Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 04.djvu/725

* CHILE. 629 CHILE. Olid the history of the country before 1800 is mainly concerned with the continuous elTorts of the Spanish to subjupite this fierce and intelli- gent nation. The survivors of the pure native race who still maintain their virtual indepen- dence are few; in general, the mixture of Arau- canian blood, with that of the Spanish con- querors has given to the Chilean race its re- markable eiTiciency in war. The Incas of Peru, at the period of their greatest power (1450- 153.3), subdued a few of the northern branches of the Araucanian race, but at the time of the Spanish conquest their dominion was not finuly established. .s soon as the Incas in Peru had been overwhelmed, .lmagro gathered a force for the conquest of Chile, and in 1535 started south. He spent two years and a half in the country, but, encountering little success, with- drew to Peru in 1538. In 1540 Valdivia led a second expedition into the .Araucanian terri- tory, and began the real conquest of Chile. He founded Santiago in 1541. Concejicior' in 1550. and Valdivia in 1553, and thus secured, after much hard fighting, a permanent hold on the country. For two hundred and fifty years the history of Chile is the record of slow expansion, through the development of mines and farms, and of al- most constant wars with the natives. The.se were finally forced to sign a treaty in 1773, which, in their weakened condition, they con- tinued to respect. The Governors of Chile were appointed for the most part by the Viceroys of Peru, and the post was considered the regular stepping-stone to the viceregal office. The news of Xapoleon"s invasion of Spain and the abdica- tion of Ferdinand VII. aroused great unrest in all the Spanish-.merican colonies, and induced a number of leading Chileans to call an assem- bly which forced the Governor to resign, and, September 18, 1810, organized a junta de gohier- no to govern the land so long as the French should hold Spain. This date is considered the anniversary of Chilean independence. There followed several years of intermittent fighting with the Spanish forces in Peru, varied by struggles between rival factions among the patriots, led by the Carrera brothers and by IJon Bernardo O'Higgins. In 1814 this rivalry enabled the Viceroy, Osario. to reestablish his au- thority in the south, and to maintain it for two and a half years. In the winter of 1816-17 Gen- eral San Martin led an army of Argentine (/««- chos across the mountains, and by the decisive victory of Chacabuco, February 12, 1817. forced the Spaniards out of Chile. A year later, on the anniversary of the battle, O'Higgins formally declared the absolute independence of Chile. The patriot army had meanwhile followed the Span- iards to Peru, and on the Maipu Plains, near Santiago, April 5, 1818, another battle was fought which virtually ended the Spanish dom- ination, although desultory fighting continued for a few years. It was not until 1844 that Spain formally recognized the loss of her prov- inces. O'Higgins ruled as dictator from 1818 to 1823, when he was induced to withdraw, and a constitution was adopted. This was revised in 1828, and again in 1833, when substantially the f<ame do<uinent in force at present was adopt- ed. It has, however, been amended frequently, the most important changes being made in 1874. This Constitution provides for a republican form of government, with a property qualification so high that the voters form practically an oli- garchy. In 1843 the question of the .rgentine bounilary arose, and continued a menace to peaceful relations until 1885, when a treaty was signed which gave Chile half of Tierra del Fuego and the shores of the Strait of Slagel- lan, providing, however, for the neutrality of this waterwaj'. Another boundary commission was then needed to determine the exact position of the line, which was to follow the watershed of the Andes. Disputes and rumors of war have continued to distract both countries to the present day. Spain, in 1864-05, forced both Pern and Chile into war by a series of petty squabbles over diplomatic titles and procedure, and there followed a year of active naval war- fare. Hostilities dragged on until 1869, when the United States ^Minister succeeded in putting an end to active operations. Spain, however, refused to acknowledge herself beaten imtil 1871, when a provisional treaty was signed at Washington, followed bv a definitive peace in 1S79. The exceedingly valuable nitrate deposits in the Atacama Desert, north of Chile, were opened up by Chilean capital, and between 18li(i and 1878 Chile repeatedly advanced claims to the possession of this territory. Eventually, April 5, 1879, it declared war on Bolivia and Peru. Its armies were less in numbers, but far better equipped and officered, than those of its op- ponents, and it had much the superior fleet. The naval operations were watehed with special in- terest by all outside powers, as being the first between modern ironclads. On October 8, 1879, the Peruvian battle-ship Uuascar was taken by the Chilean fleet, and on November 19 the combined Peruvian and Bolivian forces were almost annihilated at Dolores. In October, 1880, Chile was in possession of all the disputed ter- ritory, and the United States ilinister succeed- ed in bringing about negotiations for peace. The conditions imposed by Chile were not accepted by the allies, negotiations were broken otf, and the battle of Mirafiores, .January 15. ISSl. gave the Chileans possession of Lima. Callao, and practically all of the other Peruvian cities. Des- ultory fighting continued until October 20, 1883, when a treaty dictated by Chile was finally signed by the Peruvians. It gave to Chile the territory in dispute, excepting the districts of Tacna and .rica. which it was to administer for ten years, a plebiscite at the end of that period to determine whether the inhabitants wished to re- turn to Peru or continue under Chilean rule. The Government of Chile, however, has been careful to postpone such an appeal to the popular voice, and as late as 1900 the Chilean Congress rejected a convention concluded with Peru in 1898 provid- ing for a plebiscite. In 1801 war broke out be- tween the President. Balmaceda. and his oppo- nents in the Congress. The Congressionalists induced the principal part of the national fleet to revolt, and seized tlic nitrate provinces, and. with the revenue derived from them, purchased modern anus and munitions, with which they defeated the regular army near alparaiso, captured that city, and entered Santiago (.ugust). Balmaceda committed suicide, and order was promptly re- stored with the election of Jorge ^lontt as his successor. During the Civil War the United Slates