In Spain things look a little better. The Carlist attack
on Puycerda under General Saballs failed,—owing, says a corre- spondent of the Times, to the French Government's allowing Puycerda to be victualled and supplied from French territory. Puycerda would have been important to the Carlists. Standing on a height of about 3,600 ft., it commands the point at which two of the French passes into Spain approach each other, the Perpignan road and the Toulouse road. Consequently the custom-house there is a very important one, and the Carlists hoped to make of Puy- cerda not only an entrenched camp, but a source of revenue. They were beaten off by the sturdy resistance of the inhabitants,—the town is partly fortified,—with something like half the force of the Carlistassault, and the Carlists have now nothing to say but that they will try again. Puycerda has, however, been reinforced from Barcelona, and apparently General Velarde, if he can but succeed in settling the question about the aristocratic artillery officers which creates so much dissatisfaction amongst the Republicans, will have good reason to be satisfied with what he has effected. Spain takes civil war easily, almost merrily, and without the panic or frantic suspicions of France.
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