The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-05
WHEN CHILL WR0NGED US.
just How We Prepared for War Told
for the First Time.


Since the Maine disaster frequent refer
ence has BEEN made to what mas been
STYLED the 'Chilian episode" Newspapers
thar have been declaring war every ten
or fifteen minutes have made use OK tnat
incident to show that for a less dreadIul
injury than the loss Of the Maine ana
her men, the Harrison administrator
came within an ace of declaring WAT
against Chill.
By the "Chnlan episode" IS meant the
attack upon American sailors by a mon
Of Chllians. IN the streets OF Valparaiso
on October 10. 1891. The party OF Con-
rress had lust overthrow the Balmaca-
dan Government. The United states Min-
lister 10 Chill Patrick Egan had oeen
accused by the opponents OF Beimactu az
of aiding Balmaceda. Tho Keeling DO
Chill against Americans OF The tnitea
States was bitter. The Uoited states
cruiser Baltimore lay ln the harDor az
Valparaiso She had incurred the anger
Of the reyolutionists by helping me agents
OF the American cable Company TO cut
tho cable at Iquique.
This was the condition OF af1irs when
two boats crews from the Baltimore.
ON shore leave. landed IN valparaiso on
October Is. 1891. In a saloon In rather
dlsreputable quarter Of the city. an ale
tercatiOn arose between Cnlllan sailors
and some OF the Baltimore men In the
row one Of the Chlians was knocked
down. The Yankee sailors were tnen
assaulted with fists. clubs, knives and re-
volvers. They sought 20 escape Boy board
Ing q street car The car was pursued
by a mob. and the sailors were dragged
from the car 4 riot followed. More
than one hundred armed men fell upon
the sailors after they were dragged from
the car Charles w Rigsin, ooa,swain
mate. was killed instantly william
Trumben. n coal HEAVIER. died from M
iuries received at the hands Of the moo.
Thirty-six others were more or less SEE
riOuslv injured. Commander Ninneld
s. schley. OF the Baltimore. who has re-
Gently been made Commoc pre- caused
an Investigation 20 be made. and on Octo'
her POD telegraphed the results 20 Cen
eral Benjamin L. Tracy, then Secretary
Of the Navy.
All mat the government did after re-
ceiviag Commander Schleys report has
never been made public. General Tracy
told the whole story TO reporter OF me
sun last night. From General Tracy
story the persons and the press that have
been demanding from President Mckinney
a declaration of war against spain may
SEQ how In that crisis was at the same
time prepared and averted with honor
The Evening Post particularly may learn
what the patience Of intelligent jingoes
may accomplish. General Tracy said
"LVhen Commander Schley'5 report was
received al the Navy Department MT
Blaine. the Secretary of state, was ont
of town. I presented the report 90 the
President who. after going over t care
fully. sent note to tho Chiiian Minister
on Foreign Affairs. Malta. The note was
very carefully worded and extremely mild
I'm lis tone. In substance. 90 stated tnai
the report of the trouble had been re-
ceived and that the President hoped i"al
the seriousness Of the affair had been *.
ageorated. IL. however. the hfst report
proved to De a correct statement % me
case. the President expressed himsff as
confident that the Gillian govern neni
woulO make whatever reDaraHY1 was
necessary.
"soon after this note was sent Mr.
Plane returned 20 Washington ana was
rreae ACQUAINTED with the situation. 40
reply to the Presidents note was receiIeo
H.. Ionz time In the interval Mt
RIaine fried TO arrive al some understand.
iny with the Gillian Minister az Nash-
I'm ton Senior Pedro Montt. In .his no
failed and at tho end OF several We ks.
IN. replv from the CHILEAN government
was received. Il was 20 insulting tert %
might almost have been a cause for war
IN itself Il sought TO Justify the assault
on our sailors and lodged the issue in
every way possible.
..Vhen Congress met and the President
dwalt az length upon the incident IN Hls
message. While Congress was consldcr-
ing the matter on January o. 1892. Minis
ter Nontt presented a note from bis soV'
eminent stating that Mr. Egan was per-
soma non grata. and that the Gillian gov
ornrnent would be- pleased 20 have an-
other Minister sent. This note. coming
on the TOD Of the first one. and neither
accompanied by an apology or an exc
prossion OF the desire 20 make amy rcpa-
ration. President Harri on sent what was
practically an ultimatum 20 the Cniian
government I'm that note the President
held that The assault on the Baltimore 5
men was unprovoked. that tho Valparaiso
authorities had fagran0y failed in then
duty no protect our sailors: that he could
not think Of recalling Mr. Eean. and tha'
he should insist upon an Naturalization
OF the families OF the sailors killed and
of the sailors themselves who had been
injured together with an apology ficm
TIC Ch1lan government
This note dispatched our preparations
Off an emergency began. These were
carried on so quietly that II never has
been known just how far we went The
reason that we were able 10 keep what
we were doing from the public was that
all the preparations on the part or The
government were controlled by one per-
son. who carried on all his transactions
with principals and not with agents In
this way the government was saved
considerable amount IN commissions.
AS soon the note was sent the chair
men OF the Committees on Naval Az
fairs OF the Senate and the House were
Invited 10 a conference with the Secretary
OF the Navy Whatever that official did
after that was with the approval OF those
gentlemen. The first order issued was
TO make every available ship in tho
navy ready for immediate service Rear
Admiral Brown was IN command OF The
Pacific station Rear Admiral Gherardi
OF the North Atlantic station. and Rear
Admiral Walker OF the Squadron Of Evo-
luton as Il was called.
Next. all the Welsh coal on the Pacific
slope was bought by the government and
the largest steamer owned by Coils J..
Huntington was chartered to carry il 20
Montsvideo. There was 50o0 tons Of this
coal Two cargocs were purchased In
London and two more cargces Ia New
York. all to be delivered at Montevideo.
Then the American line. or what IS now
the American line. steamer Ohio. was
chartered for a repair ship. She was sent
10 Boston and work was Immediately be-
- fs, nNa for al