THE CIVIL WAR IN CHILI.

Otago Witness, Issue 1952, 23 July 1891, Page 31

THE CIVIL WAR IN CHILI.

The new Chilian Congress, lately convened at Santiago, placed absolute power in the hands of President Balmaceda. His first act has been to release prominent citizens imprisoned at Santiago for sympathy with the revolutionary party, four of whom were required to pay £50,000 and ordered to reside in Europe. Ten others were permitted to remain in Chili under bonds rang- ' ing from £30,000 to £50,000, provided that they do not take any part in politics. The German and Italian Ministers did not attend the opening of Balmaceda's Congress. Balmaceda issued a decree on May 4 closing to commerce the ports of Chaneval, Faltas, Autofagasfca, Jocopilla, Iquique, Coleta, Buena, Purina, Pisagua, and the intermediate by-ports, so long as they remained in the possession of the insurgents. The British, French, German, and Italian Ministers protested, and famine prices prevailed at Iquique, meat being 70c per lb, potatoes 20dol a bag, and flour 30dol a bag. The latest reports say that there have been no military or naval operations of importance in the northern provinces recently, and that there is little or no probability of the revolutionary party making a demonstration against Valparaiso. The only vessels they have are the Huascar, Esmeralda, and Ahnirante Coohrane. These the Government cruisers Almirante Lynch and Almirante Condel keep in constant motion, and also threaten neutral ports, where most; of the insurgent forces are concentrated. The President had distributed 150,000d0l among the officers and crews of the warships Lynch and Condel as rewards for their bravery. The expenses of the Government since the beginning of the recent trouble amount to over 30,000,000d01. The Congressionalisfcs have issued a manifesto warning the people of all countries that President Balmaceda has shipped to Europe 4,000,000d0l in bullion of Government money, to be used by him for personal expenses in case that he is driven from Chili, and the restitution of which will be demanded by the Congressional party on obtaining power. The steamships of the South American Steamship Company have been placed under the British flag.