CHILI. 



103 



or:il Kilpntriek invited the English, French, 

 l'ni-si:ui, and Italian ministers to moot nt liis 

 rooms, Htating in his communication: "To 

 ;it tlic consummation of nn net so cruel 

 ;md inliuinaii; t prevent tlio total destruction 

 of a ciiv composed almost entirely of Europeans 

 :md Americans a city which is to-day totally 

 dcfi-iHvless, and that through the advice of 

 foreign representatives I feel it my duty to 

 mil upon you to assist me. Of the present diffi- 

 culties between Chili and Spain we, of course, 

 nothing to say; but as the representa- 

 of enlightened nationalities wo have much 

 to say why a helpless city, not the property of 

 cither of the belligerents, should not bo laid in 

 ashes, thousands of helpless women and children 

 ilrhvn from their homes to die amid the desert 

 hills, and why civilization upon this coast should 

 not be set back to an indefinite period." 



The Prussian minister and the consul-gen- 

 eral of Italy were in favor of energetic action, 

 but the English and French ministers declared 

 themselves opposed to the use of force, and 

 failed to attend the meeting to which they had 

 been invited. The efforts for bringing about a 

 combined resistance having failed, General 

 Kilpatrick addressed, for himself alone, a pro- 

 test, in which, after acknowledging the receipt 

 of the note of Nunez of March 27th, and re- 

 capitulating the arguments used by Nunez to 

 justify the bombardment, he says: 



These reasons fail to satisfy the undersigned, as 

 they will fail to satisfy civilized nations, that his 

 excellency the Spanish admiral is justified in re- 

 sorting to a species of warfare which he himself 

 most truly qualifies as terrible, in order to punish 

 an enemy whom he has thus far failed to punish by 

 li'iritimate modes of warfare. While belligerent 

 rights permit a recourse to extreme measures for 

 the carrying out of legitimate military operations, 

 they do not include the wanton destruction of pri- 

 vate property where no result advantageous to the 

 lawful ends of the war can be attained. Interna- 

 tional law expressly exempts from destruction 

 purely commercial communities such as Valparaiso, 

 and the undersigned would beg his excellency to 

 consider most earnestly the immense loss to neutral 

 residents, and the impossibility of removing, within 

 the brief term allotted to them, their household 

 goods, chattels, and merchandise. If, however, his 

 excellency persists in his intention to bombard the 

 port of Valparaiso, in spite of the earnest remon- 

 strances contained herein, it only remains for the 

 undersigned to reiterate in the clearest manner, in 

 the name of his government, his most solemn pro- 

 test against the act, as unusual, unnecessary, and in 

 contravention of the laws and customs of civilized 

 nations, reserving to his government the right to 

 take such action as it may deem proper in the 

 premises. 



During the forenoon of the 28th the foreign 

 consuls in Valparaiso, with the exception of 

 the English and French, waited in a body on 

 General Kilpatrick, and formally thanked him 

 for his efforts and'those of Commodore Rodgers 

 to bring about a peaceful adjustment of the 

 difficulties between Spain and Chili. Several 

 delegations of English and other foreign resi- 

 dents also called for the same purpose, but no 

 farther stops were taken to prevent the bom- 



bardment, and all the transportation that could 

 bo brought into nso was cmployi-d in n moving 

 tho inhabitants and prop.-m. A- 

 protest against bombardment wa alto signed 

 (March 27th) by tho consuls of Portugal, 

 J'n; ia, Denmark, United States, Hanover, 

 Austria, Hrcmcn, Oldenburg, Switzerland, Co- 

 lombia, llraxil, Italy. Holland, (niatcmala, Swe- 

 den and Norway, Hamburg. San Salvador, and 

 the Sandwich Inlands, in which they say: 



International law does not permit the bombard- 

 ment of undefended places and the destruction of 

 ports like this. It is condemned in itself, but in this 

 particular case it will be more so, since Spain on all 

 occasions has solemnly declared in the present war 

 that she will always respect neutral property, and 

 will endeavor to avoid injuries and damages of the 

 war to neutrals. Under the shield of this promise 

 the foreigners resident in this city have continued 

 in their peaceful avocations, confident that Spain 

 would faithfully comply with such solemn pledges. 

 The port of Valparaiso, your excellency well knows, 

 represents throughout "its entire extent valuable 

 neutral interests, and its destruction would fall 

 almost exclusively upon subjects of powers friendly 

 to Spain, while the country itself will scarcely feel 

 the effects of so violent an act. The bombardment 

 of Valparaiso may be rather considered as an act of 

 hostility against neutral residents, since its effects 

 will be felt by them alone. 



History will certainly not present in its annals 

 any event which can rival in horror the picture 

 which will be presented by the bombardment of this 

 city. It will be an act of vengeance so terrible that 

 the civilized world will shudder with horror in con- 

 templating it, and the reprobation of the entire 

 world willfall upon the power which may have car- 

 ried it out. The burning and destruction of Valpa- 

 raiso will be the certain ruin and destruction of a 

 flourishing city; but be your excellency well-per- 

 suaded that it will also be an eternal blot upon 

 Spain. Valparaiso will rise from her ashes, but 

 never will the stain be wiped away which sullies the 

 flag of Spain, if your excellency persists in carrying 

 out so cruel an attempt. If, notwithstanding all, 

 your excellency carries it out, we shall find our- 

 selves under the inevitable necessity of protesting 

 in the most solemn manner, as in effect we do now 

 protest, against such a proceeding, as against the 

 interests of our constituents, reserving to our gov- 

 ernments the right to reclaim from the government 

 of her catholic majesty the enormous injuries which 

 their citizens will suffer. We protest, in the face of 

 the civilized world, against the consummation of an 

 act which is in contradiction of the civilization of the 

 age. 



The consuls of England, France, and the 

 Argentine Republic, united in another protest 

 to Admiral Nufiez, reiterating the sentiments 

 expressed in the above. A protest was also 

 sent by Mr. Gomez, the minister of Honduras, 

 and by the Peruvian and Bolivian Ministers. 

 The consuls also addressed a petition to Com- 

 modore Rodgers for protection, to which the 

 following reply was given : 



March 29, 1S66. 



i ! i vTLEiiEN : I regret to announce that 1 am not 

 able to comply with your wish to impede, with the 

 forces under my command, the project of the Span- 

 ish government to 'bombard Valparaiso. My action 

 was premised in case the other foreign powers would 

 unite with the forces of the United States. They 

 judging that it was not within the limits of their in- 

 structions to cofiperate, and as I never have pro- 

 posed to act aloue, but always have said that I wa 



