THE WAR BETWEEN SPAIN AND CHILI.

Evening Post, Issue 270, 19 December 1865, Page 2

THE WAR BETWEEN SPAIN AND CHILI.

LJT/he important intelligence of war between Spain and Chili cannot be dismissed with merely a passing comment. In its consequences, this war is much too serious a matter for New Zealand and Australian interests not to command attention. It is of far greater consequence to us than even the late American struggle, although it does not appeal Jo our sympathies in the same way7| The Spaniards and the Americans of Spanish descent, are aliens and foreigeners to us ; whereas, each section of the great American Republic represented our own race and language, and in the struggle, the kindred and many near relations of New Zealand and Australian settlers, were killed. But a war between Spain and Chili affects us in another way. It interferes with our commerce. It stops our supplies of breadstuffs ; for if the blockade established by Admiral Fareja be mttde effectual we shall be compelled to look to California to supply us Ayith breadstuff^ during the coming seasonOhe high prices of wheat and flour ruled for the last two years, would have been run up full thirty per cent., but for\ the Chilian supplie^Jln Victoria and Newi South Wales the harvest proved a failure ; S and even in South Australia there was a 1 very considerable falling off in the yield ot ' breadstuff's. The drought in California likewise tended to enhance the value of wheat and flour. This season, fortunately, , the reports from California are bo far favourable ; and the Australian harvest is likely to prove an average. But, owing to the failure of last year's crops, the breadth of wheat and land sown in Victoria and New South Wales has been sensibly deminished this season, so that little

\dilitional to last year's produce can be expected from that quarter. * * We therefore anticipate that should the Spanish Government persist in its wicked and mischievous aggresssion on the Republic of Chili, we shall be tied up to the Californian and South Australian markets. And this means, in other words, that breadstuffs will range high, and the coat ot living will be dear.— Southern Cross.