Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-25

The Chilean correspondence submitted today
shows q constant and determined effort on the
part Of the United States to obtain an assurance
from the Chilean government that PREPARATION
will be made for the wrongs committed on the
occasion Of the numerous assault on the sailors
OF the U. 5. 5. Baltimore, and fails to show any
response from Chile that can be considered at
all satisfactory. The Chilean inquiry into the
outrage was conducted in secret and in a man
ner that called forth the earnest protest of the
American minister and the American naval
commander. II is not at al surprising that the
reports made by the Chilean official charged
with making an inquiry OF this sort should be of o
character to controyert the claims and state
ments made in behalf of the American sailors.
The President had before him, on the one hand,
this Chilean report, discredited by the very
manner in which the inquiry was admittedly
made, and on the other. the statements Of Min
ister Egan and Capt schley, the report of the
inquiry made by the board of officers of the
Baltimore who investigated the matter. and the
sworn testimony of the officers and sailors of
the Baltimore taken recently by Judge Advo-
Cate General Remey. 1t could hardly be ex-
peeted of any government, however much in
elined to avoid unpleasant collisions, that it
would dlsereditits own agents, its ministers and
its naval officers, men Of unquestioned honor,
supported by the sworn statements of its
osn seanen. by accepting instead of their
report d statement made by a foreign official
OF the result Of a secret investigation, which by
its very nature was unfair. and appears in this
case to have been conducted in hostile spirit.
The only tangible results of the correspond
ence and the various proceedings on the part
OF the Chilean government which seem to have
been unnecessarily, i; not purposely prolonged
appear TO have been note by Malta. late
Chilean minister of foreign affairs, insulting To
the President of the United States and his cab-
met officers, the offensiyeness of the note being
aggravated by the unprecedented course taken
By the Chilean cabinet officer in sending il To
the Chilean ministers abroad and causing i.s
general publication; and a note from Matts's
successor IN which the Valparaiso massacre ia
only sincerely lamented." Though addressed
10 the Chilean minister at Washington. Natta's
insolent note became a circular note. a sort NJ,
open letter Of defiance to Uncle Sam. Tn To
the Close Of the correspondence Chile had ma,,s
no satisfactory response to a demand for a re-
traction Of the insult But the Baltimore ;pc,-
dent was not all One ro!icitous for ,.,oa
even at the sacrifice Of some pride. might per.
haps have persuaded himself that after ali ,hs
Chilean version of the Baltimore incident
though fabricated in the secret manner de-
scribed, was the one our government oupbt IN
accept as final had not all the surrounding cir
eumstances, the incidents preceding and fol-
lowing the assault been of a character tn indi-
cate a hostile and vindictive feeling on N.
part, not Of the Chilean people only. but of the
Chilean officials As well, against all that vas
American.
The outrageous annoyances to which the
American minister has been subjected while
performing his duty in giving shelter to
refugees have been endured with a patience
mat could not iali to satisfy the most ardent
lover OF peace There has been little in tho
tone or the words of the Chilean official state
ments and nothing in the conduct of the
Chilean government to Indicate a desire to an
pease the Just anger of nation that believes
itself to have been grossly wronged and in
suited, unless the statement by the Chilean
minister. made the 4th OF this month ..tb,,
the government Of Chile has felt very sincere
regret for the unfortunate events which oc-
Cured In Valparaiso on the 10th OF October-
can he so considered Much stress is land n,
Chile's side upon what is claimed as a refusal
or delay on the part Of Minister Egan TO fur
nish testimony called for by the Chilean Judge
but the correspondence shows this to be an
equivocation If not direct misstatement of
facts A The inquiry appears to have been
conducted, it would, 1t seems, have made little
difference whether the American sailors testi-
ned or not as testimony tending to inculpate
the Chilean police was thrown out as ..con-
ficting," and no testimony seems to have been
regarded save that which supported the view
which the Chilean government preferred to
take Of the "deplorable occurrence"