THE PROPOSED DESTRUCTION OF A CITY.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 4, Issue 170, 30 October 1880, Page 2

THE PROPOSED DESTRUCTION OF A CITY.

The Chilians propose to bombard Lima, thccommorcialand political capital of Peru. The oity is situated a few miles inland from Oalluo, the latter being the maritime port, aud now hlockaded by the Chileans. The fortunes of war have taken n singular turn in these Latin States. At the onts'-t of the war tho navy of Peru was thought to be snperior to that of Chile. The'navy of the former has disappeared or has been rendered utterly iion-elToctire. Tho fighting forces of Peru and Bolivia wen? claimed to lie more than equal to those of Chile, yet in every pitched battle the forces of tho latter have prevailed. Peru and Bolivia have taken stop'*, for the consolidation of the two Republics, yet this steii does not add any material strength to cither. Chile is in possession of the nitrate hods, and is sellino; cargoes without much reference to any private claims. As it is officially announced that V 'i.-ij,-will bomburd Lima at an early dav, preparations have been going cm for sumo time in view of such a result. The bombardment means capture, pillage, ami wholesale murder. Nothing whatever would be gained to Chile to compensate for such horrors. Lima is a beautiful city according to the standard of South Amorican city building. There are many spacious buildings, and considerable wealth aud refinement. The people engaged in this war nro essentially of the same race, the same rcligon, and the same republican sympathies. Vet, they are now engaged in wiping each other out of existence. It is a good time for intervention. Chile has been the prevailing power. It is tho old story. The natives of a comparatively cold gone have been too much for the mora enervated people of a semi-tropical country. Both parties to the contest have really been carrying on the war with borrowed capital. Every ship of both fleets was constructed abroad. Thu arms were made in foreign countries. From the first it has b«en to some extent a question of national credit and foreign resources. Peru and Bolivia were not in so good financial standing abroad as Chile. If the former power could have renewed her fleet she might have sent it down the Chilean coast to blockado all tho important ports of that country. The disasters of the Peruvians have been surprising. It has not been i an equal contest. From the first, victory j sided with the Chileans both on the land j and on tho sea. The blowing up of a transport recently, bolonging to tho latter power, was a most ingenious strategy. But it did not essentially weaken the Chileans. Intervention might, now save Lime. But it could not save Peru from bankruptcy, nor is it likoly that it would restore all tho territory wrested from her.' The fortunes of war are always hard for the vanquished. They will be specially j hard for Peru.—Evening Bulletin, Snn Francisco, 28rd August.