The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-08
The CHILEAN War.
Story Of the BOmblrdmsnt Of Iqaique by
The Insurgents.

VICTORIA (B. Co. July III. NJ. steam
ship Warspite, the flagship of the British
Pacific Squadron, arrived here Sunday night
direct from Coquimbo, and her officers have
many stories to tell of scenes in connection
with the Chilean rebellion witnessed during
their stay there.
The following account of the lombard
ment of Iquique is furnished it being stated
that all accounts hitherto published have
been exaggerated:
On Sunday, February 18th, the Govern
ment troops, over 800 in number, evacuated
Iquique. On the following day the rebels
landed their Jroaps aud took posses sion of
the town, and issued proclamation to the
effect that the town being firmly in their
hands the blockade was at an end and the
trade would 60 on. Accordingly the poor
classes who had been camping out in lighters
ana on the lighthouse island, and also the
English and other European residents, who
had been taking refuge on the merchant
vessels, returned TO town. Unfortunately,
at 6 80 o'clock on the morning of Thursday,
February 10Th, the continual rife firing, ac-
companled BY the whirr of the machine
Guns. announced that during the night the
Government troops, under Colonel Soto.
had slid down steep incline back OF the
hospital aud had there remained concealed
until daylight. When they had revealed
their presence to the astonished sailors all
the available men from the ships were at
once landed, but after several sharp en-
counters with the soldiers they were driven
back to the Custom-house "a stone buildinO,
which they held during the day. As soon
as it was discovered on board the ships that
the whole town was in the hands of the
army the two ships Esmerada and Blanco
Encalada commenced bombardment. The
irolclad Huascar fired on the town from the
same bay where, more than twelve years
ago. she fOupht the Rritish mau-of- r
Shah.
THE TOWN SET ON FIRE.
As is usual when firing shell, especially
on wooden houses, the town was set on fire,
il is supposed by shell from the Blanco.
The fire spread with great rapidity, the
offices of Colonel North and Jewell. and al
so those of the Rosario Nitrate Company,
narrowly escaping. By a kind of mutual
understanding the contending parties ceased
firing to allow the fire brigade to eXtin-
guish the fire. and it was not long before it
was cxtingulshed. About O'Clock in the
afternoon, however, 6-inch shell from the
Esmeralda again Set the town in flames to
the right of the Custom-house. This time
Colonel Soto determined 20 make use of the
fire to smoke the sailors out of the Custom
house. Accordingly be had petroleum
poured on the fire and gave orders to shoot
anyone who attempted to extinguish it.
The famrs rose higher. and were soon ac-
companled by frightful explosion and in a
lew minutes the English cIu0 and several
important buildings were burned to the
ground, but though the fire was not sub
dued until next day the Custom-house es-
| capped unhurt.
A TRUCE DECLARED.
At 6 o'clock in the evening Captain Lam
blon, r. n, landed under flag of truce
and obtained an arnistico till noon the next
day for Europeans to leave the town. The
following day Admiral Hotham, G. B., iu-
vited the contendiDg parties to conference
on board the Warspite, which Colonel Soto
| and Admiral Monte attended, and at which
| it was agreed the Government troops at
| lquique Should lay down their arms aud be
| paid eff by the insurgents. Afterward II
| was found that there were 112 killed and
| over $50 wounded. of which the principal
| hospital accommodates 100 The insur-
gents loss was the greater, they being more
| exposed.
| At Cadera Bay the Warspite witnessed
| an engagement of the Congressional mer-
| chairman Acanagua and the torpedo
cruisers, in which the former, with but one
| gun, held her two enemies in check for an
hour, when the Warspits arriving was mis-
taken for the Esmeralda and the gun boats
| fled.