Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-11-02
THE CHILEAN NAVY.


THE CHILEAN NAVY.
The Chilean Navy consists OF the follow
ing vessels:
and several rapid firing guns end revolving
ramon. Now in Chile.
Cantaip Prat. Four pinch guns In par
hate tnrrtas, eight rapid firing guns IN
pairs in inclosed turrets snd - auxillary
ranjd firing guns. In the builders hands
" Hnascar. Two 16-inch 12}S-ton Arm
strong guns in turret and two 4O-pounder
rifles. At Valparaiso.
Fsmeralda. Two lOinch rifles and SIX
e;nch Armstrong rifles. AT Valparaiso,
ores;dente Errazuriz Two Pinch rifles
and four guns of smaller calibre. Elroute
Sresidente Pinto. Two 12-inch rifles and
fonr rifles of less caliber. Enroute TO
NI Aimirante CondelI. Torpedo crusier,
+,rnedo tubes and several rapid firing guns
AImirante Lynch. Torpedo cruiser,
tubes and rapid firing qua battery. At
Valparaiso.
Abato. Armed transport; one IO ana 1our
bO-pounder guns. On the coast.
Chacabuco. Corvette; three Sinch RI
fles. TO 7O-pounders and four 4O-pouRders.
On the coast.
Nagellanes. Light armored; one finch
and sixteen 4O-pounders. On the coast
O'HIgeius. Corvette. three Finch rifles,
and four 4O-pounders. On the coast.
Piicomayo. Corvette, two 20 Founders
and two 40-pounders. Cruising,
Immeriale Armed transport; Twelve
guns. On the coast.
Itata. Armed transport. unarmed and
unSer bonds TO the United States. En-
Aconcagua. Armed transport, eight guns
On the coast.
NORTH America. Armed transport, pur-
chased in the Argentine Republic. Present
situation unknown.
Bio Bio. Armed transport, six guns. On
the coast.
VALPARAISO
SarCeuto Aida, and the other torpedo
boats Of about seventy tons displacement.
and two others OF about nifty tons dlsplace
ment.
There are five small gunboats, "guarda
costas,n of about four hundred and fifty
tons each, carving enc and two small
guns, which are avalIsole lor scouting ser
vice.
The real effective navy of to-day-the
Cochrane. Huascar, Esmeralda, as first
class ships, say twenty long-range guns:
the O'Higgins, Pilcomayo, Chacaouco and
Magellanes mounting twenty-seven long
range guns, and Condell and Lynch tor
pedo cruisers, and the thirteen torpedo
boats; the other being only insignificant
craft, so lar as naval operations are con-
cerned.
The three new French built ironcla6s dc
not count at the present time, nor is thelI
whereabouts definitely known, but one OF
them probably is in the vicinity OF the Rio
IL Plata. and the otaer when last heard
from. was in the North Sea, and the more
formidable has not left French waters aud
probably Is not ready TO go into commits
sion.
N CASE OF NECESSITY.
II a necessity ARISES for close, at-hand
base of supplies we could occupy the island
Juan Fernandez. which lies about foul
hundred and twenty miles west OF Valpa
raise and belongs to Chile, where several
thousand troops might be assembled until
the combined forces were ready 10 make q
descent upon the main land. The anchor
age in Cumberland Bay will hold quite q
fleet of vessels. Water can be obtained
here in abundance, and the picturesque val
leys afford abundant room for camping
purposes. A ffteen-knot dispatch boat
could make the run between oul
feet OF Valparaiso and the island in about
twenty-seven hours, so that any landing
force we might place there would be within
easy distance OF the point Of attack il thu
port of the capital was decided upon as tho
objective point. 1t could be made available
as headquarters Of both army aud navy: {
supply depot, aud a port where repair:
could DO made to any damage vessels nigh
receive. 1t is easily defended and Is vita
strategic point, and especially valuable q:
a coaling station for the feet and our block
aders.
TROOPS AvAuABLE.
An expedition against Chic must neces