The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-02-18 00:00:00

AFFAIRS OF THE RIVER PLATE

(From the Times of yesterday.)
The great natural advantages of the River Plate and its
widely-extended tributaries have attracted to the ports
and cities near its mouth European traders, who require
nothing but peace, security, and freedom to make the
commerce of those regions a source of wealth to them-
selves, and of advantage to their native, as well as their
adopted, countries. Our own exports to the provinces
on the River Plate have reached an amount of nearly one
million sterling per annum, or about half the value of our
trade with Brazil ; but the disastrous excesses of the war
are stated by competent authorities to have caused a loss
to British trade amounting to four times that sum.
We insert in another place an able and impartial cam-
munication from a correspondent, which shows the real
state of the ease, and points out, in a striking manner,
the political influence which has already been exercised
by a British minister since the outbreak of hostilities.
As far as any assurance or advice given by Mr. Mande-
ville could pledge the British Government to a course of
action with reference to the civil war which has been
raging since 1842 between Buenos Ayres and Monte
Video, we are, is fact, already bound to prevent the
Monte Videans from undergoing The horrible conse-
quences which Would undoubtedly follow the termination
of the siege hv the capture of their city and the triumph
of Oribe. 'The operations of Oribe's army are entirely
supported by the supplies he receives throughthe port of
Buceo, which is in the power of the Argentine squadron.
The mere blockade of that port would rendeethe position
of the invading force untenable; and it would then be
easy for the mediating Powers•to impose etpsitable terms
on the belligerents, and re-open the markets on both
sides Of the river to the commerce Of the world. Mere
exposttillition will have littit effect on such a man as
Roses, and still less on the ferocious soldiery of his
Generals; but as soon as he perceive,: that his army on
the lkft bank of the river-is under the 'control of the
European Powers, and thet'Europe is resolved that the
independence of the Banda Oriental shall be respected,
he will probably yield without resistance to the necessity
of the case.

'his understood that the present polition and cireum-
Les in which the Monte Videari Government is placed,
have been powerfully urged upon - the attention of the
French as well as of the English ministers by General
O'Brien, an officer whose long acquaintance with the
South American States, and usefal services in the cause
of their independence-entitle his opinion to considerable
'wtight. We trust that the recent interviews of General
O'Brien with M. Gtiiztrt, and with -King Louis Philippe.
'himself, will not prove unfruitful; 'and that the procrasti-
nation which appears'to have preversted Mr. Gore Ouseley
from proceeding on his importantkinission, will not` be
'prolonged to such' en extent a to defeat the principal
object of it. It is undoubtedly most desirable that France
-and England should concur in the line of policy toqx
'adopted, and especially that their naval agents on the
South American station should fully understand that the
powers are sincerely anxious to,arrive at the same con-
clusion—the reFtnration of peace,and the independence
of Monte Video. 'But this is not merely an enterprise of
co-operation got,up for the purpose of exhibiting--the
effects of the entente cordiale ; itis-t state of things which
imperatively demands a firm 'intervention from Europe;
and, if necessaryi-the Brazilian Government, whoselerri-
torial interests are more immediately affected by thewar,
ought at once to-receive an unqualified assurance tif the
determination of England to do --what is necessary :and
just, if, indeed, -some such assuranw has not been:already

Meanwhile Monte Video is besieged; the traffic ,Of the
River Plate 46 -stopped ; the- communications-lip the
country by several of the tributary streams are interfered
with ; the territory of the Banda Oriental, depoptilated
by the continuance of hostilities,i.ig in the possession--of a
ruthless army ; and if the last accounts should prove to
be correct, and the city surrender from the inability of
the Monte. Videarts to carry on -the contest, there is.every
probability that the war would be still further extended
by an incursion-of the Argentine troops into the Brazilian
province of Rio,Grande. Predatory bands, accuctorned
to the license of war, without the discipline of -civilised
armies, must be,cmployed on distant expeditions, -or they
become the scourge of the people and the terror of the
,-government at herne ; and the .policy of Rosas in wagrg
this calamitous,war has at least relieved himself from stt-
convenient rivals and dangeroussuhjects. But some of,the
-most important iEterests of the world require thatanend
-should be put to a series of evils arising out of this sangui-
nary, however sagacious, policy; and if Roses possesses the
acuteness and:devotion to the interests of his countryfor
which he has sometimes obtained credit, he will-vise-his
, power for a wiser pr,it pose than that of butchering •his op-
,ponents and destroying his neighbours. In this country
the attention of.the public, and especially of the greatma-
nufacturing and artercantile communities of Liverpool,
,Manchester, and Glasgow is justly excited on the subject;
and the number orcommunications we have ourselves re-
ceived since we first adverted to it, suffices to indicate ‘She
importance which -is attached to the decision of the Go-
vernment. It is-universally felt that-everything depends
on. promptitude,and resolution. A few months, or even
weeks, may bring us tidings from Monte Video of calami-
ties which it will be impossible to retrieve, and of out-
rages for which no redress can ever be.-obtained ; but in
a ILprobability there is still time to save the independence
of a country which we have recognized,and in a manner
created. There is --still an opportunity for restoring
peace to the great free markets of central-South America;
but if such an opportunity be lost, it will be a disgrace to
our diplomatic character, and a loss of isx.slculable extent
to our.. national interests