The Itata Incident was a diplomatic affair and military intervention by the United States involving Chile in 1891. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The incident involved the ship Itata and its cargo of arms being transported from the U. S. to Chile to assist Congressional forces in the Chilean Civil War. The Chilean Civil War of 1891 was an armed conflict between forces supporting Congress and forces supporting the sitting President, José Manuel Balmaceda The Itata Incident was the direct cause of the Baltimore Crisis, and is one of the reasons that Benjamin Harrison was not reelected to a second term as the President of the United States. The Baltimore Crisis was a diplomatic incident that took place between Chile and the United States of America as the result of US intervention in the Benjamin Harrison (August 20 1833 &ndash March 13 1901 was the twenty-third President of the United States, serving one term from 1889 to 1893 The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by
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Background
In 1891 after a series of struggles with multinational nitrate interests, Chilean President José Manuel Balmaceda refused to sign the national budget passed by the Chilean National Congress. Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common In Inorganic chemistry, a nitrate is a salt of Nitric acid with an Ion composed of one Nitrogen and three Oxygen atoms José Manuel Emiliano Balmaceda Fernández ( July 19, 1840 – September 19, 1891) was a Chilean political figure and President The National Congress (Congreso Nacional is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile. Balmaceda then dissolved Congress. The Congress protested President Balmaceda's decision for their dissolving, beginning a military confrontation between Chilean Army and Navy forces loyal to both the National Congress and the President. By right or might The Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile is the naval force of Chile.
A group of individuals, including members of the National Congress with the backing of multinational nitrate interests, sent to both Europe and the U.S. to purchase arms. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Quickly their efforts succeeded, as better-equipped Congressional forces captured the northern provinces, much of which had recently been conquered from Bolivia during the War of the Pacific. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. The War of the Pacific, sometimes called the Saltpeter War in reference to its original cause was fought between Chile and the joint forces of Bolivia
Washington
United States Secretary of State James Blaine with the assistance of John W. Foster (a "diplomatic trouble shooter", who would soon become Blaine's successor) and against the advice of Third Under Secretary of State John Basset Moore (who resigned in protest of it), agreed to assist Chile's Balmaceda Administration following discussions with Chilean Minister Prudencio Lazcano. The United States Secretary of State (commonly abbreviated as SecState) is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with Foreign affairs James Gillespie Blaine ( January 31, 1830 &ndash January 27, 1893) was a U John Watson Foster ( March 2, 1836 – November 15, 1917) was an American military man journalist and diplomat Originally Lazcano was rebuffed, since Blaine was not in favor of meddling.
The U. S. arms shipment
In New York, Ricardo Trumbull, an agent of the Chilean Congressional insurgents, after seeking the advice and assistance of W. The City of New York R. Grace, purchased some of the latest in American arms technology. The bulk of these were sent via train to California. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The crates of arms and munitions were off loaded at the Port of Los Angeles. History The south-facing San Pedro Bay was originally a shallow Mudflat, too soft to support a Wharf. Once on board, the "Robert and Minnie" the arms were taken to a place near San Clemente Island, where they were transferred to the Chilean Steamer Itata. San Clemente Island or SCI is the southernmost of the Channel Islands of California.
San Diego
Before the Itata picked up the cargo of arms she stopped at San Diego harbor. There she was detained by federal U.S. Marshals. However, Marshal George Gard, who was in charge of keeping the Itata in San Diego allowed the ship to remain under steam during her entire stay. After she slipped away, he made up a story that appeared in most National Newspapers, claiming that the Itata was loaded with soldiers.
The ship continued its journey to Chile chased by several ships under two admirals, amid a swirl of bellicose talk in the United States. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
Iquique
At Iquique Harbor an international contingent which included warships of the U.S. Navy, the British Royal Navy, and the Imperial German Kaiserliche Marine awaited the Itata. Iquique (iˈkike is a city in northern Chile, capital of Tarapacá Region, on the Pacific coast, west of the Atacama Desert and the The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Kaiserliche Marine or Imperial Navy was the German Navy created by the formation of the German Empire. The U. S. ships included the San Francisco the Charleston and the Baltimore, more than one of which had been involved in chasing the Itata down the American coast in an attempt to intercept it before it reached Iquique. See also See USS ''San Francisco'' for other ships of this name See also Capture of Guam With the help of the British and German navies, U. S. Navy Rear Admirals WP McCann and George Brown managed to get the Chilean Congressional rebels to give up the Itata and its cargo. Ironically, another arms shipment from the vessel Maipo with a load of German-made Krupp arms and munitions had already arrived, perhaps making the Itata's cargo unnecessary. The Krupp family, a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their Steel production and for their manufacture of
Baltimore Crisis
After the Itata left Iquique to return to the U. S. , the crew of the Baltimore took shore leave at Valparaiso. Valparaíso (literally in Spanish: Valle Paraíso (Paradise Valley and also called "Valpo" locally is a major city in Chile During the American sailors' shore leave on October 16, 1891, a mob of enraged Chileans who had been whipped up as the result of the Itata's capture (and perhaps for other reasons), attacked the sailors from the Baltimore. Events 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Two sailors were killed and several were wounded seriously. That Valparaiso riot stirred up saber-rattling from enraged American Officials, threatening war against Chile, which by now was controlled by victorious Congressional forces. Saber-noise or saber-rattling ( Spanish: ruido de sables) refers to a historical incident in Chilean history that took place on September War between the U. S. and Chile was ultimately averted when the Chilean government, while maintaining that the seamen were to blame for the riot, offered to pay an indemnity of $75,000 to victims' families.
The Itata's return to the U. S.
William Howard Taft, the US Solicitor General (and later U.S. President), and Los Angeles-based federal prosecutor Henry Gage (later Governor of California), were in charge of investigating the Itata and the prosecution of its crew and suppliers by the Harrison Administration. William Howard Taft (September 15 1857 – March 8 1930 was an American politician, the twenty-seventh President of the United States, the tenth Chief Justice The United States Solicitor General is the individual appointed to argue for the Government of the United States in front of the Supreme Court of the United States The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Henry Tifft Gage ( December 25, 1852 August 28, 1924) was an American lawyer politician and diplomat The Governor of California is the highest executive authority in the state government whose responsibilities include making annual "State of the State" addresses Benjamin Harrison (August 20 1833 &ndash March 13 1901 was the twenty-third President of the United States, serving one term from 1889 to 1893
Following his investigation Gage declined to prosecute the crew on account of his belief that the federal government had made an error regarding the matter. He also believed that the arms shipment constituted private property, and was outside of the federal government's direct jurisdiction.
Taft did prosecute the cases against the arms and against the ship, however the U. S. government lost in each instance in the courts.
Benjamin Harrison Quote
This incident resulted in one of Pres. The United States presidential election of 1908 was held on November 3 1908 Benjamin Harrison's most memorable quotes: "What ever you say, tell the truth!"
Sources
- Foreign Relations of the United States of America for the Year 1891. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1892. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The Government Printing Office (GPO is an agency of the legislative branch of the United States federal government.
- Foreign Relations of the United States of America for the Year 1892. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1893. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The Government Printing Office (GPO is an agency of the legislative branch of the United States federal government.
- "The Itata Incident" Osgood Hardy, in the Hispanic American Historical Review, vol V (1922) pp 195-226.
- The Federal Reporter. vv 47-9, 56
- John W. Foster. Michael Devine, London: The Ohio University Press, 1981.
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