New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-12
PURSUIT OF THE ITAT4.
covered

The Cbilian civil war is foreign disturbance
with which the United States Government is
not concerned Various controversies nave
arisen in the Southern republic between the
president and Congress. These have involved
formidable instruction against the Executive
authority and the establishment of rival gov
eminent supported by the fleet and portion
Of the army. pisagua, Iquique and Antofagasta
have been occupied by the insurgents, and the
revonues of the rich nitrate seaboard are now
employed by them in prolonging the reVoio
against the President. There has been fierce
fighting at Zapiga San Francisco, lqmque ana
Huaraz. in which the Government troops nave
been alternately victorious and repmsed' Inc
sinking Of the Blanco Encalada by torpedoeS
has been serious blow TO the Congressional
marty, and the issue of the conflict Is SUN III
doubt. The President, while intrenched IN
nover at Santiago and Valparaiso, has appar-
entity exhausted his financial resources. Inc
Congressional party, while it has confronted the
naval forces has not succeeded in detachlng
the bnlIx of the army from President Balma-
ceda's support, and is in-prepared FOR CALL
paign against Santiago.
American sympathies, if the facts were &C.
curatey known would be divided DeC"een
President who has shown courage IN supPressins
clericalism and on the other mana inc Non-
cressiona leaders who have taken up armS
only when compelled to do so by the arbiuary
and arrogant assumption of Executive power.
The causes of the civil conflict are, however,
imperfecty understood by Americans Iher
sympathies are not enlisted on either SIDE They
are indifferent to the issue of the conflict ana
Lo,,a 4ha GOuprnmant
;tSelf either in favor Of or against either slde
The Administration, in taking Its stanu upon
the three rules of the Treaty of Washington
will receive the united support OF American
opinion. The conversion of San Diego and the
adjacent islands into base OF naval supplies
for the insurgents could not be tolerated. Inc
Government. by its attempted detention OF the
Itata. by the seizure of the schooner robert ana
Minnie and by the prosecution OF the owners
master and purchasing agent, has gwen warn
ing TO the CHILEAN insurgents and to Amencah
citizens that the neutrality laws will be ngor-
ouslv enforced The question now arises whether
such vigorous action as the pursuit or tne lta.S
by the American Navy is requisite. Certainty
it is not rendered necessary by the Geneva
award. England was condemned by the ar
bitrators, not for neglecting to send cruisers III
search of Confederate vessels, but for allowing
them to be built in and to escape from It's har-
bors and also for not Selling them when they
returned to British ports. If the 1tata re-enteB
an American harbor it ought unquestlonaoly 10
he caotured: but the obligation of the United
States to hunt her down on the high seas is not
by anv means clear. No Board of Arbitrators,
if the question were ever submitted to them,
~ net q
for negecting to seize the Itata on the high seas
at the risk of bringing on an engagement with
the Esmeralda.
The point to be borne in mind in this exceed
ingly delicate International affair is the Amerl-
can practice of non-intervention in foreign dis
turbances. In Chill there is state OF lnsur-
rection based upon constitutional conflict
The United States has nothing whatever to do
with the merits or facts of that controversy.
It cannot intervene in such struggle nor exert
the weight of its influence on one side or the
other. 1t can close its harbors against insurgent
vessels coming for arms and military supplies.
That is the plain requirement of law. 1t is not
comneIled however, to send out its cruisers into
tho bicb seas to attack vesses-of-war. Indeed,
Il cannot do This without virtually fighting the
battle of the Gillian Government, and that Is
n nol;cy which ought not to be hastily adopted
NJ tho present stage of the civil war in the
South. The insurgents may not have devel-
oped sufficient strength to involve recognition
nv the United States of their rights as belhger-
ents. but certainly they have made too success
full a fight to be actively opposed by American
ships-of-war at the bidding of President Balma'
oeda's shattered government. What the United
States authorities ought to say to the Southern
antagonists is this: "You cannot make use OF
our harbors in fitting out vessels-of-war; but
YOU must not expect us to do any OF the fight
ing for Won either on land or sea. Settle you
quarrel yourselves without the Intervention Of
American cruisers"
The Charleston and other cruisers have beer
sent in search of the 1tata it is safe to assume
in order to perfect the record of due diligence
The commanders have undoubtedly been eau
tened not to act precipitately. No harm vii
be done if the vessel enters Iquique in safety,
it is almost certain to do, having a long star
of the Charleston. The record, however, wa
very strong without these naval manOeuvres
When Peru demanded an indemnity of Eng
land for the bombardment of the Huascar b.
) the British cruiser The Shah, ii was refused OF
the ground that the insurgent ship was no
sailing under any national flag, but was al
irresponsible depredating vessel. The Itata ant
Esmeralda are under flag that represents tn
recent Gillian Congress. They are not to b.
regarded as pirates on the high seas.
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