The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-06
HOW HE CARRIED HIS POINT.
Rear Admiral Walker Won the Controversy
With Secretary Tracy.
MKINLEY AFRAID OF THE FARMERS.
Blaine's Sharp Diplomatic Trick With Pre-
mier Rudini-Admiral McCann's
Report-Washington Notes.

tary Tracy, or tne navy anu hedI-huil4iaA "a
Walker. commander of the White Squadron,
can now be stated. Admiral Walker urged
the Secretary to order the vessels OF the
squadron TO be Immediately oyerhauled and
repaired saving that they were needed for
active service. Admiral Walker advised that
the repairs be made at the Norfolk Navy
Yard. Secretary Tracy with natural interest
in the Brooklyn Navy Yard replied that II
haste was required some of the repairs should
be made at the latter yard.
Admiral Walker insisted that the work could
be done with more expedition at the Norfolk
yard Chief-Engineer Melville was called
INTO the conference and he sustained Adj
miral Walker III favor of the Norfolk yard.
Mr. Melville stated if given full authority
and if the fOrmaities of advertising for con-
tracts and other red-tape details were omitted
he could give assurances that the vessels
would be repaired at Norfolk within six
weeks.
THE SECRETARY YIELDS.
Finally Secretary Tracy agreed to give the
Chief Engineer all the authority he needed,
and to issue an order for the repairs OF the
vessels at Norfolk.
Chief Engineer Melville stated that there is
ample material at the Norfolk yard for all the
boiler repairs needed by the squadron, includ-
inc the work required on the yorktown. All the
vessels of the White Squadron will be docked
at Norfolk; their bottoms will be scraped, they
will be repainted and the needed boiler
repairs will be made. This will require quite
an additional force of workmen at the Nor
! folk ward, and the indications are he added
wOrkmen will be kept employed, as the Pen
sacola has been ordered there for repairs.
She will reach Norfolk in about two weeks.
| Her main-yards are broken, and, besides the
upper work, she will have TO be docked.
M'KINLEY AFRAID OF THE FARMERS.
Fx-Congressman Mckinley left for his home
| in OHIO tonight. Before leaving he said to
! THE TrNEs correspondent that he fully ex-
pected to be the Republican candidate tor
/ Governor of Ohio next fall. "DO you expect
to be elected" he was asked Il feel
sure of the cordial support of all who
vote the Republican ticket. To be frank
with YOU will say that the Farmers Alliance
is the uncertain element Of Ohio politics Just
now There is undoubtedly a feeling of disqulet
udeamOng the farmers. and though believe II
Is based upon erroneous ideas 1t IS hard to
overcome We hope 20 convince the farmers
that their interests are interviewer with pro-
lection; that protection is their safeguard
and has greatly benefited them. But be-
tween the nomination and the election may
be too short 10 convince them"
Major Mckinley paid high tribute TO Gov
ernor Campbell who will be his opponent.
BLAISE's SHARP DIPLOMATIC TRICK.
Secretary Blaine played a sharp diplomatic
trick on Premier Rudini in replying TO the
latter's final note through Minister Porter.
.bg addressing his note - the Italian charge
/ d'aiialrs here and declaring the cOrrespon-
dence closed Rudini counted upon getting
the last word and upon satisfying the Italian
populace that he had played bold game.
Secretary Blaine saw tue trick and promptly
ca5led his reply 10 Minister Porter, 50 that 1t
would promptly appear IN the Italian news
papers The only feature of the entire con-
troversy which now attracts any attention or
comment is the shrewd manner in which
Blaine outplayed Budini.
THE BEHRING SEA MATTERS.
1t is evident that the Behring sea matter
has again assumed a diplomatic phase and
that communications between the United
States and the British Government relating to
it are passing daily The outcome Of this cor
respOndence, if any has been reached, is not
yet made public, but one result of 1t, II only
a temporary one, became apparent at the
Treasury Department this afternoon which
foreshadOws a halt in the contemplated
fishery product which opens in Behring sea,
pending the discussion now going on between
Secretary Blaine and Lord Salisbury. This
means that the instructions TO the revenue
cutters Bear and Rush, which had been
prepared. and the instructions to Seal-Agent
j. Stanley Brown and Inspector Williams
will not be issued for perhaps a week Mr.
Washington last week, expecting daily 10
start for San Francisco with the instruc-
tions for Mr. Brown and himself
and also the sailing instructions Of the
cutter, left for his home this evening InOt 10
return till the end of the week. or perhaps
not at all. The Rush is or was under orders
10 sail on the 14th, and Mr.. Williams who eX-
pected to sail on her. now lntlmates that It IS
by no means certain that he or any other
local agent will go with her. This indicates
that there may be a closed season IN the Ben
ring sea seal fishery business.
ADMIRAL M'cANN's REPORT.
The Navy Department to-day received the
following report, dated Valparaiso, March
3lst from Rear-Admiral McCann, command
ing the United States vessels in Chilan
waters: On the 29th of March the Pensacola
returned 10 this port from Caldera. On the
way out, about one hundred miles north, the
insurgent cruiser Esmeralda and the trans
port Aconcagua were met standing TO the
northward. and it was suspected that these
vessels had been IN pursuit Of the government
transport Imperial Upon our arrival the
latter vessel was found in port, and it was
learned that she had been chased for sixteen
hours by the insurgent vessels above men
toned. The two torpedo cruisers. the Amir
ante Lynch and the Almirante Condell, the
eight torpedo boats. only one fitted for White
head torpedoes. now in this harbor, and the
known but supposed to be at BuenOs Ayres,
constitute the entire naval force at the dis
posal of the Chilan Government.
The port of Caldera IL at present almost
entirely deserted. There were at the time OF
our visit only four merchant ships in port:
II is two years since an American vessel
visited the place and we have practically no
interest there At present there are at Cal
dera only three Americans including the
Consul, and in Copiapo only three, which
includes the Consuls son. No preparations
have been made TO defend the place IN case
the insurgents attack IT, but on the contrary
the intendencia has been moved 10 Copiapo,
about forty miles inland by rail Every
night the rolling stock in use on the roads IS
removed 10 that city. There is only a small
cavalry force at Caldera, and they are al
ways ready 10 move TO the interior at
moments notice. Their machine shops
have been dismantled. If the insurgents
take Caldera they will find no facili-
ties for repairing their ships. The
English force on the coast includes the
Marspite, Champion. Daphne Acorn and
Espiegle. From my own observation and from
what can learn of the condition Of the insur-
gent vessels, all but one of them are in a very
crippled condition and in no way fit TO work
around these waters during norther. 1t is
also, in my opinion. very doubtful if they
will risk their only efficient but unarmored
vessels under fires Of the batteries of Val
Daraiso at any time but especially during the