Mr. Egan to Mr. Blaine.

No. 284.]

Sir: I have the honor to send a copy of a note which I directed to the minister of foreign relations in reference to the question of claims which has lain in abeyance since the commencement of the civil war in January of last year.

It seems to me that it would conduce very much to the establishment of better relations between the two countries if all these matters were brought to a mutually satisfactory settlement now instead of leaving them to become a source of trouble and vexation in the future. Besides, in all of the cases which have real merit the hardship inflicted upon the claimants by delay augments every year. I shall, therefore, with your approval, do all in my power to press these case’s to an early settlement.

I have, etc.,

Patrick Egan.
[Inclosure in No. 284.]

Mr. Egan to Señor Errazuriz.

Sir: I beg to refer to my notes of 30th September and of 13th December, 1890, addressed to the ministry of your excellency with regard to certain claims of citizens of the United States against your excellency’s Government, and to say that I was informed by Señor don Domingo Godoy, minister of foreign relations, at the end of December, 1890, that the various documents which accompanied my note of 13th December had been placed in the hands of the honorable fiscal of the supreme court, Señor don Ambrosio Montt, for his examination and opinion. May I ask your excellency to kindly inform me what progress has been made in said examination?

I shall proceed, without delay, to arrange and forward to your excellency the documents in support of the list of claims arising out of the war between Chile and Peru, referred to in my note of 30th September, 1890, as also some small claims arising out of the late war, and I beg to convey the assurance of my earnest desire to cooperate with your excellency in the thorough investigation of these several claims and in bringing them to a settlement that will be mutually satisfactory to our respective Governments.

Renewing, etc.,

Patrick Egan.