing or
criticising the unfortunate state OF affairs
in Chilli, and in no way to express any son
timents or opinions, either favorable or UNI
favorable. to either side. With such
spirit animating the communicated chief
there is no doubt the instructions of the de-
pnrtment We're carried out to the letter. In
these instructions the implied assumption
by the Chilian government that the in
surgent vessels should be regarded as out
laws was repudiated. Strict neutrality WAS
commanded. So careful was the depart
ment to prevent any erroneous conclusions
that might be drawn by the officers ,as to
pressy revised and corrected its regulation
for the treatment OF ships of war acting
without regular commission"
Touching OH the Itatn incident the secre-
tary quotes the letter of Foreign Secretary
Errazuriz of the Chilian junta to Admiral
Brown, May 13. five days after the Itata
slipped away. deploring the action of that
vessel. and saying that she would be given
up upon her arrival with her cargo. 1T
was thus" snys the report, "the Chilien
government itself, within five days of the
occurrence, disavowed the act of the ltata
and stated its intention to put her with the
arms she had taken on bonrd ut the dis
position of the United States. Want of
clearness III reference to the arms to be re-
stored led to Il brief correspondence, and
as soon as this point was settled, no time
was lost by the navy department
in revokng the Cherleston's ORDERS"
In closing his report of the Chilian affair
therefore, that in none of the points emu
merated was there any ground OF otfense
given by the navy to any person, party or
government then existing in Chill, nor was
any assistance or encouragement or any
kind rendered to what was at that time
recognized by all the world aa in fact the
government OF the country. Yet it is i'm
possible to account for the series of out
rnges perpetratel on the crew Of the Bal
timore on any other supposition than
that those who conceived them were in
fluenced by caumnles which had been ac-
lively circulated, anu tllat tley were hlueu
and abetted by the police guard which
should have suppressed them. No charge
or even suspicion Of misconduct attaches
to the men who, on tho night Of October
1G endeavorinR without weapons to de-
fend themselves against IN armed attnck,
were driven by the police to ChiliAn
prison because they wore the uniform of
American sailors"
READY FOR ANY TROUBLE