ffair of the appearance of
an insult to this Government. The Chilean Government was also advised
that if such qualifying facts did not exist this Government would
confidently expect full and prompt reparation.

It is to be regretted that the reply of the secretary for foreign
affairs of the Provisional Government was couched in an offensive tone.
To this no response has been made. This Government is now awaiting the
result of an investigation which has been conducted by the criminal
court at Valparaiso. It is reported unofficially that the investigation
is about completed, and it is expected that the result will soon be
communicated to this Government, together with some adequate and
satisfactory response to the note by which the attention of Chile
was called to this incident. If these just expectations should be
disappointed or further needless delay intervene, I will by a special
message bring this matter again to the attention of Congress for
such action as may be necessary. The entire correspondence with the
Government of Chile will at an early day be submitted to Congress.

I renew the recommendation of my special message dated January 16,
1890,[22] for the adoption of the necessary legislation to enable this
Government to apply in the case of Sweden and Norway the same rule in
respect to the levying of tonnage dues as was claimed and secured to the
shipping of the United States in 1828 under Article VIII of the treaty
of 1827.

The adjournment of the Senate without action on the pending acts for
the suppression of the slave traffic in Africa and for the reform of
the revenue tariff of the Independent State of the Kongo left this
Government unable to exchange those acts on the date fixed, July 2,
1891. A _modus vivendi_ has been concluded by which the power of the
Kongo State to levy duties on imports is left unimpaired, and by
agreement of all the signatories to the general slave trade act the time
for the exchange of ratifications on the part of the United States has
been extended to February 2, 1892.

The late outbreak against foreigners in various parts of the
Chinese Empire has been a cause of deep concern in view of the numerous
establishments of our citizens in the interior of that country. This
Government can do no less than insist upon a continuance of the
protective and punitory measures which the Chinese Government has
heretofore applied. No effort will be omitted to protect our citizens
peaceably s