Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-01-04
4 Calamitogs War ard Humiliating
Peace.

Although the terms of the treaty ot
peace between Chill and Peru are of Il
most crushing character to the latter
country, anything must be considered
y deliverauec from the reign of terror
which has prevailed there since Peru
was placed completely At the mercy Of
its conqueror in 1881. No unprovohed
war of national aggrandizement has
been aS savage. rs unrclcnting, aS sue
ceSSful as this descent of Chilli uppn
Peru. The discovery Of large beds Of
nitrate of soda and of bora<. and al
most ineNhauStblc deposits Of guano in
the Province Of Tarapaca. excited tho
cupidity of the CHILEAN Government.
With desire 10 acquire this rich terri
tory from a weaker neighhor il was not
difficult for Chill to trump up preteNt
10 declare war. This was found in the
contamination of y secret treaty of mu-
tual defense against Chilli entered into
/ by Peru and Bolivia. Although this did
not threaten any offensive war against
Chill that country seized upon it rs
cause for war. Her demand that the
treaty should be ahrogated not being
complied with. Chill declared war
April ), 1879. Peru had n nominal army
of 4e,oo0,poorly equipped, while Bolivia
had virtually no army At all Chill. on
the other hand. was in good lighting
trim. Her fleet was formidable. her
cavalry wcll-mouutcd and armed; her
artillery consisted Of the best modern
guns. and all told she was able to PIT
about 5000 men in the field On land
Peru made a stand against her enemy.
but at sea her two ironcladS, the crlc-
brated HuaScar and the unfortunate In
dcpcncia, held their own against superior
numbers until the latter was wrecked.
Even then, for four months the lluas.
car was y terror 10 the entire fleet Of
Chilli. The terrible engagement in which
she was finally overcome. after the COM
mand of the vessel had dcvolyed on five
officers. who died at their posts. was the
greatest naval fight of modern times
| CT capture left the entire Peruvian
coast line of | 400 miles open 10 the
CHILEAN fleet Then disaster trod upon
the heel of disaster until Lima fell and
the whole of Peru was ovcrrun hy the
mercilcSS invaders. All the industrial
and commercial pursuits of peace were
Frustrated by this ferociouS and pro
tracted war. Chili's loss VAS 3,s76
hilleu ana o,hiU NbNntltN, cru ), g,htss
killed, 4, 43l wounded and 1920 taken
prisoners, and Bolivia 5. $40 killed, ,2l0
wounded and 500 taken prisoners. Chilli
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 Tarua and africa for ten Years. At
the end of that time they are to decide
by n popular vote 10 which country
they will belong, when the country Sc
curing them shall pay the other $4,000.
600. Chill has 10 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, hut
from the territory which passes into her
control she will be able to do this and
quickly repay herself for the expenses
of her costly campaign. Peru is reduced
and Inundated almost beyond recovery.
- (HirdgO Heral3