Under the Chilian Flag: A Tale of War between Chili and Peru

"Under the Chilian Flag: A Tale of War between Chili and Peru" by Harry Collingwood is a historical novel written in the late 19th century. The story is set against the backdrop of war between Chili and Peru during the 1870s, focusing on young Englishmen who, dissatisfied with their captain on a British nitrate ship, decide to join the Chilian Navy. The narrative explores their adventures as they navigate the complexities of naval warfare and their pursuit of fortune under a new flag. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to Jim Douglas and his friend Terence O'Meara, both currently serving on the steamer Pericles, whose unpleasant experiences with their tyrannical captain prompt them to seek a new life in the Chilian Navy. As the Pericles approaches Valparaiso, they notice signs of civil unrest and excitement in the city, indicating the possibility of war. Seizing the moment of chaos, they devise a plan to leave their ship and enlist with the Chilian forces, setting the stage for an adventurous tale filled with risks and military engagements as they face the forthcoming conflicts between the nations. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Harry Collingwood was the pseudonym of William Joseph Cosens Lancaster, a British civil engineer and novelist who wrote over 40 boys' adventure books, almost all of them in a nautical setting.