Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-11-05
n0WEAK, PAINFUL BACKS,
CHIUPS NAVAL FORCE.
The Little Republic in Good Condition to
Fight our Navy

right our Navy.
While no war between this country
Chill Is probable there naturally exists at
this time some curiousity as to the naval
force at tho command OF the two countries.
The Chilian navy is numerically superior
and consists Of three battle ships, three
armored cruisers, two torpedo cruisers, five
corvettes, one dispatch boat, five gunboats
and thirteen torpedo boats: but owing to
all the recent troubles it is more than prob
able that rot even thsir best SHIPS are in
efficient lighting condition, but are in need
of crews and ammunition.
The finest vessel they have is the Captain
Pratt. She is &, 800 tons, and has coat of
armor II inches thick on her. She carries
four "a csntimetrs breech loading rifles,
and eight 12-centimetra breech loading
rifles. Other formidable vessels are to be
found in the Almirante Cochrane and
Encalada, two vessels that together fought
and captured the demon Huascar, and Tue
sister ship Presidente Pinto and Presidents
Errazuriz.
Commander Ii. l.. johnson was seen yes
terday by a representative OF the FREE
PRESS and in reply to IA question said that
the GILLIAN naval fleet in Chilian waters
! would be more than match for anything
the United States could send down there.
A few years ago two of the Gillian fleet
stood or AN English ship and the English
vessel was stronger than anything the United
States could get to Chill in six months.
the Chillans have had great deal Of
tive experience In modern naval warfare,
and have tho reputation Of being brave and
skillful sailors
The New York Press sent a man to inter
view Commandment Erben at til, Brooklyn
navy yard. In reply to the question,
NV hat ships and how much Of naval
force the United States government has at
Its immediate disposal which could be sent
to Gillian waters - said: Two warships
rated as first class, the Baltimore, carry ing
four o-nch III ton Is. l.. guns and six
6-inch as her main battery. besides "a full
armament OF rapid firing and Calling guns
and an effective complement OF officers, sail
ors and marines; and the san Francisco
with a battery as heavy and effective the
| Baltimore's, but with the addition of an
excellent torpedo equipment, are now before
| Valparaiso. THESE combined could land a
field force Of upward OF i0J men and Off
| GERS.
''The Yorktown, 100 tons. carrying six
six inch b. J.. guns, besides Gatings and
torpedoes, aud the Boston also a heavily
armed cruiser, are now 81 route to Chill.
from 2t TO - hours: The Chicago, with
Ii breach loading 3 to II ton guns; the
Petrol, with four six inch heavy ordnance
aud rapid firing guns aud Latlings.'
In addition to these vessels, the command
ant said, is the Giant uJmoh, now at the
Brooklyn navy yard. She is a double
turreted monitor, and each OF he- turrets
which is armored like the rest of the We ssel
has two l0-inch rifles, each capable Of
throwing 500 pounl steel proiecte. She
has also two x-pounl and two three pound
rapid firing guns, two 7-miilimetrc revolv-
ing cannon and two Gatliug guns,
The Vesuvius, arnsd with the pneumatic
dynamite guns and the Atlanta and the
Newark now fitting out in Boston, could
DO under way In "a hours. Tie Phil
adelphia, sister ship 10 the Boston. the
bennington, Concord aud Kearsargc, could
be got to sea in week or ten days. The
fastest OF the ships could reach Valpar-
also from New York or Boston in 40 to
Al days il they were pushed and did
not encounter any severe weather. They
would have to coal at st. Thomas, Rio,
.Montevidco and Sandy Point.
Other Brooklyn navy yard officials said
that no specinl instructions had been receiv-
ed from the secretary OF the navy TO expe-
dite the repairs now in progress on ships in
commission, and the general impression
among best informed naval circles seems to
ne that there is no immediate prospect that
any will be ordered to Chilli. Every 2
hours delay is regarded as reducing the
probability of the vessels receiving sailing
orders.
The harbor of Valparaiso is an open, crss
cent shaped roadstead, with plenty OF deer
water we'll in shore. Lstterly thu Chilial
Sd -