New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-10
BALNdCEDA'S PARTISAN.
DARK DAYS in CHILL.
An ACCOUNT OF THE REVOLUTION OF lsDi
Edward Arnold New York: Macmillan q c..

An ACCOUNT OF THE REVOLUTION, OF ls9i:
! nv Maurice IL. Hervey. svo PIP. 3Jl. J, hIoh'
| Edward Arnold: New York: Macmillan q c.
| The most amusing books are those written Ill
Inconsistencies of humor. This IS a work oil that
class II is intended serious account oil the
| recent civil war in Chilli, but it is in Ieailty
| very grotcsouc record of the adventures OF
war correspondent who misunderstood his rune
tons Numbered SO constantly to render his recall
| necessary on the eve of the decisive battles, We;
| has obstinately declined to admit that he was al
| rault. although c0nNictng himself III almost
| every chapter Of unitness and incapacltN Tor u'
| work undertaken. IL is not dull DOOR Sllc" ~
is written i'll a racy, Vivacous style, ana II cor
tains some striking illustrations of the naval
operations and battIc-sccncs Of the recent war on
the west coast of South America: but II Is pre-
| enlinently a humorous work and serves To keep
the reader in constant state OF amusement III
the authors expense The rank partlsanshlp
which vitiatcd the correspondents dispatches an.
cynosed his journal 10 ridculc coors tie recital
! of the causes and events of the war. ann dcprlNrS
it of value rs a contribution to contemporaneouf
| history.
Mr. IIervey received commission AZ the out
lrca)x Of thc conflict to act a. special corrcspon-
dent of The London Times. lie left London
| at short notice conscious that the sNmpdthlr;
of the English public were with III" insurgents
who had taken up arms against Balmacc"'. J.
! lie had been fortunate rs 10 catcn hoN''
Mail steamer for the Isthmu> and hal pncccdc"
| thence 10 Iquique. he would not have GOT iht"
| trouble but would have joined the insurecn'
CAMP shared the hospitality Of the leaders OF
the .Junta and eventually have sent 10 London
graphic accounts of the battles near VALPARAISO.
| Unfortunately. lie had been in hueno~ ANfrs. ana
preferred to take direct steamer for the ga"
and bv crossing the Andes at l'spalata 70 make
| Santiago his headquarters. This route condemned
him TO make the acquaintance OF tie principal
| IIalmacediss and TO become not only partiSah
Of the losing side but also unspanng critic
Of the faction which commanded English sym
rathy II was a hard fate since he was N
nature exceedingly crcdulous and indspo>cd :"
| think i'll OF those who wee entertaining NM
and honoring him with their confidence for al
terror purposes Of their own. Balma@cda. WED
was a good nudge Of human nature mace con-.
pIetc conquest o. him and converted hIm INT" hl'
| most partisan supporter
| At Bucnos Ay1cs the correspondent found tho
/ t,o edo-catchcrs. Lynch and tondcl which
were about 70 sail for Valparaiso 10 enter the
! naval service of Ralmaceda. He conceived the
idea of taking passage on one OF them. IN order -
| avoid humping tie mountains on n mule: bnt
his friends perceived the improperly OF lis idrnti
| f,ino himself Mt once with The cause OF tie Die
| tator That was consideration which had not
presented itself 10 him. and he thought that his
! advisers were unreasonable but since they were
unanimous in their verdict, he allowed himself 10
| lie dssuadcd from making the voyage. Narrowing
| tales of lurking brgands and stumbling mules
which were repeated to him affected his spirits
and he looked about for, a lighting secretary to
| accompany him the mountains. lie lolnd
! an able-bodied man and a philosopher in an Ar
gcntinc journalist who was anxious TO 90 10
| Chilli and promptly engaged him. subsequently
| when the question of private arnaments was raised
he discovered that the secretary knew nothing about
firearms and that as for the national cuchillo, he
| never used knife except at mcal-timcs The
| CORRESPONDENT and the unarmcd secretary got over
the Andes without having any adventure more
exciting than the rescue of French lad from nm
| concenial surroundings at Mendoza. As this lad
WAS adopted as an orphan and subsequently he
friended in Chilli the correspondent entered San
tiago with two retaners
The scene of the correspondents labors had
now been reached, ana preparations FOR
the campaign were in order His original orders
from London had been 10 go to Chill quickly
a. possible and 10 report upon what he saw to
the best Of his judgment The ordinary inter
pretation which a journalist would have placed
upon these instructions would have been to get
rho ncws and not 70 tell it with partisan bias.
Mr.. Hervey had another and very different con-
ception of his responsibility TO the journal which
had sent him on journey Of 1900 miles. lie
felt under obligations 10 make a careful study Of
the political controversy, TO listen patiently 10
what everybody had to say, TO form an indie
pendent Judgment respecting the abstract merits
Of the case and then to direct and influence Eng
fish opinion AS two heads were better than one,
and as there was nothing else for the non-coni-
| hatant secretary to do the work of balancing the
right and wrong of the constitutional contro-
versy was divided between them. They devoted
several days 10 a study of the events which had
eliminated in open rupture between President and
Congress. pursuing their investigations indie
pcndently and subsequently, comparing notes Mr..
IIcrycy received visits from large number of per.
sons DESTROYS Of influencing him in one direction
or the other and finally one from wealthy mine
owner who advised him TO call upon the Prcsi-
dent 10 talk with him. and 10 judge
: whether he was a tyrant and an ogre. As the
I correspondent apparently confused by the
voluminors evidence collected by himself and his
secretary he sent his card 10 Balmaceda and had
n long talk with him The acquaintance opened
, in this way subsequently, became so intimate that
the correspondent felt at liberty to call upon the
President at any time and TO ask any favors of
|, him. Aided by the official explanations given by
decided to incline in his dispatches and letters to
the side of the President lie believed that Ia /
D inaceda in the right, and at became his
, | champion. He became enthusiastic a SUP
porter to predict without the defeat of
the insurgents. Ills ground having been taken
he Constantly at Bamacedas house, was re-
ceived an intimate acquaintance by Don Claud