Page:A history of Chile.djvu/269

ERA OF CONSTITUTION MAKING 245 subsequently to the remonstrances of the diplomatic corps against the legality of the blockade the admiral soon confined it to six. He failed even to enforce a blockade against six ports and reduced the number to four, viz : Caldera, Coquimbo, Valparaiso and Talca- huano. On November 26th, the Chilean war steamer, "Es- meralda," captured the Spanish gunboat "Covadonga" off Papudo after an engagement of thirty minutes, in which two Spaniards were killed and fourteen wounded. About one hundred and sixteen prisoners were taken, including six or seven officers. Don Juan Williams Ro- bolledo,the commander of the "Esmeralda," was reward- ed for his bravery by promotion. A Spanish launch mounting one gun, was also captured about this time by the "Independencia, " a Chilean tug steamer m'ounting two guns. These two boats, the "Esmeralda" and "Inde- pendencia," constituted at this time Chile's entire fleet. These disasters so discouraged Admiral Pereja that he committed suicide, November 28th, and was suc- ceeded by Commodore Mendez Nunez, of the "Numau- cia. " Nunez immediately raised the blockade of all the ports, except those of Valparaiso, and Caldera; against these he attempted to make it effective. A few days after this on December 5th, Senor Santa Maria, who had been sent to Peru to conclude an offen- sive and defensive treaty with that nation against Spain, accomplished the result and the treaty was formally ratified by the Chilean congress on January 14th, 1866. President Pezet of Peru had been temporizing with the Spaniards; he was now supplanted by Prado in the presidency, and the latter formally declared war be- tween Peru and Spain. Sometime after Ecuador and Bolivia entered the alliance. The Spaniards had thus far accomplished little in