SPAIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1817, 2 June 1874, Page 4

SPAIN.

The future government of Spain would seem to depend upon the issue of the siege of Bilboa. Tf Serrano is victorious, then the Carlist cau&e will have received a blow from which it is not likely to recover for some time. On the other hand, if Don Carlos should defeat the Republican troops, he will cause himself to be proclaimed king and march upon Madrid forthwith. Thus it would appear that the end'of this long and devastating civil war is drawing to a close. The Carlists are pouring shell into Bilboa, and the Republican troops under Serrano are doing their best to relieve the city. The telegrams, however, in reference to the operations are so vague and contradictory that no reliance) is to be placedjupon them. The ■Carlists claim to have defeated Serrano in more than one important engagement, while Serrano, in his turn, asserts that he is making rapid progress towards the relief of the besieged city. We give the following in illustration of this view. On Ist April Serrano sent a telegram to the effect that "the works to secure the conquered positions and establish new bat- , teries on the Somorrostro for pushing forward the operations continue." Cariist advices from Durango, however, represent Serrano's plan of operations to have .failed, and state that it appears to have been as follows :— General Priino de Bivera, commanding the Republican left, and General Lomo, the centre, attacked ''the triple line of Carlist entrenchments near the Somorrostro. Serrano himself, with General Letona and 10,000 men, made a flank movement towards the defiles of Balmaseda, intending to attack when Generals Loma and de Rivera should have forced the Carlist lines near Somorrostro. The Carlists at Balmaseda would thus have been placed between two fires. The resistance made, however, by the Carlists at Somorrostro compelled the Republican rig t wing to lemain inactive. No engagement has taken place since 28th March. That Serrano finds the task he has undertaken to be more difficult than he anticipated is to be inferred from the fact that 15,000 men are about to be despatched from Madrid to reinforce his army. A great battle is considered to he imminent, and the fortunes of Spaiu will depend on the issue. A trt.ee of three days was agreed upon to allow of the burying of the dead.