Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-05-04
WAR on TIE P4CLFrC.
Valparaiso IN Ruins.
New YoRK, May /.

New YORK, May ].
VALPARAISO was bombarded by the Span
ish. The town and so, 900 900 worth Oi
propertv destroyed. Great blame Is at
tached to the British and American Ad-
miraIs for not interfering with their ships
10 prevent such wholesale destruction
instead Of leading the harbor-
The Panama Stars correspondent az
ter comments upon the barbarlty OF the
bombardment of Valparaiso, which was
defenceIess, without a gun to reply OF
vessel to stand by 1t, states from $1,000
O(O TO so 600 600 worth of property Is
DESTROYED nearly all belongingtO British
American and other foreign mercha nts
including all the commercial parts OF
town, custom houses, government bull
ding. &c The correspondent gives the
following particulars Of the lombard
ment
It's said that Mendez Numez has Ee-
ceived orders from Madrid to destroy
burD and desOlate to the utmost of his
Dower all Chillian and Peruvian property
on the coast, and that In pursuance OF
these orders it was on the Zyth Of March
that he sent into the cOmmandant OF
Valparaiso and notified the foreign rep.
resentatives that IN four days he would
lombard the city. The four days he al
Against this every foreign representative
protested in the most energetic manner.
The British residents were promised
the protection and Interference OF AdmI-
raj Denman and the English squadron.
The American Commodore Rodgers,
very promptly placed his squadron for
co-operation against Spain, should the
threatened bombardment be attempted,
and the representative of France was e.
qually ready to take the responsibility on
his part of joining with the Americans
and English to prevent the atrOcity that
was feared But at the last the English
Admiral drew back He said he could
not interfere except automatically, and
that the British interests must look out
for themselves on shore.
Commander Rodgers shrunk from un-
dertaking active resistance to the Spanish
feet. When the British Commander
had receded from the position he had
first taken up, earnestly and most urgent
" did the American Charge d d'AfaiTs,
Gen Fitzpatrick, and Com. Rodgers, la
Dor to save the town, but all in vain.
While this was going on, time was lost to
the neutrals, and the day of the lombard
ment came on, and the neutrals had still
their property IN the custom house and
their stores.
On the morning Of the day Of the
threatened bombardment, Her Majesty S
frigates SuIly and Leander, with the De
vastation and store ship Nerius, left the
bay to take anchorage outside. The
American ships also got out of the way.
About s A. NJ the enemy's vessels
began to take up their position over
against the town. The Resolution was
placed opposite the Central Rail
way Station, the Villa De Madrid and
Blancea 1000 yards from the Custom
House, the VancedOra close in to the
shore to destroy dwelling houses, and the
ship Numoncia remained out
side signaling orders
At 8 A. NJ the Blanca opened fre-nn
the Custom House, to the cry of '' Viva
La Peina The others followed, each
selecting some point on which to pour
its share Of destruction. For nearly
three hours the fire was kept Up without
At 1. 0S P 81. the NJ
noncia signalled to desist and the yes
sells of the squadron drew off. The peO
Die of the town who had crowded the sur
'ounding hills at once rushed into town
o extinguish the fire.