723.2515/666: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Shea) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 16—6:45 a.m.]
110. Your no. 57, August 11. See my no. 103, July 26.94 Efforts are being continued to settle Chile’s election controversy by means of the Tribunal of Honor, although this committee is not yet fully [Page 344] organized. Hope is expressed on all sides that both parties will reach a peaceful solution, and the political and social unrest of the country will be tranquilized, though opinion over the outcome of the Tribunal’s effort differs widely. The President has not accepted the Cabinet’s resignations, and Bermudez has been asked to solve the difficulty. It was rumored last night that the Cabinet would remain in office. No information is to be had from the Foreign Office, as both the Foreign Minister and the Under Secretary have been ill the last few days.
The international situation is much calmer now that the Peruvian frontier is fully protected and no immediate coup is expected from Peru. Undoubtedly the best Chileans desire greatly to settle the Tacna-Arica question, as the continued uncertainty is affecting business adversely and is aggravating social unrest, but until the presidential election is solved I do not believe this question will be taken up.
A rumor is reported by the Consul General at Valparaiso that the Chilean war vessel, Chacabuco, which sailed Tuesday for Arica has a special commission on board composed of Senators Tocornal and Yañez and is bound for Callao, where they have been instructed by the Government to present an important message to the Peruvian Government. The presence of Yañez in Santiago discounts this rumor, which it is impossible at present to verify. I have instructed the Consul at Tacna to go to Arica and report to me after discreetly ascertaining the movements of the Chacabuco.
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