The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-30
COULD chill WHIP uS2.
Officials Continue to Protest That
There Are no Indications
Of War.
Preparations Being Made to Rush
Gums and Torpedoes Across
the Continent.
Tho Secretary Of State Makes New Tariff
Schedule to Suit tho British
Minister.

| WAsHINGToN, Dec. 29.--The day was abso-
iutely without incident that could be dis
torted into relation to warlike preparation.
such unofficial advices as have been re-
ceived are to the effect that the legal au-
thorities of Valparaiso have not completed
their revision Of the formal proceedings of
Justice Foster. just how long those legal
| formalities may be protracted before they
muy be regarded RS causing further need
less delay" is, of course, determinable only
by President Harrison, bnt there is reason
to believe there have been brought to his
attention the difficulties that surrounded
| President Montt in the formation of new
cabinet, and he is also desirous of avoiding
the appearance of endeavoring to interfere
with the due process of law in Chilli, If there
is any reasonable ground for the assump-
tlon that due process is being followed.
These considerations doubtless led him to
the course of patient waiting to utmost
extreme consistent with due regard to the
dignity Of the United States, and, as far as
can be learned it is probable no departure
will be made from this attitude before the
reassembling of congress-, unless further
communication from the Chilian govern
ment should give different aspect to the
situation.
If the heads of bureaus in the navy de-
partment are to be believed no extraordi-
nary efforts are making to put vessels in
condition for active hostiities. In the con-
struction bureau the officers in charge say
positively that no orders have gone forward
to San Francisco to hurry up work on the
Monterey. As matter of fact, fewer
orders are passing through the bureau at
present than during the past few months.
In the ordinance bureau it is learned that
the turret armor for the Monterey is ready
for shipment to San Francisco at any time
Her great guns are also ready, and the
Pennsylvania railway has undertaken to
transport them across the continent. The
task is one of magnitude, as the twelve inch
rifle without its carriage weighs fifty tons,
and the carriage weighs twenty five tons.
Specially constructed cars are necessary for
the transportation of these great masses Of
metal. and much nice calculation respect
ing curves, tunnels and the strength 81
many bridges between Washington and
California navy yards must be made to
ensure the safe delivery of the guns. These
guns are not only intrinsically valuable,
but their loss at the present time would be
q serious calamity, as many months would
be consumed in making guns to replace
them.
Satisfactory progress is being made in the
production of armor and torpedoes, but it is
insisted by the ordnance officers that
neither armor plates nor torpedoes have
been or will be accepted until they have
been Thoroughly tested. A lot of Howell tor
pedoes, about forty, are practically ready
for use and the first installment of White
head. English pattern, torpedoes, made for
the United States will soon be delivered.
Improvements have been made in the How
ell torpedo, which is essentially an Amer
ican invention, that will place it in the
front rank of auto mobile weapons, and it
is promised that the torpedoes delivered to
The government will exceed contract re-
quirements in speed and accuracy, but ac-
cording to the statement of naval ordnance
officers. all these things are being done
without reference to immediate war, and it
s said they are simply satisfactory results
If energetic policy of naval rehabilitation
adopted by Secretary Tracy long ago. In
he war department matters are very quiet
md even the Mexican frontier disturbance
'ailed to furnish an item of news to-day.