Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Chas. W. Poole's New Myriorama and Trips Abroad: Illustrated Vocally, Musically and Pictorially
Valparaiso (or the valley of Paradise) is a province of Chili, South America, and is bounded on the north by Aconcagua, S. E. By Santiago, and W. By the Pacific Ocean. Our view represents the city of Valparaiso, the capital of the province. It is situated on a fine bay of the same name 70 miles N. Of Santiago. The city rises from the shore to a chain of hills, which gives names to various suburbs. The old part along the shore is known as the Port the most thickly populated trading part is the Almendral, and the finest residences of the wealthy merchants are in the suburbs - Megre and Concepcion. In the newer parts the streets are wide and regular, and there are six plasmas, or squares. Among the chief buildings are the Government Palace, Custom House, Exchange, Post Office, and City Hall. The Franciscan Church is a fine Gothic building, and there are three Protestant Churches. The bay is defended by fifteen strong forts. This is the chief port of the South Pacific and the head quarters oi foreign men-of-war. The commercial business is very extensive. Valparaiso was founded in 1544. It was taken by Drake and afterwards by Hawkins, sacked by a Dutch Corsair in nearly destroyed by earth quakes in 1730 and 1822, and bombarded by a Spanish Squadron in 1866. And has lately been in jeopardy through the Civil war. On the night of April 12th the insurgent ironclad, the Blanco Encalada, stole into this harbour with the intention of destroying an armed tug, and after blowing this tug out of the water the forts opened fire, and the Encalada quitted the harbour for Caldera Bay, where we shall next see her.
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