The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-17
PUGNACIOUS CHILE.
The Defenses of Valparaiso and
Her Fleet.
One Reason Why the Officials at Washington
Are in No Hurry to Urge Her-What an
Ex-Army officer Thinks Of 1t.

''Not few are wondering why President
Harrison and Mr.. Blaine have not urged
the declaration of war against Chile and
the sending of feet down there at once"
said Mr.. Julius Steiner, a recent arrival in
this city, to CALL reporter last night.
81 have lived in Chile for four years and
left Valparaiso only few days before the
city was captured by the insurgents. and I
think I know why the President and Mr..
Blaine are in no great hurry to rush into u
war with that pugnacious little country
The only way we can whip Chile is by
an army, because our feet would be useless
should the Chilean feet take refuge in VAL
parais0. Once safe in that harbor all the
ships we can send there could not whip
them, because they would not only have to
fight the fleet but the forts also"
The reporter asked what kind of forts
they have down there. and was told that the
harbor is defended by over 200 heavy guns,
nearly all breech-lOading rifles of either
Elswick or KTupp make. aud many Of them
l0-lnch guns at that.
NOT GROUPED IN FORTS.
They are not grouped in forts" con-
tinued the informant, but are scattered all
around the city, SO that an opposing fleet
would be at a great disadvantage. At no
time during the late war in Chile did the
fleet attack the forts and every time they
were within range Of The guns ashore some
Of the ships were badly damaged before out
OF range again. The combined fire from the
batteries would sink any but the heaviest
iTOnCladS aiiOat, and even they would find
it very warm within range Of the guns.
How does the Chilean feet compare
with ours Well, the Chilean navy is COM
posed of thirty ships Of all sorts, besides
several now being built in France and one
| in England; but these will not be ready for
some time yet The Captain Prat Is now
In the hands Of the builders in France. but
viii be ready tor sea Witlil two weeks She
is a turret ship Of nearly 1000 tons, COVERED
with 10-inch armOT, and can steam about
seventeen knots.
A FORMIDABLE BATTERY.
''She will carry battery Of four 912-inch
guns, eight 6-inch, besides several rapid fire
and magazine guns. These are all bTeech-
leaders. She is also fitted with torpedo
tubes and TWO torpedo launches. The rest
Of the navy is made up of: central-bat-
terry ship, / cruiser, torpedo gunbOats, 2
COTYettes, 3 rams, / gunbOats, besides dis
patch and transport ships.
THE feet carries SO guns of from to 10
inch caliber, besides host Of smaller
guns. Chile also has u torpedo boats, all
of them able TO steam 20 miles an hour,
and well supplied with tOTpedoeS. The
fleet alone would be a hard nut Tor Us TO
crack, without taking the ports into c0nsid-
Grafton at all, and no one knows THIS better
than the officials at Washington. All our
cruisers are fitted with torpedo tubes, but
not one mas torpedo on DO ard.
NOT A CEOAKER.
You may think I am croaker," said
Mr.. Steiner, "but 1 spent many years in the
German army and look at the matter in
practical way, and it appears very much to
me as If Chile has the advantage Of Us, the
way things stand now.
A letter l received from Valparaiso a
few days ago stated that large force Of
men is working in the coal mines at Curonal
and laying up big stock in Valparaiso. so
tnat they can supply the fleet If things
come TO a head.
Yes, sir; am an American citizen and
| should like to see this country take Chile
down peg or two, for tbe dastardly way in
which they murdered Rjggtn and TuTnbull.
but as l said before il we lick them we will
have to do it with a army as l don't think
our feet able 10 do it alone"