The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-12-04
n British officer on our Paraguay
Grievnn0oh,


A British 0licer just arrived 81 Englund
from Paraguay has communicated o. tho
London DAILY News siateuent respecting
our complaints against Tint power, which has
e1cIlsd great attention, II Is impossible 20
say how correct he may bp 10 biz account nf
our grievances but IL may Doc well worth while
a. hear a brief word nu The other side. We
therefore copy his statement Of the Water
Witch affair, remarking here that We trust
that Judge boWllu viii commence lis mission
IN Paraguay hy insulting the most thorough
examination into the iacts Of our complaints
aud sending home thr result
"gome three years ago. the Water Witch
vas in tho vicinity Of the batteries Of liupira
and che lortll rl camp, position which hls
the paraua boo lts front aud thr territory of
Corriontes opposite Ou the Paraguay side
and close a. the batteries, il o small island in
thr possession and occupation Of the Para
guayan government ana between tho batter
ies and The camp h o narrow Chauue, the
navigation Of which IL strictly prohibited,
and 10 quite unnecessary 10 commerce Cupt
Page, commanding tho Water witch being
absent 0B some Important surveying business
the officer left in his place got up steam aud
attempted 20 pass The channel, IL persisted
iu sleaming uu even after being Informed hy
tht C0mmauduut that bis orders were im-
fHaguaynn government from passing, This
mast have been well known ~ the iuirudcrs
and should have been respected lH an especial
degree by the official citizen OF % power NO
creditabiy punctlious on the assertion Of its
own maritime laws a. the American Union
proyerbinlly 10,
The commandments TemonHtranoes being
disrcgardod, q few blank cartridges were ilr-
ed aud then, na the Water Witch still
s.aIs II. ~. a.
but Sids ct the vessel The Americans re-
piled with round and grape the batteries re-
turned the yoley, striking the hull Of the
steamer, aud killing the man 80 the wheel,
The Water witch not being q vessel Of wac
and consequently not qualified 90 contest the
point further, then steamed down the TiVtri
but no cNultltion Was manifested hy the
Paraguayans, 40 hho Was there for scientific
not belllcOso purposcs. That the govern
ment VI Paraguay, 10 coWmon with every
other, has a right To regulate the navigation
Of ia rivers as It may deem necessary for the
security OF the state, no one will deny These
laws have long been Ia operation, and were
not improNhcd lur q special occasion. They
were notorious throughout the La Plata, and
not more stringent than others IN that region
or than in certain important rivers and seas
iu Europe, I'LL the other day, IL IL contend
81 that the ISLAND belongs a. much 20 Conf
enirn as 90 Paraguay, IhiR IL not the fact
It has long been Ia possession aud ocoupa-
ton Of the latter Ii Cou,cntcs had any val
I'd claim, Orquzs, chief OF the Argentine
Confederation would have set about pnlurc
Ing IL, and Brazil would have assisted while
there existed her differences with Paraguay.
These are now happily disposed Of SO, 1
trust, the present embodiment viii hc, IA
soon a. examined la that dispnsnonate split
which President buchanan must desire
should animate every transaction hc is mcn-
titled with