One hundred years ago
THE civil war in Chili still drags on, neither President nor Congress gaining serious advantages, though the former has "elected" a new Chamber from among his own friends, and the latter is in growing difficulties about the supply of coal. An interesting incident, howev- er, has lately marked the war. The great ironclad 'Blanco Encalada,' attended by the sloop 'O'Higgins,' was attacked outside the harbour of Valparaiso by a torpedo-boat and a tug. A single shell from the 'Blanco Encalada' struck the tug and blew her out of the water, destroying her whole crew of seventeen men, and the fire of the 'O'Higgins' rendered the torpedo-boat useless. The insurgent vessels then attacked the forts on shore; but a shell exploded a gun on the quarter-deck of the 'O'Higgins.' The explosion tore out the deck, dis- mounted several of her guns, and blew twelve of her men literally to pieces. The assailants retreated, Valparaiso re- mains in the President's hands, and the impression that forts can always beat fleets, which was weakened by the bombardment of Alexandria, will once more grow strong.
The Spectator, 4 April 1891
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