The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-04-26
q ssniug Star and Catholic Messenger
uRw ORLEANS, SUNDAY. APRIL %. Is74.
The War in Spain.
ctEs OPERATIONS AROUND BILBAO IN 1874
AND 1886.

Iietsed a few days after the com nencement
OF the important struggle around Bilbao,
between the Carlists and the Republicans,
s..Iaaes the operations that had, up to that
Gnue, taken place in that neighborhood,
and points out how very exactly the his
tary of the last Carlist war was repeating
Itself. 1t wrote:
When Marshal Selrano, the chief. of the
executive power in Spain and the most in
tiaential man in the country, lett Mario
Eor the scene of the Carlist operations in
Biscay, it might be understood that the
crisis of the war had come. That bold and
Satupate and still ambitious man would
uevcr place himself before the world as the
.aefual commander against the Carlists
1Uithout some good assurance of success. 1t
~ II be remembered that the interest of the
Struggle centres in the city of Bilbao,
which is held by the national troops and
'&saeieged by the Carlists. The place holds
out, for, though its defenccs are mono Of
1dye best, the attacking power of the enemy
- probably not formidable. The Carlists,
however, have been able to obtain certain
n1mOer OF elclls-indccd, they are said to
manufacture thcm-and they have done
oAcir worst against the place. On the 18th
zhey threw rs many as 300 shells into the
town. 1t has been On fire several times,
aud a good nany houses have been con-
Samed. Yet the fire of the enemy is not
ttie greatest danger that threatens Bilbao.
The Spaniards fight we'll behind works,
aud have natural obstinacy which makes
Hsem bear siege patiently. If the people
81 Bilbao had sufficient supply of pro-
Visions and munitions of war, they might
defy their enemies for some time to come.
But no preparations were made for the
present emergency, and the Carlists appear
20 have efectually cut off supplies from
without. 1t was this circumstance which
q: induced Morionez to make his i'll consid-
cred attack on the Carlist lines, and it was
s1iis which, more than anything else, dis
r.nrDed the public mind at Madrid. The
Governor of Bilbao informed his superiors
s3LsS the place must surrender, if not re-
Sieved within a certain time. Serrano hur-
led TO take the command of the army !;
aopete went to Santanda to direct the
operations of the navy and the result has
aoen the renewed attack on the Carlist no
tsi6ion. To relieve Bilbao it is necessary to
drive the main force of the Carlists from
StRo lines of Somorrostro.. These are stu
s16ed few miles to the west of Bilbao and
extend from the coast inland. The head
quarters of the Nationalist are at Castro
Grhiales, on the coast, about ten miles to
the west of the Carlist position. To the
'ctght of the Carlists lies the river on which
Bilbao is situated, broadening out as il
approaches TIE sea, so as to permit the ap-
iauach of a naval force. 1t was against
1hNa position that the troops of Marshal
Serrano advanced at six O'Clock on We'd
f1esday morning, crossing the Somorrostro
ztver, which lies as first defence to the
Car!ist position. From the kilograms it is
-K,ossible to form a sufficient idea of the
character of the action. Atlantic, mentioned
as Gifo key of the Carlst position, is little
"a the west of Portugalete, and tile battle
Eas fought go close to the coast that the
gluadron in the liver was able to support
She operations of the Republican troops.
Tue Intelligence comes down to the close
at che tlst day; the fig hting was suspended
at nIghtiall, and Marshal Serrano's army
was encamped on ground taken from the
Cariists. The latter made a stubborn re.
=Aatancc, and the loss of Serrano's army in
attacking these difficult position was be-
E@cen four and five hundred men. 1t is i'm
possible to overrate the importance of these
alksrations. The strength of the CaIlist in
I2rrection is concentrated in this little cor
Lsat OF Spain, and the fate of Bilbao will pro-
oahly decide the fortunes of the war. The
yENssenV operations are singularly like those
rcidcrtaken by General Espartero for tie
rNslief "a @iboa in 1886, when equal i'm
e :; ,nfance was attached to the possession Of
=. G4y. The Carlists had then, as now,
1s'e sympathy of the Basque population,
SID it was q great point with them to in
<t&; their king in the chief city Of the
Ssr1vince, and invest him in the eyes of
ede people with full authority. On the
t16ser hand, the Christmas attached the
gvcatest Importance to the relief of the
place, and urged the most vigorous action
90 the general in command. The Carlists
SNere then, as now, firmly established in
V1ssY strong positions, and the fall of the
sstty seemed inevitable. All through the
month of November, 1876, they gained
ground and took ono defence oE tho city
sitter another They blocked up the river.
sud cut off the place from all communica-
Sjon with the sea. Espartcro was defeated
"a two several attacks on the Carlist lines
and it was not till the gath of December
1Lat, with the aid of Il British naval force
Sxhich had entered the river, be made "A
succcssiul assault. At last the Carlists
were crushed and driven from oil their po-
attsons. Bilhoa was relieved, to the mex
trCessibic joy of the Madrid government,
, lCnd the COrtes dcCrccd an inscription in
seEUers of gold to the honor of the city,
sVhich received the title Of "the Inyinci-
.Ae." This exultatiou was not without Il
-zause. The relief of Bilboa was n great
ulow to the Carlists, and produced con-