Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-01
Fromthe Stars Travelling Commissioner.

~HohA tne otare lravennG commissioner.
TALcAHUANA, CHILL, July, 1891.
QETURNING FROM CRUSOE's ISLAND
AUto our starting point-Talcahuana- find
this portion Of Chilli so full Of novelty and
interest that the impulse is strong to stop here
abouts for time. Though the northern half
Of the republic is richer in minerals and great
cities, the central and southern portions COM
prise nearly all the agricultural area, which
will insure permanent prosperity after the gold
and silver and nitrate and guano Of the deserts
In the north are exhausted. In a scenical
point Of view the south is certainly to be pre-
ferred, with its lofty mountains, great rivers,
green valleys, and dark forests, where
dwell the yet unconquered Araucanians-
the bravest Indians in South America.
All the coal Of the country is found in the south
(Which brings from s25 to $50 per tom and all
the timber, and though it has neither Santi-
ago nor Valparaiso, the city of Conception is
not great way behind, being rcckoned third
in size in the republic, while Valdivia, Linares,
Coronel, Imperial and other growing towns are
already of considerable importance. In short,
Its southern half is to this country what the
great west is to the United States. and is q COM
paratively new possession. having been part of
Patagonia until a recent period when that
territory was divided between Chill and the
Argentine Republic.
Another good reason for tarrying awhile is
that the seat OF war; will probably soon be
transferred to Talcuhuana and therefore one
must visit the locality now or not at all. 1t is
not unlikely that before this letter can reach
tho United States and appear in print the teie-
graph may have brought you news of fresh
horrors-that this peaceful village is laid
waste, its citizens murdered and
their property destroyed. The insurgents
are now practically prisoners in the northern
W hI fhnu hpya sat ssx,>1
ton" government, and SO far all the better part
Of the country has been beyond their grasp.
Should they gain possession Of Talcahuuna it
will be the best Cor rather the worst) stroke of
work they have yet accomplished, except the
taking of Iquique, the nitrate port, which
furnishes them with plenty OF money to carry
on the conflict and correspondingly cripplcs
the federal treasury.
HOW THEY CAN REACH THE CAPITAL.
Via Talcahuana is the one route by which the
rebels have the remotest chance of reaching
the capital, it being less than hundred miles
distant and directly connected by rail- The
port would make an excellent base for future
operations. for in its well sheltered bay their
transports could lie secure from all winds that
blow. and here, where wheat, corn, fruit and
vegetables grow in abundance, supplies can be
obtained at much cheaper rates than in the
desert north. where everything in the line Of
food Is imported. Besides, Talcahuana is yir-
tually undefended and might be more easily
taken than 1quique, africa and other ports
which they have already secured. where nature
furnished admirable sites for fortifications
We are expecting news at any time OF battle
at Coqulmbo, the port next north of yaipa-
raise, and should the rebels come off victorious
there-asi is eminentiy probable, that place be-
Ing no better defended than this-they will I'M
doubleday sail direct to Talcahuana, 200 miles
south OF Valparaiso giving the last named
place wide berth" by sea. However elated
by past successes they would hardly be so mad
as to tackle Valparaiso, it being one Of the best
fortified ports in the world. Its crescent
shaped bay is environed by an unbroken line of
hills, aid upon them guns are placed in such
position as to sweep 1t i'll every part and COM
mand all the landing places. There are thirty
guns-one ten-inch muzzle loader. eleven nine
inch breech leaders, five Krupp guns of TWENTY
one centimeters caliber and thirteen 800
Founders. The masked batteries show very
small targets for attacking ships to ire at and
destruction would be certain to a much larger
force than the rebels can muster. unless as
might easily happen in this land of treachery
the gunners were bribed to turn the forts over
to the enemy, after the manner of Capt.
Velaseo, who was hanged for the crime a few
weeks ago.
So far a. is known the rebel feet have but
nineteen guns, the largest being a ten-inch
breech-loader. For long time past the gov
eminent gunners at Valparaiso have been
given daily practice, using for targets floating
casks with tags attached. They have a range
finder, and know the distances to an inch in
every part OF the bay. Besides at this time of
year (midwnter below the equator, the al
Legged harbor of Valparaiso is an exceedingly
rough place. exposed to frequent .'northers.h
which tor days together Keep vessels pitching
and rolling too much for action. or send them
scudd1ng helplessly hither and thither.
TIE oPPosIrIoNs TIRED.
A woman's opinion may not count for much.
but it is my belief that the ''oppositions" are
heartily tired Of this whole business and would
abandon 1t at once did not considerations of
personal safety weigh with the leaders
Should they voluntarily give in or be defeated.
while Balmaceda is in power, they know very
we'll what to expect at his hands. Having
ruined his administration and darkened his
future life and made him appear like monster
In the eyes OF the world they could not look for
much clemency from his naturally revenge
ful disposition. 1t will not be many weeks be-
Tore new president grasps the helm, and it is
my opinion that then peace will speedily be
patched up, for the good of all concerned. by
concessions on both sides, which are not posi-
bic now between Balmaceda and his opposers.
This Bay Of Conception is about six miles
long by four miles wide, and is by all odds the
best and safest for large ships on the coast of
Chilli. The port of Talcahuano occupies its
southwest angle, with the villages Of Tome.
Llriguen and Pence on the east, the island of
Quiriguina (three miles long by mile wide) at
the entrance, and the important city of Con-
cepcion only twenty miles inland reached by
railway In a few moments. The name of this
port, by the way, Is pronounced as if spelled
Thal-cah-whan-oh accented on the third sylla-
BILE. Viewed from the deck Of a vessel the vii
lage presents beautiful appearance. but. like
other South American coast towns it's distance
lends enchantment.
Its picturesque church spire forms conspicu-
Gus mark toward which ships steer to anchor
age and a wooden pier juts out far into the
bay. There Is large dock, an arsenal, a sea-
mans hospital a signal station on a lookout
hill and at the western end of the village,
close down to the sea, is the handsome railway
station, from which trains run both north and
south, thus bringing the port into direct COM
munication with the interior. Repairs to
the machinery of vessels can be effected at the
government works in Conception, and l am
told that the yearly shipping in the bay aver
ages 600 vessels. amounting to SOC, 900 tons
DESTROYED By AN EARTHQUAKE.
About Fifty years ago Talcahuano Was entirely
destroyed by an earthquake. After the first
shaking up the Inhabitants fortunately for
themselves-fed en- masse to the low hills be-
hind the town, and from that vantage ground,
with the earth trembling SO violently beneath
them that it was impossible to stand upright,
they beheld an awful sight. The ocean re-
ceded long distance and then advanced in
three successive waves, each an unbroken wall
Of water thirty feet in height. dragging ships
from their anchors and dashing some of them
far inland. Then the subsistence of the pillows