Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-10-07
SAVED THE OREGON.
Harry Wilson Prevented the Orc
gon From Being Blown Tn.

gon From Being Blown Up.
In these days when everyone is en-.
gagged i'll extolling the gallantry of the
American sailors and soldiers il is a
pleasant change to be able to praise
the action Of an officer in the civil SER
vice which resulted in great benefit To
the country. One of the best descrip-
tive writers of the day, Frank G. Car
penter, is now travelling in South Amer
lea and sending to Il syndicate of
American papers descriptions of what
he sees and learns in those distant and
almost unknown countries. In one
OF his last letters Mr.. Carpenter de-
scribed Santiago, the capital Of Chill,
and incidentally related the story of
the prompt action of Hon. Harry l..
Wilson, United States Minister to
Chilli, which resulted in preventing n
repetition of the Maine horror in Val
paraiso, the great sea port of Chill.
MIR. Carpenter wrote:
1t was at this time that plot was
formed by number of Spanards and
observation-disclosures to blow up the
Oregon and Marietta in the harbor Of
Valparaiso. 1t was known that these
ships were on their way here, and it
had been stated that they would stop
at Valparaiso. Explosives were pur-
chased, and an Italian of Valparaiso
who is skilled in making submarine
weapons OF destruction was employed
to prepare them for uss. 1t WAS in
tended to place these under the two
vessels if possible and blow them to
pieces while lying in what their Off.
GERS considered a friendly port. The
plot was, however, revealed To our con-
sui, Mr.. Caples, of Valparaiso, by a
pro.American-Chilean and he at once
communicated it to Mr.. Harry l.. Will
son, the United States Minister here.
Mr.. Wilson at once took the train for
Valparaiso. He called upon the In
tendente, or Governor, and laid the de-
tails OF the matter, as far as he knew
them, before him. These details were
not complete, but they showed the ex-
istence OF compact organization and
studied plan. The Intendente was at
first inclined to doubt the accuracy of
the information, but at the same time
said that he would investigate the
matter fully and would take every pre-.
caution to have the vessels protected.
He put his detectives at work, and
later on told our Minister that his in
formation was correct, and that the
organization and plot existed. He Mt
once, however, made his arrangements
to prevent this plot and any other
that might be formed from being car
ried out. He organized complete
police boat patrol Of the harbor, and
when the Marietta arrived, the Oregon
having remained outside, no boats
were allowed to come near her except
after the inspection and with the ap-
proval OF the Chilean officers This
patrol was kept about her during the
three days she lay there. Upon his
return TO Santiago, Minister Wilson
expressed to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs his appreciation of the prompt
action OF the Intendente and his Off
cials. Had the plot succeeded, it
would have been difficult for the gov
ernment to have satisfactorily ex-
planned its non-connection with it, and
n great deal of credit should be given
to Minister Wilson and Consul Caples
for their prompt action.