The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-02
WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1866.
rbe Bombardment Of Valparaiso.

Meet, Ol JUb Guy VI v dipdIdicOs bOBObnCl mlsh
public and private property to the value, as
estimated, OF twenty millions Of dollars, is
likely to produce a great deal of Indignant
feeling in this country. In the first place,
Spain had no just cause OF war with Chill.
Her quarrel was with Peru, respecting the
Chincha Islands, which she designed to seize
like a pirate, because they were likely to
prove profitable, and spain thought
she had the power to appropriate them
to her own use and benefit regardless of all
questions of right. This attempted robbery
Peru naturally and very properly resisted,
and IN the progress Of the controversy that
arose out OF tie affair, Spain commenced hos
tilties against Peru. At this stIge OF the
difficulty, the Spanish men-ot-war undertook
to get supplies of coal in the Chilian ports;
but Chill, not wishing to be made even an
involuntary accessory of Spain in a war
against a sister republic in her immediate
n6ighborhood, and desrous. aSo. to maintain
her obligations of neutral ty, refused to the
Spaniards the privilege of obtaining coal for
their war vessels in her harbors. This en-
ragged the Spanish Admiral, who laid the
whole coast of Chill under blockade Tbs
led the Chilians to adopt certain defensive
measures, which provoked further outrages
against their sovereignty, until at length an
order came from Madrid to the Spanish Ad-
miral Ito destroy, burn, and desOlate, to the
utmost Of his power, all the Chilian and
Peruvian towns and proper y on the coast"
The bombardment and destruction of Val
paIaiso on the 31st OF March, after four days
notice for the removal OF the sick etc, was
accomplished in pursuance OF the aforesaid
order, in entire disregard of the earnest re-
monstrance Of he naval and diplomatic repre-
sentatives of England, France, and the
United States. 1t is not our purpose to dis
cuss just now the conduct of those rppresen.
tives, in Withdrawing from the halbor
Of Valparaiso under the circumstances
of the case, and abandoning it to
the mercy of the Spaniards. Prudence re-
quires that before passing judgment on mat
ters ofso much delicacy and importance, the
press should be in possession of an authentic
statement OF all the essential facts, and it is
drobable that Commodore RODGERS and
Gen FITZPATRICK, VIII represented this Gov
ernment on the occasion, will be able to
explain satisfactorily the line of action
which they deemed it wise and right to
pursue in the emergency. Indeed, it
already appears that at meeting
OF the British residents OF Valparaiso
resolutions were adopted severely censuring
the Vacillating course of the British Admiral
DBNMAN, while a committee was simulta-
neously appointed to express to General
FITZPATRICK and Commodore RODGERS their
high appreciation of their efforts proffered
to prevent, by co-ooeration with the British
force, the bombardment of the city.
1t remains, however, to inquire whether any
ration shall be allowed to blockade the coast
and destroy the towns and cities of another.
against all the laws of civilized war, and
without any Just cause of hostility, merely
tecause it may have power enough at the
particular time and place to perpetrate such
an outrageP Chilli, in refusing to allow the
Spanish navy to procure coal in her ports,
with view to prosecute belligerent measures
against Peru, not only did what she was
bound to do as a neutral, but she acted for
the moment, and in the specific instance, in de-
fense of the common law OF nations, and
for their mutual interests, in so far
as they are involved in and protected by that
law. Moreover, the property of citizens of
the United States, England, and France, to
say nothing of peril to their lives, was in
cluded in the destruction of the Chilian city.
and it may become a question whether, in
the absence of any just cause OF war on the
side of Spain against he little South Ameri-
can republics, the destruction of the private
property of foreigners resident lin ValDaraiso
does not afford ground to their respective
Governments for protest against the act oI
the Spanish Admiral, and for claims of in.
Identification against the Spanish Govern,
ment. And this. too, notwithstanding the
four days notice given by the commander o.
the Spanish squadron OF his intention to bonn
bard the place
The whole affair, at all events, is well fitted
to excite the resentul feelings OF the people
of this country especially. When two leading
European powers attempt by combination tC
overthrow republicanism in Mexico an(
establish an empire in its stead, and another
European monarchy, OF comparatively insig
niflcant pretension or rank, undertakes tC
destroy republic in another part Of thi
hemisphere, it is quite time that the Unite
States should interpose in such manner an,
form as will suffice to put an end effectuall
and at once TO all such foreign designs or con