The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-04-27

ling of KEY.
There is old proverb which admonishes US
that it is the extreme of impoliteness to look gift
horse in the mouth, and had we known, previously
to making comments upon Mr.. Commissioner
BowLINs treaty with Paraguay, the causes which
induced him to take whatever he could get and
to be than ordinarily thankful for the favors
conferred we should certainly have joined with
him in acknowledging that he had achieved ''an
Immense diplomatic success 1t will be long
time, we apprehend before another Expedition to
Paraguay is fitted out. Indeed, it would scarcely
comport with our national dignity to send out just
such another Expedition. Our famous Armed
Embassy, it now appears, was failure and a
humbug from the outset, and we have good rea-
sons for being thankful to Messrs. LOPEZ, BowLIN,
and URoUIzA, for adjusting matters without
resort to the ultima ratio regum How and
why the Expedition was failure, even before any
thing was attempted, our readers may learn from
perusal of the following extracts from a private
letter, from officer on board one of the vessels
of the squadron. Referring first of all, to the
difficulty in reaching Paraguay he remarks:
1t is distant thousand miles from Monevdeo, by the
river and is six hundred miles from Rio Grande, which
is the nearest seaport From Rio Grande Paraguay is
wild, desoate country like Western plains, only
That 1t is nterpersed with mountains The river
row, crooked deep and swift. Near the mouth the
Paraguay river which divides the Dictatorae of Para
quay from the States of the Argentine Confederation
there Notifications and batteries which stretch along
the banks for nearly mile and half. The channel of
she runs close by them within pistol shot of the
shore The hills and banks covered with Jungle and
Tor miles and miles there is deep and impenetrable
swamp This swamp is, in places, from thirty to forty
miles wide, and is interspersed with ponds lakes.
Other forts and batteries have been in command
ing and rakng positions higher up river sup
port of these deences there thiryve thousand
under arms"
Describing the offensive force" of the squadron,
he says:
Now for offensive force. We are actually en-
numbered with great eleven inch and nine inch guns.
Our three briggs the Perry Dolphin and Bdinbrdge have
each nine inch board beside their broadside guns
but not one of them fire ahead, and they
obliged to approach the forts bows The steamers
Wafer Witch and Fulton little better off, for they
can fire on the bow. The Harriet Lane is pretty little
steamer and is the second best have She is
as serviceable against these batteries as the
or the would be.n
of the transformed coasting steamers he thus
writes:
The Southern Star reached in leaky condition.
She is the ugest thing ever She made the pas
sage to Monte Video in about eighty days and am told
She is the best in the lot God help the rest"
The armament of the fleet is further described as
follows
1.-THE Supply store ship brought one eleven inch gun
Tor the Fon but left the carriage behind The SOldher.
Star brought the carriage it is true but the Fulton
then up the river. The materials land battery
were put board the store ship, but spade pick
any kind of ntrenching tool The Fulton has bay
onets but scabbards. She has boat guns but ammu
milton, but LITTLE and although she principal
vessel she has neither grape canister while in the
event of hostites, will be exposed all along the
river to murderous fire of musketry rifles, and
decks easily be cleared by sharpshootes behind
rocks trees or bushes without chance routing them
except by landing"
Now, let us see what force we can bring against
the thirty-fve thousand men under LOPEZ
"we have, all told about three thousand sailors; but
they cannot be drilled and disciplined soldiers until
after we get foothold in the enemys territory OF this
number also, it is impossible to land than twelve
hundred for some must be left in the ships. have
rous doubts whether can land that number, for
want of small arms-1 mean muskets rifles"
But suppose the sailors furnished with muskets
and dsembarked, who is there that is competent
to instruct them in their novel duties?
"Neither myself any other naval officer with whom
!! am acquainted, know anything of military tactics
beyond the mere manual and squad drill Thus, you
see our situaton-and the folly of sending sailors-a
sogeringm
This however, is not the only trouble.
We have thirty eight boat guns, which improperly
called eldpieces but they have limbers caisson,
and We have not the means of Transporting ammuui
oh by and even we were allowed to do SO in the most
peaceable manner for there ammunition wagons
there are not even knapsacks for the men,
Well may the writer add, after making these
statements
"we are in very ridiculous fix, and presume that
long before receive this shall way home
or the squadron will be knocked to pieces.''
Happily the second contingency referred to- has
not happened. Mr.. Commissioner BowLIN Justly
thought that, under the circumstances, prudence
was 'the better part of vaor," and therefore took
especial pains to let it be publicly known that not
outstanding he was accompanied by an imposing
naval squadron, his mission was an eminenty
peaceful one, Well might he so declare knowing
as he must have known, how grossly negligent the
Department had been, in respect to furnishing the
Armada with the means for carrying on often
sive operations. Fortunately for US also, it so
Glanced to happen that it was to the interest of
URQuIzA to prevent LOPEZ from taking up the gage
of battle. The presence of our squadron in the
waters of the Plata, interfered with certain plans
which URoUIzA was at that time maturing-for
forcing Buenos Ayres 10 re-occupy her former posi-
ton as member of the Argentine Confederation.
For this purpose Paraguay had promised to assist
him, and Monte-Video had also agreed TO furnish
him with re-inforcements to the number of fifteen
hundred men. To bring about speedy adj
justment of our quarrel with Paraguay, was
therefore with him matter of primary i'm
portance so far as his Interior views upon
Buenos Ayres were concerned, and the
tender of his good Offices was gratefully
''met'' by our Envoy, who was disposed to be-
lieve, with MACBETH, that if any thing
could be done, "'t were well 'twere done
quickly" and to accept of any terms short
of what might be regarded as absolutely dis
honorable. Thus it was that by fortu-
nate concurrence of circumstances, the Paraguay
Expedition resulted far more favorably than either
the officers who were sent on that service, or the
Commissioner, who was the bearer of the Olive
Branch, had reason to anticipate. But that the
honor of the nation was not seriously furnished by
an inglorious contest with petty South American
State or that the lives of gallant seamen were
not wantonly sacrificed, was certainly no fault of
the Administration, if the statements we have
quoted, with reference to the reckless and shtless
manner in which the Expedition was fitted out, be
true as we have every reason to believe they
are.