16
CHILLAN — CHIMKENT
are not by any means clear, but powerful foreign interests were attacked and defeated. The position was a strong were arrayed on the side of Congress, and financial support one, and the defenders were greatly superior in field was forthcoming in defence of those interests. The artillery, but suffered somewhat from the fire of the geographical conditions of Chile are such as to render Congressionalist vessels. The troops were, however, badly sea power the dominating factor in any internal or external handled, and both flanks were turned. The battle conflict. The country is practically a long strip. of sea- of Concon was the first in which one side was armed board, with few or no longitudinal communications on wholly with repeating rifles. The Congressionalists took shore. Sea transport was therefore vital to military 1500 prisoners, “most of whom asked for and obtained operations. On 7th January 1891 the Chilian fleet, which leave ” to change their flag. The advance on Valparaiso included the armour-clads Blanco Encalada, Cochrane, continued, and it was intended to attack the position of and Huascar, declared for Congress. The army, con- Vina del Mar, about 4 miles from the town, on the 23rd. sisting at this time of about 6000 men, adhered to The attack was not delivered, as the Congressionalist the President. One side was thus driven to create an troops did not reach their appointed positions in time army, while the other sought to improvise a fleet. The and two of the brigade commanders considered the enCongressionalists determined therefore to seize Iquique as trenchments impregnable. After an ineffective artillery a base and to carry on their preparations in the province engagement the plan was abandoned in favour of a flank of Tarapac4. Hostilities commenced by the bombardment march with a view to approach Valparaiso from the south. and capture of Pisagua, a coast town about 35 miles to This offered a great opportunity, which the Balmacedist the north of Iquique. Pisagua was retaken by the Presi- forces totally neglected. On 27 th August the Congresdent’s forces, and again occupied by the Congressionalists sionalist army arrived in front of the heights of La Placilla, after a heavy naval bombardment. Colonel liobles, the where the enemy, about 14,000 strong, were attacked on commander-in-chief of the army, endeavouring to recapture the following day. The left flank of the position was Pisagua, was defeated, and the garrison of Iquique being turned and the victory was complete, the loss of the withdrawn to his assistance, the Congressionalists occupied defending and attacking forces being about 3400 and 1800 the place. Collecting part of his forces, Colonel Robles respectively. The Mannlicher rifles doubtless contributed succeeded in retaking Iquique, which was then heavily to the victory, but the waste of ammunition was great, bombarded on 17th February, and was surrendered and the imported arms showed some weakness. The upon terms arranged on board H.M.S. War spite, the Balmacedist troops were, however, badly commanded British flagship. The Congressionalists, und.er Colonel throughout this brief campaign, which affords few Canto, made great preparations to hold their position, military lessons. After the battle of La Placilla, Valand Colonel Robles, without waiting to concentrate a paraiso at once surrendered, and the triumph of the sufficient force, attacked them at Pozo al Monte. The Congressionalist party was complete. The Chilian civil war supplies a remarkable example troops, about 1400 in number, were disastrously defeated and the commander-in-chief was killed. The rest of the of the influence of sea power. The revolt of the navy President’s forces in this district then crossed the Andes proved fatal to President Balmaceda’s cause. Unable to and made their way southwards under great difficulties. reinforce his troops in the north, he lost Iquique, the The effect of these preliminary operations was to give province of Tarapaca, and the nitrate revenues. It was the Congressionalists a good base at Iquique and a firm thus open to the Congressionalists to raise and equip an footing in the province of Tarapaca, which is isolated by army at leisure and to disembark it wherever they chose. desert country from the rest of Chile. Time was on their Military success, for which the way was prepared by the side, and, moving gradually south, they occupied Caldera navy, produced decisive results, and the Chilian civil war and set about the creation of an army. Mannlicher conformed exactly to the teaching of history. (g. s. c.) Chilian, a town of Chile, capital of the province repeating rifles and large stores of ammunition were purchased in Europe, and the services of Colonel Korner, of Nuble and of the department of Chilian, 248 miles S. a German expert, were obtained. By August about of Santiago by rail. It is reputed to be one of the most picturesque cities of Chile, with fine streets and public 10,000 men had been armed, organized, and drilled. Meanwhile the 700-ton torpedo gunboats Condell and squares. Population (1898), 32,769. Lynch had arrived at Valparaiso from Europe, and the Chillicothe, capital of Livingston county, Missouri, Imperial, a mail steamer of 3300 tons and 15 knots, had U.S.A., situated in the northern part of the state, on been chartered by the President and was armed to serve as Grand river, at an altitude of 765 feet. It has three an extemporized cruiser. These three vessels went to sea railways, the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy, the Chicago, on 18th April, and on the night of the 22nd the Condell Milwaukee, and St Paul, and the Vabash. Population and Lynch found and attacked the Blanco Encalada at (1880), 4078; (1890), 5717; (1900), 6905, of whom 255 anchor in Caldera Bay. Many of the Congressionalist were foreign-born and 538 were negroes. officers were dining on shore, and a bad look-out was kept. Chillicothe, capital of Ross county, Ohio, U.S.A., The Condell discharged three torpedoes at about 100 yards’ situated in 39° 8, N. lat. and 82 52 W. long., in the distance without result; but the Lynch, closing the armour- southern part of the state, at an altitude of 620 feet. It clad on the other side, succeeded in striking her amid- has a regular plan with broad streets, on a level plain on ships. The Blanco Encalada sank in a few minutes, the the right bank of Scioto river, which here is not navigable. Condell and Lynch escaping without much damage to It is at the intersection of three great railways, the Baltieither, and with a loss of one killed and ten wounded. more and Ohio South-Western, the Cincinnati, Hamilton, This was a striking achievement, carried out with great and Dayton, and the Norfolk and Western. Population gallantry; but the attack would probably have failed if (1880), 10,938 ; (1890), 11,288 ; (1900), 12,976, of whom a proper watch had been kept on board the Blanco 910 were foreign-born and 986 were negroes. Encalada; and although the gunboats made other cruises, Chimkent, a district town of Russian Central Asia, nothing further was effected. province Syr-dari-insk, on the mountain stream Badam. It On 20th August the Congressionalist forces, 9280 strong, disembarked in Quinteros Bay, about 28. miles has seven cotton-cleaning mills and soapworks, and its trade north of Valparaiso. On the following day the President s is mainly in cattle, hides, wool, raw cotton, grain, oil, and troops holding the southern bank of the Aconcagua river leather. Population, 10,756.
