The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-25
ARGENTINA AND CHILE.

The Argentine-Chilean controversy has
reached a critical stage, though there
seems to be a fair prospect that war will
be averted either by diplomatic nogotia-
ton or by the arbitration of Great Britain.
1t is to be noted, however. that up to the
present time only one of the powers, Ar
gentina, has suggested arbitration, and her
request has not yet reached the British
government, which would only act upon the
joint request of both.
War between Argentina and Chile would
be a much more serious affair than war be-
tween any Of the little Central American
States. and the more serious because there
has been friction and bad blood between
them for many years. 1t would be fierce
war between opponents not unequally
matched and both well prepared for war.
Argentina has an area Of 1,77S,195 square
miles. with a population OF 1900. 900. while
the area Of Chile is 29O, $40 square miles and
her population about 100000. Last year
the regular army Of Argentina was Ie-
ported to consist of LAB officers and nearly
1900 men, while the total effective army
numbered over $1,000. There is also a ma
tional guard of about $4,000 men, the ma
jority of whom receive some military train
ing every year. The regular army of Chile
is limited by law to 5000 men, but she has
an organized militia of upward Of $1,000
men, and every man between the ages of
twenty and forty-fve is liable to compul-
sorry military service which is determined
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reserve of fairly well-trained soldiers. In
case Of war each nation can put a large
army in the field, and both armies are sup
piled with improved Mauser rifles. Both
nations have respectable navies, though
Chile's is the stronger. That of Argentina
numbers all told thirty-five warships, rang
ing from armored cruisers to gunboats and
torpedo boats. 1t includes four armored
cruisers purchased in Italy, and which are
fine, modern vessels. The Chilean navy
consists all told of forty-four vessels, in
GLIDING five armor clads equal to any of
their class afloat. Both navies include
some very powerful and fast ships and
thoroughly equipped fighting machines. If
there should be war between them it might
easily be possible that a greater naval bat
tie would take place than any that was
fought during our war with Spain, for the
strength of the combatants would be more
nearly equal than 1t was either at Manila
or Santiago. Besides. there is reason to
believe that the ships and men of both the
Chilean and Argentine navies would put up
a better fight than those of Spain did. Not
only are the ships of both navies superior
to those of Spain in the late war, but their
officers are more skillful and their men
equally as brave. During the worlds fair
festivities of 1898 the Argentine cruiser
Nuevo de Julia-Ninth OF July-was in
United States waters. and her officers and
men were regarded as among the most
capable and well disciplined of any that
visited us at that time. There is good rea-
son to hope that war between the two ma
tons may be averted, but If it comes there
will be some hard fighting between we'll
armed soldiers and modern, well-equipped
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