Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-29
THE GILLIAN REBELLION.
Rear Admiral Mccain Gives an Account Of
the Military and Naval Operations.


the Military and Naval Operations.
The Navy Department has received long
report from Rear Admiral Mccain on board
his flagship, the Pensacola, dated Caldera,
Chilli, March "a last. The admiral says his
intercourse with the Gillian officers has been
friendly. The congressional deputies (other-
wise the insurrectionary chiefs) had their
headquarters on board . transport in the har-
Dor OF I9uique. During the forenoon Of the
18th while the Pensacola was at Iquique the
insurgent man-of-war Esmeralda and the trans
ports Aconcogua and Maipo put to sea to at
tack Antofagastas with 200 or 800 troops
aboard. The ironclsd Blanco Encalada was
blockading Antofagasta at the time. The
Gillian naval officers stated that il was the in
tention to also attack and capture africa, then
blockaded by the Hauscar.
RESULTS OF THE BLocKApEs.
The blockades Of Antofagasta and AFRICA have
prevented merchant ships entering and from
the latter port several vessels have gone to
Mollendo to await instructions from their
agent. At the port Of Iquique, however. there
does not, says the admiral. seem to have been
any effort to prevent vessels entering, though
1t has been impossible for them to load. The
admiral gives an account Of the capture Of
lquique by the insurgents and says
that by the FIRE of the ships
five blocks we're destroyed, considerable coal
burned and the Office of the United States con-
sui destroyed. The fighting back Of the hills
eliminated in the battle of Pozo Almonte, with
600 men on each side engaged. Before the
night 200 government troops deserted to the
insurgents. The battle was brief but san culinary,
the insurgents acknowledging 200 killed
and 200 wounded, while 400 government troops
we're killed and 200 wounded. 1t was reported
that the insurgents bayoneted most Of the
enemy's wounded. Early in the action the
government cavalry fed, killing every one
that came in their way, regardless whether
they were friends or foes.
THE GOVERNMENT COMMANDER AssAssrNArEp.
Col. Robes, the government commander,
was wounded ard captured and afterward as
sassinated in his bed. The government force
in the neighborhood Of Iquique seem to have
entirely disappeared. No harm was done to
the railroad or the officials Of the nitrate
works. No work is being done, because the in
surgents fear to accumulate anything on the
Pampas coast lest the government undertake
to capture them. When confidence is restored
there will be nothing to prevent the shipping
OF nitrate as formerly, says Admiral Mccain.
Unless the government Of President Balmaceda
should possess itself Of q sufficient naval force
to raise the blockade Of the northern
coast or the army should Join the
the present singular state Of
affairs may be prolonged indefinitely, as
IT ID quite probable that africa, which would be
base Of supplies, will soon be in the possession
OF the insurgents, as the entire nitrate beds
now are. A number of the troops which have
been raised south and sent north to fight have
gone over to the insurgents, and it would seem
as ii President Balmaceda was, to O small
extent, recruiting an army for the benefit Of
his enemies.
THE NORTHERN COAST UNDER THE INSURGENTS.
The insurgent forces are at present in COM
mand Of the entire northern coast from africa
to Taltal, over 400 miles. as well as holding the
extensive nitrate deposits on the Pampas.
which have been the great source Of revenue
to Chill, and they are able to maintain their
position SO long as the government is with
out q navy, since the mountainous coasts and
the great deserts of Moquegua and Otocama
are impracticablo for extensive military opera
tons. This fact was illustrated at the recent
battle Of Pozo Almonte, which was fought for
the possession of the nitrate beds. The rein
forcements of Col Robes could not reach the
scene OF action in consequence of the melting
snow from the mountains rendering the route
to the Pampas impracticable. The effective
forces OF the insurgents were as follows:
Esmeralda, protected cruiser; Almirante
Cochrane, central battery; Blanco Encalada,
central battery; Huascar. monitor; Magellanes,
corvette; Abtag, corvette; O'Higgins, corvette;
Aconcagua, transport; Maipo, transport; Co
piapo, transport; Itata, transport, and one or
two smaller transports and tug boats There
are about 900 available troops aboard the
transports. The corvette Pilcomayo and tor
pedo cruisers Lynch and Cordell were in DOS
session Of the government