The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-05-02
sou,h American News.

south American news.
New YORK, May Valparaiso has
been bombarded by the Spaniards and
S20,D0,0 900 worth of property destroyed.
Great blame is attached to the British
and American officers for not interfering
with their ships TO prevent such whole.
sale destruction, instead of leaving the
harbor The Panama Stars correspond
ent, after commenting upon the barbari.
ty of the bombardment OF Valparaiso,
which was detenceless and without a
gun to reply or vessel to stand by it,
states that from fifteen to twenty mil
lions of dollars worth of property was
destroyed, nearly all of which belonged
TO British, American and other foreign
merchants, including all the commercial
parts Of the town, custom house, govern
ment buildings, &c.
A correspondent gives the following
particulars of the bombardment:
1t is said that Mendez NuneZ has re-
ceived orders from Madrid, to destroy,
burn and deselate to the utmost of his
powers all Chilian and Peruvian proper
ty on the coast, and that in. pursuance
of these orders, it was on the 9th of
March, that he sent unto the command
ant of Valparaiso, and notified foreign
bard the city. The tour days he allowed
for the removal of the sick, &c. Against
this every foreign representative pro-
tested in the most energetic manner.
The British residents were promised
the protection of Admiral Deumen and
the English squadron. The American
Commodore Rogers promptly placed his
squadron for cooperation against Spain,
should the threatened bombardment be
attempted, and the representatives of
France were equally ready to take the
responsibility on their part of joining
with the Americans and English to pre-
vent the atrocity that was feared. But
at the last the English Admiral drew
back He said that he could not inter
fere except automatically, and that the
British interests must look out for
themselves on shore.
Commodore Rogers shrunk from I'M
dertaking active resistance to the Span
ish fleet when the British commander
had receded from the position he had
first taken up. Earnestly and most .ur-
gently did the American charge d'atfairs,
General Fitzpatrick and Commodore
Rogers labor TO save the town, but all
in vain. While this was going on, time
was lost to the neutrals, and the day of
the bombardment came on. On the 81
the morning of the day of the threat
ened bOmbardment--Her Majesty's fri
gates Shlley aud Leander, with the
Devastation and store ship Nerius, left
the bay to the anchorage outside The
American ships also got out OF the way.
About 8 A NJ, tho enemy's vessels be-
gan to take up position against the town.
The Resolution. was placed opposite the
Central Railway station; the Villa de
Madrid and Blanco twelve hundred
yards from the custom house the
Vancedere close in shore to destroy
dwelling houses, and the Admral's ship,
Numencia, remained outside signaling
orders At nine A NJ, the Blanco open
ed fire on the cnstom house to the cry OF
Viva la Reina" The others followed,
each selecting some point on which to
pour its share of destruction. For near.
Iy three konrs the fire was kept up with
ont intermission At P. NJ. the Nj
mencia signalled to desist and the YES
sells of the squadron drew of. Che peo-
pie of the town, who had crowded the
surrounding hills, at once rushed into
town to e5tinguish the fire.
PFRU.-The news brought from Chill
has excited the Peru7ians TO the highest
pitch. Not q whisper is breathed OF
Welding to Spain, and those who have
the largest interests at stake would not
for moment listen to any peace Pr0po-
sition. In the Jfhree days past all move
able property has been conveyed 10
places of safety.
The foreign commercial houses have
taken measures TO secure their property
from the custom house at Callao.
The British residents of Valparaiso
held meeting on the 25th of March,
aud appointed committee who drafted
series Of resolutions, which were
adopted at another meeting, rejecting
severely upon the vacillating conduct OF
Admiral Deuman, and condemning his
rlea of the want of sufficient
numbers to oppose the Spaniards
as humiliatinE TO bis cOuntrymen, and
inexcusable, considering that the cooper
alton Of the powerful United States
SQUADRON. was pressed upon him by its
commander. They also condemn the
passive submission of the British charge
d. affairs, and appointed deputation to
express to General Fitzpatrick and Com
modore Rodgers their high appreciation
of their efforts to prevent, by co-opeTa-
ton with the British forces the bonn
bardunnt of the CITY.