Cultural Encounters Offshore
During the wars for independence Britain maintained a policy of neutrality between Spain and its colonies. As a result, relations between Chile and Britain were largely enacted by ‘non–state’ actors. This chapter delves into the role played by one of these ‘non–state’ actors: British seamen who participated in the newly created Chilean navy from 1817 and their interactions with their Chilean counterparts. The analysis of the inter–personal interactions that took place on board reinforces the argument that Chile’s Independence era cannot be considered a prelude to the neo–imperial relations established in late nineteenth century. British seamen were rarely seen – and did not see themselves – as imperial agents. The navy worked as a ‘contact zone’, in which relationships were troubled. In addition, this brought about significant repercussions for the nation–building process in Chile.