The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1891-12-26
slenlficAnr.s.osss.

-
The Nsvssatherers arr M Akas - -
Much Infornatioa - - NnvW Ms11r
ments, Hut They Ten Whss ra1Q unsD
Been Able to Glsaa-vesssls CseIls01<I
ing In the Waters csaeiguszs - 60
wAsHISsros. Dec sa-Every nv>zl,r
bic source of information In regard 70
Chilian affairs was ..teppedr yestsrds1
morning with unsatisfactory reslztE
The situation b exasperstisg. an& h
the absence of ofElcial denial o. es1Ars
ma ton of alarming reportA no de1nits
statement as to the true condition az
affairs can be made. - X X
Acting Secretary Soley. saA he knew
nothing about the alleged cableGram.
stating that the Americas Legation in
Chilli was menaced. Con. Kanssys
chief of the bureau of nayigatiun, Rnl.
likewise ignorant in the matter. H0<k
officials thought the stale deQo11n614
might throw some light On the sybjec<
Assistant Secretary Whnrton aetd the
Chilian affairs were entirely a he
hands of Secretary Blaine and II he
knew anything about u, which he
automatically would not admit be wns
not at liberty to say so.
Cen ]. w. Foster, who \ helping
Secretary Blaine in the matter Of ROD
procity treaties. said the matter would
not come to his attentions; that Mr..
Blaine was handling that end Of the
diplomatic situation. Mr.. Blaine conld
not be seen nor could message reach
him as he was in the private portion Of
his residence. His private secretary,
however, professed not to be alarmed.
but showed some curiosity to know
who sent out the alleged translation Of
the alleged cablegram.
Private Secretary Halford did not be-
lievc the situation was critical. but had
not heard the president express him
self on the subject. and was quite GER
tain the president would say nothing
about it, if there was any truth in the
report, which he would not be willing
to admit.
And so it went. Despite all this, the
massing of United States war vessels
in Chilian waters, leads to conjectures.
Why is it done? II is not customary.
There are no exceptionally accessible
ports on the south Pacific in which to
coal or take on provisions Usually
one United States naval vessel in Chill
ian waters is considered sufficient to
protect American interests. Now there
are the Yorktown at Valparaiso, the
Boston within four days sail Of
Valparaiso, the Chicago, Atlanta :and
Remington nearing Montevideo and
within two weeks sail Of Chilli; the
Charleston, detained at Honolulu ready
to sail for Chilli; the San Francisco. un-
der orders to sail down the Pacific
coast; the Thetis off the Mexican coast
and still heading south, andth Ranger
and Adams, the repairs on which have
been rushed, nearly ready to put to sec,
from the Mare Island (Cal.) navy yard.
Diplomats and naval officers here are
asking what all this means
A Subject of Earnest Speculation.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-The possibil
ity of some important communication
on the Chilian question being addressed
to congress either to-day or tomorrow,
when both houses. according to pro-
gramme, intended simply to meet for
the purpose of adjourning for the
Christmas recess, is a subject Of earnest
speculation. 1t is known that Secre-
tary Blaine. both before and subse-
quent to the Plumb obsequies, was
closely engaged with his own stenogra-
pher at his residence. and even to WIS.,
itors calling on official business sent
word that he was too much engaged to
500 apvOne