BOMBARDMENT OF VALPARAISO

Grey River Argus, Issue 80, 17 July 1866, Page 3

BOMBARDMENT OF VALPARAISO

(From the Sydney correspondent of Argus.) The Inspector Puls , brings particulars of the bombardment of Valparaiso by the Spanish fleet. On the 31st of March the Chilian troops on sliore numbered about 4000, located so as to prevent the Spaniards from . disembarking. On the morning of the 31st, the English frigates Sutlej arid Leander entered the harbor, and anchored. The Spanish fleet and transports anchored, opposite the Vena Delmar. The American fleet took a position on the north-east side of the harbor. Mr Kilpairick, the American minister, was on board. The Spanish vessels steamed slowly in-shore, in the following order : — La Numancia, La Resolucion, Villa de Madrid, La. Blanca, La Vencedora, LaMaule, and the Numancia's launch. The sn^ajjer. ships remained at .the anchorage. The. Numancia reached the middle of the bay about a mile from shore, and at eight o'clock commenced the bombardment by firing shells into the city. The Chilians hoisted the national flag on San Antonio. The flee.t took the following positions : — Resolution in front of the Bailway station, Villa de Madrid and Blanca 500 or 600 metres from the Custom-house, and the, Yencedora in front of Del Capo. The Blanca opened a heavy fire on the Custom-house stores, and was joined by the Villa de Madrid, until the building began to Binoke, the shots blowing the tops off the houses and niakina ruins of the walls. The shots from the rifle guns were particularly noticeable, whistling through the air, and smoke and flame. Many shells burst in the air, and a number in the water, and several on the beach. La Blanca next operated against the Boiyrse. andLalntendencia, prominent buildings. Shots were also fired at the flagstaff. The Resolution fired at the railway station, and the Vencedora cannonaded the dwellings along the sea side. About eleven o'clock, a sliell from' the Vencedora set fire to the baths adjoining the Union Hotel, ip which the flames communicated, spreading to Planchada and Cochrane streets, shrouding the left of the city in smoke. At twelve o'clock the Numancia hoisted a signal to cease firing. The fleet obeyed, and moved away. The number of snots fired was about 2000. Only 113. took effect, sixty-one struck the Intendencia, nineteen the Bourse, and twenty-eight the Railway Station. The heaviest loss sustained is the Custom-house stores, where -a large quantity of merchandise was stored. The value of the property destroyed is estimated at dols. The heaviest sufferers among the foreign houses is that of Echicard, which alone ]os,es 100,000 dols. The French merchants, through their Tjonsul, have sent in a claim for indemnity. Many deaths took place on board the Spanish fleet. Several were killed in, the Villa de Madrid.. The buildings destroyed were the second and third sections of the Custom-house stores, the house pf Mr Gt(Hlo, Manet and Co.'s establishment* Tenrpleanan \. and Co.'s stores, the buildings of Mr Edwayds and Mr O^a, the Union Hotel, and the building adjoining the Hotel Lafayette^ and the premise of Don Voncesti Adyerchese. The Spanish admii;al j >in an 'tafficial letter to ',tbf, : American Minister, statSsy^^he ■■■^^fiu'ther intention of boanfe. Aug