Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-02-03
Warlike Preparations in Paraguay.

Some time since the Administrator SEM
fleet of ships-of-war, steamers, etc, to look after
one insulting Lopez in the Southern Hemis-
phere, but with what success we have yet to
hear Beyoud question, next to the Kansas
and Utah forays, it was the most needless and
foolish enterprises OF the Administration, and
the upshot will be handsome addition to our
fast doubling up national debt even should there
be no sacrifice of lives attending it. And for
what
A Buenos Ayres letter to the Tribune gives
an interesting account of the waTlike Prepara-
ton made in Paraguay for the reception of Mr..
B1chanan's famous expedition, and it is quite
evident that Lopez will insist on the warlike
alternative in negotiation. Dec. 10th, part
of the United States feet had arrived in the
The Commissioner, Judge BOwlin. was to leave
the fleet at Buenos Ayres and proceed to As
sumption, in the hope of making by diplomatic
skill an appeal to arms unnecessary. The wri-
Ter says, however there is no probability that
any American will be allowed to come in sight
of any fortifcation, or to pass up any Para
guayan river. The Commissioner viii be de-
tanned where he cannot be spy, until Lopez
sees fit to allow the negotiation to be opened. OF
the fortifcations, army, mode of warfare, etc,
of the Paraguayans, the letter gives the fellow
ing very readable description
The first defenses upon the river are known
L. T,J, nf Ir1noaifo Tba~y
sist of line of uncovered guns extending along
the shore for about mile and half, at a
point where the river is very narrow, and the
channel not much wider than canal. The
ships to pass must go within pistol shot of the
cannon's mouth. About the middle of this
| line of breastworks is covered battery mount
ing I3 guns, but the arched cover and the walls
are all of brick, and the embrasures, by a
Swiss engineer, are so constructed as to have
the weaker side out-the wall being on the
outside bevelved toward the orifice-
| The fort can only be taken, it is allowed
here, by vessels lying out of the reach of their
\ cannon, and under cover of the river bend and
an intervening forest, and throw shells.
From this point to ASSUMPTION there is per-
haps the most perfect telegraph, by post-horses.
in the world. Upon the arrival of any vessel
bound upward, the Inspector at Humaita makes
out the particulars with great minuteness,
giving full particulars concerning any strangers
on board, and the messenger starts. There are
stations one league apart for the whole route,
100 leagues, at which horses are always des-
patched without the delay of half minute at
any point
Such rapidity as this marks any improvement
that the Autocrat deems important. Once,
when an invasion was threatened, Lopez gath
cred 35, GOO men at one point, upon few
hours notice; and, after training of two weeks
they exhibited knowledge ofmllitary maGeu-
vres, perhaps not found elsewhere south of the
equator.
The males, from IA years upward, are by law
soldiers, and are liable to be called out upon
an hours notice. Clothing is not an article
of expense, as shoes, pantaloons, hats, vests,
shirts, &c, are not indispensable to Paraguay
an soldier. At present, the abundance of pro-
vision always found in Summer is in their favor.
They are awkward as artillery, or as infantry,
but as cavalry they would puzzle a military
scholar. What seems the greatest confusion is
their cavalry order They use lanees for both
throwing and thrusting hand to hand; bolus, or
balls on cords, which they can throw great
distance, and with which they tie a mans arms
70 his body, OF tie his horses legs together /;
lassoes, with which they can throw down hor-
SSS, On tliClI llAClb VI AOeNASh NuS
neck.
As you would suppose from their habits, the
i Paraguayans are in habits of war allied to the
native Indians That is the fact. For 100
years after the settlement of that country in
1885, there was hardly one European woman in
the country. The GuGrina Indian stock re-
ceved the Spanish gratis, until the traits of each
line appear one here and the other there,
Their instructors, IN all arts, are foreigners.
Foreigners are their sappers and miners, eDgin-
eers, artisans of every kind they are their sur
geons, and, for a long time were their officers
in the army. Such instructors and lsborers are
well paid, and are said now to be exempt from
military service in time of war, except as in
structors.
The jealousy of the Government allows ofno
sketches of Notifications to be made; nor
maps of the river nor soundings. though these
are sometimes made for the Government--so
that, if you see such charts from the seat of
war, they must be stolen, at great risks from
the country, or else they are sketches from mem
ory by some traveller.
There is issued in Buenos Ayres, among the
enemies of the Paraguayan Government, a
weekly paper, called Ell Grho Paraguavo,
whose object is to accumulate the force within
and without Paraguay that will overtum Lo-
pez' Government.