New-York tribune., 1891-05-24
w1R ON THE NITRATE COAST

The recapture of TaltaI on the southern edge
of the nitrate coast is a substantial success for
the Government cause. The town has been
occupied by small body of soldiers landing
from three of Balmacedas steamers. II the
garrison be reinforced and the insurgents 1ali
to regain possession of the town convenient
base of operations against Antofagasta ana
Iuuioue will be secured. Taltal is situated near
the 25th parallel south latitude, and is the
receiving point for supplies for several mining
camps in the mountains connected with II Dy
railways Chanaral, Huasco and Caldera lie 70
the south, the last being the port of Copiapo,
mining centre with a population OF 2O,OOO'
Iquique is near the goth parallel, and Anto-
fagasta is midway between it and Taltal. The
Government forces apparently are advancing
toward the insurgeHt base of operations. II
they can hold their ground at Taltal and can
receive reinforcements in large force Anto-
fagasta will be menaced with attack and
lquique be gradually approached The IN
surgents may interfere, however, with these
operations by sending their fleet to lombard
Taltal and to dslodge the garrison.
The northern third of the Chlian seaboard,
beginning at Coqumbo, is rainless zone with
out vegetation or resources for sustaining human
life. more unpromisng base of military op-
erations cannot be found in South America
From the 18th to the 29th parallels there is no
rainfall, and many of the towns, notably
Iquique are dependent upon distilled sea water
for daily supplies for cooking and drinking.
The coast is tianked with sloping granite ana
syente hills, and back of these there is an ard
stretch of desert. Armies operating on that
desolate seaboard are without water and food
supplies. In time of peace the population Of the
rainless zone is fed from week to week by the
ooasting steamers which are virtually floating
markets. In war time these supplies are neces-
sarily interrupted and privation and suffering
are inevitably caused. The lack of roads en-
barrasses military movements, and the long
stretch of arid territory to be traversed south
ward cuts off interior lines of transportation
and supplies from Central Chill. Only the
hardest and most aggressive race in Spanish
America can maintain in time of peace the un-
equal struggle against nature on that barren
seaboard and develop the rich mineral resources
stored in the mountains. Only Chiians can
persevere in fighting among the deserts of the
nitrate coast.
The same natural causes which have con-
verted Sc large a section of the west coast into
an uninhabitable waste have stocked it with
riches. The nitrate deposits, of which lquique
is the centre, and the guanO-bedS lying north
and south Of it could not have been formed ex-
cept in q rainlesS belt. The retention Of the
fertiIizing properties of these vast accumula-
tions of salts and manures is entirely due to
the absence of water The same nature which
enrches with copious showers the tropical for
ests and agricultural zones has stocked the sea
islands, deserts and mountain slopes with wealth
by withholding rain Contradictory in her pro-
cesses she is benefcent in her purposes 1t
has been the greed Of men and nations that
has converted her bounty into a curse and
blight on that arid coast. The devastating war
between Chill and Peru was fought for the pos
session of the nitrate and guano beds. The in
surgents in the present civil war have made
Iquiquc their base of operations because it is
the only section of Chill where they can obtain
revenues for maintaining their cause, and at
the same time can be secured, at least tempo
rary against offensive operations by su-
periOr military force.
Those who have personal knowledge of the
superior qualities of the Chilian race and of the
remarkable success achieved by them in de-
veoping the resources of the nitrate coast and
the copper mining camps and in opening BO-
livia to the commerce of the world, must view
with profound regret and dismay the ruin
wrought by the present fratricidal war. In the
interests of civilization and progress the friend
ly offices of republics like Brazil, the United
States and France ought to be employed in
order to bring hostilitieS to a close by timely
offers of arbitration and mediation.