The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-01-17

as accounting for the delay in the govern
ment In making reparation. He said that
President Montt was in a position beset
with difficulties. No doubt his disposition
was to make amends for the Baltimore out
rage, but TO do 90 without cautiously lead
ing his people to believe that he was not
sacrificing the national dignity would
bring down upon his administration the
wrath of the excitable and sensitive peo-
pie and might cause another revolution.
They have to talk to the galleries down
there just as we do here" said the Senator.
In this relation he related the fact that q
President of the United States had made
himself very unpopular with o certain over
sensitive class of people by making an apol-
ogy to Great Britain for the seizure OF Ma
son and Slidell, although sober. second
thought justified the propriety OF his &C.
ton. $50 it is" said he. that President
MONTE probably has before his eyes the re-
sentiment he must encounter when he ten
ders apology to the United States. and
Is merely taking such time as is necessary
to reason this sensitive element of his peo-
pie into line with his proposed apology"
ARMY NOT PREPARING FOR WAR.
Diligent inquiry at the War Department
fails to disclose any warlike preparations
on the part of the army. Men are at work
on the Notifications around San Francisco.
but this work was begun last spring. before
there were any suggestions of war with
Chill.
For the comfort of the Californlans. who
have been represented as defenseless. 1t
may be stated on the authority of the
ordnance officers that the Golden Gate Is
defended by some fifteen-inch guns which,
though smooth bores, are yet most formld-
able weapons. Experiments made at Sandy
Hook with guns of this type have shown
that the powder charge may be largely in
creased as compared with what were re-
Rarded as safe charges during the war. I'm
provements in slow burning powders have
made this possible. and now the Fifteen
pounds of powder, will throw q projectile
weighing 450 pounds q distance of nearly
four miles. At 1000 yards-the usual naval
fighting distance-thls heavy shot will pen
citrate ten inches OF armor. and the Chill
ians have. as yet. no vessel that GOULD with
stand such proiectiles.
A curious outcome of the present sglta-
ton was the publication to-day. by the
War Department., of q convention framed
as long ago as 1864, to which the United
States and Chill have since signified their
adhesion. In Wow of the allegations that
have been made to the effect that the Chill
ans practice inhuman barbarities in war.
such as massacrelng prisoners and wounded
men, and mutilating dead bodies. IL may
be reassuring to our soldiers to know that
this is convention for the amelioratlon
of the wounded in armies in the field" By
some oversight the convention was never
before officially published. 1t guarantees
the neutrality and protection of ambu-
lance and hospital corps and pIovides that
wounded or slck soldiers shall be taken
care of without regard to nationality. 1t
also contains ample provisions for the sue
cOring of wounded or wrecked sailors. and,
in brief, throws around the combatants
every possible guarantee of humane treat
ment IN the event OF their being wounded
or captured.
Secretary Tracy was in his Office all
morning seeing members of Congress and
other callers. The Navy Department was
In constant telegraphic communication
with the navy-yards and naval stations in
all parts of the country for several hours
last night.
There are now completed at the Wash
lngton gun-foundry twenty six-inch rifles
and sixteen of the eight and ten-Inoh cal
ibers. making thirty-six guns of the most
modern patterns that are practically avail
able for immediate use.
The State Department received q mes
sage from Minister Egan to-day, in reply
to one OF inquiry respecting the conflict of
evidence over the character of the wounds
sustained by the BaltImore's sailors in the
riot The procurator, in making mp his
finding rejected all the testimony offered
by the Americans. He claims that the condi-
ton of the neck-tie of sailor Johnson.
through which ball passed, sustaIns his
assertion that the wounds inflicted upon the
sailors could not have been caused by car
bines. with which the police are armed, but
must have been caused by revOlvers.
Another message was received to-day,
the contents of which were not learned.
but which were said to indicate q peaceful
purpose on the part of Chill. 1t Is sup
posed to refer to the arrest of two of the
party that stoned Captain Stones gig few
days ago. whose punishment is said to hav Q
been promised by Senior Perisa, the ChiIian
Foreign Minister. Secretary Blaine was
seen By the United Press reporter, but said
he had nothing to say, further than to deny
the truth Of some of the exaggerated ru-
mors about the Cabinet meeting yesterday.