The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-10-04
The Situation in Spain.

The Government troops in Spain have
now recaptured from the insurgent Com
munists, as the mtransigentes are begin
ming to be called, CadiZ, Seville, Valencia,
Granada. and Salamanca. With the ex-
ception of Cartagena, which still holds out
under General COntreras, the Insurgents
appear to have no strongholds left. The
eantonaof Murcia, of which Cartagena is
the principal town, is carrying on active
war, not only against Spain, but the rest
of Europe as we'll. The situation of the
city, which is one of the finest ports on
the Mediterranean, has been very c0nyel1-
lent for Contreras, who has sent out sew
eral piratical expeditions to levy contrlDu-
tions from the citizens of other towns
along the coast. Itwas on one of these ex-
peditions that Almeria, anunfortified town,
was ibombarded, with such success that an
attack on Malaga was resolved upon. The
corsair fleet consisted of the iron-clads Al
mama and Vittoria, Contreras being on
board the former. They were overtaken,
however, near Malaga by the English YES
sci Swiftsure, Captain Ward, and the Ger
man Friedrich Karl, Commodore Werner.
During the bombardment of Almeria, the
house of the German Consul had been
shelled by the Spaniards, and for this
reason, as well as many Others, the Eng
lish Captain and the German Commodore
entered at once into an offensive and de
fensive alliance, and proceeded to drive the
Spanish vessels back into the harbor of
Cartagena.t On their way they fell in with
the English Mediterranean Squadron, UNI
der Admiral Y elyerton, and it was arranged
that the Spanish crews should be landed at
Cartagena, but the vessels detained.
These conditions were discussed with the
foreign eensgls, all of whom, it is said,
but the French, came on board the Fried
| rich Karl. Some of the Intransigentes
came ON board from the town, and made
an attempt to get better terms; but Com
modore Werner told them that they were
nothing but pirates and robbers, and, II
they attempted to show fight, he would
not only knock the town to pieces, but
blow the vessels out of the water, and
hang the government of the place at his
yard-arm The English and German fleet
| lay for some time outside the harbor with
the captured vessels, the terms having been
finally accepted the insurgent forces in
the town threatening dreadful things In
case any foreign vessel came inside. In
side lay the rebel vessel MendeZ Nunez.
with naval mob ON board, and there was
considerable reason to anticipate fight.
] The Cafta0ena Jlinta tried to obtain a
promise from the blockading fleet that the
Almanac and Vittoria should be neutral
ized-that is to say, should be held by the
foreigners until the war between Mureia
and the Madrid Government was termina-
ted. This promise, however, was not civ
en-; but the Admiral undertook to make q
recommendation to that effect to the Eng
lish Government. The Junta then gave
orders to prepare for terrible combat
but at the last accounts the vessels had
been taken to Gibraltar. How the con-
flict was avoided is not yet known. Mean
while, the operations in the north against
the Carlists continue, with how much sue
cess it is impossible to say. The Govern
ment has captured the English vessel Deer
hound in an attempt to run in arms for
1 the Carlists-the same Deerhound which
took Semmes off the Alabama. The naval
| imbroglio at Cartagena is talked about in
certain quarters as an international diff
Guilty; but as the independent sovereignty
| or even belligerency, of the canton OF
Murcia has not been recognized by any Of
| the Great Powers, the opinion of Commo-
dore Werner, that the forces in that city
/ are pirates and robbers, seems to be correct.
The Nation, Sept. 4.