The New York herald., 1874-10-10
SPAIN.


Melted for Making Cannon.
AzPEIrIA. sept ~, ls74
Probably few persons viii associate the name OF
the place at the head OF this le ter with that OF
any great man known In history. II is, neverthe-
less, the birthplace OF Q man who has, perhaps,
welded indirectly more influence upon the AFFAIRS
OF Europe than any statesman OF ancient or mod
ern times Richelieu or Bismarck not excepted.
II Is the birthplace OF lgnatlus OF Loyoa, the
founder OF the Society Of Jesus.
Here he was born and lived; in the old manor
house OF the family OF Loyola he drst saw the
hight In this delightful little valley OF the UroIa,
surrounded by mountains which look down on
the sea- he passed the early days OF his youth,
and mere was conceived, for the nrst time, the
grand dream OF founding rich. intelll-
gent and powerful society Tor controlling
the hydra Of heresy and Professionalism
which, under the guidance OF Luther and Calvin,
had just then developed several heads-a society
which is so powerful that even Bismarck pretends
to believe 1t to be at the bottom OF the religious
agitation now CONFUSING Europe. This Is the
little mountain village that sent him forth TO the
world. Here his memory Is kept fresh ana green
as ever, and here his name Is revered and held In
veneration above that OF every other saint In the
calendar. Everything, OF course, speaks Of him.
In the Church OF Nostra Sehora de la Saedad may
be seen his statue In silver; in the Church OF St.
Sebastian Is piously kept the baptlsmal font In
which he was baptized; on the grand place is
celebrated every year, alter harvest. grand Jesta
in his honor, at which the people from
ali the Basque provinces nock in crowds
to pay their tribute to the memory OF the SAINT
the fireworks, take part in the dancing. applaud
the bull races, and show their dexterity and ag-
ity IN the bull fights. mile from the town Is the
sanctuary OF Loyola. called the wonder OF Guipuz-
ttrn nff nnlh
manor house in which the saint was born, and
built in 1883 by Anne Of AUSTRIA under the super
vision OF the Italian architect F0ntana.
BUT THAT WHICH sPEAKS MORE FoRCIBLY
than perhaps anything else Of Loy0la-that which,
II he could again revisit the scenes of his earthly
pilgrimage, ne would. perhaps, regard with
greater satisfaction than the feasts IN his honor
the veneration In which his memory Is
held by the people-the statue In silver,
or even the beautiful church itself, is something
very new and very modern something which has
only been in existence here very short nme
which would al first sight seem to have little con-
nection with religion or religious ideas. and that
is the Carlist cannon foundry and cart
ridge mandatory, now In full blast here,
larger tnan that at Vera. 1t is remarkable
and significant fact, which has probably something
in It more than mere coincidence, that the same
little mountain village that 200 years ago sent
forth Loyola to fight Tor the Church In the world
OF diplomacy should now be casting cannon to
plead Tor q cause that may be considered almost
identical. Whatever the coincidence or Its sig
nincance, the fact Is that the little place has be-
come the great arsenal OF the Carlists
and their principal reliance for the supply
OF cartridges, smells. and even cannon for
their army. The town itself is q place
about 200 Inhabitants situated IN the rich and
"a
on all sides by mounts whose tops look down
on the sea, some ten miles distant 1t Is q pretty,
dreamy, quiet little place in ordinary times with
Its quaint, old-fashioned houses projecting roofs
and the golden atmosphere which seems TO hang
over 1t, where nothing is heard more startling
than the sound OF church bells. the ring OF the
blacksmtth's hammer, or the nash OF the heavy,
slow-movmg mill wheel. Now, however, the
cannon tnat are leaving this aftern0on for Estela
aud toe ear is pierced BY the horrible notes OF the
clarion in the hands OF practising amateurs aud
tue exasperating rattle OF the tambourine.
THE CANNON FOUNDRY.
The cannon foundry was formerly q manufactory
OF arms, and the macnlnery mas been easuy
adapted to the purpose winch It now serves. The
hesitation in showing me over the place aud ex-
planning everything OF interest, and i0nnd 1t,
Considering the time 1t has been In operation, in
very far state OF activity. Altogether sixteen
cannon have been Cast here, OF which the greater
number were were M neavy guns guns USED SEQ in the siege o.
field pieces, however, and they are now working
ON two brass riied SIX pounders muzzle-loading,
and two tweive-pounders 81 the same description
which, 1t Is expected, win have range OF be-
tween two and tnreo miles. Iney were already
that point @ at least, was . success. T TWO had
been bored out and were awaiting the rnng proc
ess; another mad Just come rom the furnace and
was undergoing the parlng operation. THIS last,
judging by It's appearance and the amount OF metal
which had already been Cut away, would not
lrI fhn ofal mil ffn
holes and imperections. There was besides an
other piece tnat had just come from the furnace
1t was still covered with loan ana ashes. A new
furnace Tor casting was nearly completed, and
%o e S eS Of Dso woa 10
cast The 0ricer told me they were immediately
gong to commence casting some heavy pieces Ior
siege purposes, and that they would ma ke no more
field pieces, as they hoped 70 be able 70 obtain
large supply from America before next
kno Wedge oT the subject It would be impossible
for me to pronounce upon the merits OF the can
non maae mere SnS nex aps M o. a au m
ierior IN every respect to artillery OF ngsn. Ger
man or French manuiacture. They will, neverthe-
not only materially but morally AS well as inlct-
ing good deal Of harm on toe republicans tney
nitnerto been almost without cannon, and to dis
courage their adversa-ies. who have not yet been
TO aSs ns ns even sadr psd ns
the guns made BY the Carlists had burst at the
nrst discharge. This Is an exagReratl0n only
two OF the very nrst that were cast have burst,
and that alter more than 500 rounds had been
nred from them. This was nearly four months
ago None OF those manufactured since have
burst and the next battle will decide their merits.
But the Carlists profess the most unbounoed con-
ndence in Them. The metal Tor the guns cast here
mas hitherto been obtained from q curious enough
source-church bells Every Chufch III these
provinces has chime OF from 1ve to twenty BELLS
and as the name OF the churches themselves Is
Legion the amount OF bell metal In the country Is
enormous. Every village gives It's quota OF bells
rstions and other supplies for the army. The
proper ptoporIl99s n ztnc, copper and other
thus very superior quality OF bronze for cannon.
m THOSE QUIET, swEET-TONED BELLS.
One would never think when nearing their tune
ful voices calling 10 each other from mountain to
mountain and ecnoing through shady little val
leys and dells that they could ever undergo such
9 transformation this, and the old MONKS who
cast them hundreds Of years ago, with many