The New York herald., 1873-09-01

with all the graciosties of spanish caoa,1ero as
for Martinez Campos to have ridden bareheaded
through Valencia when nobody looked at him save
through motives OF curiosity. desire In no way
TO reflect upon the General. who may probably turn
out to- really an amiable man, bnt cannot help
pitying man who makes his own selErespect 30
cheap. and offers 1t to the first semblance OF u
human figure he sees.
However my interview with him tonight will
turn out, must confess he has not inspired me
with any profound sentiment OF respect for his
valor or his knowledge Of war. For humanitarians
and philanthroplsts, perhaps this quiet taking
possession OF city will be better than taking
1t by assault. but for those who love TO see
general show his mettle, and gov
ernment its strength, when 1t might have
been done without any loss OF life, or the de-
structon OF property that has followed the former
method the taking OF a city with masteriul
hand, with SKILL dash and courage, is far better.
The day we arrived at Valencia the city might
have been taken at once had the attack been
made at night from the port and the cannon
on the towers of Cuarte. Serran0s and the Citadel
rendered useless unless the reds were determined
to destroy their own city,
We saw the troops enter-infantry, cavalry ami
artillery-to the number OF about seven thousand
men; we saw Martinez CampOs, villacampa and
Arrando, with all their brilliant stafs OF arstO-
cratic young ofrcers, enter the Captain Generals
palace, and we knew
THE SIEGE WAS OVER
Some of the saddest sights have seen IN connec-
tion with the siege are the scenes have witnessed
among the houses OF the poor, In the Church OF
the Escuelas Pas and those In the hospital.
The houses OF the poor are very thickly cOngre-
gated on each side and around the Cuarte Towers.
1hey are to be found in narrow alleys leading from
the main Streets the air Is pregnant with hateful
exhalati0ns, the ground Is strewn with refuse OF
all descriptions, and with the smell and aspect OF
these quarters the district is not by any means an
inviting one. Still, with the ceanness of Spanish
wives In the Interior OF their houses almost all OF
these externally uninviting houses are cleanly
whitewashed, and decently furnished inside.
However, the shells which Martinez Campos has
been pitching into the city have gwen Oppor-
tunIy to glance at the interiors Of the low houses.
These being constructed OF cObble stone and very
poor mortar which more resembles mud than any
thing else, have required but slight tap near the
Intel or the door or an explosion inside to make
them complete wrecks Several Of them have their
fronts clean blown down, leaving each story of the
house exposed with the beds in their places, the
clothes on the pegs, the dishes in the cupboard,
the usual saints In their inches, while many Of
them likewise are seen with BEDS tables, chairs
mortar, &c in one confusing heap.
fancy hear the wailing OF the poor women and
hear them cry out to their nelghbOrs 1--WE are
ruined We are ruined What shall we doS, when
they come from the port to repeOple the scenes
they had deserted, and look in stupefaction and
wonder upon the desOlatiOn In their quarters.
There has been another locality, adjoining that
just described, above which heaves and towers in
grand proportions the dome OF the Escuelas Pas.
which has been the theatre OF many explosions.
This dome Is immense, and OF the largest In the
world, so that its preservation has become now
an object to the Valencianos The Pious Schools
were erected towards the beginning OF the eigh-
teenth century; but the great dome suffered 80
much FROM the French General kinchet's batteries
that the Archbishop had it pulled down and made
bomb-proof. Indeed, should advise every Ameri-
who intends residing in Spain to follow the ex-
ample OF the worthy Archbishop and build bomb
proof house for his protection.
The poor families OF the district of the PiOus
Schools had all fastened after the 1st OF August,
when the troops appeared to be in earnest, to
shelter themselves under this bomb-prOof dome.
Over two hundred families were here congregated,
while throughout the immense and strong build
ings outside over five hundred families found pro-
lection. But under the dome the whole scene
could be taken at one view-each family by ITSELF
the beds, pots, pans clothes and everything be-
tOkening poverty, were all, seemingly, strewn over
the floor Of the rotunda without regard to owner
ship. 1t similar in its moral aspect to the scenes
OF outdoor life visible at the graO during the bom
bardment, when sex seemed forgotten and
woman scarcely knew herself.
THE HOSPITALS,
OF course, present the usual sad that follow
in the wake OF war. Some seventy or eighty
wounded men lie on beds with SCARED bodies and
unrecOgnizable faces from the casson explosions
which followed the explosions OF the troops
bombs. The artillery men OF the Towers have been
very unfortunate in this respect for IN three sue
cessive days the same accident occurred. All is
being done that be done alleviate their con-
dition, and numbers OF sisters Of Charity are,
with their usual goodness at their bedsides.
ApropOs OF these artillery men, who behaved so
plucKy above The Towers OF CuartO. a colonel has
just told me that the officers Of the army are loud
in praise OF the manner they worked their guns
and the splendid shots the lnsurrectiOnists made.
Mlsata and SOcos are perfectly ruined by their
balls. The colonel also said that they had sus-
pected the pointer Of their cannon to be some
officer of a foreign navy. "Whoever he was" said
he, ''he was man OF intelligence-of great intel
ligence."
This "ntelligent man" was the first sergeant OF
artillery tall, handsome man, who lies ghastly
object at the hospital. 1t Is now the night OF
AUGUST g.
Thousands Of people have already hurried to the
city. The hum OF voices, the roll OF rich mems
chariots the heavier roll Of the commercial wagons
resound through the streets; o wonderful number
OF people with clean shirts and shaven faces, gaily
dressed ladies and children thrOng the GlOrietta
and Passos and here am still dalying with my
pen over such ghastly scenes as war makes every
where, when Peace has already appeared, with
wand and snowy robe and smiling face, to disperse
with her presence the memories OF the dark time
which the fair city OF Valencia OF the Cid has
lately known. Down with the curtain, and udmos