Page:A history of Chile.djvu/376

 340 A HISTORY OF CHILE army adhered to the cause of Balmaceda, whose role was now practically that of a dictator. The congress made haste to get aboard warships, and a state of siege was proclaimed. Congress had doubtless expected a revolt of the army ; but in that respect it had had overweening confidence. The army, through loyalty, through jealousy of the fleet, through increased pay and promotion, stood by the cause of the president; and as there were some six thousand troops and strong fortifications in Valparaiso there was nothing better for the revolutionary leaders and the fleet to do than to proceed north to Iquique, and undertake there to cut off and convert to the use of the congressional party the main sinews of war ; to wit, the $20,000,000 or $30,000,000 annual revenues from the nitrate fields. The congressional fleet was composed of two iron- clads, the "Blanco Encalada" and "Almirante Coch- rane;" of one monitor, "Huascar;' of the cruiser, "Es- meralda;" the corvette, "O'Higgins;" the gunboat, "Magallanes," and the corvette, "Abtao, " the latter being at this time on a voyage of instruction for mid- shipman. On January 6th, at night, the "Blanco," "Esmeralda" and "O'Higgins" quit Valparaiso harbor and went to Quintero, twenty miles north, to join the "Cochrane" and "Magallanes." The "Huascar" was left in Val- paraiso to undergo repairs. On the 7th, Balmaceda undertook to restore the armament, but Captain Montt manned boats and succeeded in towing her out of the harbor. She was repaired and did good service after- ward under Captain Jos6 Santa Cruz, taking, for one thing, the town of Taltal. The "O'Higgins," with the transport "Amazonas, " took the whole province of Co- quimbo, having landed sixty men; the "Cachapoal"