New-York tribune., 1891-08-28
BALMACEDA,S VICTORY.

The news from Valparaiso continues TO be
heavily in favor of the Balmacedisss. The In
surgents landed a force of 10000 men at the
Bay of Quintero under cover of their iieet ana
aimed to take the CITY by surprise. Sue
cess largely depended upon a rapid advance,
since the Government by commanding the rail-
way to the QuillOta Valley and Santiago had
facilities for concentrating superior iofce'
The march of the insurgents was blocked for
twenty -four hours at the mouth OF the Aeon
cagua River, and at Vina del Mar another day
was lost before strong defensive llne Ihese
DELAYS enabled Bamaceda to reinforce the gar
rison with 1900 men from the interior. Inc
fighting was severe, the losses being heavy on
each side. but so much time had been wasted
by the insurgents attacking with what was at
the outset a superior force that the advantage
finally lay with the heavier battalions of the
Government. The latest dispatches indicate
n complete victory for the Balmacedists and the
probable surrender OF the insurgent forces.
This result will be welcomed by all friends OF
the hardy and patriotic Chilian race who are
not swayed by partisanship. Whatever may
be the merits of the constitutional contro-
versy. the close of a barren and disastrous civil
war; which is paralyzing the industrial energies
of the nation and involving it's finances IN in
extricable disorder, cannot be anything but
great gain for civilization.
The city of Valparaiso is admirably situated
for a defensive campaign. high ridge OF
steep hillsides forms crescent around the har-
Dor. The business streets are close to the
shore. but in the ravnes funowed by water
+bnro Ell q % N "
huddles of adobe cottages and Indian hutS.
The lower town has been extended into the
bay on made land, and the shore read has been
built up toward Vina del Mar, an attractive
suburb freouented in hot weather by the wealthy
classes of Santiago. The hills form a pre-
cipitous escapment from which the city IS
easily defended against attack by sea, and the
approaches from Vina del Mar are commanded
by impregnable heights. The insurgents IN ad-
vancing from the mouth of the Aconcagua took
almost the only road by which the city could
be entered. The battlefield was the lovely
suburb which in ordinary times is reached every
half hour by train from Valparaiso. There are
costly cottages, large hotels, beautiful groves
and charming drives at Vina del Mar. As the
decisive battle of the Peruvian War was fought
at ChOFllOS. the IONellcSI OF SedSlu6 hSdi
Lima, so also the most charming centre of
Chilian wealth and fashion has been devastated
by bloody fight.
The concentration of Balmace1a's forces at
VALPARAISO would have rendered their defeat
there decisive of the issue of the war. In like
manner the insurgents have ventured every
thing upon the result Of the fighting in front
of Valparaiso and have lost the battle. With
superior force operating against them it may
not be possible for them, now that they are
routed in battle, to escape to their ships and
return to Iquque. The collapse of the inSur-
rection seems inevitable as the result of Wednes-
days engagements. There will be bitter dis
appointment among the partisans of the defeated
cause, but there will be no reason to despair
of the future of Chill. The victorious Bal
macedists will undoubtedly be anxious to mako
concessions to the Congressional party. The
Dictator himself will probably be the first to
recommend some of the very legislative reforms
which he has not permitted his enemies to
initiate This result will be in accord with his
character and with the genius of Spanish
American institutions