The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-16 00:00:00

THE BOMBARDMENT OF VALPARAISO.

The following letter has been addressed by the
Chilian Consul in Paris to the Tempi :
Paris, May 14, 1866.

Sir,—On the 31st of March, 1866, Valparaiso, the emtre-
p6t of the Pacific Ocean, the great and opulent trading
city, the port of hospitality par excellenoe—Valparaiso
was deliberately and in cold blood bombarded, burnt,
ruined by a Spanish fleet. The open and defenceless sea.
front of Valparaiso possessed a few saluting guns only, for
the purpose of saluting the friendly flags which sought
shelter in the roadstead ; and to celebrate also the glorious
anniversary of Chilian independence, and perpetuate the
memory of the victories gained over the Spaniards by the
people of Chili. Leaving to others to brand as it deserves
this sinister page of history, I make it my duty to state
that, during the bombardment of the 31st of March, Val-
paraiso had no other defenders than the national flag
which was flying over the Intendance and the white flag
hoisted over the Hospital. The Chilian flag alone re-
mained flying over the smoking ruins of the city.—l am,
sir, &c., F. FERNANDEZ RODELLA, Consul of Chili.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting of the mercantile
community of Liverpool was held at the Common-halL
There was a crowded meeting, and Mr. Councillor Tyler
was called to the chair. The following resolutions were
adopted :—" That a wanton act of destruction of noutral
Property having been committed by the Spanish squadron, in
bombarding the defenceless city of Valparaiso on the 31st
of March last, in defiance of the representations and pro-
tests of the consular body there, that the loss thereby
sustained by British subjects be represented to our govern-
ment, and their advice solicited regarding the necessary
measures to be employed to obtain payment of
their claims. That in the opinion of this meet-
ing, seeing that the avowed object of the Spanish
government was the destruction of Chilian property,
which bore such a small proportion to the value of neutral
property in danger, the British authorities ought to have
domed with the representatives of other nations in concert-
ing measures to prevent the same until, at least, a reason-
able opportunity had been afforded for withdrawing the
valuable neutral property to a place of safety, the time
allowed having been the unreasonably short space of four
days ; and that the conduct of the British minister at
Santiago is censurable, inasmuch as he left Valparaiso
for Santiago on the '2gth of March—two days
before the bombardment commenced—instead of con-
tinuing to the last his efforts to avert a deplora-
ble catastrophe. That the members for the borough be
requested to make the necessary statement of the case in
parliament, eliciting such detailed information from the
government as may be requisite for the information of the
parties whose interests are so deeply involved ; and in
particular to ascertain the instructions under which the
British representatives acted at Valparaiso on the occasion
I referred to ; and the extent of the protection that British
merchants may reckon on at the other ports in the Pacific
which have been threatened with similar acts of barbarity."
A committee was appointed to carry out the views of the
meeting, and to form a deputation to London to wait upon
the government, if necessary.

The Earl and Countess Russell entertained at
dinner last evening, at their residence in Chesham-placc—
His Excellency the Russian Ambassador and Barone.%
Bruunow, the Earl and Countess of Clarendon and Lady
Emily Villiers, Viscount Amberley, Viscount Hamilton,
Lord Henley, Lady Hislop, Lady Newburgh, Lady Victoria
Ashley, Lady Georgians Russell, Hon. Lionel Ashley,
Captain Grosvenor, Mr. Kinglake, and Mr. Barrington.

Tho Earl of Wilton gave his customary dinner
before the Derby last evening at his mansion in Grosvenor-
square. There were present the Earl of Westmorland,
the Earl of Glasgow, the Earl of Chesterfield, the Earl of
Bradford, the Earl of Winchilaea, the Earl Annesley, the
Earl of Strafford, Viscount Canterbury, Viscount Fol.
mouth, Viscount Grey de Wilton, Viscount Exmouth, Lord
Bateman, Baron Meyer de Rothschild, Hon. George Fitz-
vrilliam, Colonel the Hon. H. Forester, Hoe. Frederick
Calthorpe, Sir J. Hawley, Sir Frederick Johnstone, General
Peel, Captain Little, Mr. George Payne, Mr. W. G
Craven, Mr. H. Saville, and Mr. Des Vcenx. Covers were
laid for 24.

The Earl and Countess of Dudley arrived at
Dudley Howe, Park-lane, on Saturday, from the south of
France.

The Countess of Jersey had a reception last
night at her residence in Wilton-place. Previously to the
evening party Mr. Bundling and the Countess of Jersey
entertained at dinner his Excellency the Italian Minister,
his Excellency the Danish Minister and Madame de
Billow, the Marchioness of Ely, the Earl and Countess of
Fife, the Earl of Abingdon, Lord and Lady Poltimore,
Lord and Lady Egerton of Tattoo, Lord Albert Leveson-
Gower, Viscount Dowse, and Hon. Francis and Mrs.
Stonor.

The statue of the late Earl of Eglinton, executed
by M`Dowell, will soon be inaugurated at Dublin. The
site chosen for it, on the north side of Stephen's-green, is
one of the best in the city ; it will stand directly opposite
the University Club, and be easily seen from several
points.

The Owl states that it is her Majesty's intention
to create his Royal Highness Prince Alfred a Peer of the
Realm, under the titles of Duke of Edinburgh and Earl
of Kent. His royal highness will most probably take his
seat in the House of Lords on Thursday, the 24th of May,
her Majesty's birthday.
As it has been rumoured that his Highness
the Prince of Teck is still in the Austrian army, and that
in the event of war he would have to join his regiment, it
may be well to state (says the Owl) that though the prince
retains his uniform, according to custom, yet he is no
longer in the army. Should war break out, his highness
would, of course, tender his services to the Emperor, who,
however, we trust, will not require them.
It is stated by the Owl that Mr. Malet has been
recalled from Vienna, the impending war having rendered
it impossible to proceed for the present with the proposed
commercial treaty. It is probable, according to the same
authority, that measures will shortly be taken to place all
the electric telegraph lines in England in the hands of the
Post-oftlce, with a view to the establishment of a low and
uniform rate of charge for telegrams.
To-morrow night the Chancellor of the Each&
quer will move " That the house will at its rising adjourn
till Thursday next."

Madlle. Patti's next appearance at Covent
Garden will be on Monday, as Amino in La Sonnarabsda.

Count Bismarck has given the first public symp-
tom of his incipient conversion to liberal principles. Biz
gentlemen of liberal politics who had been elected by
the Berlin town-council to honorary municipal offices have
obtained the requisite confirmation of the crown. This is
the first instance of liberals being confirmed in public offices
since the accession of the Bismarck cabinet.

A few days ago one Ernest Graf, a valet de plate,
drowned himself at Dresden. He was supposed to have
been a son of Napoleon I. and the late beautiful and
famous Countess Kiebnansegge. His claims to illustrious
parentage were at one time strongly supported by the
Saxon court, but never recognised by Napoleon 111. In
features and person he was the exact image of his putative
father.