Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-21
6N THE EBB AGAIN.
The Talk of War at the Nation
al Capital
NO NEWS OF A STARTLING NATURE.

Sent ON Secret MISUNDERSTANDING
Waiting for the Presidents Message-
Senior Matta's Offensive Note-The Ca
reer of Fighting Bob" Evans-Every-
body Reticent.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2l-The most impor-
tant statement issuing from the navy de
partment yesterday was a denial of the re-
port that the squadruns of Rear Admirals
Gherardi and Walker had been ordered to
rendezvous at Valparaiso, and that Cher
hardi had been ordered to assume COM
mand. Commodore Ramsey, who should
know, was thedepartment's mouthpiece in
this rude smashing of a beautifully sensa.
tional report And now the wiseacres put
it this way: Assistant Secretary Soley and
Commodore Ramsey admitted that Adj
Iiral Gherardi had gone to sea- from Port
au-Irince with the United States steam
ships Philadelphia and Concord. They
stated, however that Admiral Gherhardi's
squadron had not sailed. which was tech
Cally correct, as the kearsarge is still at
POrt-au-Prince. She is expected to follow
in a few days. Both Commodore Ramsay
and Assistant Secretary Solely confine their
statements even yet to saying that the
Philadelphia and Concord are not at Port
au-Princc, and they then add that they
don't know where they are.
Another Sensation FIattened.
As to the order to Admiral Ghcrardi to
take command of the fleet, it is said it is
contingent upon hOstiiitics actually break
ing out, that he j. to take command only
in case Of war. Commodore Ramsey said
that the department had sent message to
Gherardi, Tuesday which failed to reach
him, he having left Port au Prince before
1t arrived there. or this movement of his
Commodore Ramsay said the department
had not been notified. The commodore
was asked il the department had been adj
vised of the destination of the three CHILEAN
cruisers that a Valparaiso dispatch said
had sailed from there under sealed orders
He said it was not true that the cruisers
had left Valparaiso reported. Only one
vessel had gone, the Esmrralda, and her
mission was to relieve the steamer John
Elder, wrecked 175 miles south Of
Valparaiso.
The President and His Message.
The president is still deeply engrosSed IN
his message on the CHILEAN situation. Late
yesterday afternoon he called several of
his cabinet advisers to his assistance and
they were closeted with him for some time
discussing, it i understood. the message
to be sent To congress aud the varying
phases of the CHILEAN situation. Secretaries
Blaine and Elkins came about 3 o'clock
and shortly afterwards Secretary Tracy
and Mr.. !. w Foster If the state depart
ment arrived Mr. Foster left early, the
other three remaining with the president
until nearly O'Clock.
Rumors, Now, of Arbitration.
The presence of Foster, who has charge
&C . l,..
partment, together with arbitration mat
tiers, led to the idea that perhaps some ba-
sis of arbitration had been submitted by
Senior Montt when he called at the state
department yesterday morning and had
an interview with Mr.. Adec, in the alb
sence of Secretary Blaine. Nothing pos
itive however, could be learned as to the
result of the conference
Absolutely Nothing from Chilli
In view of the unfounded reports circu-
lated Tuesday and yesterday that at the
cabinet meeting Tuesday dispatches from
the Gillian government were submitted
giving evidence of a conciliatory spirit on
their part and that were accepted rs
substantial ground for the belief that
satisfactory settlement of the difficulty
was pending, it may he stated that since
the offer of Chilli to withdraw Senior Mat
ta's offensive note, with an explanation
that was not satisfactory, nothing has
been received from that government
Violated a Diplomatic Rule.
In that note Senior Malta commented on
statements made in the report of the secre-
tary of the navy and the presidents ines
sage and challenged the accuracy of state
ments contained therein One Of the dip
lOmatic rules of the United States is that
reports of heads of departments and mes
sages of the president to congress are mat
tiers of a local nature, not TO he subject to
comment or criticism by the governments
of other nations. When it is desired to
speak to foreign countries communica-
ton is made through the department of
state and the utterances OF the secretary
alone are the proper subjects for comment.
Nobody willing to Talk.
Senior Montt the Chiiian minister. was
automatically silent last night He sent
down word to a reporter that he had no in
formation TO give out, and nothing to say
for publication, Others familiar with the
progress of the CHILEAN controversy are
equally reticent. Matters will probably
remain at a standstill until the CHILEAN
correspondence and the presidents Mes
sage on the subject are sent to congress-
No American Warship at Valparaiso.
The Yorktown has left Valparaiso with
the Gillian refugees, whom she will land
at a neutral point, and there is now no
United States vessel at Valparaiso and
Secretary Tracy said last night that no
other vessel had been ordered to take her
place there. The navy department has or
dered the old single turret monitors, which
for years have been lying Fin ordinary" ut
the Naval academy and in the james river
ut Richmond, TO the Norfolk navy yard to
determine their fitness for use in case of
necessity
FIGHTING BOB" EVANS.
Something About the Man Who ''Sassed''