The long-protracted war between Chili and P emu appears, at
last; to draw to a close, victory having declared finally for the smaller, but more highly-organised State, with its nearly pure-blooded governing class. The Chilians, after rejecting an offer of the United States to arbitrate, determined to capture the Peruvian capital. In spite of a desperate resistance, organised by the Dictator Pierola, who collected every available soldier, they defeated. the Peruvian army at Ohorilos, and again at Mira- flares, and finally, in the middle of this month, occupied Lima. . Pierola fled. The Chilians can now dictate the terms of peace, and will, it is believed, demand large cessions of territory, and especially of profitable nitre-bearing and mining lands. The history of the war, as of the Paraguayan war, shows that these Spanish-American States can organise very effective and very mobile armies, but have very little staying power. Their popu- lations are too small and too scattered, so that when the soldiers are defeated, the means of resistance end, or are reduced to a painful retreat into half-explored territory.
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