Litchfield enquirer., 1866-12-13
Paraguay.

FaIa&uaYs A \ The plucly and successful fight this lit tie state is making against immensely su- perior forces, excites an interest in her be- half far exceeding that usually felt for the semi-barbarous communities of South America.
 Her territory is just the size of that of Virginia and Maryland united, and her population is short of g million and a. half, chiefly of Indian and mixed descent; yet for over two years, she has held her own against the combined forces of Brazil, the Argentine republic, and Uruguay; govern ments ruling territory more than fifteen times her size and containing more than seven times her population. Paraguay be- came independent of Spain in: 1910, and after few years fell under the despotic power of Dr. Francia one of the revolutions ists, who, in 1877 became dictator for life.
 His policy, modelled after that of the Je-
 suits who had formerly ruled the country,
 was to isolate Paraguay entirely; and all
 foreigners, were forbidden entrance into
 his dominions. Upon his death in 164O
 the absolute power he had exercised fell
 into the hands of Don Carlos Antonia Lop-
 ez, who, though nominally constitution
 al president, reigned with dictatorial pow
 CTS till his death in 1862. He was succeed
 ed in the presidency by his son Fransisco
 Salano Lopez, young man who had been
 carefully educated by his father in Europe.
 Under the Lopez dynasty the restrictions on foreign intercourse have been mitigated
 and education is said to be widely difused
 among the people. The despotic power ex- ercised by the President is of the most ab- solute searching description. The best part of the arabic land, the manufactures,
 the mines, and the bulk of the wealth in
 the state are his individual property. Eve " kind of business is under his control and persons are not even allowed to marry without his consent. In short, more pa- triarchal, paternal, every-way detestable government than that of Paraguay never existed. rn. ..-,@ IT, The present war commenced in 1864 ari- sing from the interference of Brazil in the affairs of Uruguay. Gen. Flores commen- ced revolution against the constitutional government of that country, hich, with Brazilian assistance, was successful Lopez fearing that Brazil intended to obtain con- trol of the mouth of the Parana river, and with it the Commerce of Paraguay, took sides against Flores. The Argentine Re- public (Buenos Ayres on the older maps) joined Brazil and league was formed hay ing for its object the conquest and parti- tion of Paraguay between the three allied powers. The war commenced in Nov, 1864 with offensive movements on the part of Lopez; and it was not until October 1865 that he was driven back into Paraguay an territory.
 Paraguay lies in an easily defensible DO sition between the Parana and Paraguay rivers, which unite at it's southwestern course Just above this junction are the fortifca- tions of Humaita g position. carefully in- trenched by the first Lopez and looked up on as the military key of the country, pos session of which by the Allies would be a substantial termination of the war in their favor. In April last, they effected g cros- sing of the Parana river and commenced operations against 7Curupaity, g fort just be low Humaita. Their army was said to number about 60, 900 men and during the summer many sanguinary engagements have taken place with the Paraguayans in which the Allies have made some slight ad- vance but without gaining any substantial success, even on information derived en- tirely it must be remembered, from Brazil ian sources. On the 24th of May great battle was fought resulting, we were told, in the complete victory of the Allies. Lopez it was stated, had attacked them and been lrepulsed with loss. of 5000 men while their loss had been trifing. t They were not able, however, from some unaccounta- ble reason to advance, and later advices showed that they had suffered heavily in the battle of May 24th. Oar next news was, that Lopez, on the 14th of June, had,
 by means of heavy guns brought down from Humaita been enabled to lombard the Allies in their camp. This forced them
 either to attack the Paraguayan works or withdraw across the river. They adopted the latter course, and on the 18th stormed and carried one line of fortifcations; two days afterwards, attempting further ad- vance they were repulsed losing, altogether,
 about 4OO0 men. The Brazilian fleet, which had been strengthened by the addition of several ironclads, had, it seems, up to this time, taken little active part in the opera tions of the war. On the. 2d ofSeptember,
 however, combined land and naval attack was made on Curazu, Q battery just below Curupaity. After suffering immense loss the Allies succeeded in carrying the battery by storm, the Parsguayans retiring to 2 stronger position. The fleet suffered se- 1e &bosr 1,ocf iron c1ada xvaS