The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-11-20
And Explodcs Some Sensational Yarns Con.
cerning Events in Chilli and the Conduct
of lIimself and Minister Egan.
No Information Concerning Movement
of Rebels Furnished BaImaceda,
And the Cable Was Not Cut by the Cruiser San
Francisco, but by the Company's 0wnVes
sel-Refugees Taken to Peru.
CHrLIAN STORIES DENIED.
Admiral Brown Talks About His Condus
During the Racanf RaualufinY

the Pacific squadron, which left here April
s for Chill. returned here this morning. The
vessel was present at the closing scenes of
the Chilian revolution. Admiral George
Brown, in an interview with q repre-
sentative of the Associated Press, stated
that the fall of Valparaiso after the defeat
of the Balmaceda forces at Vina Del Mar
by the Cong ngressionalIst forces under Gen.
Canto was attended with scenes of car
mage and rapine. Reports of the bonn
bardment of IGnique, tho Admiral
stated had been much exagger-
ated, comparatively little damage
having been done in the city, owing to the
fact that tho insurgcnt vessels rename ed off
shore fully five miles After the decisive
battle of Vina Del Mar. the family of Ad
miral Viel. Intendente of Valparaiso, and
other refugees were taken on board the
cruiser Baltimore. The refugees were
landed at Molends. Peru. number of the
minor offenders who went aboard the
American war ships afterward went ashore
again at Valparaiso. Admiral Brown
stated that despite the charges against
United States Minister Egan, the latter's
conduct has been digniiied aud impartial.
Concerning the reports that the San Fran
cisco had given Balmaceda information In
regard to the landing Of the insurgents at
Quintero. the Admiral refused to talk at
any length. "While at Acapulco" said he.
II sent a full report concerning all the ac-
tions of the San Francisco to the Secretary
of the Navy. 1 think it will reach there to-,
day or tomorrow, and / cannot anticipate
the departments action in the matter. The
fact of the landing of the revOlutionists at
Quintero was known in Valparaiso long be-
fore we left the city--in fact, long before
either Minister Egan or any of the officers
knew of 1t. took with me- on the San
Francisco only one person not beloD giDg TO
my crew, and that one was flag officer OF
the German war ship Leipsic.
NO ONE READ THE DISPATCH.
"On returning to Val lparaiso 1 sent Lieut..
George l.. Dyer. flag lieutenant of the San
Francisco, ashore with q cipher cable dis
patch. He, as was necessary, went to the
office of the intendente. That official was
very busy. and merely glanced at the dis
patch. which was entirely in cipher. He
wrote on it the words .Buena Vista and
affixed his signature. The dispatch was
then cabled to w ashiagtcn. not q soui in
Valparaiso knowing Its contents. 1t was
then after p. NJ. The insurgents began
landing at sunrise only eighteen Lciles dis
walt for information to land for all those
hours. The statement that the papers got
out extras. stating that by the kindness of
the san FranciscOs officers they gave par
ticuIars of the landing at Qulntero. is al
together false. The papers did not pub
lish any ything of the kind.
I'VE left Valparaiso" continued the Ad-
miral. ION Sept; IA, two days before the at
tack on the Baltimore's sailors IN Valpa-
raiso. We had on board Colonel Vedeaume,
president of the court-martial that con-
victed and sentenced to bo shot forty two
young men for plot to blow up govern
ment railroad and store-houses. and Ovalle
Vicuna, cousin OF the ePrcsident-elect. These
officials were landed at Callao, Peru. We
were there three days, and expected to be
ordered back to Valparaiso, but were
finally ordered north. We came up easily,
running at the most economical speed. ao-
During the trip we never used more than
fourteen hundred horsepower"
How about the Baltiinore's outing the
cable at Iquiquep was asked.
The Baltimore did not cut the cable at
ALL" replied the Admiral. Tho cable COM
had a contract with Chilli to have the cable
working between Lima and Valparaiso By
given time. Tho war made it difficult to
carry this ont. but they finally succeeded.
then from Iquiqne to Valparaiso:
The insurgents had possession of
Iquique, and refused to allow
any messages from Valparaiso to pass
through to Lima. The Baimaceda govern
ment which was the only government of
Chill recognized by the United States,
warned the cable company that unless
they opened communication with Lima. &C.
cOrding to contract. they would forfeit
their charter and oil their privileges. The
,1a,p pad ha faa 70 fhsa ipc
gents. and made every possible offer to in
duce them to let Balmaceda's messages pass
through, but all In vain.
CUTTING THE CABLE.
Then the company decided to cut the
cable. They had O regular cable-b boat to
do the work. but had no accurate means OF
measuring the distance from shore. II cut
within marine league of the shore the in.
surgents would have the right to splice il
again. So they asked the Baltimore to &c.
company them and find the distance. This
she did by means of her improved range
finders, and at distance of five
and quarter miles out the cable boat cut
the cable IN two places and inserted q
loop connecting the end from Valparaiso
and the end from Lima. thus leaving
Iquique out entirely. This work being
done on the high seas, over q marine league
from the shore, for Congressionalists to
tamper with it would have been piracy
But they were not cut Oft from the world
by any means. An English company owns
the cable there that reaches from Lima to
Valparaiso. touching at six or eight inter
mediate points. one of which is Iquique.
The first thing tho insurgents did on seiz-
ing IQHique was TO cut this cable south OF
that place, but it remained intact to the
north. giving them uninterrupted CON-
munication with Lima throughout the
war"
You have no doubt heard of the charges
made againstyou 10y the ConaressIonalistsf'
"Oh, yes" said the Admiral smiling.
There Is nothing to be said. as nothing Of
| the kind ever took place. They declared
among other things, that Ealmaceda was
on board my ship: but suppose they are
| satisfied now that he was not. since he
| killed himself in the rooms Of the Argen-
| tine legation at Santiago. The general
| impression was that the President was con-
| cealed in convent by tile arch bishop
| Had he come on board the San Francisco
would certainly have given him refuge.
| There was no chance for hlm to escape,
| however rs every avenue was guarded by
| soldiers of the junta."
| What do you think of Minister Egani'
| was asked.
HE conducted himself through the entire
trouble with the dignity demanded by hi,
position. No man situated ache vas could
have done more. Some critic ssm was made
/ against him. l see, for not stnding officia
A H. IT, ~