T H E T A

A W e e k ly N ew sp a p e r and Keview.

DUM VOBIS GRATULAMUR, ANIMOS ETIAM ADDIMUS UT IN INCCEPTIS VESTRIS CONSTANTER MANEATIS.

From the B r i e f o f H is Holiness P iu s IX . to The Tablet Ju n e 1870.

V o l . 78. No. 2678. L o n d o n , S e p t e m b e r 5 , 1891.

P r ic e s d ., b y P o st 5% d .

[ R e g i s t e r e d a t t h e G e n e r a l P o st Of f i c e a s a N ew s p a p e r .

C h ro n ic le of t h e W e e k :

The War in Chili — After the Battle—The Fight for “ The Freeman ”—Mr. Parnell at Dublin— Railw ay Accident in America— Lord Herschell’s Liberalism ^— Lord Lome and Conservative Policy—The Production of Artificial Rain—The Customs—Congress o f Orientalists—The Canadian Census — The Famine in Russia—A Cruise in a Cockle— Jewish Emigration from Russia— The Sedan Anniversary—The Defence of the M euse.. . . . . 361 L e a d e r s :

Lord Plunket’s Castle in Spain .. 365 Can Railw ays be Made Cheaper? 366 The Crisis in Chili . . . . . . 367 Important German Decision on the Temporal Power . . . . 368

CONTENTS. Page

L e a d e r s (Continued) :

Page

The Padroado in India . . . . 368 The Mediseval Prayer-Book . . 370 N o t e s ........................... . . •• 37° R e v iew s :

An Archbishop’s Letters . . . . 372 St. Aloysius .._ .......................... 372 A Saintly Jesuit . . •• 373 “ The English Historical Review ” 373 Weeds from a Wild Garden _ . . 374 A Guide to the Study of Nine­

L e t t e r s to t h e E d ito r :

Ble sed Thomas More on the Fol­

Page lowing of Christ . . . . .. 380 The Encyclical on Trade Unions 380 Buddhism, Theosophy, Suicide,

and “ The Perfect Way ” . 381 Hours of Mass . . . . . . 381 The Holy Coat of T reves.. . . 381 Agricultural Destitution .. . . 381 Blue Vestments . . . . 382 | Catholics Abroad . . . . . . 382 I A Ghent Jubilee . . ... . . 382

teenth Century Authors . . 374 Preaching in the Parks .. .. 374 C o rr e s po n d en c e :

Rome :—(From Our Own Corre­

spondent) . . .. . . •• 377 Dublin :—(From Our Own Corre­

spondent) . . . . -. •- 378

The Rescue of a Nun . . . . .383 I Some Publications of the Week . . 384 I | Ob it u a r y . . . . . . . . 385

, F rom E v e r yw h e r e . . . . . . 385 I A p p e a l to t h e C h a r it a b l e . . 386

Page

S o c ia l a n d P o l it ic a l . . . . 336

S U P P L EM E N T . N ew s from t h e S ch o o l s :

Managers Free to Accept or R e­

fuse the Fee Grant . . .. 393 Smyllum Schools . . . . . . 393 Arno’s Court Reformatory Report 393 The Payment of Fee Grants . . 393 About Education . . . . . . 394 N ew s from t h e D io c e s e s :

Southwark . . .. . . 395 Newport and Menevia . . . . 395 Northampton . . . . . . 395 Argyll and the Isles *. . . 395 Our Lady of Pompeii .. . . 395 The Science of God . . . . . . 397 Salford Catholic Protection and

Rescue Societj' , . . . . 398

Rejected M S . cannot be retu rned unless accompanied w ith address and postage.

CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK. -------------* -----------

• ..............

TH E war in Chili is practically at an end, and President Balmaceda has been utterly defeated in a pitched battle, in which more than 5,000

men were killed. At the last the situation seems —from the long and interesting account published by The H e ra ld—to have been this. Balmaceda, no longer in a position to make offensive movements, devoted himself entirely to strengthening his defences. In the early morning of Saturday the boom of cannon announced the battle’s beginning. The excitement was tremendous in Valparaiso. A little after daylight the Government troops left the breastworks and advanced on the enemy under cover of a heavy fire from their batteries. The insurgents were for the most part armed with Mannlicher rifles, and used smokeless powder; the Government troops were not so well armed. As soon as the approaching column stood within range of the Mannlicher rifles a destructive fire from the entrenched insurgents was poured upon it. The column, however, advanced with much steadiness, and the men quickly came near enough to do effective work with their pieces. The engagement became general, and shot and shell, grape and canister, and rifle bullets tore through the ranks of the advancing column until, notwithstanding the efforts of the officers, the Presidential troops broke. The officers made every effort to re-form the columns as soon as they got beyond the range of the deadly Mannlicher rifles, and finally succeeded. Then followed another attack. In steady ranks the Government troops started at a double into the torrent of fire which blazed from the ranks of the insurgent army. Early in the second charge General Barbosa, belonging to the advancing troops, was shot down and killed. The line wavered, but kept on. Then General Alzerreca fell from his horse, mortally wounded. He was removed from the field and died within an hour. Another break occurred, and then General del Canto, of the insurgents, gave the order to charge. With a wild yell the Congressional army came out of their defences and charged on the retreating enemy, while their artillery poured a deadly fire into the ranks of Balmaceda’s army. The loss of its generals left the Government troops without a head, and all efforts of the subordinat^officers to rally them were of no avail. The retreat became a rout, the I rout a panic, and utter demoralisation followed. The Government cavalry made a brief stand, but they were jliterally cut to pieces. Volley after volley was poured into the troops of Balmaceda, arid whole regiments which had not lost their regimental formation went over to the victorious troops of General del Canto and joined in the attack on their late comrades. The fighting lasted a little less than five hours, and, as we have said, 5,000 men were killed or wounded. The defeat of the Government was therefore absolute, and Valparaiso was instantly surrendered to the Congressional Army. In the town itself much enthusiasm for the victors was shown. Only one enemy to the Revolution was left,-the Captain of the A lm ira n te Lynch, who refused to surrender, but was forced to haul down his flag after a brief engagement of a quarter of an hour. Balmaceda had disappeared, and it was widely believed that he was making his way out of the country, perhaps overland, to Buenos Ayres. For the rest, so far as the effects of the victory go, the news was received at Liverpool with extreme satisfaction, where the triumph of the insurgents was most of all desired. The Liverpool shipping has suffered largely since the war began, and its end has been awaited with much concern. , „

Since the great battle of Saturday, the

— a f t e r t h e internal affairs of Chili have been gradually b a t t l e . taking a more tranquil spirit. The members of the Provisional Junta have recognised

General Baquedano as temporary President, and it is confidently supposed that this act will find full ratification from the members now en route from Iquique. From Concepcion, Talcahuano, and other places, the Government troops have surrendered, promising to obey the Junta’s orders; only Coquimbo is now a source of trouble. It now remains to I quell the little occasional outbursts of disorder, to punish I such as have tyrannised outrageously, and ts make prepara­

tion for the elections. Several prominent Government officials were to be shot on Wednesday, after Court Martial. I A few other executions have taken place, notably that of the I Procurator-General and the Editor of E l Commercio, who I was detected in the act of distributing incendiary pamphlets. According to The H e ra ld , the presence of political refugees on board the American and German war ships has caused several conferences and much ill-feeling. Among the more prominent of these refugees are the President-elect, Señor I Claudio Vicuña ; the ex-Minister of War, Señor Bañados ; I the ex-Minister of the Interior, Señor Espinosa; the ] ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Señor Godoy ; the ex-Minister

N e w S e r i e s , V o l . XLVl., N o . i , i S?7.—