Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-23
CHILPs GROWING POWER.
A Republic Which Menaces the United
States on the Pacific.

states on the Pacific.
Mr.. Albert G.. Browne, Jr., delivered a
lecture before the American Geographical
Society Monday evening, says the New
York Herald, in presence of a large audi
ence at Chickering Hall. ''The Growing
Power of Chill in the Pacific was the
lecturers topic. After sketching the
history of Chilli, and particularly of the
recent war between Chilli and Peru. Mr..
Browne said:
Now, as this five years. drama draws
10 a close, let us sum up some of its re-
suits.
Chill, victorious at every point. in di-
plomacy as well as in war. has dis
couraged European Intervention with the
ana OF the United States, and at the same
Ilme mas aYerted the intervention of the
United States by her profession of willing
ness to fight sooner than submit to it:
has brought Bolivia into antagonism to
her former ally, and has so utterly subiu-
gated Peru that if her own population
We're large enough to warrant such a
policy she could annex the whole of that
country to her domains. But by reason
OI lts pauclty-not by magnanimity-she
satlates herseif with the appropriation of
the nitrate district for which she began
the war and what she hardly dared to
nope at the outset with the possession of
Iacna and africa, and thereby the con-
tfOI o. tie main outlet of Bolivia to the
world, the permanent dissolution of the
Peru-Bolivia Confederacy, and the ability
at almost any time to force war between
these countries by instigating and help
ing BOLIVIA to seize Arequipa, Puno and
Mollendo.
WONDERFUL GROWTH.
AS to her financial condition, her
per cent. bonds, which were quoted at 81
IN London at the beginning Of January,
1893 were quoted at 80 at the beginning
OF January, 1884. In his annual message
10 Congress last June, President Santa
Maria announced that the sinking fund
lor the foreign debt, which has been sus-
pended since the war began. will be re-
sumed this year, and when that is done
Chlilan credit will further advance and
rank with that of almost any nation IN
the world.
The foreign trade of Chill. which was
barely $60,000,000 in value in 1878. has
more than doubled since, and exceeded
Sl20,uOO,WO IN 1882 and the balance of
trade was nearly $40, ,00O. 900 in her favor.
10 appreciate these figures bear in mind
tnat her population is but $500. 900. and
that the foreign trade of the United States
as lately as the year 1880, when we had a
population OF nearly 1900, coo. was less
i'll value.
The Chilean revenue has increased in
stlll greater proportion. In 1878. as has
Deen stated, It's receipts from all ordinary
sources OF income were only $4,000. 600.
In 1882 they amounted to S42, 600. 900. and.
besides reducing the public debt nearly
$,0OO,O0O In that year, President Santa
MARIA announced to the Congress last
June that there was acash surplus gilmore
than SS 0H1 NH
largely increased. The value of the agri-
cultural lands of Chill has doubled with
IN nYe years, and that of its city real es-
tate, as judged by the rents demanded in
the capital, has more than doubled.
OUR DANGER.
Nor is this all. Chilli has not only adj
Vanced INTO the position of the controlling
power on the west coast of South Ameri-
ca, but by her naval strength she can If
she pleases at this moment command the
Pacific coast of the United States. Anv
one OF her three irOn-clads can sink every
wooden vessel in our wretehed navy, and
the contrast between her ability and our
impotence is daily shame to every citi-
zen Of our country who resides or travels
between Panama and Cape Horn. Gen.
William b. Franklin, whose authority
Will not be disputed, has publicly warned
us that there is no seabOard city of the
united states that could not at this time
be laid under contribution by a single
hostile irOn-clad ship, which, after re-
celVlng the contribution, or destroying the
city by bombardment, could quietly steam
out to sea without danger or damae e from
anything which any fort or ship of the
United States can do.''
WHAT CHILL COULD DO.
In hostilities between Chill and our
{ a AnNv
tack upon California and Oregon with a
navy having three iron clads at the head
OF 1t, two of which are first rates, and anv
one of the three is more than a match
for our Pacific squadron. Chill has also
composite and wooden war vessels and
fine merchant vessels which could be
used in the event Of a war. Our only
chance against any of them would be by
boarding. Our defenseless condition in
the Pacific is not safe; it is not compati-
bic with those relations of power to
power there which would be sure guar
antees of peace.
beg you also to give a thought to the
important relation of the presence of such
a Power as Chill is growing to be in the
south Pacific to our pretensions OF a right
to control any Isthmus canal by virtue of
our possessions in the North Pacific. You
will not find Chilian statesman who will
agree to this pretension of ours, and Eng
land and France both will support Chili's
resistance Of it whenever the question
becomes practical one. Nor is Chilli
likely TO be the only South American
country to dispute such claim on our
part. The unprecedented and unsatjs-
factory transactions of our diplomacy in
connection with the South Pacific war
have impaired the prestige of the United
States among those countries to degree
of which neither Congress nor the people
at large are sensible, nor will they be-
come fully sensible of it, fear, until Sc
riOuc frO1lbIoc orioo Ia oc,,ro<.,,a..x.