[Translation.]
Mr. Tassara to Mr. Seward.
Legation of Spain, Washington
,
January 9, 1866.
The undersigned, minister plenipotentiary of her Catholic Majesty, has
the honor to address himself to the honorable Secretary of State, to
call his attention to affairs concerning the neutrality which the
government of the United States has deemed proper to declare in the
hostilities between Spain and Chili.
Notorious is the frequency, the impunity, and sometimes even the data,
with which the daily press of this country is publishing plans said to
be in process of execution, or carried into effect, for supplying arms
and vessels to Chili, in contravention of this neutrality. The
undersigned has many reasons to believe of these revelations that they
rest on some foundation, and perhaps has, in some degree, compromised
his responsibility by not having before this given notice of his
information about them; but grave considerations, among them and
foremost of all the thought of the frankness and loyalty which, during
years and despite of critical situations, have reigned over the
relations of Spain and the United States, have prevailed in his mind to
the present hour, and he has not thought of distracting the attention of
the department by reclamations which might not be completely justified;
but, notwithstanding, at this day he would fall short of his duty if he
should keep silence, in view of an article and a correspondence which
have seen the light in one of the leading newspapers of this country,
the World, of New York, whose number of the 6th instant is annexed to
this despatch, keeping to the very language of the World, as well as
leaving to it the whole responsibility for its revelations:
“For account of Chili two vessels have been purchased, laden with a
certain class of munitions of war, and escaped to sea, with the purpose
of steering for the coast of Chili, blowing up the Spanish ships of war,
and thus raising the blockade. One of these vessels was in the United
States service in the late war, and has been sold by the Navy Department
to the individual from whom the Chilian agent bought it. The officers
who went on board were also in this naval service. The torpedoes were
manufactured in the city of New York. At the New York custom-house,
certificates were procured as for vessels belonging to Chilian citizens,
and the ships went to sea under the Chilian flag.”
Whatever may be the foundation for these proceedings—and the undersigned
does not mean to compromise the responsibility of any one, much less
that of the government of the United States and that of the Navy
Department—it is difficult, nevertheless, to ignore the character of
complete asseveration with which they are enunciated; and it is right to
expect that the Department of State will assure itself, not only that
its agents have taken no part in this, nor in any other plan of the same
nature which may be formed, but that it will hasten to prove, in a
manner direct and irrefutable, that, in compliance with the laws of
international right, which on this point are the same with the act of
neutrality of the United States, that it is resolved to hinder the
violation, in that or any other manner, on this occasion, within this
territory, of the laws of neutrality referred to. With this purpose, it
is proper to point out a fact, of character more indubitable, [Page 590] which two months ago took
place in a port of Central America, and which proves in the plainest
manner the foundation for revelations such as those of the World.
Annexed also to this note the honorable Secretary will find the literal
translation of a letter dated at Panama the 11th of November last,
narrating the explosion in the port of Taboga of sundry barrels of
inflammable matter, which chemical analysis proved to be of no other
use, unless for the working of mines or the manufacture of torpedoes,
which barrels came from the port of New York, and proved their
explosiveness by killing three men and wounding six others, on being
transhipped to the vessel which was to carry them to Peru, with every
indication of being intended for Chili.
In making this communication the undersigned not only takes into account
the necessity for rigorous compliance with the laws of neutrality, but
also that, at the same time, he may discharge a duty by indicating to
the government of the United States the danger there may be to
passengers going to Panama by vessels whose cargo might contain
materials like those which caused the suspicious catastrophe at
Taboga.
The government of the United States understands all the antecedents of
the Chilian question, and knows very well that Spain has done no more
than ask a satisfaction which it deemed to be due to it on the most
unshaken principles of the law of nations, and that even such
satisfaction has not been put in form, except on conditions more
acceptable than in such cases other nations would have done. The
government of the United States knows, moreover, that Spain, manifesting
to the last moment the good feelings which actuate her towards the
nations of the other America, has accepted first the good offices of the
United States, and then those of France and of England, to avoid an
extreme solution. The government of the United States knows, in fine,
that it is purely and simply a parade of declamation to pretend, at this
day, that Spain now comes to violate principles or rights on this
continent. The same loyalty, nevertheless, and the same good
dispositions give the Spanish government a right to demand the use of
the same conduct towards it, trusting sincerely that the United States
will continue to observe an impartially neutral course, for which I have
given my thanks in my recent despatch which has been communicated to the
department.
Lately, it having been published in this country that the Chilian
government was disposed arbitrarily to extend the rights of its flag to
all foreigners who shall enter in service in this war, the undersigned
thinks he should call to mind, even excluding the rules of international
law established on this point, there is in existence article XIV of the
existing treaty of 1793 between Spain and the United States, which
article refers especially to the citizens of this country, and whose
tenor is as follows:
“No subject of his Catholic Majesty shall take any charge or commission
for arming any vessel or vessels to act as corsairs against the said
United States, or the citizens, people, and inhabitants thereof, or
against the property or inhabitants of any of them, from any prince so
ever with whom the United States may be at war. In like manner, no
citizen or inhabitant of said States shall seek or accept any charge or
commission to arm any vessel or vessels for the purpose of pursuing the
subjects of his Catholic Majesty, or of taking possession of his
property, from any prince or state that may be, with which his Catholic
Majesty may be at war. And if any individual of one or of the other
nation should take such charge or commission, he shall be punished as a
pirate.”
This article was brought to the mind of the Spanish government during the
war of the United States and Mexico, in 1846.
In virtue of all these facts, the undersigned trusts that this government
will: make proper investigations, will repeat the orders which, without
doubt, have been given to the judicial and fiscal authorities, and will,
in fine, show its resolution to maintain the neutrality which it has
shown with such loyalty from the [Page 591] beginning in the question between Spain and Chili; not thinking,
moreover, to call its attention to the particular, also enunciated in
the World, of the sale of a monitor to an agent of the other South
American republic, because of the antecedents laid down by the
government of the United States on a former occasion; and it is not to
be apprehended they will be belied on the present one.
The undersigned avails of this fresh opportunity to renew to the
honorable Secretary of State the assurances of his highest
consideration.
Hon. William H. Seward,
&c., &c., &c.
[Untitled]
Panama,
November 11, 1865.
I wish to call your attention to a very interesting fact. The steamer
Limena, Captain Blomfield, was at Taboga taking her cargo for the
south, and shipped several barrels marked C. M., oil, Callao, and E.
M., oil, Callao, sent by the house of———, New York, to a Peruvian
residing in Callao by the name of———. A terrible explosion took
place, without apparent cause, on board of the ship which carried
them to the steamer. Three men were killed, six wounded, and the
flames invaded the rest of the cargo. Captain Blomfield withdrew
from the scene of the fire and caused the fourteen barrels already
shipped to be thrown into the sea. A chemical analysis, made by
order of the English company, has shown that these barrels contained
not oil, but an explosive and inflammable mixture of extreme
strength, and which could only be applied to mines or torpedoes. In
fact, one ounce of this liquid mixed with water and beaten together
exploded when a lighted match was placed at a distance of a half a
foot in the surface of the water. It is more than probable that this
terrible matter was destined to the fabrication of some engine of
destruction, and it is easy to devise against whom were prepared
these infernal machines. It was not feared to expose the lives of
the passengers on board of the English steamer and the ship which
carried the fifty explosive barrels from New York to Callao.
Esta conforme.
[From the New York World of January 6,
1866.]
Chili.
important
disclosures regarding the spanish chilian war.—the spanish
blockading fleet tobe blown up.—americans to perform the
work.—departure of vessels with torpedoes from new york.—how the
enterprise is conducted.—a fleet of iron-clads for chili,
etc.
[Special despatch to the
World.]
Washington,
January 5,
1866.
Facts of the most startling character bearing upon the war between
Spain and Chili have come to light at this capital within the past
few days. It has been ascertained, in a manner that places the
matter beyond a doubt, that certain Americans of considerable
prominence, especially in New York, have engaged in an enterprise
the success of which will involve the raising of the Spanish
blockade of the Chilian ports by the most thorough and effective
means; nothing less, in fact, than the total destruction of the
Spanish fleet through the employment of torpedoes. All the vessels
of the blockading squadron, six in number, are to be blown up
simultaneously, or as nearly simultaneously as possible. The way in
which the affair was brought about is, shortly, this; When the
Chilian agent, Señor McKenna, arrived in this country some time
since, one of his final acts was to hasten to Washington, solicit
and obtain an interview with a very high official connected with the
Navy Department. To this gentleman’s consideration Señor McKenna
submitted a plan for the raising of the Spanish blockade by the
means above alluded to. The agent also be sought unofficial
assistance the gentleman in question could give, consistedly with
respect for his position. The result was that Señor McKenna at once
returned to New’ York, fortified with a letter of introduction from
the high official to an engineer and inventor then residing in that
city, but formerly in the federal service—a gentleman who invented
as well as superintended the manufacture of the torpedoes used by
the government during the late war. The engineer at once set about
preparing an expedition. The order for the construction of the
torpedoes was given to a prominent iron, manufacturer in New York; a
steamer, sold by the government at public auction and subsequently
purchased by the Chilian agent, was fitted out; a ship was also
purchased to be used as a tender; the torpedoes were delivered on
board at the appointed time; regular [Page 592] clearances for Chilian ports were obtained,
and, carrying the Chilian flag and manned by crews selected for the
purpose, embracing many adventurous young men, the vessels sailed
away. Several weeks have now elapsed. In a short time, in all
probability, news of the success or failure of the undertaking will
be received. The moving spirit in the enterprise is a man whose
filibustering tendencies are well known in New York. He is an
incurable speculator, and, with some of his relatives and friends,
recently sent a shipload of goods to Matamoros, sinking a fortune in
the operation. He is to receive thirty thousand dollars in gold when
the flag-ship of the Spanish admiral is blown up, and proportionate
amounts for the destruction of other vessels. He receives a salary
of five hundred dollars in gold per month during the whole term of
his service under the Chilian government. The same amount is paid to
his associates. All engaged in the enterprise are under the
protection of the Chilian government. The leaders have commissions,
signed by the Chilian authorities, declaring that they are citizens
regularly employed in the military service of Chili.
One of the chief promoters of the enterprise is an American, a native
of New York, brother to the actual commander, and best known by his
connection with the construction of the Chilian railways. Ten years
he has enjoyed the favor and confidence of the Chilian government.
For reasons that are sufficiently obvious I am not permitted to
mention names; but of the truth of the facts above related there is
no doubt whatever.
the spanish squadron.
Admiral Pareja’s squadron, at last accounts, except the Villa de
Madrid, which was at Valparaiso , were distributed among the Chilian
ports of Coquimbo, Caldera, and Ancud.
the republic of chili.
Chili, or Chile, as it is indifferently written, the most populous
and important of the South American republics, is a strip of land
between the Andes and the Pacific, in length of coast line about two
thousand two hundred and seventy miles, and in breadth averaging
from two hundred miles to twenty. The harbors along her extensive
coast are neither numerous nor good. The best of them is Talcahuana,
in Talcahuana. Valparaiso, though the busiest port in the country,
lies open to winds from the northward, and accidents to the shipping
in the harbor I are frequent. Besides Chili proper, the Chilian
government exercises jurisdiction over a large number of outlying
islands. The population, according to a census taken, probably with
the looseness of Depew, in 1857, was 1,558,453.
The population is very heterogeneous. It is estimated that only
between one-fourth and one-third of the Chilians are of pure Spanish
blood; the remainder being made up of domesticated Indians, and the
fruit of their intercourse with the dominant race. The industry of
the country takes mostly an agricultural, at least a bucolic turn.
The labor is done by subjugated Indians, who are reduced to a sort
of peonage; and the territory is chiefly in the hands of great
proprietors. The farms often comprise thousands of acres, and the
elevated plains afford pasturage for immense herds of cattle, which
are bred and slaughtered for their horns and hides. The tillage is
very rude, and but for the singular fertility of the soil would be
almost without profit. But the washings from the mountains, which
are spread by the freshets over the lowlands, and further diffused
by a system of irrigation, which, like that of the Egyptians, is
more advanced than the other processes of the country, makes the
soil so rich that the surface scratching which is given to it is
rewarded by a yield of from thirty to sixty fold. The mineral wealth
of Chili is very great. Gold is found in the Cordilleras near the
coast, and is mined for after a fashion; but the region which
contains it is so inaccessible, and so exposed to the incursions of
predatory Indians, of whom bands infest the whole interior country,
that the amount obtained yearly is reckoned j at less than half a
million of dollars. Silver is worked more successfully. In 1858, the
last year of which we have exact information of their condition,
there were exported, of the product of the mines, over four millions
of dollars. But copper is the most important of the minerals of
Chili; the export in 1858 amounting to $10,700,000, considerably
more than half the value of the entire exports of the year. The
commerce of the country, against which the existing blockade is
directed, is not, it would seem, of such extent that its destruction
would seriously cripple Chili. In 1858 the merchant fleet numbered
269 vessels of all sorts. The government of Chili is, in name, a
republic; but, as always happens when freedom is thrust upon a race
not fit to receive it, it is a dictatorship; but the forms of
freedom are sedulously preserved; a cabinet of four ministers—of
home and foreign affairs, of finance, of war and marine, and of
religion and education—is ordained to assist the President in his
exalted functions, and their integrity is assured by a
constitutional provision that they shall not depart the realm within
six months after the expiration of their official term.
[Page 593]
[Special despatch to the World.]
IRON CLADS FOR CHILI AND PERU.
Washington,
January 5,
1866.
This morning the Peruvian minister and an officer of the Peruvian
navy visited the splendid monitor Miantonomoh, now at the navy yard,
for the purpose of inspecting it. The Peruvian government has
already one double-turretted monitor, and her neighbor, Chili, has
two, being built in England, and the minister from Peru is anxious
to purchase one of our monitors for his government.
