The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-15 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 1870.

TEE world is never absolutely at peace. If there
be no serious war in progress, the natural instinct of
mankind is always shewn in some minor displays of
hostility in different parts of the world : an Indian
raid in Texas, a civil war in .Tapan, a Maori outbreak
in New Zealand, a dispute between the Porte and
some of its subjects; and, if all other resources
are cut off, there is a never-failing supply of
Spaniards ready to get up an insurrection, and an
equally perennial spring of British officers prepared
to employ gunboats in Chinese waters. But a certain
limit is drawn within which fighting fails to attain
the dignity of war; and judging by this indefinite
standard, the close of the contest in South America
may be said to free the world from the only serious
struggle which has lately troubled it. Lopez
has died like the Abyssinian sovereign whom
he so closely resembled, and his exhausted
State, with its wretched remnant of population, is in
the possession of an invading army. We shall not
discuss the right and wrong of the five years' war
between the Republic of Paraguay on the one hand,
and the Empire of Brazil, allied with the Argen-
tine and the Uruguay Republics, on the other.
The evidence seems to point to the conclusion that
Lopez was the aggressor. Unfortunately, however,
the evidence all comes from one side. Paraguay is
a land-locked country, and almost all the intelligence
of the war which has reached Europe has been for-
warded from Rio Janeiro, or Buenos Ayres, both
seaports situated in States hostile to Lopez.
And as the statements from these two sources are by
no means harmonious, it is but fair to refrain from
condemnation of the Paraguayans without more
complete details than we at present possess. As to
the leading events of the war, however, there is
decisive witness. We are in possession not only of
the glowing narratives composed in Brazil, but also
of details from English officers, who served under

Lopez.
Although Paraguay was nominally a Republic,
its real form of Government was almost a pure
despotism. The President sat for life, and
was assisted only by a few State Secretaries,
who were little more than official hacks.
A representative assembly existed, but it was
entirely under the control of the President.
This absolute sovereignty fell to the Lopez family in
the lifetime of the late President's father, who ruled
for some years. Lopez himself was born in 1831.
He early acquired experience in war, and in 1852
was sent as Paraguayan envoy to most of the Euro-
pean courts. He spent some time in travel, and re-
turned to Paraguay in 1854, accompanied by several
engineers and mechanics, by whose assistance, and
with the aid of a sound policy, the prosperity of the
State rapidly increased. In 1862 President Antonio
Lopez died, and his son reigned in his stead. From
that time • Paraguay knew little peace. After
a long dispute, Lopez declared war against
Brazil in August, 1864, in the fol-
lowing spring hostilities commenced, and
they have but just terminated. As we have said,
it is extremely difficult to get at the exact causes
which led to this conflict. The evidence, such as it
is, certainly tells against Lopez. One version is
that he aspired to marry a daughter of
the Brazilian Emperor, and that a negative
answer was the proximate cause of the war. Other
authorities hold that Lopez was actuated by
the pure and simple ambition to extend his own
dominions, and in particular to get command
of the great river Parana. By absorbing the
states around him he might create an Empire more
formidable than that of Brazil, and by the acluisition
of a sea coast increase the wealth of his subjects.
It is certain that at first the war was waned
only between Brazil and Paraguay. At tho
beginning tlia army of Lopez numbered 70;000
men well equipped, and supported by a few small
river steamers. llad the great unwieldly State of
Brazil remained the only antagonist, there is reason
to think that the issue might have been different.
But Lopez seized Corrientes, a town near the junc-
tion of the river Paraguay with the Parana, and be-
longing to the Argentine Republic. It may have been
that the Dictator distrusted the neighbouring Re-
public, or that lie found the possession of Cor-
rientes essential to his scheme of conquest; but
though we know nothing of the provocation which
may have been offered to the Paraguayans, it is
tolerably clear that the act was unjustifiable, and it
is certain that it ultimately proved fatal. The Argen-
tine and Uruguay Republics concluded an alliance
with Brazil on May-day 1865, and what may be
called the war proper commenced.
A desperate struggle it proved. On one side were
the great empire of Brazil, larger than all Europe,
with a population of eleven millions; the Argentine
Republic, nearly ten times the size of Great Britain,
with a population of a million and a half; and Uru-
guay, as large as England and Wales, with a moderate
population. On the other side was solitary Paraguay,
about as large as the British Isles, with a population
certainly never exceeding one million. But Lopez
had the advantage of unity, and his people aided
him with a spirit and determination to which
history affords few parallels. A large army was
formed. The country was drained both of men and
women in order to furnish material to resist the
advance of the three Powers. And for a long time it
seemed as if this heroic devotion would
reap its reward. From May 1865 to
Midsummer 1868 the cause of the Allies looked
doubtful. The Argentine Republic became utterly
disgustted with the contest, and though the chief
burden was borne by Brazil, the question of with-
drawing from the combination was frequently raised.
Fortunately for the Allies, the great Paraguayan for-
tress of Humaita was taken in the summer of 1868,
and from that time the fortune4of war was adverse
to Lopez. The Argentines abandoned the idea of de-
serting the alliance, and operations were pushed on,
though the great weight of the struggle rested with
the Brazilians. Another desperate stand was made
at Angostura ; but this stronghold surrendered on
December 31, 1868. Shortly afterwards the

Brazilian commander entered Asuncion, and the

contest was proclaimed at an end. It was
destined, however, to come to an end several times
more. The Paraguayans took to guerilla warfare
_ _ _