Probably you will receive the same circular from Mr. Tracy, the chargé
d’affaires of Peru, if not already received. On the subject of the nitrates,
you are probably sufficiently informed already, or soon will be, through the
representative of Peru. (See my dispatches Nos. 112 and 117.)
This mode of carrying on the war by Chili has produced a strong feeling here
among all the representatives of foreign (neutral) powers—English, German,
Italian, and French. A protest of the diplomatic corps has been suggested, *
* * not only against attacks made without notice upon the peaceable citizens
of unarmed towns, but to insist that, before any of the towns upon the
coast, even Callao, should be bombarded, a reasonable time should be given
for the inhabitants, and especially neutrals, to remove themselves and
property from danger, and for all foreign shipping to leave and all foreign
consuls to remove their archives and effects to some place of safety; and
that, if these reasonable demands should not be complied with, then to place
the vessels of war of the neutral nations between the Chilian fleet and the
shore, with orders to return any fire the assailing fleet might make upon
the town.
There will, doubtless, be a meeting of the corps in a few days, and, if so, I
shall endeavor to act coolly and with circumspection; and while I shall
avoid protesting against any of the regular and legitimate means which one
belligerent may, according to the more humane practices of
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modern warfare, properly use to weaken its
opponent, I shall nevertheless join in protesting against all such measures
as are supported only by savage or semi-barbarous practices of past ages,
but condemned by the more humane codes of modern warfare. Humanity has some
rights, even higher than those of belligerents.
[Inclosure 1 in No.
138.—Translation.]
Circular to the diplomatic corps
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Lima, March 17,
1880.
Chili continues still further to advance on the path of illegal
hostilities and of her own dishonor.
In my circular of 14th January to the representatives of the friendly
powers, I have already denounced and condemned the attempts against the
sovereignty and against the property of Peru, committed up to that time,
as also the manifest abuse of the occupation of the province of
Tarapacá, and all solely to carry out the condemnatory purpose of
wresting from Peru the rich provinces of that territorial division of
the republic.
Now, as you will see in the accompanying “Boletin,” by the proclamations
published in Iquique on the 23d and 25th February last, Chili resolves
to wrest from the hands of the nitrate refiners, nitrate, which,
according to their respective contracts, was to be exported and sold as
the property of the Peruvian exchequer, in order to export and sell it
in favor of the Chilian treasury and as if it were its property; and on
the pretext of a supposed demand for permission of the foreign holders
of Peruvian bonds, it authorizes the extraction of guano from our
deposits, which, it says, are occupied by its arms, although the latter
are insufficient to maintain a real and permanent occupation, still
circumscribed to certain deposits, which are not even mentioned in the
said proclamation.
Although this supposes the perfect right of the said bondholders to
obtain payment Of this credit by the means indicated, the permission
involves the payment to the Chilian Government of twenty or thirty
shillings per ton, a manifest defraudation, and the sole object of the
license conceded, and every thing points to the conclusion that their
petition has been brought about by a secret manœuvre, a veritable
collusion to steal and divide amongst them the riches of Peru, made by
those who in that fraudulent bargain have thought to find a quick,
although disgraceful way of satisfying an asperation which they can with
difficulty reconcile to their own conscience.
Against these attempts, dictated by an insatiable desire for the property
of others, and on account of the urgent want of resources to continue an
unjust war, the vandalic character of which is becoming more marked from
day to day, the Peruvian Government sees itself under the necessity of
making the declaration expressed in the decrees of the 15th instant,
which you will find contained in the same “Boletin.”
You will also read in it the frank and loyal report of the secretary of
hacienda, dated January 27, wherein he fully justifies all that has been
done by the new government in regard to its external finances,
consulting the interests of its creditors, notwithstanding the
exigencies of the war.
Provoked to a war which it has never, for its part, been able to look
upon o the wise than as a high continental expedient, and as a duel of
honor, Peru finds herself opposed to an enemy who does not accept the
combat on the same footing, and who is insensible to the noble
sentiments of justice and chivalry, and, ignoring the most obvious
principles of the law of nations, of humanity, and of civilization,
converts an international struggle into a treacherous assault on
defenseless persons, pillage, war without quarter, and destruction
without limit.
To this frenzy which is even making Chili forget what she owes to herself
as a Christian republic, Peru will uphold that manly perseverance which
is necessary for the vindication of her right, and the reparation of the
injuries at present inflicted on her through the scandalous abuse of
force.
In the mean time she cannot but consider as accomplices of her enemy all
those who, under the cover of a foreign flag, co-operate in the
depredation of her rights and the increase of the rescources with which
Chili tramples upon and outrages what the community of cultured nations
regard as most sacred and respectable.
She will treat, therefore, such co-operators as enemies who, having
broken by their
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own deliberate
will the neutralty which they ought to observe for their protection,
lose ipso facto all right to any protection,
associating themselves in a work of usurpation and detention, which
nothing can justify, inasmuch as in the present war, Chili, neither
before nor subsequent to its declaration, has expressed any demand or
pretension against Peru. Chili declares and makes war against Peru
solely because the latter is the ally of Bolivia. This is the only cause
of her hostilities. All that has not for its object the paralyzation of
the forces of the republic, or the destruction, when the evident
necessity requires it, of the elements which might be used to injure it,
is iniquitous and contrary to universal morality and the law of nations,
and authorizes reprisals in such measures as a nation respecting itself
and being conscious of its imprescriptible duties, will not go beyond.
You will please transmit the contents of this dispatch and the inclosed
“Boletin” to the prime minister of the government where you are
residing, and leave him a copy of both should he so desire.
God keep you, &c.,
