Capture of the Paquete de Maule

Battle context

The capture of the Paquete de Maule on 6 March 1866 was an act of naval seizure conducted by the Spanish steam frigate Blanca against the Chilean sidewheel steamer in the Gulf of Arauco. The incident occurred during the Chincha Islands War, a conflict in which Spain sought to reassert influence along the Pacific coast of South America against a coalition that came to include Chile and Peru. Chilean casualties of 126 associated with the engagement reflect the human cost of Spanish naval operations against Chilean shipping during this period. The seizure of a Chilean vessel in Chilean coastal waters would have sharpened Chilean grievances and reinforced the broader allied resistance to Spanish naval pressure in the theater.