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THE CIVIL WAR OF i8gi 351 The vessels from France did not arrive, and it became necessary for President Balmaceda to make some dem- onstration against the enemy to hold popular sentiment and sympathy in his favor. There was danger in delay. As he could not send troops north for want of transports, a naval demonstration was decided upon. The govern- ment navy, as we have seen, consisting as it did of the cruiser "Imperial" and two torpedo-catchers, was no match for the enemy's ironclads. But the "Imperial" was a swift boat, able to keep out of the way of all antagonists save the "Esmeralda;" the torpedo-boats might blow the ironclads out of the water if they caught them at night in some of the northern harbors. It was determined to try what could be accomplished. On April i8th, the three vessels left Valparaiso. The "Imperial" was commanded by Captain Garin, the "Condell" by Captain Moraga, the "Lynch," by Cap- tain Fuentes. The first objective point was Quintero Bay, twenty miles from Valparaiso, where two days were spent in putting the crews through the torpedo practice. Orders were then received by the little fleet to go north and sink the oppositionist ship, "Aconca- gua," and two ironclads, which were supposed to be making their way to Caldera Bay. Further orders were to capture or sink any vessels found in Chilean waters with arms or nitrate aboard. Proceeding north, two or three merchant vessels were hailed and overhauled by the "Imperial," but no contraband nitrate or war supplies were found. The "Imperial" carried coal for the torpedo boats and was to stand off at a safe dis- tance from Caldera until after the attack by the "Con- dell" and "Lynch." Failing to receive intelligence of them in forty-eight hours, the "Imperial" was to pro- ceed to a northern rendezvous previously agreed upon. The forty-eight hours elapsed, and nothing being