The Sun.
London, England, 1865-11-30 00:00:00

TEE SUN, LoNDON, THURSDAY - EVENING-, NOVEMBER_ 20, 1868.

foreigners more than Chilians, who seem rather
amused at the seizure of ships which, though carry-
ing their flag, belong in nine cases out of ten to the
foreign merchants of the coast. The establishment
of the blockade was followed by an immediate de-
claration of war against Spain. All the acts and the
proposals of the Government to the Congress were
unanimously approved by that body. The leaders
of the different factions, which had been persecuting
each other for the last 50 years, embraced in the
presence of the Chamber of Deputies, and amid the
enthusiastic acclamations of an immense body of
citizens solemnly vowed to bury in oblivion every
recollection of the past. Pareja, knowing that more
than half the revenue of Chili was derived from the
Customs, imagined that by cutting off that revenue
he had her at his mercy. The answer to this was
the immediate abolition of all Customs' dues during
the war, and the imposition of a property tax of 5
per cent. in their stead. _ _

Loans, gifts, paper money, donations of all kinds,
anything and everything is sought for in order to
provide the material for a long and costly war.
Emissaries have been despatched to the sister States
to stir up their hatred of the mother country, and
all classes seem determined to stake everything in
order to save the national honour. Meanwhile,
trade is at a standstill ; nothing is in demand but
warlike stores. The owners of the confiscated ships
are tearing their hair and appealing to their Consuls,
who, though animated by the best intentions, can, I
believe, under the circumstances, do nothing.
Pareja has probably already achieved all the glory
he is ever likely to be crowned with, as it is not pro-
bable there are many more ships to be seized, and
the worn-out men-of-war have been sunk before his
eyes. He will scarcely risk a landing, as he has
but few troops, and should he ever be reinforced
they would find tough customers in their way—fel-
lows fully able, and more than willing, to give a
good account of them. His achievements in that line
will probably be confined to sudden descents on de-
fenceless towns, taking good care that his men do
not advance beyond the range of his broadsides.
His coals and provisions must soon run short,
and where is he to provide himself with these requi-
sites is probably as much a mystery to himself as it
is to everybody else. Chili= cruisers will soon be
doing a thriving business among the Spanish mer-
chantmen, which will scarcely find themselves safe
in their own ports ; and Spain, which is now engaged
in an attempt to revive an influence which would be
that of his Most Serene Majesty the King of Da-
homey, may have cause before long to sorely regret
that she provoked a war with a country that was
willing to be her friend--•a contest from which she
can reap no advantage, and from which she will be
fortunate if she can retire without a still further loss
of prestige and of power.

(From another Correspondeat.)
VALPARAISO, Oct. 18.

The blockade of this port, as that of Coquimbo
and Caldera, continues to be carried out most strin-
gently, and in some cases it is attended with great
hardships. One British ship coming into Caldera,
with half her crew down with scurvy, was ordered
off, and took refuge in the small and miserable port
of Cobija, on the coast of Bolivia, a place where
there is no water except what is distilled from the
sea, and no fresh provisions to be had, the country
for miles around being a complete desert, and where
no rain falls.

The foreigners here have certainly not had occasion
to grumble. The Spanish admiral for soma time
granted every reasonable request made to him, ad-
mitted many vessels in, and gave permits to others
to load copper at the coast ports belonging to fo-
reigners. At the northern ports, Coquimbo and
Caldera, the terms of the blockade were strictly en-
forced, as the commanders of the frigates appear
to have had no discretionary powers. The most
serious ground of complaint was the absurdly short
time allowed for vessels to discharge and load—
viz., ten days. The bay, where usually from 80 to
120 merchant vessels are to be seen at anchor, is
now completely empty, nothing being :left
but some coal hulks and two or three vessels
under repairs and unable to get to sea. At one
corner are the foreign men-of-war, consisting of her
Majesty's ships Mutine and Columbine, the United
States' corvette St. Mary, the French screw frigate
Pallas, and the Italian screw frigate Principe Hum-
berto. ller Majesty's screw frigates Leander and
I Scout are daily expected. _

As yet there are no signs of a bombardment, b

our Charge d'Affaires,-Mr. Thomson, has made
public the reply of Admiral Pareja to an official
communication made on the7th inst. by Mr. Thom-
son, but which he has not published. From this
document we are to understand, however, that in
case the Government of Chili should continue to
refuse the required satisfaction, the Spanish Admiral
may be under the necessity of bombarding the public
property, and mentioning the Alniacenes fiisales, or
Government bonded stores, where a very large
amount of English and other foreign property is

warehoused, and that it would be the interest of the

foreign merchants to take such measures as may
prevent loss to themselves should such a contingency

arise.

Applications have been made by several merchants
to the Chilian Government requesting they may be
allowed to have their goods removed in bond to pri-
vate warehouses. This has been refused. The
Government naturally feels that the large amount
of foreign property in its bonded stores is the only
protection it has against their being levelled to the
ground. In case of bombardment, the only remedy
will be to pay the extravagant ad valorem duty of
25 or 30 per cent. on goods a large amount of which
were destined for other markets as not suiting that
of Chili, Valparaiso being the great depot for the
whole Pacific coast from Mexico down, as without
vessels it is now impossible to ship them away.
Few prizes have been made by the Spaniards, and
it is strange that out of a large mercantile fleet under
the Chili flag so few have fallen into their hands.
Vessels making this port pass close under Curau-
milla Point, some 15 to 20 miles to the south, where
the Chilians have stationed a number of whale-boats
to warn every vessel they can get near ; by this
means many Chili ships have been saved. The
Spaniards are evidently ignorant of the fact, having
taken uo steps to capture the boats.
A great deal of discussion has taken place relative
to the capture of the steamer Matins Consino, men-
tioned in my last letter. She is a fine new screw
boat of 1,000 to 1,200 tons burden, only recently
arrived from England, where she was built by order
and for account of a native house. On her arrival
she was put into the Chili flag, and sent to the
northern posts, but on the appearance of hostilities
breaking out with Spain she was transferred to a
British subject, a clerk in the employ of the owners,
and a sailing letter granted by the English Consul
two or three days previous to the blockade being
put on, and by means of a small vessel, which
ran the blockade from this, these papers and an
English ensign i ere conveyed to her, whereupon the
captain hoisted the English flag and put to sea ;
however, she was fallen in with by the Spanish
frigate Berenguella, and after a chase boarded, and
found to have no clearance, and her other papers
not entirely in order. She was consequently made
a prize, and sent in here. • The consul has made a
demand for her delivery, but without effect, as she
sailed two days ago with a Spanish crew. She had
on board a cargo of 800 to 900 tons of copper ore.
Thomson,
but I cannot vouch for the truth of
the statement, that Admiral Pareja agreed to leave
Ith ehoinsoi, toi be settled
to urChaadrpuediactaSteanitniatghoe,
mtr. is
. question
matter.

There is not the slightest appearance of the Chili
Government giving way,
will be resisted to the last.a nds
othem e S
np
aa
tni
vi seh demgoands
r
as to say that no foreign intervention will coerce
them, and that the country would prefer becoming
a second Paraguay. So far the losses fall on the
foreigners, and the time has -not yet arrived when
the natives will feel the pressure. They are exceed-
ingly jealous of the new favours granted by the
Spanish Admiral to foreigners.
The Government, I consider, are in most matters
acting with great judgment in the laws they have
passed. No time has been lost in establishing postal
communication by land with all the principal towns
both north and south. New telegraphic lines are
to be opened ; new cart roads made. The whole of

the ports in the Republic are thrown open, and
all goods or merchandise introduced after the
blockade are free of all duties and restrictions ; the
same applies to exports. There is a curious law,
however, which prevents this coming into operation
at once. The law is promulgated at Santiago, and
takes effect at the different points, according to the
distance from Santiago ; it travels at the rate of four
leagues per diem, so that although the 9th inst. was
the day upon which the decree was signed it only
takes effect here on and after the 19th inst., and at
some of the northern ports it will be the end of next
month before it takes effect.

All idea of resistance by sea appears to be given
up. Troops, however, are being organised in case
the Dons should attempt a landing. The fort on the
the hill at the entrance of the harbour has been dis-
mantled, as the Spanish Admiral expressed his in-
tention of doing so if the guns were not removed.
The tone of the native population is much more sub-
dued than it was at the commencement.

The large number of miners who will be compelled
to abandon the copper mines throughout the whole
northern district will be a very serious embarrass-
ment for the Government. Already riots are said to
have taken place in some of the districts to the north
of Capiapo ; if this occurs now what will be the state
of things when these lawless people find themselves
without food or the means of obtaining it.
Business is at a complete standstill. Gold has
quite disappeared from circulation.
Her Majesty's ship Scout, from England, anchored
in the bay at 2 p.m. The mails close at 3 o'clock.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

WATERFORD AND KILKENNY.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was
held yesterday at the London Tavern ; Mr. Dela-
hunty in the chair.
The report stated that the traffic receipts for the
half year ending the 29th of September last
amounted to £12,095, leaving a balance of £6,000,
which was £540 more than for the corresponding
period of 1864. To the balance of £6,000 was
added £39, the balance from the previous half-year,
making £6,039. From this was deducted £3,618,
the interest on loan capital, leaving to credit of re-
venue for dividend £2,421. The directors recom-
mended that a dividend at the rate of 2 per cent.
per annum be paid on the preference stock of the
company for the half year, leaving a balance of
£452. The opening of the part of the Kilkenny
Junction Railway between Kilkenny and Abbey-
leix (a distance of 19 miles) had increased the gross
traffic for the half-year to the extent of £1,381 over
the corresponding period, and for the six weeks
since the 29th of September the increase had been
£5ll, and when the further distance of nine miles
was completed to Maryborough, where the Junction
Railway would meet the main line of the Great
Southern and Western Railway, a considerable ac-
cession
,of traffic would take place. The capital
account showed a total expenditure of £595,885.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving-the adoption of the
report, congratulated the shareholders on the im-
proved position and prospects of the company. In
_ _

following out the views of the shareholders ex-
pressed at the last meeting the directors found that
to enter into working arrangements with the
Great Southern and Western would have been
prejudicial to the interests of the company, and
they, therefore, refused to enter into any agree-
ment. No doubt, when the Kilkenny Junction line
was further opened to Maryborough there would be
a great accession of traffic on their line, and
the increase of traffic would be still more when they
could extend the new line from Maryborough to
Mullingar, as proposed in the circular which had
been sent to the shareholders.

Mr. THORNTON said he thought that the report

ought to have been fuller and more explicit.

The CHAIRMAN said they did not think it prudent
to state all they had in contemplation, but he inti-
mated that they would probably be able to enter
into advantageous arrangements with the Great
Western.

Mr. ADAMS thought the Board had endeavoured
to do the best they could, and agreed that it was to
the interest of the company to work in connection
with the Great Western of England Company.
Mr. CIIAMPNEY was glad the Board had taken
an independent stand, and thought the line was now
in a more promising state than it had ever been.
The CHAIRMAN said the directors would be glad
to consult with Mr. Adams, Mr. Thornton, Mr.
Freeeman, and other shareholders as to what should
be done.

The report vas then adopted ; and a dividend at
the rate of 2 per cent. per annum was declared on
the preference stock, payable on the 18th of
December.

In reply to a question it was stated that the
directors had obtained a concession from the Loan
Commissioners extending the time for the repay-
ment of the loan from six years to 16 years, and
reducing the annual payment from £lO,OOO to
£7,000. The proceedings concluded with a, vote of
thanks to the chairman and directors.

that the Government would meet the question in A
just and equitable spirit, as, in the case of Pondi-
cherry, the French Government had done in their
negotiations with the board, which were yet under
consideration, and which would be submitted to the
shareholders in due course, when the whole ques-
tion of the future extension of the company's opera-
tions in India would come before them.

Mr. G. NORTON, a director, in seconding the
motion, said he had great confidence in the under-
taking, and that the proprietors would be satisfied
with all the directors had done. It was an extra-
ordinary circumstance that the traffic for the first
three months of their experience had shown a net
return at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum on the
outlay. The directors had fulfilled their promise in
a cautious and prudent way, relying on experience
at every step with a view to a satisfactory result.

The French Government at once saw the advantage
of the company's system of railways, and readily
offered terms to undertake those works for them.
Mr. G. SMITH and Mr. Alderman ROSE expressed
their great satisfaction at the admirable manner in
which the .affairs of the company had been con-
ducted.

The report was unanimously adopted, and the re-
tiring directors, Sir M. Stephenson, Mr. Norton,
and Mr. Leith, were unanimously re-elected. The
retiring auditors, Mr. Franklin, and Mr. Smith,
were re-elected, with an allowance of ten guineas
each for their services during the past year.
- . .

On the motion of Captain CUNDY, seconded by
Mr. PRATT, it was unanimously resolved that the
directors be paid the usual remuneration for their
services since the establishment of the company, and
that they be requested to accept it in paid up shares
out of those remaining unallotted.
The meeting was
_then made special, and the
directors were authorised to arrange with the Right
Hon. the Secretary of State for India in Council for
the extension of the line from Conjeveram to Pon-
dicherry upon such terms as the Board might ap-
prove, subject to confirmation by the shareholders
at a meeting to be convened for the purpose.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks
to the chairman and directors.

SOUTH EASTERN, AND LONDON, CHATHAM,

AND DOVER.

These companies have given joint notices of their
intention to apply in the next session of parliament
for power to make a railway from the Mid Kent line
at Bromley to Farnborough and West Wickham ;
and also for power to make a railway from the South
Eastern and London, Chatham, and Dover Rail-
ways at Beckenham to East Grinstead, Lewes, and
Brighton, with branches ; iu fact, another line from
London to Brighton. They propose to raise jointly
separate capitals for those purposes, and to appoint
joint boards to carry them out.