CHILI.

Otago Witness, Issue 747, 24 March 1866, Page 3

CHILI.

The Spanish Admiral Pareja, whose conduct in instituting the blockade of the Chilian ports, and behaviour to the Chilian, authorities, had done so much to embitter the feeling against Spain, committed suicide on the 29th of November. After eating hi 3 evening repast on that day, Pareja shut himself up in his apartments, and soon after the report of a pistol was heard. When the servants entered the room, they found him lying dressed in full uniform, on a bed, with the pistol in his hand. He was bleeding profusely from the neck and chest, and breathed his last between eight and nine o'clock. The commander of the Blanche, one of the vessels of the Spanish fleet, went on shore and asked leave of the Chilian authorities to bring the body on shore for interment. This was granted, and next day the body of the Admiral was buried near Valparaiso. The newspapers say that the Admiral committed suicide because he felt overwhelmed by the great responsibility of a war undertaken by his advice.

The blockade of the Chilian ports still continues; but apparently a good many vessels contrive to elude the cruisers. Under date of Valparaiso, December 3lst, we learn that three vessels which had left a few days before had had to remain at the mouth of the harbor, and that the Veacedora was waiting for a favorable wind to get out of porfc, The Hamburg barque Penguin had called in at Valparaiso, on her way to Curanraillo, from Sydney, and had received part of her freight. The Chilian papers state that the war has been a great calamity, on account of the great rise it has caused in the price of goods. Spanish bills are at a great depreciation, and Chilian have been withdrawn by their holders to save them from any further fall.

Great anxiety is shown to learn how England regards the blockade of Chili by Spain, and the Valparaiso papers contain, copious extracts from the London journals. II Ferrocarril (The Railway) of January Ist says : — We learn that when the steamer Scotia left Liverpool, on the 18 th November, the Southampton steamer had just lift for the West Indies. She wa9 detained, by the English Government awaiting the decision of the great Powers of Europe with reference to the Chilian- Spanish, question. It is more than probable that the steamer brings a definitive solution of this point, since England and France would never suffer their commerce with the Pacific to be destroyed by frivolous eccentricities of Spanish rapacity.'*