The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-05

Rome or elsewhere without applying for govern
ment permission.
THE SOUTH AMERICAN WAR.
CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF TARAPACA AND DE-
FEAT OF THE PERUvIAN-BoLIvIAN FORCES.
[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD
LONDON, Dec. A. 1879.
A Buenos Ayres despatch dated December 8
says :-"Intelligence has been received here
that the allied Peruvians and Bolivans have
been completely defeated at Tarapaca, Peru, by
the Chileans, who have taken possession of the
town. The Chilean squadron is blockading the
port of africa" Another despatch received in
London from Valparaiso says :-'sTarapaca has
been captured by the Chileans. The losses
were heavy on both Sides"
REPORT OF PERUVIAN vIcroRy-sURRENDEn
OF FIFTEEN HUNDRED cHILEANs.
A telegram received in Valparaiso on the
14th of November confirms previous report Of
o disaster to the Chilean forces near Loa, at
the mouth of the river of the same name, on the
boundary between Peru and Bolivia. After q
stubborn fight fifteen hundred Chileans sur
rendered to the allies, with all their cannon and
ammunition. The Chilean commander was
killed. The Bolivian commander afterward
occupied Conchas Blancas.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DEspATcHEs-TARAPAcA
AND THE ARMIES ENGAGED.
This report of the Chilean defeat. received by way
Of Valparaiso, November H. loses much of its sig-
nihcance in view Of the late dispatches to
hand by way Of London. bringing the
announcement of the capture Of Tarapsca.
It will be remembered that the first act Of Chile
On declaring against Peru in April last was to
bcAshard and burn the port towns Of Pisagua. HUI
aniioA Pabellon Pica and blockade the city
OF Iquique these being the chief outlets of the nj
trst9 md eAeno trades On May %, while the chief
part otthefCN lean squadron had gone northward
with tho ~ IN Of making coup de main at Cal
lao. tn \tpal vessels of the Peruvian navy.
the Ind and Huascar, attacked the
naming sells in the port Of Iquique.
The Huascsf Chilean corvette Esmeralda.
but tho IndepO aground hidden
rock while purs be Covadonga and was burned
by Captain More revent her falling into the
hands Of the enemyW che subsequent glorious career
of tho Huascar undsX Captain (afterward Admiral)
Miguel Grsu, up toner capture October 8. at
punta Angamos near Mejillones, is familiar to the
reading public. When the capture of the Huascar
had rendered the Chieans really masters Of the
they hastened execute the long projected invasion.
Some ten thousand men from Antofagasta, under
command Of General Erasmo Escala conveyed
to Pisagua by a squadron of sixteen vessels and
landed there November with but slight loss, the
place being garrisoned by only few hundred Boliv-
ians who retired into the interior along the railway
to its terminus at Aqua Santa. The Chileans fol-
lowed gained engagement at the latter place. The
particulars of which not yet known, and subse-
quently occupied Iquique. which evacuated by
the allies. Tarapaca is town Of some four thou
sand inhabitants. and the most important one in
the interior of the department. Its capture il.
therefore event of great strategic importance.
THE BED PRIMEvAL SEA.
The city of Tarapaca oasis in the great desert
OF Tamarugal. which is the bed of primeval
covered to the depth of several by deposits Of
nitrate of Soda from which saltpetre is prepared.
These beds visited forty five years ago by
Charles Darwin on his voyage round the world in
the Beagle but their value not recognized until
much later. chiefly through the fundamentally Of
Mr.. George Smith. an Englishman. who passed most
of his life at Iquique Similar deposits have still
recently been found in the Bolivian desert Of
Atacama, near the Chilean frontier, and their pos
session is tho objective point of tho present war.
Both these districts of immense value. The
deposits OF Tarapaca declared by Presi-
dent Manuel Pardo q government monopoly
or nitrate works were taken from private own
ers. Mt expense of than $780, COO. To pro-
tect herself from competition by the Peruvian gov
eminent monopoly the Chilean government having
previously seized upon the whole Bolivian seacoast
has sent its forces into Tarapaca with tho
avowed object OF annexing that department.. and
thus acquiring for Chile the complete monopoly OK
tho vast nitrate trade as well as Of obtaining the
rich deposits of guano at Pabeon dc Plea, Huanillos
aud other places along tho coast. Her intention. X
she can detach the Bovians from their alliance
with Peru, is to compensate them for the loss Of
their former coast province of Atacams by the gift
OF the Peruvian departments OF Tacna and Moaue-
qua, thus aHording to the inland republic long
coveted outlet to the sea.
THE CHILEAN DEFEAT.
In reference to the reported Chilean defeat the fol-
lowing facts may be recorded The advance guard
of Bolivian army under General Narciso Campero
presented itsolf last September Calafna and
Chiuchiu, close to tho frontier between Peru and
Bolivia. and had several small engagements with tho
chilean forces occupying the province Of Atacams
This army marched from Potosi. in the southern
part Of Bolivia. and is entirely distinct from the
allied forces In the departments Of Tacna and Tara
paca. General Campero is ono of the most noted
military officers Of South America bearing repu-
tation for desperate daring. He has twice visited
Europe, and IL author of one or two volumes OK
personal "reminiscences of stirring events in boliv-
ian revolutions He IL above hfty years of sge and
has long been considered aspirant for Presiden.
tial honors. on which account somo suspicious OF
his loyalty to President Daza have been entertained.
and IL was recently rumored that he had boon
superseded. Hence it is not certain that he was the
commander who gained the victory on the River
Loa above announced. The Bolivian army in Alta
CANA cannot have numbered above two three
thousand men. hence the capture of 1900 Chileans
u fest Of considerable merit