The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-01-21
THE CHILEAN AFFAIR
IlnfOunded Reports Of a COnciliatOry
Spirit in Chile.
INSPECTING THE OLD MONITORS.


To Determine Their Fitness for Use
in Case or Necessity-No Official
Communication Has Been Received
from Chile Since Matta's Offensive
Note Wes Withdrawn.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.-One Of the
subjects discussed by the President and
Secretaries Blaine, Tracy and Elkins, in
a conference late yesterday afternoon.
was the time when the correspondence
ON the Chilean question shall be sent to
congress. Their decision cannot be def
nitely stated, but it may go in this after
noon.
In view of the unfounded reports cir
culated that at Tuesdays cabinet meet
ing dispatches from the Chilean govern
ment were submitted giving evidence of
conciliatory spirit on their part, that
were accepted as substantial ground for
belief that q satisfactory settlement of
the difficulty was pending, it may be
well to repeat what has been heretofore
stated in these dispatches, that since the
offer to Chile to withdraw Senior Matta's
offensive note. with an explanation that
was not satisfactory, nothing had been
received from that government.
Matta's Offensive Note.
1t will be remembered that in the note
Senior Malta commented on statements
made in the report of the secretary OF
the navy and the presidents message,
and challenged the accuracy of state
ments contained therein. One of the
diplomatic rules of the United States is
that the reports of the heads of depart
ments and messages of the president to
congress are matters of local nature,
not to be subject to comment or criti-
cism of other nations. IF it is desired to
speak to foreign countries communica-
ton is made through the state depart
ment, ana the utterances of the secre-
tary alone are the proper subjects for
comment. In the offer to withdraw the
Malta note it is understood Senior Montt
was instructed to make the statement
that the note was withdrawn because it
violated diplomatic rule of the United
States, not because it was in itself of
fensive.
To Inspect the Monitors.
The sailing of the Yorktown from
Valparaiso for Calloa Tuesday night,
mdu6 puDuc by the navy department
yesterday, carrying the Balmaceda
refugees, is construed by officials, in the
absence of information to the contrary,
to mean that the Chilean government
persisted in its refusal to give the
refugees safe conduct, and their only
safety lay in transport by the United
States vessel. The departure of the
Yorktown takes away the only United
States vessel in the harbor, and Secre-
tary Tracy said this morning that nc
other vessel had been ordered to take
her place there.
The navy department has ordered the
old single turret monitors, which for
years have been lying Sin ordinary" at
the naval academy and in the James
river at Richmond, to Norfolk navy
yard to determine their fitness for use
in case of necessity. The Passaic has
been at the navy yard, and the Ajax,
Carronicus, Mahopac, Manhattan and
Wyandotte at Richmond.
Information has been received in
Washington from Vallejo, or some other
point near there, on the Pacific coast,
that the investigation into the assault
on the Baltimore's sailors at Valparaiso,
conducted by Judge Advocate General
Remey, of the navy, developed the start
ling fact that horrible outrages and mu-
tilations were inflicted ON the body of
the sailor killed in the affray. This in
formation cannot be verified,