Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-08
THE ITATA FIAsCo AND THE "JTNGo'
FAILURE.

national law is being violated-a case
precisely on a par with the Alabama
cause celebre, which resulted in the award
OF heavy damages to the United States
against Great Britain by the Geneva
commission. This republic and that of
Chile were on terms not only of profound
peace but of friendship confirmed by
treaty. The comfy of nations was there
fore exigent, which forbids the ports of
friendly power being made the bases
for hostilites in favor of an insurgent
force in country protected by treaties.
The Chilean insurgents occupy, in
the present controversy, precisely the
relation which the confederates held in
the questions growing out of the equip
ment of the Alabama. The United
States held, in that memorable contro-
versy, that it was the duty of Great
Britain to have prevented the sailing of
that vessel, which, it was well under
stood, was designed to prey upon the
commerce of the United States. That
claim was afterwards admitted, and
the Geneva conference awarded lump
sum of nineteen million dollars as dam
ages to the United States, which Great
Britain promptly paid over.
The cases of the Alabama and the Itata
are precisely identical. The only differ
ence between the two is that the Ala
bama was built on the Clyde, by British
shipwrights. Our sole objection was,
however, that the vessel was allowed to
receive armaments and depart on it's
mission of destruction to American COM
merce.
l. The Itata was vessel of the Chilean
insurgents. 1t came into port of the
United States to receive supplies and to
reft for voyage in the interest OF the
rebels who are engaged in an effort to
subvert the government OF friendly re-
public. 1t was understood that the Itata
was to receive heavy consignment of
arms from the American schooner Rob-
ert and Minnie, which was lying off
Santa Catalina island. There was no
possibility OF misapprehension at any
stage of the matter. The regular gov
ernment of Chile was represented in Los
Angeles by its counsel, Judge Anson
Brunson, who at once put himself
in communication with the authorities
at Washington, demanding the seizure
and detention OF the Itata, which was to
all intents and purposes a piratical
vessel, and which was violating the
neutrality laws of the United States.
Orders were at once issued from Wash
ington for the seizure and detention of
the Itaa. II it were thought necessary
to issue such orders, they ought to have
been executed with proper force, and in
manner to sustain the dignity of this
country. During the course Of the tele-
graphic correspondence with Washing
ington, Judge Brunson represented the
necessity of an adequate military power
in carrying out the neutrality laws of
the United States. The proper author
tiles at Washington telegraphed to Gen
eral McCook to furnish Marshal Gard
with the requisite military assistance,
authority to the marshal to use all the
available forces at San Diego, which are
understood to comprise some three COM
panies.
Then comes in the ridiculous features
of the fiasco. Marshal Gard boards the
Itata, displays his commission, ex-
changes ccurtesies with Captain Man
zeum, and leaves a single deputy on
board an armed ship which was plainly
getting ready to steam out of the harbor.
He then gets on board a tugboat and
starts on a wild goose chase after the
Robert and Minnie, with only four
soldiers on board. What this formid
able force would have done if they had
succeeded in overhauling the schooner
heaven only knows. They would have
been as powerless as fly in the jaws of
an alligator.
1t was the duty of the marshal to
have placed an adequate force on board
of the Itata, to have thoroughly over
hauled her hold, found out the precise
force he had to contend with, and to
have taken measures accordingly. AS
it is, the departure of the Itata has Gre
ated precisely such liability on the
part OF the United States as England
confessed in the Alabama case, liabil-
ity which the republic of Chile will be
pretty sure to seek to enforce in the
event OF the failure of the rebellion. In
i case of such gravity it was also the
duty of the United States government
to have dispatched the Charleston, or
some other swift vessel, to the scene
of disturbance, to enforce the neutral
ity laws of the United States,
and to repress piracy on the
high seas, for in such class, under in
ternational law, these proceedings group
themselves. As the Itata steamed out
of the harbor of San Diego, according to
dispatch of Marshal Gard himself,
she displayed four cannon and hun
dred men on her decks. Swift and
effective pursuit of the Itata is all that
can redeem the imperiled prestige of
this country.
No one can fail to notice the really
feeble and nerveless conduct of our for
eign affairs under secretary of state
who was supposed by his admirers to
embody all the bounce and aggressive