“THE O’HIGGINS.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 984, 27 April 1911, Page 4

“THE O’HIGGINS.”

The proposal to add two Dreadnoughts to the strength of the Chilian navy has called attention to the faci that the most formidable unit of the existing fleet bears the name of “ O’Higgins.” The ship is a large, powerful armoured cruiser, built in Britain fourteen years ago, and it was christened in honour of Bernardo O’Higgins, the liberator of Chili. O’Higgins was horn In Peru, ot which province of the Spanish Empire his father was viceroy, but, of course, his family hailed originally from Ireland. He embraced the cause of the revolutionists when the Spauish-American colonies renounced their allegiance to Spain, and devoted himself particularly to the interests of Chili. Soon he became a famous leader, and when the power of Spain had been overthrown he was made Supreme Director of the new republic. His most remarkable exploit was the passage of the Andes in 1817, at the head of an army which marched from Buenos Ayres to the assistance of the Chilian rebels. The summit of the Uspollata Pass is 12,700 feet above sea level, or 5000 feet higher than the Great St. Bernard Pass used by Napoleon when he took his army across the Alps. His army consisted of 5000 men, 1600 horses and 9000 mules. Wheeled transport was impossible. Each piece of artillery had to be slung on a pole between two mules, or sometimes dragged with ropes. There were chasms that could only be crossed by rope bridges. The march took three weeks and men and animals suffered greatly from “ mountain sickness,” caused by the rarlfied air. At the foot of the Andes the Spanish troops were encountered and completely routed. Since that time there has always been an O’Higgins among the warships of Chili. The first was commanded by that great admiral. Lord Cochrane, after his unmerited dismissal from the British service, and was the determining factor in the liberation of Peru, which was achieved with Chilian aid. Lord Cochrane performed prodigies of valour, and he and his ship seemed alike to bear a charmed existence.