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

and mining interests. So that now, when Spain
comes to revenge the many humiliations which in
former times she suffered at her hauds, she finds her

with scarce a ship or a gun to resist her ; her forts
tumbled into ruins, her navy gone to pieces, and
nothing but the stout heart and indomitable will
which once before, and it is to be hoped will again,

carry her triumphant through the contest.
Her political and commercial relations with the
mother country have been long confined within the
narrowest limits. While her shores were sought by

the ships of all other nations ; while in her ports the
English, Frenclytmerican, German, and other flags
were never absent, the Spanish were rarely to be
met with ; and while the merchants of other nations
formed wealthy establishments all along the coast,
the Spaniards, except a few in Valparaiso, were
rarely to be met with, except as the keepers of the
lowest class of retail shops—honest and industrious,
it is true, but brutal and repulsive in their manners,
and never caring to hide their hatred towards the
little republic which, on the bloody fields of Chaca-
buco and Maipu, has chastised the arrogance of the
Lion of Castile. Nevertheless, owing to their in-
ferior social position, this class of persons could

exercise but little influence on the great mass of the

nation. The memory of the ferocious struggle was
beginning to pass away. • The Chilian, wealthy and
prosperous, recollected he had an affinity to the
former lords of his country, looked out anxiously
for the sangre azul that might still course through
his veins, and when he could find any felt himself a
prouder if not a better man. I have no hesitation

in saying that up to two years ago, notwithstanding
all the gasconade of " Independence Day," the
Chilian looked with pride and exultation on his
relationship to his old masters. Somewhere about

that time the Government of Isabella bethought
it of sending a " Scientific Commission" to
the Pacific. Some incredulous persons shook
their heads at this, more particularly when it
was known that the " Scientific Commission"

was to be escorted by two powerful fri-
gates and several heavily armed gunboats.
The Government, I believe, shared in these
fears, as there was an attempt made to get some
money to strengthen the marine ; but the alarmsoon

passed away, and when the squadron cast anchor in
Valparaiso Bay it was received with the warmest

demonstrations of friendship. Balls, dinners,
serenades, &c., were the order of the day, and the
good citizens of Valparaiso went almost wild with
joy. Soon Admiral Pinzon, with his officers and the
" Scientific Commission," made their appearance in

Santiago, where their reception was also most flat-
tering. The President entertained them at an official

banquet, the flags of the two nations floated over
the heads of the happy guests, and everything pro-
mised a lasting friendship. The officers frequented
and found themselves the lions of all assemblies, and
" all went merry as a marriage bell." But a change
soon came ; the Santiaguino, cultivated and mali-
cious, soon got disgusted at the free and easy fore-
castle manners of many of his guests; the "Scientific
Commission" was quickly found out to be an arrant
juggle ; the Admiral himself had evidently never
been a very diligent student of " the proprieties,"
and the late " lions" suddenly found that their
absence was far more sought for than their com-
pany. They returned to Valparaiso, sulky and
discontented, got into rows, and some personal
encounters took place ; finally, the squadron took
its departure without beat of drum, and leaving
much soreness of feeling behind. Some months
afterwards the nation was suddenly startled from its
propriety by hearing that the " Scientific Commis-
sion" had, on some pretext invented for the occasion,
treacherously seized the Peruvian islands of the
Chinchas, and that, probably for a more scientific
analysis of their contents, it intended to keep them.
As the Chilians, more than any others, had been
instrumental in the establishment of an inde-

pendent republic in Peru, this outrage was fel

as a national insult. The excitement was tremen
dons, but it is false to state, as the Spanish journals
have reported, that the Spaniards have been ill-
treated or their properties injured; so far from that,
they have up to the present, even since the
commencement of the war, been so little molested
that they keep Pareja well posted in every matter
that he takes interest in. To return—a meeting was
called in the theatre to protest against the seizure.
Unfortunately the Spanish Minister lived close by,
and as a party of processionists passed by the house,
from the staff of which floated the Spanish flag,
some of the mob shouted out, "Down with the flag!"
The more sensible of the party, however, formed
themselves into a circle round the obnoxious emblem
and prevented any mischief being done. The crowd
passed on, and nobody thought more about the
1 affair till it was known that the Minister Tavira had
demanded satisfaction, which was refused on the
ground of no offence having been offered. The
difficulties in Peru continued : the Congress of that
country had authorised the Executive to declare
war ; Chili proclaimed coal contraband of war ;
scurrilous publications made their appearance, re-
clamation followed reclamation, and everything
foreboded an open rupture, when the better sense
fof Narvaez, who had succeeded O'Donnell, put a
stop to all by patching up the difference with Peru,
which showed herself ready to submit to any amount
of humiliation, iu order to get back her guano islands,
and authorising Tavira to settle the affair with Chili.
But a new turn takes place in the ever-changing
kaleidoscope of Spanish politics ; O'Donnell comes
again on the scene, with no object, it would appear,
but to undo whatever his rival had done. The ar-
rangements of Tavira are disapproved, he himself
recalled in the most insulting manner, and the new
Admiral, Pareja, sent down from Peru to try what
virtue there is in great guns. Pareja has an injury
of his own to revenge. Of a Peruvian Royalist
family himself, his father had been killed in a san-
guinary battle in Chili, and his bones rest in the
desolate graveyard of Chillan. Forty-six years have,
it appears, not lessened the son's desire to have
vengeance for this, and he now comes to exact it if
lie can. From the first he opposed every arrangement
if not made at the cannon's mouth, and his repre-
sentations, backed by the violent protests of the
Spanish residents, have been listened to by the
O'Donnell Cabinet, which has given him full au-
thority to carry out his own views. Accordingly,
on the 17th of September, the first day of the cele-
bration of the National Independence, and, of course,
chosen for that reason, he entered Valparaiso in the
powerful frigate Villa di Madrid, with topmasts
struck, hammocks stowed, and everything prepared
as if for a bloody combat, and cast anchor along-
side the Esmeralda, a beautiful little corvette of the
old class, the only war ship the Chilians possess ;
built on the Thames some years ago, and mounted
with some 20 light guns, but which half a broadside
from her formidable neighbour would blow out of the
water. lie immediately forwarded an ultimatum to
Santiago,
couched in the most insulting language,
informed the Government of the disapprobation of
Tavira's conduct, demanding
a salute of 21 guns
before negotiations should
be entered on, and giving
four days to think the matter over. Even had the
Government been inclined to make concessions
the style in which they were demanded precluded
the grant of any. Orders were instantly despatched
by telegraph, and that night at 12 o'clock the Esme-
ralda, which was to have been the first victim to
Spanish prowess, suddenly lighted her fires, hoisted
her anchor, and, before Pareja could take any men.
sures to stop her, wheeled in her berth, and with her
band making the night air ring with the martial
strains of the National Hymn, she plunged off into
darkness. Since then she has not been heard of.
As she takes many more than her regular comple-
ment of officers, it is supposed that she has gone to
play the Alabama in the Atlantic, and that she
carries orders for the commissioning of others. The
Government refused Pareja's demands in the most
peremptory manner, and with the highest disgust
bid him do his worst, and appealed to " God and
the nations" for its justification. The diplomatic
body unanimously tried to induce the testy Admi-
ral to listen to reason, and, finding he would not,
protested against his conduct. Threats having
failed, force was immediately resorted to, and Val-
paraiso and the whole cost of Chili was declared in
a state of blockade. Whether
foreign Powers will
recognise this blockade remains to be seen. The
idea of blockading 500 leagues of coast, wi •
th
in-
numerable islands, byI means of five or six frigates
and gunboats, is simply absurd, and, besides, harms