Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-02-28
PREPARATION.
HOW UNCLE SAM MADE PARA,
QUAY APOLOGIES.
The Attack on the Water Witch by
FaraSuans-A United States
Naval Expedition Brings
Them to Terms.

|
The incident in our naval history
which had in it, perhaps, the most points
of comparison with the Chilean situation
was the one that begun in 1855 in an
offense given to the United States by
Paraguay. In 1852 Captain Thomas
Jefferson Page, in command Of small,
light-draught steamer, the Water Witch,
! started out for South America 70 explore
the river La Plata and its largo tribumr-
| les, with a view to future commercial in
! tercourse between our country and the
interior States of South America. The
! expedition was ordered by tle United
| States Government, and the countries
| having jurisdiction over those waters
signifed their concurrence in the project.
The Water Witch pushed her way up the
river slowly, carrying on her inyestiga-
[ tions without trouble until February /,
1855. On that day she vas steaming
quietly up the River Parana, which forms
the boundary between Paraguay and
Corrientes, one of the States of the
Argentine Confederacy, when suddenly,
without any warning, battery on the
, Paraguayan shore opeaed fire on her.
! The little Water Witch was not fitted
out for hostilities and she lost no time
. in getting out of range. One of her
sailors, however, the helmsman, was
killed.
As far as the Water Witch was con.
cerned. there was apparently no cause
, for attack. President Carlos A. Lopez,
! whose rule over Paraguay was essentially
autocratic, had previously received Cap
tain Page and his vessel with every show
of friendship.
\ few months before the attack, how
ever, Lopez took offense at the conduct
, OF the United States Consul, who, in ad-
dition to his official position, acted as
the agent for an American mercantile
company. Lopez expressed his disap-
proYal by breaking up the business Of
! this company, and he also issued a de-
cree forbidding foreign vessels Of war
from navigating the waters Of Paraguay.
The Water Witch returned TO the
United States and reported the case to
the Government. We claimed that the
Water Witch was not within the juris-
diction of Paraguay, as the channel she
was IN belonged equally well to Cor
rientes; and even IF she were within
Paraguay's jurisdiction she was not prop
erly vessel of war, as her object was Of
an entirely scientific nature Words to
this effect were submitted to Paraguay.
and our Government demanded reDerl-
ton. Negotiations, however, proved
fruitless. Lopez pursued the even tenor
OF his way and refused to give any salts
factory answer to our demands. There
fore Congress, finding pelceabIe commu-
i nication of no avail, authorized the Pres.
ident of the United States to send such
a naval force to Paraguay as would COM
lpel her arbitrary ruler to give the salts
faction demanded.
One Of the strongest naval expeditions
ever sent out by. the United States M to
that time was ordered to assemble at the
mouth of La Plata. Nineteen vessels
were fitted out, seven Of them being
steamers specially chartered for the pui-
pose on account of the deficiency in our
navy of ight-draught ships suited to
the navigation Of the rivers to be as
cended. The squadron carried 200 guns
and 250O men. Flag Officer W. Brad
ford Shubrick was placed in command,
and he took on board his flagship with
him the Hon. Mr.. BOwlin, who was a9-
pointed special Commissioner of the
United States intrusted with the negotia-
tons.
1t was just at the close 1853 that the
force assembled at Montevideo. The
Water Witch was one of the force, but
this time she was all in trim for hostile
| action. The other ships were two
| irigates, the Sabine and the St. Law
renee; two sloops s-of-war, the Falmouth
and the Preble; three brigs, the Dol
phia, the Bainbridge, and the Perry; six
/ steamers, the Memphis, the Caledonia,
the Atlanta, the Southern Star, the Yves
ternport, the NJ. W. Chaplin, ard the
hetacomb; the revenue steamer Harriet
Lane, and two armed store ships, the
Supply and the Release.
On January 25, 1859, this squadron
sailed up and came so anchor off Ascen-
cion, the capital of Paraguay. Presi-
hent Urguiza of the Argentine Con-
federacy had volunteered his services as
mediator in the dispute, and had arrived
at Paraguay in advance OF the United
States officials. Then negotiations werc
reopened, and Mr.. Bowlin made his de
mand for immediate reparation.
! Meanwhile such of our war ships a.
were capable of ascending the river had
made their way through the numerous
/ difficulties of currents, shoals, and sans
bars, and came to q chosen position.
where they made ready in case Of ne
cessity to open fire. The force withip
striking distance of Paraguay consisted
| of 171O men, besides the officers, aud
seventy eight guns, including twenty
| three nine inch shell guns and one
eleyen-inch shell gun.
Then Lopez and his Government came
) to the conclusion that the United States
I meant business. By February Mr..
! Bowliu's demands were acceded to.
Satisfactory apologies were made for the
| firing on the Water Witch, and pccuni-
ary compensation was given to the family
of the sailor who hld been killed. In
addition to this new commercial treaty
was established and cordial relations be-
tween the two Governments were fully
restored.
When the squadron returned the Sec.
retary of the Navy expressed the salts
faction of the United States Govern
ment as follows:
"To the zeal, energy, discretion, aud
courteous and gallant bearing of Flag
| Officer Shubrick and the officers under
his command, in conducting an expedi-
ton far into the interior of remote
country, encountering not only great
physical difficulties, but the fears, appre-
tensions, and prejudice of numerous
States; and to the good conduct of the
brave men under their command, Is the
country largely indebted not only for
the success of the enterprise, but for the
friendly feeling toward the United