Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-01-18
GILLIAN OUTLOOK.
Publication Of The Correspond.
elCa Awaited With Anxiety.
Chill Sending Fleet q XaIshipS 70
Straits Of Iassll.n,
And Ordering Torpedoes-The Fortifiea'
ti0ns on Pacific Coast.

WAsHISGTos, Jan. 1.-THE publication
OF the ChiIian correspondence 10 awaited
with considerable interest By members Of
| Congress.
Some members who have watched the
| developments with more than ordinary
closepsss ant interest, behave that peace
| full solution Of the trouble will be found
| and thAs While the situation is grave, war
| Will no. rssuli. IL 10 understood that the
| position assumed by the Uaited States Is
ihxt an apology p.ast be made by Chill,
and that there viii thea follow the que ion
| Of indemnity 20 the sailors injured IN tie
| attack on the Bsltlmore's crew and to the
Sin Of those kiilsd IN the ausck. Many
| representatives. hoid that Chill will SC
| knowledge the wrong done, snd that the
| reason for her delay 10 TO be found IN the
dlsproporaon in the strength Of the two
countries.
Chih, SITTER asserting her digsi = BY q
| sufficient delay 10 shaw that though an un
equal compxtsnE in tie event of war, she
will not be hurriedlY forced into giving way,
is expected 20 make the Ameld due TO the
u tied States. Then will arise the ques-
tioa Of Indemnity, and arbisrstlon is looked
fofr ard TO as The probable outcome Of his
phase Of the case. II is pointed out by
memb bers who have made study Of diplo-
matte affairs that an apology having pre-
vioasly been made this could not be an AZ
bitrstion Of 3 question Of honor but merely
. setIleu ent Of.
Some fear is entertained that Chill. in
asserting her independence snd freedom
from outside pressure, may, by procrAsti-
nauoa. bring about rupture Of the friend
iy relations between the iwo countries,
though this is regarded as unlikely. The
members who express Themselves in this
pacific manuer also intimate very plainly,
however, that they wlll not be backward III
upholding the administration in steps
necessary to a maintenance Of national dig.
nty and self Respect.
One senator called attention to the in-
tense national pride of the ChIlian people
as accounting for the delsy Of the govern
ment in nsking repsratlon. He said that
President Moau ~ss Ia . position beset
~lth d tfcultiss. No doubt his disposition
was TO make smeads for the Baltimore
outrage; but TO DO 80 without cautiously
leading his people 10 believe that he
was not sacrificing the national dignity
would bring down upon his administration
the wrath Of the exeitable and
sensitive people might cause another revo
luton. Ihey have to talk to the galleries
down there, just as we do here" said the
senator. Ia this relation, he recalled the
fact that President of the United States
had made himself very unpopular with q
certain over sensitive class Of people by
maxim & an spoloay to Grea, Britain for the
seizure of Mason and Shdell, although
sober second thought justified his action
DIligent inquiry at the wsr department
fails 10 disclose any wsrhke Preparations
on the part Of the army. Men are working
on the fortisicsuoos around San Francisco,
but this work was begun before there were
any suggestions OF a war with Chill.
The ordnance officers tate that the Golden
Gate is defended by some l. inch guns.
which, though smooth bores, are ~ most
formidable weapons. Expe dments msde
at Sandy Hook with guns Of this type
have shown that the powder charge may
be largely increased, IS compared with |
what were regarded as safe charges
during the war. Improvements in Glow
burning powders have made this possible, |
and nov the l5-inch smooth bo.e, with a +!
charge of 1870 pounds OF povder, will |
throw a projectlle weighing $50 pounds a |
distance OF nearly -four miles. At 1000 |
yards the usual naval fighting distance the |
HtaNJ auos WIZ PtheAfhtS io INCHES OF
srmor, and the Chlsns have as yet. no |
vessel that could Withstand such pro actiles |
One curious outcome OF the prese mt ag- |
iation was the publication today by the war |
department of q COL vention framed "a long |
ago as 1864. 10 which both the United |
States and Chill have since siguif I'd adhe- |
sion. la view Of the allegations that the
Chllsus practice inhumRn barbsrities in |
war, such SIS massacring prisoners and |
wounded men aid muhlsting dead bodies |
it may be reassuring to our soldiers to |
kn0w that this is a convention "for the |
smeliors,ion OF the wounded in armies in |
the field"
By some oversight the convention was
never bsfore efici.lly published. 1t gus.-
sntees the neu raiity aad protection Of am
bulauCe and hospital corps srd provides
that wounded or sick soldiers shall be en-
tertsined and taken care of without regard |
to nationality. 1t also contains ample pro
visions for succoripg wounded or wrecked |
sailors and hioTs around the combatants
every possible guarantee in the event Of
their being captured or wounded.