Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-01-30
The Situation in South America.

disputed territory, winch Is really only
one of several districts in South Amer
lea which are claimed by two or more
sovereign States. There are unsettled
boundary questions now pending be-
tween Brazil and Bolivia, between
Paraguay and the Argentine Republic,
between Chilli and the Argentine Re-
public as to the ownership of Pata.
gonia, between New Granada and
Ecuador, and between Venezuela and
New Granada. When General Bolivar
marked out the limits of the liberated
Republics upon the map with the
point of his sword, the map was prob
ably imperfect, and perhaps his weapon
had beed blunted by long service in
the field. At all events this primitive
plan for carving up continent has
been the occasion for much bad blood
and diplomatic correspondence. DO
livia is large inland State, and to in
sure for her an outlet to the sea the
great liberator allowed narrow strip
of her territory to cross the Andes, and
furnished her with short 200 miles of
coast between Peru on the north and
Chill on the south. Nearly one.half of
this, as figured on ordinary maps, or
all the territory south of the twenty
third degree, has always been claimed
by Chilli, aud the claim has been for.
feited by mass Of documentary evil
dence as to recognized aud established
possession. Tie question never was o
burning enc, however, until the dis
covery of rich nitrate deposits in this
very region made it of great value as a
field for Gillian enterprise, and it was
an alleged violation by Bolivia of a
special treaty under which these beds
of alkali were worked that occasioned
the declaration of war by Chill against
Bolivia, which was also declaration of
war against Peru, between which State
and Bolivia O secret alliance had been
formed three yersago. Early in April
the Chilians threw an armed force into
Antofogasta and Mejillones, sea.ports
on the disputed coast, and also took
possession of Cuba, Santa Barbara,
Manila, anl Calama, which lie still
further to the north, thus commanding
the entire possessions of Bolivia west
of the Andes. These forces have never
been attacked, and Chill holds the ter.
ritory still.
During the summer and early au-
tumn there was no collision between the
hostile armies, but series of successes
by the Peruvians on the sea, and nota-
bly, the brilliant and destructive career
of the Huascar seemed to phrophesy
ultimate disaster to the little republic.
But the Gillian army was perfecting
itself in drill and organization, and the
people were determined and patient.
Meantime the Allies had collected two
armies in the southernmost province OF
Peru-one under Prado, the Peruvian
President, at africa, and the other $50
miles further south, in the vicinity of
Pisagua and Iquique, the seaport of
the district where the original nitrate
works had for many years furnished
the Republic with considerable
proportion of its revenues. At last the
superiority of the Chiiian navy asserted
itself, the Peruvian fleet was swept
from the sea and the Gillian trans
ports were free to carry an invading
| army up the coast. Something like
10000 men set sail from Antofogasta
and landed at Pisagua. The success of
this expedition has been decisive. AT
ter the gallant storming of the heights
of Pisagua, second victory was gained
near Mount San Francisco, and the
latest reports give the details of final
triumph at Tarapaca which places this
entire district at the mercy of the in
vaders, aud virtually annihilates the al.
lied army.
The division of Prado is too far away
to render any assistance, and Prado
himself has returned to Lima to sup.
press gathering revolution there. And
now the news comes of an insurrection
in this army, since his departure, in
favor of Pierola, the adventurer, who
seized the Huascar and commanded her
| during her brisk little unpleasantness
with her Majesty's vessels, the Ame'
Myst and Shah. There are revolutions
airy mutterings, too, in La Paz, and O
general spirit of detection among the
Bolivian troops. Altogether, there is
nothing in the military situation to pre-
vent Chilian army from landing al
Callao and marching upon Lima, az
was suggested as probability in these
columns more than month ago. The
Allies have no revenues and no credit
while Chilli can command the money
and men for long struggle. Hell
bonds in European markets are nov
quoted at betrer prices than our OWE
securities were long after the surrender
of Lee. Her paper currency, of which
she has made but single issue, ii
worth 80 pence, while exchange or
Peru is less than IA pence. Her troop.
are we'll disciplined and thoroughly
equipped, and they have displayed ex
cellent fighting qualities. in all these
recent engagements. The same char
acteristics of perseverance, enterprise
and industry, together with the.highel
moral qualities of integrity and respec
for authority and reverence for Law
which have given her credit and com
mercial standing in the family OF ma
tions, are now apparent in tie patience
economy, and organized steadines.
with which she is conducting, the war
The gross political corruption and thu
utter lack OF national honesty which
characterize the Governments of PERT
and Bolivia, together with the lazy
thriftless and unstable habits of thu
people of these countries, mako thu
contest an unequal one in spite of tn,
personal bravery of the Allies and thei