Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-05-10
SOUTH AMERICAN WAR NEWS
BOmbardnento OF Valparaiso.


Interesting Official Dispatch from Conn
modorc Rodgers-He Offers to sink tho
Spanish Irop-clsd inside OF thirty min
! utes-COwardly Conduct of the English
Admtral-The action OF the Amc ric an
Consul Loudly ApPlauded.
! WASHINGTON, May 2-The following dispatches
relltive 10 the bombardment of Valparaiso, have
been received at the Navy Department:
! UNITED STATES 'STEAM.HIP VsNpEkB
/ VALPARAISO, March 81, 1856.
I SiR: have the honor 90 announce that upon ny
arrival IN this port with the squadron under nv
command. called upon the English Admiral
who had informed Inc that lie intended 10 prevent
any sudden bOmbardment. and would onl. suffer il
after ample notice. To this | made no reply but
having considered the matter. sought the occasion
the next day TO say that would Join him in not
permitting any sudden bombardmeAt and that I
would also go as much farther as he chose | as-
sured hun that the MOnadn0cL could take care of
the Mum incia; that from the many experiments I
had witRessed, was absolutely certain that in nst
less than thirty second. and not more than thirty
minutes, the Monadnock herself entirely uns,sist-
ed, would leave only the mast heads of the Numsn-
clio above Water, and that our wooden vessels,
English and American, could look out for the
wooden vessels Of tie Spsniards. In thus Offering
to go beyond the letter of instructions 10 observe
strict nuetrality, acted uyon the supposition that
nuetralitE among the nations did not preclude all
well directed efforts 10 keep the peace among
them; that as peaceable citizen is not obliged 70
stand by inert while another is suffering from the
unlawful violence OF third person. but uay just-
y interfere with force to prevent infraclion Of
thd laws-a murder for example-so q nation.
Witnessing the like disturbance among her sister
nations, need not rest absolutely impassve, but
with sincere neutrality might interpose with force
II necessary to keep the operations Of belgerents
at least within the law for the protection Of nsu.
trail persons and neutral property.
am aware that action in the premises on our
part involves great responsibility but had reached
the conclusion that with England az an ally. /, was
my duty now to aid them. told the English
Admiral what | have written, and frankly added
that his commerce was more extensive than ours,
and more convenient &c the coast Of Suain; but an
he had more to suffer in consequence of rupture
with SPAIN he had also more tc preserve by inter
ference; that his interests in Chill rise to thous-
ands. while ours were only hundreds.
The English Admiral said ..s II s. that be voul6
go with me, for plainly decla.fd that would nos
take step without him. ] said that had no in.
tention of becoming cats paw 10 draw Europe
an chestnuts out OF the fire, and then have the
power | served laughing at ny singed paws, while
they enjoyed the fruits OF my temerity.
The English Admiral finally determined TO
throw the responsibility on the English Minister.
who did not choose 10 &c: in the premises.
English operation having failed, no separate
action on my part was taken, none had been
proposed. have used such measur es as I could
TO bring about ar accommodation, but without
success.
This morning. a! nine O'Clock, the Spanish Ad.
mirai opened upon the town with shot and shall.
directing his fire principally against public build-
ings and store houses. After continuous bonn
bardment Of two hours and fifty minutes. the firing
ceased, and the Spanish Admiral withdrew his yea
sells.
-Four of the stone buildings connected with tho
Custom House were entirely destroyed, with their
contents Other adjoining buildings. used for The
same purpose. were very much injured. Tho value
of merchandise destroyed in these vaguely es-
timated at some 22.000.OO0. The Government
House, the Exchange, and the railroad buildings
were damaged to a considerable extent.
Naturally and inevitably the parts Of the city
which the Spanish Admiral declared he did not n-
tend to iniure, received q part of his missiles
Several blocks of private buildings destroyed
by fire, and churches and converts and hospitals
were not exempt from injury. Few lives we're
lost-not more than eight or ten.
enclose herewith, copies of the letters ac-
dressed to me by the foreign residents Of vaIps-
raso, representing the interests Of nearly al the
of Christendom, bearing an official
with a copy Of my an swsr: also copies
Of the manifesto and letter the Spanish Admi-
raj.
When was assured that the English Admiral
wal. determined not TO resist a bombsrdment, I
called upon him and said that as ] did not choose
70 drft into a collision where had no purpose 10
collide. should move my vessels TO get out Of the
Spanish way. This intention / communicated
verbally to the Spanish Admiral.
Thrust upon me by circumstances in which IL
became necessary TO take some part, felt natuf-
al anxiety TO know whether the one took meeh
with the appreciation of the Government. In my
whole course have conferred freely with cur
Minister, Gen. Fitzpatrick, and desired the benefit
of his advice and assistance. In all have done
or offered to do he has been consulted, and be has
fully concurred. II his name has not been men-
toned before. il was because did not wish TO
break the continuity of my narrative, and uos be-
cause am without strong sense Of obligation fos
his co operation.
Ihavs the honor to be. sir, your obi serv't.
JOHN RODGERS, Commodore.
To Hon. Gideon Welles, Secy of Navy.
Further adviess from Rio Janeiro say that the
allied army, supported by the feet. had crossed the
Parana, and we're preparing to attack Fort Hu.
malta.
The condition Of the Paraguayan army Is report
ed.to be very bad. sustaining q daily loss Of from
l40 to l60 men. They had 10 subsist wholly on
bran. which was dealt out in very insufficient
quantities.
The action Of the Spaniards in bombardine and
by the press. The action Of Gen. Fitzpatrick sad
Com. Rodgers is applauded.
The British residents have united in resolutions
condemning in the seversst terms the action OF the
British Admiral. Denman. whom they charge with
and detaching one Of his ships 20
guard Spanish commissaries.
There can be but little doubt that our Minister,
Mr.. Nelson. prevented the bombardment six
months ago by assuring Parreja that the st. Mary
would resist him.
The damage to the Chilan Government proper.
ty is aboxt 81 900 900; to French and other csi-
zens 100000. United States interests small.
The fire was put out in eighteen hovr. Two
thousand balls and shells fired in four hours.
One man aud one woman were killed, and four
soldiers wounded.
1t is understood Of TIE bombardment. that Co.
Quimbo, Caiera, Callao, and all accessible points
are 10 have their share and that the Spanish con-
mander is to do all the damage he can with the
force at his disposal.