Soldiers & sailors take an oath to defend the best interests of their country, come what may, but Chilean sailors, members of the second greatest fleet in South America, do not care. Early last week rumor ran through the battle fleet at Coquimbo that the Provisional Government of President Manuel Trucco (third since the flight of Dictator Ibanez), was preparing to cut the pay of all noncommissioned ratings as an economy move. Overnight mutiny flared.
One Rogelio Reyes, an electrician on the flagship Almirante, was the leader. Electrician Reyes had gone to Great Britain two years ago when his ship was being refitted in British dockyards and had listened earnestly to the Red talk of Clyde-side Laborites. Under his orders the crews of every ship at Coquimbo locked their officers in their cabins and forced them to sign an ultimatum to the Government that the navy would not permit any reduction in salaries. Then the navy, Chile's pride, waited.
From Santiago the Trucco Government sent Admiral von Schroeder by airplane to treat with the rebels. Chile's army & navy have had many an old German warrior on their rosters. The army still wears Prussian spiked helmets on dress parade. But Chilean Admiral Eduardo von Schroeder is not to be confused with Prussian Admiral August Ludwig von Schroeder, who was a German Wartime fleet commander. Admiral Eduardo is young, amiable, Chilean born. His father, despite his name, was a Russian and went to Chile many years ago as consul at Santiago for the Imperial Government. Last week Admiral Eduardo rode in a launch out to the flagship, the grey-sided Almirante Latorre* while mutineer sailors stared open-mouthed from the bridge. His terms were simple. The Government had given up all thought of cutting the sailors' pay, but the navy must surrender within 24 hours; otherwise it would be blown from the harbor by the air force and coast defense forts.
Forty years ago the Chilean navy won a revolution. Last week's mutineers did not give up. The naval base at Talcahuano joined the revolt. So did the sailors and cadets of the Naval Training School at Valparaiso. Fortunately for President Trucco the army stayed loyal. Within a couple of hours the Valparaiso cadets had surrendered and regiments were moving down the coast against Talcahuano.