Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-11-18

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The Hsvai rs.p rEs.psSS,:Ys.s., =, ,.:.! :: Paraguay
A correspondent Of the New York Jour.
nal Of Commerce, who appears to undsr-
stand the subject thus details the dificul.
ties TO b encountered BY tho United States
forces in carrying out the views Of our
government By the intended expedition TO
Paraguay:
Much has besn written lately in regard
TO naval expedition. which is shortly to
leave our shores for the purpose Of enfor-
cling the just demands Of the United States
against the Republic Of Paraguay.
One would suppose from the articles
published In the newspapers, that this Par.
aguay expedition was to be . sort Of .
holiday excursion, and that oil the Mus
quito feet had to do was to steam up the
river to the capital Of Paraguay, and batter
down fort OF two. Now, il is - we'll TO
stats what this expedition will really have
to encounter, 10 case Lopes refuses 70 -.
csde to the demands which will Be made
by the United States through Judge Bow
lin. So far from President Lopez having
the most remote idea of aecsding to these
demands, it is thought, BY those Who ought
to know, that Judge Bowlin will not be
allowed to enter Paraguay territory, but
will be received at the extreme southern
limits Of the republic, and sent back from
whence he came. ..'..
There is little probability that Lopez will
permit steamer to ascend the river, and
thereby give those on board IN opportuni.
ty to view his means Of defeace and even
should he be ever so willing, it Is not like.
y that be will remove the distractions
which will be placed in the river before
Judge BIS arrival. The river will be ex.
tensively doomed and chained. Extensive
earth works are being constituted, it is we'll
known, along both banks of the river, and
before reaching Assumption the feet (sup-
posing them able to remove the obstruc-
,ions in the river and disma.tle the earth
work batteries) will have to silence fort
or redoubt mounting forty heavy gums
In approaching this redoubt, the feet of
steamers win receive raking FIRE for the
distance Of half . mile. This redoubt is
placed on On elevation about 60 feet above
the level Of the river. Suppose, then, the
possibility Of passing the above redoubt,
the Musquito feet has nothing more to do
but to reduce fort . short distance south
of Assumption, that mounts sixty-four
guns, 42.pounders. This fort 10 also Oh
an elevated ground, being one hundred
feet above the level Of the river. Opposite
this fort there are two channels, one along
either embankment, there being . shoal
in the middle Of the river and the Amer.
lean vessels being in the channel on the
opposite side from the fort, will not be
able, through the narrowness of the river,
to bring their guns to bear, ~ too great
an elevation will be required.
To remove the above defences, the Uni.
ted States send few steamers which are
to tow RATS up the river, on which RATS
guns Of heavy ca'ibre are to be placed,
and the men who work the guns will be
exposed to the swarms OF rifenen who
swarm the river. Paraguay can easily
raise $4,000 men, who are far superior to
Mexican troops. The American expedi.
ton can land l 200 men, out Of which bu,
800 men are disciplined soldiers, and these
are the marines. To reduce the redoubts
and forts alluded to, it will be necessary
to carry them BY land, and to do so, large
infantry and artillery force will be neces>
sary. At last 1000 men will be required
with proper siege train. The expert
mesa Of the mounted Paraguayans with
the lasso is we'll known. and ~ cavalry
they are very formidable. In case the
expedition fails, as it is almost sure to do,
unless properly reinforced, it cannot be
said that proper care was not taken in the
organization Of the force, a. We have oil
read great deal about the care With which
the expedition WAS being organized. par.
ticularly in the selection Of officers. and il
will be great pity to have the expedition
foil for want Of infantry soldiers. This
cannot be . naval battle, but . struggle
on land, 600 miles from the ocean.