Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-01-22
CHILE AND HER NAVY.
The Geography of the Republic and Other
Information of Interest.
washington Post.l

VotI
The republic of Chile, as gathered from
the gazetteers and other sources, is
bounded on the east by ranges OF the
Andes, and on the west by the Pacific
ocean. 1t includes the narrow strip OF land
on the west coast of South America, ex-
tending from Peru on the north nearly to
Cape Horn, and bounded on the west by
Bolivia and Argentina.
In breadth this strip of land varies from
forty to 400 miles, while its length is $500
miles. If a long lire could be dropped
from the city of New York straight down
to the south pole it would come. within q
very few miles OF touching both ends OF
Chile. Chile has an area of 293,970 square
miles and its population in 1889 was 2'7l5'-
200.
It's coast line affords but few good har-
bora. The best one IL that of Ialcahuano.
little town of $500 inhabitants In the
southern part of the coast line. The har-
Dor il well protected and has ample room
and depth of water. Porto Coquimbo Is
the next harbor in point OF safety. The
most important harbor on the Chilean
coast is that OF Valparaiso. The town.
which has population OF 97,737, Is on
bay Of semi-circular form, which Is capa-
BILE of accommodating q very large. Meet.
1t is well sheltered on the east, south, and
On the whole it affords as good target for
a man of-war's guns as can be .ound on
the coast of the continent. On March 81,
1866. 10 was bombarded by Spanish squad
ron under Admiral Nunez and large part
of IT was ruined. The loss to the town was
estimated at $40, $4,000
The Chilean fleet is principally made up
of tho Almrrante Cochrane, the Presldente
Pinto. the Presidente Erruariz, the Is
meralda and the Condell. The Cochrane
is the only arlnored ship. Her displace-
ment is 3 $50 tons, and she is protected by
s-inch armor, vita some teak behind. She
has five S.inch breeoh-loading rifles,
Hotchkiss guns and three torpedo tubes.
She is rated as thirteen-knot ship, but
will probably be unable to average better
than nine knots. The batteries of tho
Presidente Pinto. n protected cruiser OF
2. $50 tons, consists entirely of rapid firing
guns. The vessel developed q trial speed
of 1874 knots.
The Fsmerslda is about equal i'll size to
the United states vessels Boston and At
lanta. Her length Is go feet, her bean AZ,
and her displacement $3.50 tons. Her
batteries are slightly heavier than the At
lanta's. but are not 80 well arranged. She
has been rated at 10 knots, but 10 would
Ice her limit. The vessels boilers are
burned out and her bottom is foul. The
Condells limit of speed is 1913 knots. and
she can steam $500 miles with q normal
supply of coal. She has Whitehead torpe-
does and rapid-fring guns.
The Captain Pratt is now about COM
Melted. ard she is considered one of the
best fitted out war-ships of the world.
When we look at the Maine We can form q
fairly good estimate of the size of tho Cap.
tain Pratt. The latter is 32s feet long. &c
feet inches wide, and has a draught of II
feet inches, with displacement of 1901
tons. The estimated speed is II knots,
with natural, and 10 knots with forced
draught, the corresponding horsepower
being 5000 and 1900. The protection fol
| the hull consists of a complete steel water
| line belt over feet inches wide, with
maximum thickness OF ii 3 inches; com
nle1e protection deck, and q light central
redoubt. "a inches thick. and 1S4 feet
inches long, all armor being OF Crenei
steel.
The Huascar IL a battle-scarred veteran
of the turreted type, and IL rather more
than half the SIZE Of tue Miantonomoh
She made fine fight OF II when she few
Perus flag against The Chilean vessels, and
had she possessed better speed would have
escaped. Her armor Is Al inches at the
| water-line and inches on the turre..
There are quite number OF transports
! that are capable of being armed with
! rap,d.fre guns. Among them are the
Imperiale, 1900 tons and i6 knots speed /;
| the ltata, of about 1000 tons displace-
ment Bio Bio. still smaller Maipo, 81
2,295 tons; the Chloe, OF 2,909 tons. and
| the Aconcagua, of 4, 100 tons
The two protected cruisers, the Presi-
| dsnte ErruarIz and Presidente Pinto, have
been delivered to Chile and are now sta.
| toned at the Magellan Straits to watch the
movements of United States meh-of-war
| They ara OF the size OF the Mobile or q
| little larger than the Yorktown, being o.
2,Os0 tons displacement.
The Aimirante Lynch and Almirante
| Condell are 24O feet long, and have ~ fee
s inches beam. This shows them to b
+, very much larger than our Cushing. which
Is our only torpedo boat.