The War of the Pacific (in Spanish, Guerra del Pacífico), also known as the Saltpeter War (Guerra del salitre), was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance that lasted from 1879 to 1884. It was fought over Chilean claims on coastal Bolivian territory in the Atacama Desert. The war ended with victory for Chile, which gained a significant amount of resource-rich territory from Peru and Bolivia. Chile's army took Bolivia's nitrate rich coastal region and Peru was defeated by Chile's navy.

The background, naval operations and outcomes are described in detail. All the ships involved from all three South American navies are described and illustrated with full technical specifications. Profusely illustrated with scale drawings (side views) and illustrations.

The author is a keen student of naval military history, with a lifelong interested in this conflict.