tion of the vessel is a matter of importance, but that we may know what the present state of our law is; for if this construction of the Statute is correct, there is obvious necessity for revision and amendment. During the progress of the war in Chile this Government tendered its good offices to bring about a peaceful adjustment, and it was at one time hoped that a good result might be reached; but in this we were disappointed. The instructions to our naval officers and to our Minister at Santiago, from the first to the last of this struggle, enjoined upon them the most impartial treatment and absolute non-interference. I am satisfied that these instructions were observed, and that our Representatives were always watchful to use their influence impartially in the interest of humanity, and on more than one occasion did so effectively. We could not forget, however, that this Government was in diplomatic relations with the then established Government of Chile, as it is now in such relations with the successor of that Government. I am quite sure that President Montt, who has, under circumstances of promise for the peace of Chile, been installed as President of that Republic, will not desire that, in the unfortunate event of any revolt against his authority, the policy of this Government should be other than that which we have recently observed. No official complaint of the conduct of our Minister or of our naval officers during the struggle has been presented to this Government; and it is a matter of regret that so many of our own people should have given ear to unofficial charges and complaints that manifestly had their origin in rival interests, and in a wish to pervert the relations of the United States with Chile. The collapse of the Government of Balmaceda brought about a condition which is unfortunately too familiar in the history of the Central and South American States. With the overthrow of the Balmaceda Government, he and many of his Councillors and officers became at once fugitives for their lives, and appealed to the commanding officers of the foreign naval vessels in the harbour of Valparaiso and to the resident foreign Ministers at Santiago for asylum. This asylum was freely given, according to my information, by the naval vessels of several foreign Powers, and by several of the Legations at Santiago. The American Minister, as well as his colleagues, acting upon the impulses of humanity, extended asylum to political refugees whose lives were in peril. I have not been willing to direct the surrender of such of these persons as are still in the American Legation without suitable conditions. It is believed that the Government of Chile is not in a position, in view of the precedents with which it has been connected, to broadly deny the right of asylum, and the correspondence has not thus far presented any such denial. The treatment of our Minister for a time was such as to call for a decided protest, and it was very gratifying to observe that unfriendly measures, which were undoubtedly the result of the prevailing excitement, were at once rescinded or suitably relaxed. On the 16th October an event occurred in Valparaiso so serious and tragic in its circumstances and results as to very justly excite the indignation of our people and to call for prompt and decided action on the part of this Government. A considerable number of the sailors of the United States' steam-ship Baltimore, then in the harbour of Valparaiso, being upon shore leave, and unarmed, were assaulted by armed men nearly simultaneously in different localities in the city. One petty officer was killed outright, and seven or eight seamen were seriously wounded, one of whom has since died So savage and brutal was the assault that several of our sailors received more than two, and one as many as eighteen stab wounds. An investigation of the affair was promptly made by a Board of Officers of the Baltimore, and their report shows that these assaults were unprovoked, that our men were conducting themselves in a peaceable and orderly manner, and that some of the police of the city took part in the assault and used their weapons with fatal effect, while a few others, with some well-disposed citizens, endeavoured to protect our men. Thirty-six of our sailors were arrested, and some of them, while being taken to prison, were cruelly beaten and maltreated. The fact that they were all discharged, no criminal charge being lodged against any one of them, shows very clearly that they were innocent of any breach of the peace. So far as I have yet been able to learn, no other explanation of this bloody work has been suggested than that it had its origin in hostility to these men as sailors of the United States, wearing the uniform of their Government, and not in any individual act or personal animosity. The attention of the Chilean Government was at once called to this affair, and a statement of the facts obtained by the investigation we had conducted was submitted, accompanied by a request to be advised of any other or qualifying facts in the possession of the Chilean Government that might tend to relievo. this affair of the appearance of an insult to this Government. The Chileau Government was also advised that if such qualifying facts did not exist, this Government would confidently expect full and prompt reparation. It is to be regretted that the reply of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Government was couched in an offensive tone. To this no response has been made. This Government is now awaiting the result of an investigation which has been conducted by the Criminal Court at Valparaiso. It is reported [1890-91. LXXXIII.] 2 F unofficially that the investigation is about completed, and it is expected that the result will soon be communicated to this Government, together with some adequate and satisfactory response to the note by which the attention of Chile was called to this incident. If these just expectations should be disappointed, or further needless delay intervene, I will, by a Special Message, bring this matter again to the attention of Congress for such action as may be necessary. The entire correspondence with the Government of Chile will at an early day be submitted to Congress. I renew the recommendation of my Special Message, dated the 16th January, 1890, for the adoption of the necessary legislation to enable this Government to apply in the case of Sweden and Norway the same rule in respect to the levying of tonnage dues as was claimed and secured to the shipping of the United States in 1828 under Article VIII of the Treaty of 1827. The adjournment of the Senate without action on the pending Acts for the suppression of the Slave Traffic in Africa and for the reform of the Revenue Tariff of the Independent State of the Congo left this Government unable to exchange those Acts on the date fixed, the 2nd July, 1891. A modus vivendi has been concluded by which the power of the Congo State to levy duties on imports is left unimpaired, and by agreement of all the Signatories to the General Slave Trade Act, the time for the exchange of ratificatious on the part of the United States has been extended to the 2nd February, 1892. The late outbreak against foreigners in various parts of the Chinese Empire has been a cause of deep concern in view of the numerous establishments of our citizens in the interior of that country. This Government can do no less than insist upon a continuance of the protective and punitory measures which the Chinese Government has heretofore applied. No effort will be omitted to protect our citizens peaceably sojourning in China, but recent unofficial information indicates that what was at first regarded as an outbreak of mob violence against foreigners has assumed the larger form of an insurrection against public order. The Chinese Government has declined to receive Mr. Blair as the Minister of the United States, on the ground that, as a participant, while a Senator, in the enactment of the existing legislation against the introduction of Chinese labourers, he has become unfriendly and objectionable to China. I have felt constrained to point out to the Chinese Government the untenableuess of this position, which seems to rest as much on the unacceptability of our legislation as on that of the person chosen, and which, if admitted, would practically debar the selection of any Representa tive so long as the existing laws remain in force. You will be called upon to consider the expediency of making special provision by law for the temporary admission of some Chinese artizans and labourers in connection with the exhibit of Chinese industries at the approaching Columbian Exposition. I regard it as desirable that the Chinese exhibit be facilitated in every proper way. A question has arisen with the Government of Spain touching the rights of American citizens in the Caroline Islands. Our citizens there, long prior to the confirmation of Spain's claim to the islands, had secured by settlement and purchase certain rights, to the recognition and maintenance of which the faith of Spain was pledged. I have had reason within the past year very strongly to protest against the failure to carry out this pledge on the part of His Majesty's Ministers, which has resulted in great injustice and injury to the American residents. The Government and people of Spain propose to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America by holding an exposition at Madrid, which will open on the 12th September and continue until the 31st December, 1892. A cordial invitation has been extended to the United States to take part in this commemoration, and, as Spain was one of the first nations to express the intention to participate in the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, it would be very appropriate for this Government to give this invitation its friendly promotion. Surveys for the connecting links of the projected Intercontinental Railway are in progress, not only in Mexico, but at various points along the course mapped out. Three surveying parties are now in the field under the direction of the Commission. Nearly 1,000 miles of the proposed road have been surveyed, including the most difficult part, that through Ecuador and the southern part of Colombia. The reports of the engineers are very satisfactory, and show that no insurmountable obstacles have been met with. On the 12th November, 1884,* a Treaty was concluded with Mexico reaffirming the boundary between the two countries as described in the Treaties of the 2nd February, 1848,† and the 30th December, 1853. On the 1st March, 1889,§ a further Treaty was negotiated to facilitate the carrying out of the principles of the Treaty of 1881 and to avoid the difficulties occasioned by reason of the changes and alterations that take place from natural causes in the Rio Grande and Colorado Rivers in the portions thereof constituting the boundary-line between the two Republics. The International Boundary Commission, provided for by the Treaty of 1889, 994. • Vol. LXXV, page + Vol. XXXVII, page 567. § Vol. LXXXI, page 739. to have exclusive jurisdiction of any question that may arise, has been named by the Mexican Government. An appropriation is necessary to enable the United States to fulfil its Treaty obligation in this respect. The death of King Kalakaua in the United States afforded occasion to testify our friendship for Hawaii by conveying the King's body to his own land in a naval vessel with all due honours. The Government of his successor, Queen Liliuokalani, is seeking to promote closer commercial relations with the United States. Surveys for the much-needed submarine cable from our Pacific coast to Honolulu are in progress, and this enterprise should have the suitable promotion of the two Governments. I strongly recommend that provision be made for improving the harbour of Pearl River and equipping it as a naval station. The Arbitration Treaty formulated by the International American Conference lapsed by reason of the failure to exchange ratifications fully within the limit of time provided; but several of the Governments concerned have expressed a desire to save this important result of the Conference by an extension of the period. It is, in my judgment, incumbent upon the United States to conserve the influential initiative it has taken in this measure by ratifying the instrument and by advocating the proposed extension of the time for exchange. These views have been made known to the other Signatories. This Government has found occasion to express, in a friendly spirit, but with much earnestness, to the Government of the Czar, its serious concern because of the harsh measures now being enforced against the Hebrews in Russia. By the revival of anti-Semitic laws, long in abeyance, great numbers of those unfortunate people have been constrained to abandon their homes and leave the Empire by reason of the impossibility of finding subsistence within the pale to which it is sought to confine them. The immigration of these people to the United States -- many other countries being closed to them is largely increasing, and is likely to assume proportions which may make it difficult to find homes and employment for them here, and to seriously affect the labour market. It is estimated that over 1,000,000 will be forced from Russia within a few years. The Hebrew is never a beggar; he has always kept the law-life by toil-often under severe and oppressive civil restrictions. It is also true that no race, sect, or class has more fully cared for its own thau the Hebrew race. But the sudden transfer of such a multitude, under conditions that tend to strip them of their small accumula tions and to depress their energies and courage, is neither good for them nor for us. The banishment, whether by direct decree or by not less certain |