Itata Incident
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The Itata Incident was a diplomatic affair and military intervention by the United States involving Chile in 1891. 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 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.
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[edit] 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. 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.
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. 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.
[edit] 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. Originally Lazcano was rebuffed, since Blaine was not in favor of meddling.
[edit] 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.R. Grace, purchased some of the latest in American arms technology. The bulk of these were sent via train to California. The crates of arms and munitions were off loaded at the Port of Los Angeles. 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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. 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. 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.
[edit] Baltimore Crisis
After the Itata left Iquique to return to the U.S., the crew of the Baltimore took shore leave at Valparaiso. 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. 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. 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.
[edit] 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.
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.
[edit] Benjamin Harrison Quote
This incident resulted in one of Pres. Benjamin Harrison's most memorable quotes: "What ever you say, tell the truth!"
[edit] Sources
- Foreign Relations of the United States of America for the Year 1891. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1892.
- Foreign Relations of the United States of America for the Year 1892. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1893.
- "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.
