Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-28

sHAPE-ALL ARE RET1GENI.
There was an important conference Of Off
GERS Of tine government at the White House
this morning. Tho President summoned to
him Secretary Tracy, who returned last night
In advance of his scheduled time; Com
modore Ramsay, chief OF the bureau of
navigation; Assistant Secretary Wharton,
acting secretary of state, and Mr.. John W.
Foster special counsel in matters pertaining to
our South American relations. They reached
the White House at about 80 and the talk
lasted over two hours II is not positively
known at present what caused or
nscessitated the conference. but the general
impression is that the state of affairs in Chill
Is such as to demand prompt action on the part
OF the United States.
Press reports from Valparaiso indicate that
Mr. Egan, the minister there, has had a falling
out with the Junta, or new government: that
the latter has proceeded to arrest people in
tto streets right and left without regard to
their nationality, and that three Americans
have been thrown into prison.
The details Of the trouble are very meager,
but they would indicate that the Junta even went
SO far as to place guard over the United States
legation house, but, upon a vigorous protest
by Mr.. Egan, the Gordon was withdrawn. Pass
ports are needed to let people in and out of the
house, and the foreign part Of the city of San
tiago is in state of alarm.
No OFFICIAL vERfFIcATIoS.
1t has been quite impossible to obtain an Off
cial verifcation of this story, which, however,
is well substan tiated by certain private sdvices
received here.
The conference lasted until half an hour after
noon. The State Department people were the
first to leave the White House.
MIR. Wharton was uncommunicative. but his
manner was significant when he re-
piled to the questions of the news
paper men who approached him. He
practically admitted the importance of the
matter that had been under consideration. but
said, jokingly, that war had not been declared.
He thought that nothing would be given to the
public before tomorrow.
Mr.. Foster said nothing in as diplomatic a
way as one might expect from him, but his
words-he had to speak to say his nothing
bad tendency to confirm the impression that
the condition of affairs in Chill are TREMENDOUSLY
interesting.
THE NAVY PEOPLE STAY LONGEST.
The representatives of the Navy Department
tarried longer with the President Commo-
dore Ramsay came out of the White House
with couple of record books under his arm.
They contained memoranda of the location of
the vessels of the navy and had evidently been
used in the conference.
The situation is a strange one. None Of the
parties to the conference will talk, and this
would signify that unusual Importance is at
tached by them to the subject under considera-
tion. Secretary Tracy and Mr.. Foster came to
town on summons, and this seems to show that
the matter is an immediate issue.
Last Friday afternoon long cablegram was
received at the Navy Department, presumably
from Capt Schiey, commanding the U. S. S.
Baltimore, now at Valparaiso. 1t was translated
and at once sent to the State Department When
application was made for its contents by q
newspaper reporter the reply was that it was
not Of a nature that could be made public.
THE BALTIMORE THE ONLY VESSEL.
The only vessel now in the Chilian waters is
the Baltimore. The San Francisco lefs Calloa
some days ago for the city of the same name
and is now between there and the isthmus An
effors was made by the Navy Department. TO
reach her by cablegrams late last week
but without success The bureau of naviga-
ton is now endeavoring to locate her probable
whereabouts, and it is though. that if she
should put in at Panama she will
be communicated with there. 1t
is not thought, however, that she
will make port before she reaches Acapulco
Mexico. Yet even if she were overtaken her
bottom is SO foul that her effectiveness in
Chilian waters would be greatly lessened if she
returned. There is no dry dock south of San
Francisco on the Pacific coast large enough TO
accommodate her.
The conference is thought by many officials
to be destined to have an important bearing on
our foreign policy. The composition of the
meeting was significant. Mr. Foster and Com
modore Ramsay being called in for the benefit
of their experience and technical knowledge.
SENIOR MONTHS DISPATCHES.
In response to an inquiry relative to the re-
ports that revolt had broken out among the
troops at Santiago, Senior Montt, the Chilian
congressional envoy at Washington. has re-
ceived a dispatch from Senor Malta, the min
lister Of foreign affairs, saying that peace has
not been. nor shall it be disturbed,
least of all by military revolts.
Senior Montt has also received a dispatch
confirming the published reports of the ap-
pointment Of Senior Manuel 4. Malta as min
lister Of foreign affairs and Senior Augustin Ed
wards as minister of industries and public
works.
Senior Montt has not received anything from
Chilli relative to the reported arrest Of three
American citizens at Santiago and the station
ing Of force Of police outside Of the Ameri-
can legation there.