The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-19 00:00:00

THE WAR IN LA PLATA.

The A nglo- B razilian Times of Oct. 23 gives the
following account of the progress of the war in
Paraguay :
The news from the seat of war in Paraguay tollsof 1.01110
heavy fighting upon the 24th of September and the 3rd of
October. On the morning of the former day a force of
800 Paraguayan cavalry, supported by a large force of
infantry, appeared at the Estero Rojas; with the evident
intention of crossing it and falling upon the great convoy
proceeding on that day to Turk-Cut. This, however,
the movements of • Brazilian brigade posted in cover
to protect the convoy disconcerted, and the convoy
having passed beyond danger all the Brazilian troops,
except the corps of cavalry stationed to maintain the
o-dinary communications between the camps, recrossed the
eaten" and were in march for their camp when en
attack made upon the force left behind obliged them to
return. A successful charge was made upon the
enemy's cavalry, which was broken and driven upon his
infantry, but heavy reinforcements from his entrenchments
changed the aspect of the day, end the Brazilians, over-
powered by numbers, were driven across the ester°, over
which the Paraguayans did not rttempt to pass. The loss
of the Brazilians was 418 men and officers, in killed,
wounded, and missing. That of the Paraguayans was
unknown, as they remained with the field of battle.
For this unfortunate affair the Brazilian arms received
araplo compensation upon the 3rel of October. Al
early murn upon that day a body of 1,500 Paraguayan
cavalry Muted from Humaita with the intent of making
a coup de stain sgainst the Brasilia's' stationed at
fit. Bolan at the extreme right of the allied positions.
Such a move having, however, been anticipated, the Brazi-
lians were on the alert, and the Marquis of Caxiss himself
proceeded to the threatened point, setting in motion the
various corps detailed to aid the defence. On the arrival
of these the Paraguayans were found maintaining a smart
skirmishing fire with the Brazilian cavalry in occupation
of the post, and were evidently trying to draw these
within range of the cannon of the Paraguayan works. At
• few shots from two Brazilian field pieces brought into
range the Paraguayansdrew back a portion of their force to
the shelter of s wood, apparently declining battle, the
Brazilian general equally objecting to attack them within
reach of their fortifications. At this point the Marquis
de Caxias entered the retiral of various bodies of his
troops, and the enemy, tempted by the opportunity,
suddenly leaned from the wood, and fell on the left of the
retiring 6th division of cavalry. This resisted bravely, and
was strengthened with a brigade from the Ist division,
while the 2nd, returning, charged on the enemy's rear.
A severe fight ensued, but the Paraguayan cavalry, charged
in rear and front, and decimated by the heavy fire of the
150th corps of infantry, was routed with greats laughter,
losing more than half its number, 535 of their dead
having been counted on the field of conflict, and 200
prisoners remaining in the victors' hands. Four standards,
• quantity of arms, and moat of the homes were likewise
captured. The Brazilian loss in killed and wounded is
officially reported at 94 men and officers out of
the force of 2,000 which was brought upon the groun d. On
the same morning an Argentine cavalry picket of 45
men took • superior force of Paraguayan cavalry at a di/-
advantage, and succeeded in putting twenty hors de combat
with the loss of only one Argentine wounded. Pilo was
not permanently occupied, as was stated in previous
accounts, but it is said that nye (or 'Wye), • place three
miles below, which was reconnoitred when Pilar was taken,
was to be, the river being there very narrow, and the
bluffs commanding the mouth of the Vermelho flowing
from the Chaco.

Cholera, in a milder form than before, was threatening
the allied forces, and deserters from Humaita represent
it as being very destructive in the Paraguayan encamp-
ments.

The fleet continued in the same positions, maintaining
its fire on Humaita and Curupaity, with considerable effect
on the former, it is said.
The state of matters in the western provinces bad not
changed. Varela was ravaging Salto, in whose capital
forces were gathering to attack him, while in Mendoza
Penner° was watching the threatened inroad of Videla from
Chile. In Santa Fe the • g of the law establishing
cleric civil marriage had disturbances fomented by the
al party.
In Buenos Ayres the general government had announced
that it would continue iu that city until the question of
the capital be definitely settled, but without any local
jurisdiction. The Congress was closed on the sth. Mar-
tines bad resigned, and Moreno refused the portfolio of
war.

BOTAL ASIATIC SOCISTY. —The first ordinary
meeting of this society for the present session was held
yesterday afternoon at the rooms, New Burlington-street.
Viscount Btrsngford, president of the society, wee in the
chair, and in opening the prooeedinp. paid a
tribute of respect to the memory of the late Francis
whom be described as one of the greatest scholars t
ever lived, and who, he mentioned, was the last of the first
batch of honorary members of thlesociarty who were elected
at its first constitution in the year 18E3. Dr. loot, the
hoooraryeecretary, read a which bad been prepared by
Dr. Johns Oppert upon ' A • and Aster John." In
this paper the learned doctor discussed the ideas which
existed in mediaeval times as to the monarch who combined
in his own person both civil and ecclesiastical dominion,
and who warn known by the name of Preeter John ; and
referred, at length, to the information which bad in more
recent days been obtained as to the locality of his sove-
reignty. In the result he cams to the conclusion that the
reel Prestey John was a ormerelern of Omani Asia ; but the
paper threw no light whatever upon the el
under which this potentate bad become eentenaded with
the Degrees of Abyssinia,,Zhits 01,401111 asmspliaa
that the term Ethiopia was te • pere es Asia as
well as to a portico of Tlie preessiliep eessel
with a few remarks from the elisizsee, 11119 did ROI ha to
entice this &edam.

THE BUSINESS OF P,

(From the Daily Ireirs.)

Pastrami:yr meets to-day to consider the Abys-
sinian question. Not that Government has power
to limit the range of the subjects which either
Howse may choose to discuss, or that other
topics are not likely to engage the attention of the
Legislature during the next three weeks. Members
will not fail to exercise their right to ask ques-
tions, and will give notices of bills and motions.
Our relations with France and Italy, our position
with respect to the Roman question, the intention
of the Government towards the condemned
Fenians, the recent disturbances of the public
peace, and other matters, are sure to be mooted.
Further, the sittings before Christmas will
not, it is understood, form a separate extra-
ordinary session, intercalated between those
of 1867 and 1868, but will be the
commencement of a session which, unfore-
seen eventualities apart, will continue until
next summer, the Christmas recess being
provided for, not by prorogation, but by adjourn-
ment. But all this being understood, the business
of the next three weeks is distinctly marked out
by the necessities of the Government coinciding
with the convenience of the Legislature. As the
Qt ars's Speech must be delivered to-day, some
statement must be made of the intentions of the
Government as to the session at large : but neither
are Ministers ready with a developed programme
of legislation, nor can Parliament wish to antici-
pate the ordinary course of business beyond the
special requirements of the hour.
The first duty of the House of Commons will
be to receive from the Government an explanation
of the reasons which, in its opinion, have
' made the Abyssinian expedition necessary,
and the next to obtain assurances as to its scope
and limit. As a matter of course, the House will
no'. grant a farthing of the public money until it
has satisfied itself on both these points. Parliament
will approach the subject unembarrassed by its own
previous action. The last time the subject was
discussed her MAJESTY'S SECRETARY of STATE for
FORMS AFFAIRS spoke of a military expedition
to Abyssinia as a dcult and doubtful project.
It will be for the Government to show that the
reasons of its hesitation are removed. It is even
of more importance, however, that the country
should be distinctly informed as to the objects con-
templated by the Government. This is not one
of those matters on which Parliament or the
country should submit to be " educated" by
clever leaders. Now, while there is time to fix
the character of our national action, the House of
Commons ought to be plainly told what we
are going to Abyssinia for, and by what token we
shall know that the end of our hostilities has
been attained. There are good reasons why
the House should be scrupulous and exacting
on this point. Appeals, sometimes insidious
and sometimes audacious, are continually made
to public opinion in order to familiarize it
with objects which imply a wasteful, immoral,
and dangerous perversion of the resources of the
country. Cabinet Ministers may accustom them-
selves to speak in public of this as a " miserable
" war," but active minds are at work to persuade
England that it is a war to be thankful for—the
very thing which we wanted to elevate our
thoughts, brace our energies, and ennoble our na-
tional life. It is natural that those who thus
think should be averse fromallauggestionof defining
the limits of the war beforehand. They would like
ns to go to Abyssinia withouta plan, get well intothe
country, hold its chief towns, command its roads,
accumulate valuable stores and munitions, and by
that time they would be prepared with a hundred
plausible reasons why we should never give up
what had cost us so much. Already we are asked
whether, if Abyssinian society went to pieces in
consequence of our intervention, we should not be
bound to stay and put it together again. Others
argue from our duty, not to a conquered enemy,
but to ourselves. A weekly contemporary, with
his wonted skill, has put the case in a
nutshell. According to this authority, it does not
at all matter whether we are actually bound to
prosecute this war ; whether we are ao bound or
are not we ought to do so if only to break away
from that narrow commercial prudence which
condemns every wild goose chase. It is worth the
nation's while to encourage its members in a little
wholesome imprudence and to cultivate the virtue
of rashness. A wild goose chase, it is maintained,
is a good thing in itself, and the present oppor-
tunity should be seized to allow that England can
look with sympathy on wild goose chases. We
fear there is but poor chance that justice will be
done to this ingenious view in Parliament, where a
sentimental weakness is too apt to fetter the
expression of opinions which find ready utterance
elsewhere.

The Government must be asked to state clearly
and fully what aims and intentions it asks Parlia-
ment to unction with respect to this war. Does
the administration adopt the wild-goose theory,
and feel bound to enter upon a war of conquest,
to give a satisfaction to our enterprising Indian
officers who, since the return of Lord DAL-
nouns and the abandonment of his annexa-
tion policy, have languished in discouragement I
Or are we going to Abyssinia as social regenerators,
as Louis NAPOLEON went to Mexico I Or is it
the lost key of the Eastern Question, which Sir
ROBERT NAPIER is to look for among the
mountains of Abyssinia' Or have our abounding
prosperity, the success of joint-stock enterprise,
the magnitude of railway dividends, the activity
of our great industries, and the tranquillity and
harmony of our populations, engendered a super-
abundance of joyous animal spirits which we must
expend in some great enterprise at any cost ?
These are questions which ought not to be left to
the talk of dinner tables or the gossip of evening
meetings. It is for the House of Commons to
come to an understanding about them with the
Government and to do so now.

DAMMING OUT. —The somewhat rare procedure
of " drumming out" a soldier from her Majesty's army was
witnessed at Chatham gams on yesterday at a full parade
of the whole of the officers and men of the 2nd depot bat-
talion, under the command of Col. W. Rickman. The
prisoner, private William Taylor, of the lit battalion of
the Rth Regiment, was recently tried by district court-
martial on a charge of desertion and breaking oat of con-
finement at barracks. Although the prisoner has been
several years in the Ist battalion of the Bth Regi-
ment, into which corps he fraudulently enlisted after
being discharged from the Royal Marines Light Infantry
for bad conduct, he has paned nearly the whole period of
his service in prison, the records of his regiment showing
that he has been tried by court-martial no fewer than six
times, while he ban performed only about 100 days' duty
as a soldier. The court before which be was tried on the
last occasion sentenced him to be branded with the letters
" D." and " B. C.," to be dismissed from her Majesty',
service with ignominy, and to undergo two years' im
ment, with bard labour. After the thatenoe had been
promulgated the prisoner was 'tripped of his buttons and
facings end marched to the boundary of the barracks to
the tune of the " Rogue's March," when he was conducted
to the prison by en escort.
HEALTH saeroup BY Do BAltly's FOOD TO THZ
&MACS, seem Moe, and liver of old sad Fosse, eta=da
petals inefigeutionhemstleatioe, diardicea,
belicrh‘lombillatim. ds•Plimmilck d•BDlflAnn
aarillakwldeb batregradited aftl.l=ati toclutairtiat of hie
meow the him —Me, ea rale&lld. Ida ;
40s—Da Barry mod :
longeot-qoadraat, Loudon :
also at 61, Orthechurch4Areet ;4, ChscalZl: ea mad Word.
eked; sad ingrowth and dbeadsb.—tectveribeemaij

the Court.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. 18.
The Queen went out in the grounds this morning
accompanied by Princess Beatrice.

Her Majesty held a council to-day at 1 o'clock, at which
were present the Duke of Marlborough, President of the
Council: the Earl of Malmesbury, Lord Privy Seal; the
..ord Chamberlain ; the Earl of Derby,
Irearurt; the Earliof Mayo, Chief Secre-
tary of State for Itelanti; and the Right Hon. H. T. L.
Oorry, First Lord of the Admiralty.
Previous to the Council the Earl of Derby, the Duke of
Marlborough, and the Earl of Mayo, had audiences of the
Queen.

ut Bradford,
First Lord of the

Lord Buret and the Hon. Mortimer Sackville West, the
Lord and Croons in Waiting, were in attendance.
Mr. Helps was clerk of the Council.
Prince Arthur, attended by Major Elphinstonedeft the
Castle this morning for Greenwich Park.
er The Count and Countess of Flanders, attended by the
ltarooes• of Snoy d'Oppuers and Colonel Burnell, arrived
at the Castle tide afternoon on a visit to the Queen.
Prince and Princess Christian, attendee by Lady Susan
Melville and Colonel G. Gordon, met the count and
countess at the railway station in IVindsor, and seem.
panted them to the Castle.
Her Majeatt, aceeeipwroed by Princess Louise, Prince

Beatrice,

Gentlemen in Wetting, reoeired their royal Widmer=
at the entrance and conducted them to their varsinsais.

Lord John Manners arrived at the Castle besteeley,
and had the honour of dining with the Queen and the
royal family.

The Rev. Stopford Brooke had also the honour of keing
invited.

Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. and Mrs. Henry Byng
arrived at Frogmore on Saturday on a visit to the Primes
and Prince's Christian, and left yesterday.
The Earl of Derby, First Lord of the Treasury, gave •
parliamentary dinner at his official residence in Downing-
street last evening.‘ The company included the Duke of
Cambridge, the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Marlboro igh,
the Earl of Ilalmesbury, the Dukes of Richmond, Beak.
fort, Rutland, Montrose. Manchester, Wellington, and
Buckingham ; the Marquises of Waterford, Drogheda, and
Exeter : the Earls of 'Tanker-rill., Bradford, Cardigan,
pas imouth, Hardwick., Denbigh, Stanhope, Vane, Powis,
Lucan, Darnley, Wilton, Lonadale, Beauchamp, Longford,
Brownlow, Amherst, Stradbroke, and Cadogan ; Viscount
Hawarden ; the Lords Clinton, Redesdale, Colville, Bate-
man, Ravensworth, Fevenham, Hylton, and Strathnalrn.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave a parliamentary
dinner at the Clarendon Hotel last evening. There were
present :—The Right Hon. the Speaker of the House of
Commons, Mr. Dyke (mover of the address), Colonel
Hogg (seconder of the address), the Earl of Mayo, Lord
Henry Lennox, Lord John Mennen, Lord Robert Mon-
tag; Viscount Royston, Lord Claud Hamilton, the Right
Hon. Sir Stafford Nortbcote, the Right Hon. Sir John
Paklngton, the Right Hon. Oathorne Hardy, the Right
Hon. H. T. L. Corm the Right Hon. Colonel Herbert, the
Hon. G. Noel, the Right Hon. Colonel Wile= Patten, the
Hight on.(=Ariderley, the 'Right Hon. J. R.,Mow-
way,. tee Right Hon. tissoMen Cave, Sir John Hay, Sir
Graham Montgomery, the Attorney-General, the Solicitor.
General, Admiral Seymour, Mr. Egerton, Mr. Hunt, Colo-
nel Taylor, Mr. Du Cane, Mr. Henry Whitmore, Mr„
SclaterJlooth, Mr. C. Riven Wilson, and Mr. Montagu
Corry, Private Secretary. The Chancellor of the Exche-
quer was unable to be present, owing to the serious Wis•
position of Mn. DLeaali. In his absence Lord Stanley

iseepat..l.ce were received yesterday as th4Colonial-
office from the Governors ofathe settlements cn the West
Coast of Africa, Natal, and the Ifaaritias.

Her !Royal Highness the Princess Christian
visited the Sabo Bursar on Saturday. _

Earl Russell gave a grand parliamentary dinner
last evening at his residence in Chatham-place, when
among his political friends present were the Marquis of
Ailesbury, the Earl of Clarendon, the Earl Granville, the
Earl of Strafford, the Earl Spencer, the Earl de Grey and
Ripon, Viscount Halifax, Viscount Sydney, Lord Stanley
of Alderley, Lord Taunton, Lord Foley, Lord Dufferin.
Lord Lyveden, and Lord Romilly.