Year: 1868

Havana cigars, champagne, best brandy, preserved
fruits and preserved meats are going forward as II
Congress were to meet at headquarters.


On May two columns Of two thousand men each
marched under General Rivas-0ne OF them intend,
ing to extend outward nom the river below hnmai
so as to meet on the land side and so encircle the
fort They intend TO prevent any escape from the
from going to the fort. We are informed that an
attack from the land side must be OF little import
,.,, SO wide and SO deep are the marshes. IA
provisions for its garrison for two years. II
these things are so the encircling OF the
allies" Besides strong fertilization at the mouth
OF Tebicuari river, Lopez ~ also extending HIM
self at place nine leagues below Asunclon In the
interior there must also be strong force 1t Is said
the women are now arming vet do not believe that
Lopez is as hard run for men as they would make
him appear. If Paraguay were not washed on two
sides by large navigable streams the country would
be both inaccessible and invncibe. There Is another
strong iortincation nine leagues below Asuncion,
where the Paraguayans are gathering their forces
and are resolved to make desperate stand. TWO
places OF defence are now ready on the river to sue.
Humaita. This place is now well surrounded and
the siege is wel begun: but the garrison fve thou
swamps and from the river by chain cables, strong
batteries, and torpedoes that after three years.
threatening and many months bombarding, they DO
not fear much from the allied feet. II IL
two years in the fort. If that is the
to slip past the guards might occur often in coun-
try like that. There are no such signs OF exhaustion
Ia Paraguay as usually follow long war In other
countries. Paraguay has no public debt no conser-
vative party opposed to the war. The usual avoca-
tOns OF the people still carried on, and the
younger boys cheerfuliy follow the older men, and
now the very women are arming for the defence Of
their native land They do not expect to fail. They
have many other retreats than those on the river and
they expect to be able from behind some Of them to
see the invaders retire sadder, wiser and poorer.


In Uruguay there is an alarm that ia rather serious
One MaximO Perez, q subaltern officer In the In
terror, has declared war against the Ministers; but
does not attack the President. The Ministers were
tfons that force might settle the question The gov
ernment has called out all the forces 1t has and s
levying troops and ensting men. All the available
the capital SO exposed that fears are entertained that
the Blancos the party last put out Will rise and
cause revolution. Things are in very uncertain
state there.


On May the allies made an effort to cut of sup
plies to Humaita from the tongue OF land opposite
the FORT and succeeded In throwing line or pickets
across On May a regiment was going along care
lessly and met q few Paraguayans, who resisted
while and fell back when q strong force fell on the
allies and left but to tell the tale All were
killed, wounded or missing but one officer.


Next day the allies resumed the offensive and met
5000 men, when a hoty contested engagement
began. which is claimed as victory by both sldes


1t was in the ChacO wilderness, and the allies own
to having lost 400 or 500 men, and they report the
Paraguayan loss at S0O or this we are to receive
confirmation. This battle shows one thing certain:
Lopez will not allow the ChacO to be occupied with.
their lines there and that may be the chief seat
OF the war as long as Lopez cares to hold Humaita


Business is reyivlng. Wool has advanced IN price.
change England 49d and 49ad. to the gold dollar
No certainty yet as to what the electors will do
when they meet on June IL to choose a President.
opening only awaits a quorum. President Mtre Is
to be impeached SO say the papers.