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CHAPTER IV TRIUMPH OF THE REVOLUTION AFFAIR OF THE BALTIMORE SAILORS By the middle of June, 1891, the government army numbered 41,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry and two hun- dred field-pieces. The army of the opposition num- bered anywhere from eight thousand to twelve thousand men. The disparity of numbers caused the president to be over-sanguine ; that the northern army would come south and attack him was an unlikely event which he scouted, hence his troops were scattered ; 14,000 of them were being kept in the north at Coquimbo, away from direct communication with Santiago, other large bodies were stationed in the south. This was bad general- ship, and in the end proved disastrous. Still, the pres- ident knew not at what point his enemies might strike, he knew not what emissaries might be set to work, so he sought to guard his whole territory. The legal existence of the old congress expired on the 31st of May. Elections resulted as had been ex- pected, in the return of members for the new congress in sympathy with Balmaceda. Conservatives and lib- erals not in sympathy with the president refrained from voting, so that the elections were a foregone con- clusion. On June the ist, the newly elected congress met. 356