The evidence of existence of animosity
towards our sailors in the minds of the
sailors of the Chilean navy, and of the
populace of Valparaiso, are so abundant
and various as to leave no doubt in the
mind of any one who will examine the
papers submitted.
It manifested itself in threatening and
insulting gestures towards our men as
they passed the Chilean men-of-war In
then- boats, and in the derisive and
abusive epithets with which they greeted
every appeajsmce of an American sailor
on the evening of the riot.
. Captain Schley reports that boats from
the 1hilasrt war ships several times went
out of their course to cross the bows of
bis boats, compelling them to back
water. He complained of the discour
tesy and it was corrected.
That this feeling was shared by men
of higher rank is shown by an incident
by Surgeon Stitt, of the Baltimore.
After the battle of PladHahe, with other
medical officers of the war vessels in the
harbor, was giving voiuntaiw assistepce
to the wounued In the hospitals. The
son of a Chilean army officer of high
rank was under his care, and, when the
father discovered it he flew into a p."
sion. and said he would rather have his
son die than have Americans touch him,
and at once had him removed from the
ward.
: This feeling is not well concealed in
the dispatches of the foreign office, and
had quite open expression in the .lisre
spectf ul treatment of the American le
gation. The Chilean boatmen in the bay re
fused, even for large offers of money, to
return our sailors, who crowded the
Nole, to their ship when they were-en-deavoring
to escape from the city on the
night of the assault.
