CHILI AND PERU

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 299, 14 December 1918, Page 5

CHILI AND PERU

FORMER STRUGGLES. Tlae Republic of Chili, tlirew, off allegiance to the Crown. .of. Spain by tlie declaration of. independence of 18tlx September, 1810, finally freeing. itself froiii Spanish rule in 1818. The President of the Republic is Senor. Juan Luis Sanfuentes. He assumed officfc-. on ' 25rd _ December. 1915. In April 1879, Chili refused to recognise' a. then subsisting treaty between Peru and Bolivia (6th February, 1873), respecting , boundaries, and a war ensued on land and sea; The combined: Peruvian and Bolivian ~a.rmy was defeated near Iquique,, in November, . 1879, nad s shortly <iiterwa'rds ',.t& Tarapaca. On 27th February a nai r 4l engagement to ok place but was indecisive.. The war continued till January," 1881, when conditions of .peace were reported. England' and France we . xequested t-o mediate on behalf ,of .Peru. Chili demandled an indemnity of 750,000,000 dollars ' and the cession of'{certain territory. - , . .The .peace was. temporary,, and. the war was resumed in July, 1882, a-nd continued until May, 1883, when peace was signed afc Ancon, 20tli October. The decisive battle of. tho war was fought 10th July, 1883, and ; resulted in the defeat of .the Peruvians at Huamachuca.

•In 1884 the provinces of Tacna. and 1 Tarapaca' were cedfed to . Chiii by : Perix. The. cession of Tacna was originally/for ten years, at the end of which period a plebiscite of the province would decide to which country it should belong. . As the plebiscite has not vet been, taken, the provinces are • still "occupied by Chili. '

The population'.of Chili is 4,000,000 and its area 289,'829 square miles. - Tlie 'Republic of Peru, formerly the most important of the Spanish viceroyalties in South America, declared its independence 28th July, -1821, but it was not till after the war, • protracted till 1824, thatthe country gained! its actual freedom from Spanish Rule. Tlie President was Dr. Jose Pardo, and he_ assumed office 18th August, 1915. His term of office expired. 18th August 1918. .The populatioii is, nearly 5,000,000, 'and tlie area 722,461 square . miles. Compulsory military service obtains in Chili and Peru. Chiii has a peace army of about 20,000 officers and men. The field artillery is of the latest pattern. (Q.F. Krupp guns). Chili lias a -fleet of J three torpedo boats, . 10' destroyers, and six modern - torpedo- .boats, also a mine ship, and 'a hospital ship. The total strength of the navy is 6000' ofhcers and men. Two dreadnoughts, building in England, - werel purchased by the' British Government in. 191.4.; The peace footing of .the Peruvian army is about 15,000 officers and men, and the Navy consists of six larger, .vessels, two submarines, and- one . torpedo destroyer. Peru also has a river ftotila on the Amazon, composed of ..six war vessels. •