Its 1879 and Lt. Cmdr. Peter Wake U.S.N. is on special assignment as the official American neutral naval observer to the War of the Pacific raging along the west coast of South America. Chile having invaded Bolivia has gone on to overrun Peru and controls the entire southeastern Pacific region. Washington concerned over European involvement in the war and the French effort to build a canal through Panama has sent Wake to observe local events. During Wakes dangerous missionas naval observer dip