New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-27
EXPIRATION AND AHBI1R4TION.

The United States Government has demandeu
,praration and redress for the Valparaiso out
rage and the Malta circular Whether the CHILEAN
Government is prepared to meet this demand
will be known when the answer has been re-
ceved and duly considered by the Admlnlsui-
ton and Congress. There are pacific methods
Of redress recognized by international usage
Prominent among these are diplomatic Apologies
the salutng of the flag, and pecunialy ihcehl-
nitv for injuries which have been suffered Inc
sauting of the flag TO which an atffont has been
offered is form Of apology ordinarily regarded
as satisfactory. 1t may be dispensed with, as
was done in the Trent affair but it is often
adopted as a practical and unmStaka0le method
of rendering an international apology without
Diplomatic ouibhling. When the French Consul
was affronted in san Francisco i'll 1871 the
American Government made reparation by salut-
ing his flag In the settlement of the \Ir9lnus
case the American Government asked for a
salute from a Spanish vessel-of-war, but the
formality was subsequently dispensed with when
it was discovered that the papers of the Viz
puius were based on an i-founded claim Of
ownership by United States citizens. Tho seizure
OF the prvateer Florida offers a striking parallel
TO the Gillian case, since the United States III
tina, affair was dealing with one OF the South
American States.
The privatecr was captured by IN American
cruiser in the port Of Bahia, Brazil. The act
involved an infringement upon the jurisdiction
of friendly nation over It's own territorial
waters The conduct both Of the consul who
advised the seizure and OF the naval commander
who was responsible for il was disayowed by
Secretary Seward. The consul was DISMISSED
the commander was tried by court martial, and
full leparation for the offence was promised.
If the Florida had not fomdcred IL would have
been taken back to Bahia and surrendered 10
the port officials but in order to express IN
formal way the apologies of the United States
Government an American man oi-war was DIS
patched to Brazil to salute the flag of the nation
whose sovereignty had been invaded. The 81
lutte was fired in Bahia flom the anchorage where
the Florida was seized.
The withdrawal of the Malta circular with
suitable and adequate expressions of regret will
dispose of one of the demands contained IN the
ultmatum of the United States. y salute to
the American flag in Valparaiso haIbor would
be all ample apology for the a1lront Offered TO
the Nation in the Wanton and cruel attack made
upon the BatimOreS men. That act of repaIa-
ton would not be open to charges Of diplomatic
mibbling and evasion. II would answer all the
requirements Of the case 50 far as The response
bility of the CHILEAN Government was concerned
As the Brazilian ilag salutcd III Bahia, 50
the American flag ought TO be accorded the same
honors in Valparaiso, where the outrage occurred.
As reparation was made to Brazil by an Ameri-
can man-of-war 50 also it would be proper for
a ship Of the CHILEAN Navy TO acknowledge pub
licly by salute Of honor the indigniy and out
rage from which the sailors Of the Baltimore
suffered.
The question of indemnity for the deaths and
injuries caused by the Valparaiso mob alone re-
mains to be considered. Rcplration has been
demanded in the ultimatum for these deaths
and injuries but no specific amount has been
named. This is a matter which can properly be
submitted for arbitration. If the Malta circular
be repudiated with ample expressions Of regret
for It's having been issued, and if the Gillian
Government agrees to assume full responsibility
for the Valparaiso outrage by saluting the llag,
the question of determining the damages TO be
assessed for the assault upon the Baltimore men
can be referred to international arbitration. This
would involve pacific settlement of the exist
J ing complications in every respect satisfactory
TO the American people.