Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-06-28
A CalamitOus War and Humiliatins
-~.-=-'rs-ts- Peace,

Although the terms of the treaty oi
peace between Chill and Peru are of s
most crushing character to the latter
country, anything must be considered
a deliverance from the reign of terror
which has prevailed there since Peru
was placed completely at the mercy OF
its conqueror in 1881. No unprovoket
war of NATIONAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT has
been as.savase. as unreIenting, as sue
cessful sas this descent of Chill upon
Peru The discovery Of large beds OF
nitrate of Soda sand. of borax, and al.
most inexhaustible deposits of guano in
the Province of Tarapaca, excited the
cupidity of the CHILEAN Government
Witha desire to acquire this rich terri
tory from weaker neighbor it was not
difficult for Chilli to trump up pretext
to declare war. This was found in the
contamination of a secret treaty of mu-
tual defense against Chill entered into
by Peru and Bolivia. Although this did
not threaten any offensive war against
Chill that country seized upon it as
cause for war. Her demand that the
treaty should be abrogated not being
complied with, Chill declared war
April s. 1879. Peru hada nominal army
of 10000, poorly equipped, while Bolivia
had virtually no ARMY at all. Chill, on
the other hand was in good fighting
trim.~-Her fleet was formidable, her
cavalry well-mounted and armed; her
artillery consisted of the best modern
guns, and all told she was able to put
about 10000 men in the field. On land
Peru made a stand against her enemy,
but at sea her two ironclads, the cele
brated Huascar and the unfortunate In
depencia, held their own against superior
numbers until the latter was wrecked.
Even then, for four months the Huas-
car was terror to the entire fleet of
Chilli. Theterrfble enga cement in which
she was fihallYovercpme, after the COM,
mand of the vessel had devolved on five
officers, who died at theirposts, was the
greatest naval fight of modern times.
Her capture left the entire Peruvian
coast line of 1,400 miles open to the
CHILEAN fleet. Then disaster trod upon
the heel of disaster, until Lima fell and
the whole of Peru was overrun by the
merciless invaders. All the industrial
and commercial pursuits of peace We're
prostrated by this ferOcious and pro-
tracted war. Chili's loss was 1926
killed and 500 wounded; Peru S, 9,672
killed, 4,431 wounded and 1920 taken
prisoners, and Bolivia s, 800 killed, ,2l0
wounded and 800 taken prisoners. Chill
has gained everything she wished. The
treaty provides that Tarapaca shall be-
come the territory of Chill. Also that
she shall occupy the flourishing towns
of Tacua and africa for ten years, AT
the end of that time they are to decide
by popular vote to which country
they will belong. when the country Sc
curingthem shall pay the other $4,000,
900: Chill has to assume on the best
terms possible for her the arrangement
of the Peruvian foreign debt. for which
the guano deposits of Tarapaca were
mortgaged long before the war, but
from the territory which. passes into her
control she viii be able to do this and
quickly repay herself for the expenses
of her costly campaign. Peru is reduced
and humiliat ted almost beyond recovery.
- Chicu9o Herald