Melquiades Valderrama to Thomas O. Osborn, November 25, 1880

Mr. Valderrama to Mr. Osborn.

Sir: Referring to the conference that I had yesterday with you, and in which you expressed a desire to know if my government had taken any measures for the purposes of protecting, in as far as may be possible, the persons and interests of foreigners located in Lima and Callao, in case hostilities against said cities should be undertaken, I now have the honor to repeat to you what, in that respect, I expressed to you verbally.

My government feels a deep interest in that the persons and property of foreigners should remain as far as possible exempt from all damage in the future operations that it may be necessary to undertake against those cities, and to this end has recommended very especially to the chief of our forces that he should respect these persons and properties. In order that this protection should be more efficacious, my government has directed that the chief of our forces should hear all the suggestions that the dean of the diplomatic corps in Lima should be pleased to make to him in this regard, and to accept them in so far as they should not be opposed to or should not embarrass the legitimate operations of our army. My government believes that on the field of actual operations the Chilian commander, upon the representations of the dean of the diplomatic corps, will be the better able to protect the important interests of neutrals, which the government ardently desires may be protected in the military operations which our army has been directed to carry out.

I avail, &c.,