The Spaniards have seized the Guano Islands belonging to Peru.
It appears that on 30th of March an envoy calling himself Special Commissioner demanded an audience of the President, who de- clined to receive him in that capacity—intended to imply that Peru was still a colony, but was ready to treat with him as con- fidential agent. Don Salazar y Mazaxedo refused, but handed in a paper of complaints, and ordered the squadron which he had sent for from Chili to seize the Chinch°. Islands, which produce 18,000,000 dols. out of the Peruvian revenue of 23,000,000 dols. The rights of the creditors of Peru, however, to whom the guano is mortgaged, were reserved. The Peruvians are unable to recover the islands, but they have authorized a loan of 10,000,0001., and raised volunteers, while all the foreign Consuls have protested against the act. The Commissioner's only explanation is that Peru had never been acknowledged as independent by Spain, and that she was raising a loan in order to oppose his just demands. Spain, we believe, has some real grievances against Peru, at least the Emperor of the French is said to think so; but this habit of seizing "material guarantees" is provoking war all over the world. It would be a terrible blow to British agriculture if Spain obtained a monopoly of the supply of guano.
