The New York Herald Newspaper, March 21, 1875, Page 6

~ THR CARUST WAR Don Carlos’ Military Position in the Mountains, ee The Sierra de Aralar Region-~ pography and Resources. — | Five Military Roads Easy of Defence and | Available Daily. | - A Military Glance at the Scene of | the Seven Years’ War. The Battle of Aburzuza—How It Was Fought | and the Consequences, The Weak Points of the Carlists Severely Tested by the Government Troops, ESTELLA, Jan. 25, 1875, Beginning at the French frontier, just north of | Roucesvalies, there extends across the Basque Provinces arangeo/ mountains, These mountains &re really an extension of the Pyrenees, and they traverse the whole of noriuern Spain ina line | mearly parallel to the sea coast, from which they fre about thirty miles distant. We have todo with only that part of tue range lying between the Frencu frontier and the Ebro, and which is here ealied by the different names of the Aralar—the Sierra de Elguea and the Sierra de Urquioto—but which 1 shall call for greater convenience simply THE SIERRA DE ARALAR. They sweep around tn a gentle curve to the south, and, passing between Vittorfa and Bilbao, form the watersned In which the Ebro takes 11s rise, Just north of Pampeluna they send Q@ spar south, which reaches to that place, and north of Vittoria another, which extends past Bilbao to the sea, South of ‘the Aralar will be observed another range of mountains, the eastern baif of which is called the Sierra de Andia, the western half the Sierra de Urbasa. ‘They are of a peculiar triangular shape, and with the Aralat and the spurs which they project southward inclose two or three little Valleys that nave always played sn important part jo the wars of which the country about Estelia has beep, from time immemorial, the theatre, A GIGANTIC FORTE! The first of these is the valley of the Araquih AS ‘Will be seen, it 1s bounded on the north by the Aralar, on the south by the Urbasa and the Andia, and on the east and west by spurs which these ranges project north and south and com- plete the circie. The valley thus inclosed is about thirty-five miles long and varies ‘rom two to eight miles in width, averaging, perhaps, three miles wide and measuriag about 100 square miles tn ex- tent. It ts through this valley that the ratiroad passes !rom Pampeluna to Vittoria. The moun- tains that shut tt in are exceedingly diMeult to | cross ; to armies quite tmpossible, except by THE ROADS them and which I will which lead over describe. From the north there are two—the ono from | Tolosa to Algasua, the other from Tolosa to Irur- gun. They both lead over diMfcult mountain Passes of tne Aralar, through narrow deiites that Qre commanded by overhanging clif_f4, where a | few men, advantageously posted, cam keep an | army at vay. From the west there is only the one leading from ‘Vittoria to Pampeluna, which enters the valley of Salvatierra and 1s,almost ag diMcult as the othera, It passes through the whole length of the valiey and emerges (rom !t at Ira:sun, thus forming an- other entrance on the east. ‘This entrance 1s @ donble one. The first is that ‘Dy which the hignway comes in: !tia a Kittle un even, rolling plain, abous balf a mule wide, and ts by {ar the enstest place to force a passage into the Valley. The other is a narrow gorge, avout a bum Grea fees wide, where the little river Araquil breaks through the mountain wall which hems it in. It is vounded on either side by cliffs 300 or 400 feet high, which form literally @ Kind of gigan- tte gateway. Itis through this gateway that the Railroad las beca constructed, The Ofth road and only one from the soutn is that leading from Esteila to Alsasna. The Sierra | 4e Andia, over whico this road passes and the Blerra de Urbasa presenta very steep ascent on their northern siope, and this slope, before reach. ing the summit, abrupuy ceases and ends in a perpendicular wail of rock from 50 to 100 feet | high, over which even a goat cannot pass, This wall extends nearly the whole distance from Irursun yo salvatiorra, that ig the whoie southern aide of the valley, and engineers making the | road, the only , it Wlib be remembered, on. the south, found it easier to pierce thig wall with @ tunne! than to getover it It is unnecessary to Temark upon the ease With which this road may bedefended. Jt ts of the greatest Importance to the Cariists, as ities their oniy direct route, con- now mecting Guipuzcoa and Navarre. No part of 1% is neld by ‘their adversaries, ag are the two others, from Vera and- from frursan, both of which pags \brough Pampeluna. This litte Valley of the Araquil, shut in on aii sides by im- passabie mountain barriers and nage waiis of rock, with only the five gateways I have descrined, ts, wherefore, a kina of gigantio fortress, con- a@tructed On @ grand scale by the hand of nature | hersel'—a fortress whieh can never de besieged, and which can never be starved out, because it | incioses within its wallsa rich and fertile valle: producing enough provisions to support, year | Afier year, ten times the number of men reqnirea for its de.ence. I have said there are five gate- Ways leading into ic; but as two of these are from the north, and as tne whole country north of the | Araiar to the sea coast is hold by the Carlists, there are really only three roads by which the | army of alfonso can effect an entrance, They aro the one from Vittoria, that from Pampeluna and the one trom Estetia, CONNROTION WITH THR VALERY OF THE awEscoas. | But tis is not ali, The Carlists nave connected. valley Witn that of the Amescoas oy & moun- tain road, good enough to allow thetr artillery to pass, | have spoken of the irregular triangular mass of mountains of the Sierra de Urdasa and the Sierra de Andia, The eastern angle, as I | have already shown, ts near Trursun, the westernm- forth of Vittoria, The southern angle or apex 1s Jost at Estella, acd there are inciosed withis this kind of triangle Ubree or four little valleys, which 1 will now describe, Two of these—the Vai de Ollo Qnd toe Val Ge Gana, tn the eastern corner of the Sierra de Andia—are Wut & fow mijes in extent, and are only connected with the valley of the Araquil by mountain patus and inaccessible toan army. They serve to enlarge tue vailey of the Araquil and serve om jeaders to it. THE AMPSOUAS. Just northwest of Estelia,in the beartof the Blerra do Urbasa, lies the valley or valleys of the Upper aad Lower Amescoas, These valleys are of cousiderable extent, measuring, altogether, por- haps 4 hundred square wiles, rich and fertile, and | CHARLES Vv. | Proje | 8th of December, | contented themselves with si | other, NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 1875—QUINTUPLE SHEET. ons ‘through this narrow gorge, as through the neck of @ bottle, emptying into the Aga, near Estella, The only other road leading inte it is ® mountain path to Algasua, connecting it with the Valley of the Araquil, which the Cariists have likewise made practicable for artillery. For a dis- tance of @{teen or twenty mules on eltuer side of this gateway, on the south, the wali of rock and mountain does not seem to be crossed by even a single mule-path, and for a great part of the dis- tance not even a goat could get over, The Amescoas ts, therefore, another fortress like that of the Valley of Araquil, but even stronger and | easier of delence, THE WEDCR. Let us now take aglance at the map, and we | will begin to understand someting of the peca- liar strength of the Variist positions. It should be remembered that Bilbao, Vittoria and Pampeluna are in the possessidh of the Alfonsists, I¢ will be seen that, with the Aralar Mountains, the spurs they send south, enciosing the Valley of the Ara- guil on the east and the Sierra de Andia, there i8 @ continuous range of mountains from the French frontier, near Roncevalies to the gorge of the Amescoas, just spoken of, near Hs. tella, a distance of flity miles; that with the western wall of tl Amescoas, the Sierra de Urbasa, the Aralar and the spur they send north past Bilbdo, there ts another almost continuows Tange of mountains from Estella to the sea. These. mountains, therefore, enclose an unmense triangle, whose apex is Katella and whose base 1s on the sea—a base that may be measured from Bilbao to the French frontier. The whole of it, with the exception, which I shall reier to pres- ently, 1s In possession of the Oarlists, The eastern side, or that between Hstella and the French srontier, 18 crossed by only three roads, [wo of these—the one from Estella to Alsasua and that trom Pampeluna to Trursun—l have already de- scribed. The third is the one between Pampeluna and Bayoune, which crosses the main range of the Pyrenees or Aralar, and sends a brguch to Vera belore reaching France, ON THE OTHER SIDE, from Estella to Bilvao, there are five, one of which, that from Vittoria into the Valley of the Araquil, Ihave also described. Of the other four it is only necessary to say that they all enter the triangle by dificalt mountain passes, which are very easy to defend, Of course, a large army of disciplined troops eight or ten times superior ip numbers to the defenders would probabiy force a passage by either of them at @ great sacrifice of lite; but neither Serrano, nor any of the men who have been in power since Don Carlos has taken the fleld, have been able to tnduce the Spanish army to make such asacrifice, It may now be seen why it 1s that Don Carios, with a handiul of undisciplined men, without officers and with- out artillery, has hitherto been able to set the armies of the Madrid government at deflance, Tnis triangle 1s, im skort, o huge fortress that cannot be surrounded nor besieged, that produces witnin 1ts own walls provisions for ap army of 30,000 men; a fortress whose parapets are among the clouds, whose granite walls are proof against all the pigmy artillery man can bring agalust them. It 1s a kind of wedge driven into the side of Spain between Pampeluna and Vittoria, like a natl; a wedge whose big end is the Province of Gulpuscoa and a part oi Biscay; whose pomt is that triangular cluster of mountains north of Estella, called the Urbasa and the Andia, and which, penetrating ost wo the Ebro, threatens old Castile aad points ominously toward Madrid. Although the country actually hela by the Carlists ts much larger than this, and extends to the south ahd east, incinaing nearly (he whole of Navarre, as well as to the west, Including Bis- cay, this Wedge is the heart and the stronghold of Carlism. it was within this boundary that MAINTAINED THE UNEQUAL STRUGGLE for seven long years, and the country Is still as thoroughly Carlistas it was forty yeara ago, and is ready to Wage another seven years’ war. THE WEAK POINT. This fortress has one weak point, however, owlpg to the fact that the Carlists pave pot got possession of quite all of it. Near the sea coast i apd the French frontier will be observed three towns—St. Sebastian, Hernani and Tron—/orming @ sinell triangle, whose largest side ts about twelve miles. Tuese places are ailin the hands of the Alfonsists, and are more or Jess strongly fortl- fled. St. Sebastien and Passages—a litte Ashing vil- lage near !t—are good seaports Where troops may be rapidly landed in grext numbers, as was shown during the siege of Tran, These places, im the hands of Alfonso, and which the Carliaw, had they bat bad good officers, wonld have obtained pos- seasion of long ago, enabie bim to attack the Cay- list strongvold in the rear. They orm, in fact, &@ small wecge inserted into the bigend of the large one, aud which threatens to epen it from behind, But here the friendly mountains have again interposed, aa if expressly to favor the Carl- lista. There is 4 range of Mountains that project north from4tne Aralar and reack the sea at irun, near the French frontier. The peak called tne Puree Crowns,” which everybody who bas visited Hendaye, St. Jean de Luz and Biarritz mnst have Temarked as tae highest of wnat appears to be the Pyrences, is in reality the ex reme northern point of this spur of the Arala: ne it gradually slopes down tu the heights o! San Marcial, famous astne position of one of the Carlist batteries duriog the siegeof Iran. A ehort distance from its Junction with the Aralar another low range from it and reaches the sea west of St. Sebastian, aud thus forms a kind of fork, between Whose p sare sitnated tne three fortresses. They are thus inclosed io @ monniatn triangle, which separates them from the rest of the coun- try, and this is why St. Sebastian has been so little used a8 @ base Of operations against the Cartists in the norvh, By simply hoiding three roads, which are easily defended, the Cariists can keep a large army cooped up in this little triangle and render it almost useless, THE THRES ROADS are—the one from Irun to Vera, that follows ap the valley of the Bidassoa, & narrow, crooked, rocky GeGle, which @ battalion can heid against | army; the one from St. Sebastian to Andoatn, almost equally diMeult, and that from Iran to | Solosa, which emerges from the triangle at Urni- | eia. It was in attemp'ing a sortie by thimtatter | | road that Loma, with forces triple those of the Carlists, was 90 badiy beaten and wounded on the After @ Oesperate strurgie. Which jasied two days, he was obliged to give up the attempt. The road emerges from the triangte here through @ i1ttle va , Which 1 domimated | by nills and bluffs, the Carlists nave long since But the Carlists Save never ply holding these roads, Although the little corner of country thus seized ana Jortified, | tnciosed belongs of right to the army bolding tho | fortress, the Carlists absurdly take possession of it and hold it, ap to the very walls of the forta sometimes even sleeping io the suburbs Of Bt. Se- bastian. THESE TURER PORTRESSES, only ten miles apart, owing to the apathy or in- capacity of the oMcerain command of them, are | generally as completely separaved from each as far as commonication by land is con- cerned, 9a though they were ® bnndred miles apart, It was this fact which enadied the Carlists to besiege Iran, and which enables them to hold thres-fonrrhs of this Imte corner yet, In spite of their having been driven out of tt after tho battles | of Sem Marco and Oyarsun. Any otler bat Spanish | oficers would drive the Oarlists ont and keep them out, and aithongh they migbt not be able to gel out themselves and attack, they wonld at least keep the Carliste from gettingia. This, how. | ever, Would require a degree of energy, activity and vigilance which any Spanish offcer withthe least sell-respect would not be guilty of for any they are even more completely sbutin by mous | consideration, and the result 19 that there 1s no tain walla than the Valley of tue Araqnil. are inclosed on the soutiwest by the Montes de | Jos Awesooas, Which, proj ting from the Sierra de Urdara south of Vittoria, extend ina sonth- e@asteriy direction to a point just north of Batella where they are only separated from anotner, foutuern spur of the Andia by a narrow gorge. | Sebi row gorge, @ handred feet wide, is the | sea coaat. Ths oniy gateway luo \icse valleys, and even the roaa which passes in Gere Was HOk practicable for artillery anil, receay made #0 by the Carlisi, ‘The Valley ls Watered by streams which, tumbling They | communication belween Iran ana St. Sebastien except by #ea, Bod none between Bt, Sebastian | and Hernan! except by means of large convoys of troops, There ia one otuer road leading out of the triangle which I have uot yet mentioned, It is | one which branches of from the road between 4t, tino avd Andoain, 40d goes to Urio, on the This road, however, defend at Orio, Where It crosses the Ilitle river of that Dame and then passes Over @ steep mountain. THR FOLNT OF THE WEDGR. Let as nowretarn to the positions abont Ea- down from the mountains, unite and fod their Way | bella, Lhe point of the Wedge Which | have spoken the Carlista will | | af as the stronghold of Cariism is that mountain triangle formed by the Sierrade Urbasa, the Sierra de Andia and the Montes of Amescoas, That whieh may be termed the western wall of the Amescoas, seen from the direction of Logrofia, presents a perpendicular wall of rock four or five hundred feet higb, over which nothing but @ bird | can pass, and through which no opening, no gate- way can be perceived. The gateway exists, never- theless—the gorge of the Amescoas,@ tnndred | feet wide, already deseribed. As one approaches | Estella, however, itcan be perceived, bounded ou either side by towering walls of rock and cif five orsix hundred feet high—a very Titan’s gate- way—and right in front, at the distance of tree | Miles, stands Monte Turra, like a giant sentinel, | keeping watch before it, Between the gateway | on ove side and this sentinel on the other, down | deep in the valley of the Ega lies Estella, THE CITY OF THE “STAR,” Tts name siguifles ‘‘star,’? and the legend which | ascribes its (oundation to the express commands | of the Blessed Virgin relates that she manifested | her desire by appearing in the heavens and drop- | ping ® star on the spot where the town was to | be built, and that sie promised it should becomea bulwark of the Holy Catholic Religion, The legend 1s preserved and confirmed by an old stone cross on the hillside overlooking the town, on which | is rudely cut a human hand pointing upwards to | astar. Strangely enouga the prophecy bas been | fuitified, if Don Carlos ts to be considered a cham- pion of the Faith, for Estella hag hitherto been the principal battle ground of Carlism. A‘ any rate whoever chose the site of Hstella must have haa @ good military eye, for, apart from its wonderfal Strategic advantages, it is most admirably sit- uated for defence, Projecting from the roexy wall of the Amescoa and sweeping sround EKsteila on the cast, past Aburzuza, Zaballs and Villatuerta, is A SEMI-CIRCULAR RIDGE, which reaches almost around to Monte Turra, On the west is arange of hills, which, uniting with Monte Turra on one side and the Amescoas clits on the other, complete the circle of defence. Tnis | circle is broken in two places only, where the Ega flows in and where it flows cut. But, as may be easily imagined, the valley of thia little stream is & narrow crooked dell, in some places scarcely wide enough for road and river, and everywhere dominated by overhanging bluffs, which must be carried before an army can getin, The valicy is 80 deep and narrow that the town, which is bailt partly in it, partly on the hillside, cannot beseea oneither of the roads entering it, until one ts | within a Rundred yards of its towers, It can never be bombarded, because no artillery can reach it a8 long as the surrounding hills are held by its defenders, and when they are lost it must fall witbout a bombardment, POINTS OF ENTRANCE, ‘There are eight roads icadidg into it, The first commencing on the north, is the one to Alsasua, which Ihave already desciibed as crossing tho Sierra de Andia throngh @ tunnel, and which is, of course, In possession of the Carlista, The second is the one to Pampeluna direct, and the third that to Puenta la Reina, both of which are, since the battle of Aburzuza, In possession of the Carliste, The fourth is the one from Oteiza, which, uniting with that from Pusnta ia Reina, near Villatuerta, enters the town by the valley of the Ega. It was by this road tho iil-starred Concha aavanced at the battle of Aburzuza, The fifth ts the one irom Dicastilio, which, passing around the southern @lope of Monte Turra and winding about among the foot hills of that mountain, through deep cnt- | tings, and alterward passiog beneath a clit called the Pela deb Moco, jnst outside the town, {s as easily defended as the one np the valiey of the Ega. It was bere the battle of Dicastillo was fought, where the repnbdlicans were defeated in a wetermined attack on the gallant htttetown, Tho S'Xtb 1s the one from Logroa0 through Los Arcos, | | ft pasees around the north side of Monte Turra, | through a little plain a quarter of a mule wide, | which lies between Monte Turra and the mount calied Monjardin, Here was fought the battle of | Monte Turra, where the Carlista were victorious, | as they have been in every pattie belore sella. | The seventh is the road from Vittoria, which en- ters the town by the gorge or dell where the Ega flows in, and this is the only road by which an at- tack has not been tried. Tus road, up to the very Walis of Vittoria 1s in possession of the Carlists, The eighth, which, until made practicable for artl- | | lery lately by the Caritsts was only a muie path, | | leads up into the valley of tee Amescoos aud | thence over the Sierra de Urbasa to Alsagua. | Tius is, of course, in the bands of the Carlists, and | the way by which they would retreat in case Es- tella were taken. CARLIST ADVANTAGES, 3 Of the eight roads, therelore, that lead into Es- tella, five are in the hands of the Carits:s aad no advance can be made by even the ones | | from Pampeluna, Puenta la Reina ana Vittorta, | without a preliminary battle to get possession of these roads. In the present positions of the two armies an attack upon Estella direct can only be | made by three roads—the one from Los Arcos, | that from Dicastillo and the one trom Oteiza, Ail | the posttions on the roads, In addition to the de- | fences nature has bestowed on them, havo been | fortified by the Carlists and made well nigh im- pregnanls, although the style of fortification Jeaves, in my opinion, a great deal to be desired. | U! which, however, more anon, A FORMIDAPLA TOLD, | It will bo seen from this description that the postition occupied by Don Carlos is a most formid. | aole one, Leaning back against the mighty wall | ofthe Amescoos like a giant, with his face to the | Bbro and holding in his hand an army as trae aa steel aud as ready to do his bid- ding a3 ever was bdiado in tho hands of knight of oid, he is no moan foe, and is well | worthy the steel of the best army and the best general of Europe. Bunt even were Estejla taken | Don Uurlos would not be crusned, Secure im his | mountain wedge, he could still set the might of Don Alfonso at defiance for another seven years, a8 | @id bis grandfather before him. ‘This was so weil understood by Concha that at tho battle of Abur- | #oza he bed planned not only to take Estella, put | to-capture the whole Carlist army. | TH BATTLE OF AbURZU7A. | It may not be ainiss to say something about this | battle here, the more espectailly as It is probable that It will have to be fought over again hefore Estella is taken. Jt was said aiter the battle that Concna bad kept bis plam such @ secret that it died with lim, and nobody kuew how to carry it | out. The trath is that it was so thoroughly devel- | opea by the battle thas every officer in both’) armiea must baye known it as wal Conena himeolf, Te advanced by way of Otelza oe far as Villatuorta, made mem- cradle “as the place where Captain Schmidt | was taken, Dbht instead of continuing along — } this road np the marrow, crooked dell of the Egs | | he deployed faa troops to the north along the foot of the semicircular ridge, which I have deseriped | as covering Bevella in the east, the Carlist General | of course answering the movements by deploying | his troops along the summitof the ridge. Concha’s | left now rested upon Villatuerta, bia centre before | Zabvails on the road to Pampelna and his right at Abursoza om the road to Ale) va He now occu. | pied exactiy the same position |) army advancing | from Pampelnna would natur have takea up, and belore the batule really commenced had | neized one of the only two roads by wiich the Car- | lists would effect # retreat—that to Alaasua, His Tight wing, it will oe observed, was exactiy oppe- | site the space which separates Hateila from the | the botele-like gorge of the Amescoas, throngn which waa tho Oarliat General's only chance of retreat, THE OANLIST Lins, | extending from the cis of the Amescoas Along | the ridge to # short distance above Viliatuerta, | were abont two milea long, and the Carjist army, | numbered 18,000 men, with four lithe brass pieces | of mountain artillery, Which were almost uselena. Couche’s army numbered abont 40,000 men and | keven batteries of forty-two guns of grtil | lery. With regard to tne difienities of the frownd, although the ridge occupied by Osclista was high enongh and extensive the | CRongh to protect Eatella againss artijlery fire, it | Was by no means #0 pteep as to ofer any serious | Obstecies to the ascent of iniantry. Opposite whe republican centre at Murrigarren itis trno the | akCeD’ Was steep Gnd rocky, aud for ashors dis- | ‘aimidable kind. | losing tance could be scaled only with the greatest cim- culty; but the rest of the ridge was moderately steep, covered in some places with vineyards, in others with olive orchards and other places still with low, ecrubby oak trees, Opposite Aburzuza, however, the ascent was so gentie tkat but for the inequalities of the ground a cavalry charge might have been made to the very top. And these inequalities, 80 far from effering obstacles to the advance of the infantry, assisted them, on tue conirary, by offering them cover at every step. CONOHA’S ASSAULT, After shelling the Carlist positions two days and 4 balf Concha ordered the assault ail along the line. The real attack, however, was directed against the heights opposite Avurzaza, for, with the eye of a true General, Concha detected the weak spots in the Oarlist line, which happened to be the very place most favorible to his plan. That plan was to throw forward his right Wing, seize these heights and the entrance to the Amescoas, and thus cut off the Carlist retreat; then sweep them down to the Ebro, where they would have been inevitably obligea to surrender, It wags in attempting to urge his wavering troops forward to a third or fourth | attack upon these heighis that he was killed. The plan Was an admirable ong, and had ‘t succeeded the Carlist army would have been bagged as snrely as was the French at Sedan, Jt was a plan that, with his numerical superiority, onght to have succeeded, and wouid have succeeded had his troops fought half as well as tne Carlists. THE PRESENT POSITION. The position has materially changed since the buttle of Aburzuza. The Varlists have taken Puente la Reina, and extended their left to Biur- run, at the mountain of Varrascal, where the road from Tafalla to Pampeiuna leads through a nar- row pass. This is the road by which communica- tion had been kept up with Paimpeluna, and the Cariists, immediately after the battle, invested that place, Pampeluna, all unknown to the world, underwent for seven or eight months the process of starvation, aud sustained a siege longer than that of Paris, The investment, it is true, was not very close at first, and provisions were al- lowed to get in occasionally, but during the last four months nothing was permitted to enter, Had Pampelona fallen into the hands of Don Carlos, Al/onso XII. might as well have abdicated atonce. But, although the Carlist positions are very strong naturally and has been fortified, Es- tella and the pass of Carrascal could not both be held with the forces the Carliste had against a well directed and resolute attack upon both points at ence. The Carlist line was—counting from uamayor, on the road to Los Arcos, the extreme right, to Blarrun or Oarrascal, the extreme le{t— twenty-eight miles long. They could not pring more than 25,000 men to the defence of this line, without completely leaving the roads leading from St. Sebastian, Bilbao and Vittoria unprotected, ‘They had more troops than they had at Abaizuza, but their line was ten times as jong 4s 1t then was, while the enemy had fifteen or twenty thousand jmoore men to bring againat it than they had then— that 1s, about 60,000 men. Although the Carlist right and leitat Estella and Carrascal were exceed- ingly strong, the centre at Paente la Reina was comparatively weak, The pos'ttons before Estella, forming the Oarlist right, I bave already doe Kcribed, and I will now give asort description of the left and centre. TH@ LUFT, as Ihave already explained, rested on the road from Talailato Pampeluna, Tue road here runs through a Darrow pass between the mountain of Carrascal, on the side of Biurran, and the mona. tains called the Sierra de Allaz on the other, It | 18a place easily defendea, and the Carlists be- sided strengtiened it wit trenches, THE-CARLIST FRONT, it should be stated, extended from Pueyo, on the lett wing, through Artajona, Mendigorria, Oteiza ond Dieastiilo to Villamayor, at the extreme rignt, Pueyo and Artajona will, however, probsbly not be defended seriously, a8 the positions of Ourrascal are mucno stronger. The tine of delence of the centre, in front of Puente, will be @ little behind Mendig» rria. Thists one of the weak points of the Carlist line, There is @ range of hilis, it 1s trne, extending from the Artajonaroad to Puente; but offering omy gentle ascents om this side, they possess little more advantage for defence than open fields, and afford as much protecticn to the attacking pariy as to the attacked, - AN OPBN PLAIN, The whole country between Puente, gorria and the Arlajona road may prac. tically be considere an open plain, which je five or six miles in extent, over which fantry can pass anywhere, Allowing the Carlistg every chance which good generalship geod army may give, it 1s, neverthoiess, that as their ensmy could sing a superior force aaainst, the whole lime at once this part of it might be driven in by @ resojmle hd persistent attack. And this because the cround offers no advantage of position to compensate the Cariists for their weakness iD point of numbers. Puente takea, the Carlist army. Would be cut in two, unless the Garlist General shoulé abandoa either Carrascal or Eatelia, Puente la Reina 1m podsession of the Al‘onsists, the road would be open from that place to Pampeluna, even though Carrascal and Estelia should both held out, which 13 hardly probable. In- Mendi- | deed, there woul be no reason to hold Carrascal were any otier road open to Pampeluna, The part of tae Carlist line between Mendigorria and Oteiza_ is also comparatively weak. Extending the whole distance oetween these two places there Is @ low mountain, covered with a thin, low, scruvny wood, ‘This mountain offers some advan- tages lor defence, but the greater part of it ts by no means inac ie to infanbey. An attacking force double that of tae defenders ought to carry it with ease. As Lhave already shown, the liberal army Wil be adie to bring notontly double but tripie the forces of the Oarlists ag*inat the wholo | line, Oteiza and thie mounsain carried, they would | get possession of the Puente road !rom Cirancin to Villatuerta, and, as tn the other case, the Car- list army would be cnt im two. THR CARLISC FORTIFICATIONS, A great deal has been said about the fortifica- tions around Estelia and Carrascal, and it is usually sopposed ‘hat they are of the most for- Their strengrh has, however, In my opinion, beeu preatly exaggerated. Tney consist sharply of barrow trenches about etghtcen inones wide and iour or five ject deep, rather re- sembling what were cailed rifle pits im our war than reaniar eorthworks. Artillery ts almost usclegs against them, itis trne, for unless @ shell explodes exactly in the trench it does no harm, aud then it rarely 41'ls more than one man. This waa proven at the bacties of Somorrostro and Aburzuza—especially in the latter, where Concha shelled the Carlists’ positions two days and a naif without kiling & hundred men. They are equally roof, of course, against small arms, Asilong a8 Re atticking army Stays off and shovts at jong ravge 4 small force will hold such trenches against ten times ita number. But the case ts = different when it comes to repejling an assault with the bayonet, Sneh forti- fications are incomplete, and at most can only be | called hali made, because they Jack the altch be- fore the trenches necessary !o stop an essaulting column. ‘tnere is reaily nothing before many of these trench right over t , Not to speak of @ bayonet charge by resoiuteitniantry. A heavy assauiting colama thrown against such trenches, five or six times ag sirong (numericaliy) aa their deiender, must tn- evitably cacry them, with heavy losa, it i6 true, A GREAT WANT. This ig the de‘ect of the Carliat fortifications, There 18 nothing to sop an aasauiting column but tne bayonets of the defenders, Avy fortification worthy of the name should have before the trenches ditches or something to stop an assauli- ing column long enough to allow the deienders time to fre several rounds at point blank range, It requires the most desperate courage to fill such ditchos under fre, and recourse is usually had to Jong ranve artihery to accompilisn tne work, The takes time, and, until Pampeinna falis, the Carists bave everyiling to gain by potting of a fight here as long as pos sible. But the Oariist generais, probably relying upon the unsteadiness of their adversary’s troops, Dave quite neglected thie important part of all \oruifeatious. During the six months they have beid these posi‘ions they might have sortie fied the whole line irom bstella to Carraseal and made it \mposaibie to take any other part oi it | Without the ass.siance of slege artilery. With the fortifications tn their present stare and the superior forces that can be brought to the attack—early three (0 one—it is my opinion that some part of the line will give Way and that the Carlists wili be obiiged to abandon eitber Kstelia or Carrascal. It ja diMculs wonld give np with least disadvantage, If they lose Carraacal Pampeluna wii) be reiieved. and ail tuelr hopes Of taking that important place dasned | round forever, wile the moral effect of patella Would possibly prove disastrous, uness speedily (o lowed by the fail of Pampeinua, That place is 40 nearly starved ou’, however, that it would pos-1b\y be better to let vo Metella, which could be captured again, aad make sure of Pampe- jana, to the THE ROAD FROM SANGUESA, There {a one more road by which Pampeinna Might be relieved, which I have not yet men- toned—that Is, (he road (rom Sangueas. ‘The Vari- ists hold this road Aomewhere near Monreal, vat ibis 60@ of aefence, owing to: cho mountama through wailch it passes, that they have hitherto held it with one or two companies, it is just prob. | able thactt will be attempted fo relieve the ve- | leagnered city by this route, and that the attempt ‘Will succeed simply because pot looked for, The Cariists, with the negligence which characterizes | them, Nave omicted to fortify tue positions here, | aod wil Lisewise probably Owit bo Gefend it when the time Cougs, to prevent a cherge of cavairy | | Never caliea to inquire about it since. to say which they | | Bepbew -aw in | Constitutional and we should refase to obey it, SAVINGS BANKS DEPOSITS. UNFINISHED ACOOUNTS—THE ROMANCE OF AN~ CIENT DEPOSITS—-THE LAW ON THR SUBJECT. For nearly twenty years or more it has been the almost annual custom of the Legislature to call for information concerning the amount of money on deposit with the savings banks of the State whica has been unclaimed for ten, twenty years or more, and nearly as often as the tnquiry has been ordered the attempt has been made to pass alawrequiring the panks to turn over these so- called “unclaimed deposits’ to the custody of the State. Bills to effect this object have passed both houses in tura, but go far no such bill has reached the Governor for his signature, it having always perished by the way in one or the other House, Meaatime the impression seems to have lingered as a tra- aition about the State Capitol that there was “millions in 1?’—in short, that the prosperity of our savings banks was largely due to the posses- sion of this money which the owners had (or- gotten to call for, On Tuesday the Superintendent of the Bank Department submitted to the Senate, in answer toa resolution, aspecial reporton this subject, from which it appears that the savings banks-of the Siate hold $316,656 60 of deposits which have not been claimed for twenty years and upward, and $538,188 which has remained in their hands jor more than ten and less than twenty years, Of these sums by far the larger part is, of course, held by banks to this city, nearly $650,000 of the grand total being ia the hands of three banks—viz, the Bank for Savings in the city of New York (Bleecker street), the Sea- man’s and the Bowery. Of these the first named js the oldest in the State, having been or- ganized in 1819; the second was established in 1929, and the third a few years later, and all of them have numbered among their depositors and oilicers many Of the best Known and most honored of New York's merchants and financiers. With a view to learn how tue proposed sequestration by the State of these deposits is viewed by bank officers, and What effect such action would be likely to have on the depositors, @ reporter called yesterday at several of the older institu- tions. The first one visited wns, as was natural by right of seniority, the Bank for Savings in the city of New York, better known as the ‘Bleecker Street Savings Bang,” from the location of its Old-iashioned stable lovking build. ing. ‘Here, in the absence of both Presl- dent and Secretary, the reporter was reierred to Mr. Craig, Comptroller, who said cau really tell you very little about the matter. | sup;.ose you bave seen the printed apstract of the report im the daily papers. We do not, however, call these ‘unclaimed deposit: ss they are liable to be and are claimed every day. We cali them ac- eounla not acted upon ior #0 many years, but they ure really nO different from any other accounts,” RePoRtER—They draw interest then all tha ul me? Mr. ORAIG—Certainiy; tuterest 18 credited sem!- annually on ali accounts, ReroRTeR—heo these accounts are at com- pound interest, the imterest being compounded semi-annually ? Mr, CRAlG--Exactly; and these old accounts are being presented Constantly, but for details you had better see Mr, Rock wood, our accountaut, Mr. Rockwood, on being appealed to, said in suostance, *fhese old accounts are constantly comiug in, and some of them under very curivus cireunstauces, Persons baving deposits nee oiten leave them undisturbed lor years, fecling periectly secure about them, and having no need to draw the money, and then, under pressure of some unexpected peed, they will come in to draw thew money, or perhaps the oricinal depositor will die, and bis.book will be presented by the admin. istrator Of his esate. I you cau come ia again in the course of au hour I will give you some cuses am point’? At the appointed time the reporter returned and was hanued the foliowing tavie of accounts, paid within the past five years, Mr. Rockwood ex Plaing thatit Was uot at alla juil statement—oniy sucb A selection as he bad been avie to muke up laasiily in the intervals of busivess, Least Action Previous to Amount Paynent, Said. $908 41 When 2 Er sfFreversch es 38 3 03 58 OL 85 04 52 7 oe ria 3 4 pa 42 73 6S eB as 269 67 100,404. 146 Tae amounts left on deposit varied from $o to heariy $600, most of Laem Leg, however, sinal}. “Many of these depositors,” said Mr. Rockwood, “theaght they bad drawn all their money whem there was really asmail amount of interest due them, and that had gone on compounding until they remembered it and cae arouna to inquire about It nome, Woo, Lave curious histories ate tached to them. ‘Tnusy No. 23,399 was ap account opened wita us in 1526 by @ Benjamin Asbtoo, an Enghaman, who drove a cad here, and who, in 1837, returned to Engiaud expecting to return, and Daving $80 valance on his bank bOoK, Somevody there advised im that ue could pever recover his money and he burned hia book. Some years alter- Ward ne «ued, Rever iaving revurnea here, leaving his property tou pephew. A few years ago tis an English paper & reyort © a@ iecture on savings banks, by Mr. Edwards, of tne Dime Savings Bauk, of Brooklyn, | and wrote to thatgendl»man, teilimg the ciroum- siances Of his Uacie’s having an account In some New York savings vank. Mr. Edwards sent the letier ty us, @ correspondence took place turoagk the Britisa Consul. Mr. Archibald, and in 1873, a3 you see, we paid over to the Consul, jor the nephew, over $700. Tue account bad been regulariy borue On vur Jedgers, though we had jeurd nothing of th ositor. Here 18 (he ietter of thanks ne wroie ir. Archibuld Ou receiving the money, Bd which that gentieman sent to us,” In this letier tue fortunate heir, 8 Mr. Binotng- TON, Alter eXPressing his thanks, Bay! “1 pave a Jamily of nine odilaven, @ heavily rented farm on whico 1 was born; 1 nave lost three cows aud two horses in less than twelve months, una tacse who ought to have been my irienas have been my ene- mues; Lam sorry tw say so toat it bas come, in tue order of God’s good providence, in tine of need,” “Toese® things are constantly occurring,” said Mr. Kockwood, ‘‘aud We Can pever cousider these | | accounts closed,” At the BOWERY SAVINGS BANS the Secretary, Mr. Coggeshall, satd:—“We do not | recogiige any ‘unciaimed deposits.’ We look upon ail accounts a8 just toe same aud pay tiem when- ever fone no matter bow long they may | have been running, A day Or two ugo we wrote | up. the book of a leading nierchant who had made # deposit Lere twenty-two years ago and had | As to the proposed law, we care noiving avout it The moie strict they make the laws lu tue inierest of the depositors the better we shall like it, They Cannot make any which will be more severe thau our own rules. As to this proposed law | can ony | Bay We hever Consider au acovunt ciosed and fad they are conustanuy turming up eh long inter- vals.” wr. Alfred T. Conkiin, President of the MECHANICS AND TRADBAS’ SAVINGS INSTITUTION, sald:—"We liave no amount of th deposits, bu’ it we had I suould care noting about such # law. [should pay no sort of attention ioit, Tue Legts- jature caunot divert @ trust coutidea tous. If we suould turn over Our deposits to the State after tney had been waclaimed for # certain nuimber of Jeurs and thea adepow\or should walk in and claim bis money we sould be voliged to pay it or ne could sue and recover, We nave cases very olten of men couing in Whose accounts have been running for twenty years and more, but wno have not cared to aisturb them, We are the cus. todiaus of their money und cannot delegate the | Tesponsibiiity to any One else, not evea (ne State. Most of these schemes ure gotten up for “striking” parposes. A lew years uo 4 inan im Albany tried this (bing @pd hed @ bill mirodaced for tne varn- ing over of these deposits, and a short | tine atverwa: da I received « letter irom a lawyer in Wail street proposing to nave the matter ‘net. tied,’ J turew his letter im the drawer, I wouldn't give a cent to prevent the passage of such @ bill, for tt Would be unconstitutional, and I sitouid pay no attenuon to it. an presented hunseif bere with such @ bill with @ view to getting money labould kick him out, | believe inese Liles are generally Gevised jaat to maxon strike, because te per diem of tuose Jellows 1s hot enough to pay tuetr board.” Atine SHAMEN'S SAVINGS INSTITUTION the Prosiaent, Mr. Wm, H. Macy, confirmed the testimony o1 the other gentlemen named as to the Irequency With wiich deposits Were cailed jor on | accounts Which bad not been disturbed for more than twenty years. In regard to such a law as that reiorred to he said, “ft would be ciearly an When it would, of course, go to the Court of Ap> peals for decisioa and would be veciared uncon stiutional, They might pass a iaw providing that Goposi's Made alter & ceriain date snould oe paid Over to the State alter a certain number of years, and 1) persons chose to deposit with as under that rule i) right, bat It is absurd to.say that the State Can desuine our responsibiities for (ne pas We | cancot be relieved irom them,” | frame. | narrow wiaths, only, bemg used for edging, | Widths, and some Diack chi) Nats hve te b SPRING FASHIONS. Opening of the Modistes’ Season. What the Present Month Brings Forth. A Glimpse at the New Styles in Bonnets and Dress Goods. The month of March being the opening of spring, according to the calendar, we are supposed to he therefore delighted, and to hunt up ail that the old poets have sung in her praise. But thie precious climate of ours plays so many queer tricks that @ snow storm or other agreeable visitor irom above may suddenly put in an ape pearance when one comes to talk of “baimy breath” and “beautiful spring.” Yet, however the poets and “Old Probabilities” may differ, the milliner aud dressmaker have & mission to per form, and duriog the past week many a window in Broadway has been gayly adorned with all that tends to make the female heart grow glad, Neither sleet, aia nor piercing wind, leaden skies nor sloppy streets, will der ter the fair one from shopping when Mistress Fashion gives the comman® Delicate pink, pale silver and the otner charming. hues of spring silks must be seen, rain or shine, and the wearers of sealskin jackets wish to know how the new styles in polonaises, mantillas and capes will look upon them when spring comes tn earnest, and furs are to be finally discarded, Ag far as March fashions are practically to be considy ered, @ Warm Cloak an@ a thick veil, especially the latter, may be regarded as the only valuable addb tions to the toilet. he sharp winds of March pay little respect to ladies’ complexions, The changeg in fashion which nave taken place witnin afew years are marvellogs, and yet the revolution bag been accomplished by such impercepuble degree that it has been scarcely felt The progress hae been in the direction of good taste and natural ness, and the ridicuious features of the past can never be revived, So far we have had only suggestions of the styles of the coming season rather thap poslitve eXampies, ‘ihe mania for trimming has great! decreased, and the taste fur costumes closely outs Mning the gure—ciassic drapery—is beginning ta essertitsell, Ju colors, black and neutral tin stand the hignest in favor, and nothing pronon or glaring will be countenanced, in dress mate- rials mo one ean complain of @ want variety. Spring silks in every shade of brown, gray and beige; black and white striped siika, which have become standard favorites; colored siripes ia the new Persian colorings und cameo and chiné stripes, witn # hundred other varies ties, ranging irom $1 75 to hi Le yard, are offered jor toe consideration of the fair Shoppers, Mate» Jass6 silks, of ligat material, in colors as dark ag the heavier fabrics of wiuter, but with smaileg figures aud lower prices, from $2 50 to $5, will bee come @ leading style. The same figures are ree peated in soft, raw silk, resembling nese Bliky tue price being about $2 60. On tus lavter mates vial are also exhibited sireaks of brignt vlue and crimson, in the midst 0: plaided designs, on éeru ground, ‘fhe favorite “biue binck’? silks will be obliged to yield tuis season to “jet black,” as tha latter, have @ finer lustre, Cashmere will stil) bold its own, and will be exhibited in every variety, In camels hair goods the coloring and deaigns will be more positive thau in the winter styles, yet retaiuing the same characteristics, In’ some instances the bizarre in color nas been sought and attained at the sac rifice of good taste. Serges and pungees will pare take of the prevailing idea of checks and plaids and soit, ail wool de be@ge is stili very popular, Lt is rather early in the season to speak %or thie goods, but it may safely be agserted that to grene adine Wil be accorded the first place. The new Alyles Must necessarily atiract attention, Squares and Checks Of all sig08 ang kinds, from the coarser meshed pattern te heavy bara, running up and down and crosswise, heavy and light stripes im unison, and so On until .an infinite variety ip reached, We are also promised oeaded grenadines Ge ae ‘The prices range 1com seventy-fve cenip 2 5 A leading featorein spring styles is that of 9 thick material showing through @ thin one worn over, and this idea prevais throughout every der artmeut of attire. For examplo, percales are rought out iu great nambers, aud all dispiay paw terms of iace work covering @ colored ground, which shows effectively in contrast. In these laces work figures are apparent the eyelet and wheel pecuthe to the Engiish embroidery of ast season. Others, though not in lace pat terns, yet in evident compliance with the above ideas, show ftiue white hair stripes so arra: as to form large pialds, through which 19 seen the dark ground resembiing thicker materia) below, Dark blue with white above will be in great favor. These percales rauge trom thirty-five w fifty cents. Lace work paiterns extend also to calicoes, Which are covered throughout as with @ met work, Hanisome qualities of batiste are shown, cmef among whicn ia embroidered oatiste, with whiie and biewn designs embrowwered on écru grounds; and those wivh colored stripes Tuaning throughout Linens will be as muca worn as @ the Garx browns and biues—of which there various shades—taking the pref- erence, dStriped “Oxiord” linens, which made their appearance late last summer, will une doubteuly be a Jeading style for tuis season. They have stripes of biue or brown, with thread-like edges of scarlet. Wor thia whife goods tacre always @ demand, and those styles which Lave been popular will still be patroatzed. Frmge will be @ leading styie of tmmming this Season, and 18 shown in every grade of quality and an endless variety of styles ‘Lnere are silk braid irnges, jet, rough braids, with rows of fine cut beads at the cages; inohar and worsted fringes, capaole of suiiog any taste. Lmbroidery 10 4K and worsted is us popular asever, and jet abi steel beaas are tutermingied whenever they can be used with propriety. sik embroidery on very fine netting comes in banas to be ased en ap,4iqué on handsome dresses, Tois cau be pur-. Ciused in Diack audin Clore, buy is very eXpen- sive, withough it can easily be transierred to Various dressea, etreet costuines for the present season are al- Ways composed of eltuer two materials or two colors or shades of color, The lormer are more general, and the favorive faorics ‘or goving wear are. undoubtedly, milk and casnmere, or fine cam-~ ely’ hair cloth for the upper part of tke dress and suk jor the under. Black cashmere, trimmed with black sik and navy blae, trimmed aiso with sik to match, are very much admired, Of all ar 3 Of feminine Wear the bonnet is one that has undergone the most rewarkablo changes, From tie days of the old Leguorn cual scuctie down to the dainty it.tie stractures ol tae present time the numer 0: Varieties would pazzie even an expert at eiegtion returns. There Is one great merit about the present s.yles of headgear, they suit every taste and iace. ‘lhe new styles in. hata are noticeabiy larger thaa those of last season—larger, im fact, than tney have been worn for miny years. Keai noveliies are scarce, Tee coquettisn insouviani styles of the past sexnsou are repeated, or, rather, enlarged upon Im more sensogabie mate- Tiais, and, janctiul as they are, it cannot be denied That im most vases taey are very becoming. As a Tule the crowns are 0; medium height, some round, but the majority flat, whe the brims are the ieature, Wide, so Wide in many cases as to remind one of a symorero, these vrima are Up abd tu ned down, and inuented aad manipu- Javed in sich an inaunerable Varley oO! Ways tit it would defy an amateur to decide as to the original shape after it bas passed through the bands ui an artist. In some shapes the orim ts of equal width all (he Way around, and 1. Is the manipulation of it wuich gives tie styie to the chapeau. In ovhers the Dri is tauch wider if [root thau im the back, and turned up fat, or widely Mared in front to accommouate the face trimming, and vtiers sul have the brim wide back aod wont aud narcow at the sides; ani, again, this is reversed, aud the sides are wide and turaed up. Su much for tne sips. Now as to the materiats, trimiungs and manner of dispysing them. © white, undressed, ouibrown, black and gray—will take tne lead. The reat chips are almost as soft and pliabe as felt. Imitaions, whicen 1a many cases deiy discovery, are soniewhat siimer, out are preity, Mevertheess, Tie undressed ones, of @ wolt cream or saint Coru tint, Wil be wwe most in demand for those Whe like a ligut-coloved bat, but black ones are always lady-like and cis- tinguished inefect, Straws are shown in great variety. Black lace bonue’s are most frequeatiy made ofthe pata net placed smovothiy over tue Very littie trumiuing lace 18° used, tie Flowers are useu 12 the greatest promsion, are true to natu nd ae lovely as art cau a eo them, ‘They are mounted in wreatts, in large. compact clusters, wita ialling sprays, in ty coronets, and «ingle Spravs, and are placed Wherever aud In wia.ever style taste may dictate, Ifthe beim is tarned up from the face, fowers, eicher aionue or combination with sone mater al, are used directly in front and in great quantity. Light, delicave-colorea tins are muci ued with flowers on the bandsomest hats, Brims trimmed toside With pulings and jolda or var faceo with undressed Or White chip. Lsometines @ series of harrow bandeaus, tO Wich Mowers ve itached, i lastened at one side, and the oppo: te ends are to be pinned to the bal aiier the hat i ‘yhe new trimming taterials are tignred crips de chine; saim dOrient, whieh is repped lke ros-grain, but as soit and pileble aw crope do hine, and the exquwyite damusk serye, which is mio KNOWD AF brocade serge and inalelasse, al- though the frst nage is by farthe most sutable. Gros grain {8 also nsed, and this and the above named iacerials have entirely repiaced trquoise Bhd similar #ika