THE WAR IN SOUTH AMERCIA.

Kumara Times, Issue 1152, 8 June 1880, Page 4

THE WAR IN SOUTH AMERCIA.

The Buenos Ayres Standard of March 6 says :—“ The attack on Africa has revived the interest in the West Coast war. The Peruvians, it appears, have thrown fresh troops into that town, the capture of which may cost the Chilians more than they expect. It is impossible at the present stage of this campaign to offer any oplnion'as to its length, or even its results. The Chilians, notwithstanding their preponderating strength both by sea and land, fight under such great disadvantages that the Peruvians, if they resolutely defend their country against the invader, may in the end exhaust his strength and repel his advance.” The Anglo- Brazilian Times of March 14 publishes the following account of the naval attack upon Africa, taken from the Telegrapho Maritime bulletin of March 2 :—“ War operations have commenced, as looked for, and it has been the luck of the Huascar and the Manco Capac to exchange fire in the waters of Africa. The'new Chilian monitor Huascar seems to have carried .with it fatality against its commander since the death of the unfortunate Gran, its commander having died in the fight. Knowing the anxiety aroused by this ill-fated Pacific war, we hasten to give the news in an extraordinary bulletin :—‘Buenos Ayres, March 2. On Feb 27 the Chilian monitor Huascar approached the Morro of Africa and was received with a steady artillery fire by the land forts and the monitor Manco Capac The Huascar replied at once, as did also the Chilian corvette Magellanes, which was with her to maintain the blockade of the port and assist her. Soon after the engagement commenced the Huascar received a ball in the hull. As the Chilian vessels observed trains leaving Africa with troops they directed their fire upon them and the engagement became more and more obstinate While the Huascar was keeping up fire on the trains, the land batteries killed seven and wounded nine men aboard her, The Chilian vessels then retired ’to the anchorage outside, whence they maintain their blockade, and as they observed the Manco Capac coming towards them the Huascar went to meet her, firing all her guns at the Peruvian monitor when 200 metres off. The Huascar then prepared to ram the Manco Capac, but desisted on discovering that the Peruvian had a torpedo launch. While the Huascar was dis“"Png her cannon and circling about the Manco Capac, she received a shell, which carried away the mizenmast and killed instantly her commander. Captain D. Manuel M. Thomson, one of the most distinguished and popular officers of the Chilian Navy, and who was second commander of the Esmeralda when the Covadonga was captured from the Spaniards, and was afterwards in command of her. The second commander of the Huascar, Senor Yalverde, took command and kept up the engagement an hour longer. Meanwhile the Magellanes maintained a fire on the town, but received three shots in her hull. The fight terminated with the return of the Chilian vessels to their anchorage, and it is undeniable that they received a rough repulse, although the telegrams do not say so. Captain Oondell, of the Magellanes, has taken command of the Huascar. Nothing is known in Chili of what the despatches say relative to the Peruvian losses. Persons who passed through the province of Tarapaca gave sorrowful accounts of the epopulation which has occurred and of the misery among the few persons that remain, and which was so great that the Chilian soldiery beating up the country for arms and mules, &c., share in many cases their rations with the starving natives.’ At the city of Tarapacka the two missing guns of those taken from the Chilians at the battle there were found concealed in a dunghill. About 70 Peruvian and Bolivian prisoners were released and supplied with food. While there 649 bodies were buried, and, counting those previously interred, 68 skulls found In a burnt house, and about 60 bodies lying at some distance from the town, the number of killed in that terrible fight must have been about 1600.

l remarkß the New Zeaw'ii»^? es L tha l tho authorities at the Wellington Gaol neglect the prisoners so J»r as education is concerned. The space between tea and bed-time is turned to good account by keeping school. Those prisoners who can bo improved in this way are taught themselves piisoners, whose abiUty and good conduct have warranted =J PPO !, ntment » Doh a responsible position and some of the pupils show not a little aptitude, the copybooks of the maforitv being most creditable. II education tends to prevent crime, then Mr Read ought oertainiy to be congratulated upon the fact i i 8 the best means at his disposal for reforming those whose conduct na» caused them to be placed under his care. The usually well-informed correspondent ““ °‘ # 8 0 P a jjy Times says, concerning i l ?A nohfl “J 11 Service expenditure : m ■ u well known that rigorous reductions ■re being made in all departments, and an impression prevails that this is one of the •urprlses preparing for the House, namely—b!l Jhn» UD «! lne^u tllat far ,a rger savings will be shown than the public have been led to P 0 "* 11516 - I know the departmental ejhmates have been returned to the heads of ffirtT 18ag t ai ? Wlth Positive instructions thw they must be cut down.” When the Wrtsials to -foil[working order the saving Will amount to about LIOO.OOO per annum. 8 T;2“i W M dn T 8d r ly J aßt the Lyttelton TJmes), Mr I. L. Crawford sold in one line S^t 18 bushel. The delivery was to be taken on the farm m the Mount Somers district. The Oaks, at Epsom, was run on the 28th May. and resulted as follows :-Jenny Howwtt, 1 j Bonny Malden, 2 j War Horn, 3,