The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-07
A BITTER STRUGGLE.
Chilean War News Brought by
the Pensacola.
The United States War-Ship Arrives at
San Diego.
Relative Strength of the COntendIng Forces.
BalmaGeda Rules on Land and the
Insurgents on the Ocean.
Epecialto THE MORNING CALI

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 6.-The United States
war-ship Pensacola arrived from Chile this
morning and will leave for San Francisco
Saturday.
From an officer of the Pensacola an Asso-
ciated Press correspondent learned that
the progress made so far by either Of tile
belligerent parties in Chile is but small, ow-
ing mainly to the difficulties that both are
laboring under. All the country south of
Coquimbo favors Balmaccda's party and all
north of that point seems to favor the Con-
gresslonal party. The most productive part
OF Chile is In the south, and as q conse-
quence Balmaceda has control of all the
wheat and grain crops This fact Is work
ing great hardship upon the Congressional
PARTY, as all their supplies have to come by
vessels from the north, and as a result prices
are very high
"At many ports held by the insurgents
even water has to be supplied from vessels,
while Balmaccda has great advantage in
these respects. The Congressional larty
has all the money they want, while Balma-
ceda is flooding the country that is favora-
BILE to him with paper money. Just one in
stance will show the value of gold. Before
we left Valparaiso an English sovereign
W as worth SIS. Prices for provisions of all
kinds are very reasonable at Valparaiso, but
at all points north living costs three or four
times as much. In addition to having q
plentiful supply CT money. the Congress
sional party has almost absolute control of
the waters by reason of their large feet of
vessels. But when the two new cruisers
arrive for Balmaceda's Government, which
will be in about three months, there will be
great change in the present condition Of
things. Should the cruisers arrive in good
shape to enter an engagement, my opinion
is that the insurgents would be defeated.
But if anything should happen to them, il is
impossible to predict the outcome, and the
chances are that the war may continue for
years. Both parties have all the arms and
ammunition they want now, but until the
arrival of the Maipo, about the Goth of
June, the insurgents had q very small sup
ply.
$50 far only three engagements have been
fought between the two parties. None Of
them, however, have been at all serious,
but have in each instance resulted in a vic
tory for the insurgents. This is only what
hIAohb AhhC bCCL CApSGttds E6NIuS Uul Il
small naval force to contend with. The
relative strength of both parties is about
thlss Balmaceda has something over 3d.
600 well-organized troops, with naval
strength OF three torpedo boats and two
cruisers, and the insurgents have very
powerful navy and about 5000 unframed
troops. The situation consequent upon
the insurgents having an abundance of
money, but experiencing great difficulty in
getting provisions, renders the prospects of
trade with the ports under the control of
that party exceptionally good.
'As to the Esmeralda, she was at Callao
on June 10Th, when we were there, but
left for IQuique, where she joined the war
ship COchrane in an expedition against Co.
qulmbn, and report which reached US be-
fore leaving there was that they had scored
victory for their party. There are three
provinces now recognizing the Congress
sional party, and these are Atacama, Tara
paca and Tacca; but the latter province is
to vote in two years time under their treaty
whether they shall belong to Chile or Peru"
In regard to the reported sinking of the
Pensacola's launch by Government tor
pedo-boat, Captain Kantz said: "It was
entirely erroneous; ii was evidently con-
founded with, the blowing up Of an Insur-
gent launch about the same time. After the
destruction of the Blanco Encalada launch
patrolled the harbor every night on the
lookout for torpedo boats, and also carried
a torpedo. BY some accident when near
the cruiser San Francisco, the torpedo ex-
ploded, destroying the Launch and killing
the crew."