The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-04 00:00:00

MEXICAN CRUISERS.

It-will be recollected that before Almonte broke up
his mission in this country, he stated positively, that in
the event of a war between the United States and
Mexico, the latter would cover the sea with privateers
under the Mexican flag. There is a great deal of anxiety
beginning to be manifested for the result of this threat.
Almonte, at the last accounts, was at Havannab. It
seems that he was sent there under the pretext of being
accredited as a Minister to France; but instead of pro-
ceeding to Europe, he remained at Havannah, and sent
his secretary back to Mexico. Who knows that this
was not a mere feint, and that Almonte knew what was
to take place on the Rio Grande, and went to Havannah
for the purpose of issuing letters of marque, as he threat-
ened when at Washington?
This is certainly a menacing and important view of
the case ; and what makes it more disastrous is the
probability that it is true. The amount of American
property in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and in the
South Seas, is worth probably one hundred millions of
dollars, belonging to all the sea-ports in the United
State' . The tonnage enrolled, and belonging to the
United States, approaches 3,000,000, about one-half of
which is actively engaged in the foreign trade. This
tonnage, estimated at the moderate sum of 60 dols. per
ton, for vessel and cargo, would make the amount of
property now at sea 90,000,000 dols. But this is a low
estimate, both as to the vessels at sea, and their
estimated value. To the shipping interest of the
count' y generally, the past season has been, perhaps, the
most active and prosperous experienced for many years.
The comparatively destitute and meagre- show of ship-
ping whieh the various ports throughout the United
States now present, is sufficient evidence that this esti-
mate of property at present afloat is not exaggerated.
There are 657 whalemen at sea, which may be valued at
twenty millions of dollars. This immense amount of

property is at the risk of being taken by these cruisers ;
and the first information we may get, may be disastrous
to the shipping interest to an extent beyond any antici-
pation of the public. The effect of' such designs as those
attributed to Almonte and the Mexican Government,
will be felt in all the principal seaports. The
first result will be the complete explosion of the in
surance companies, and the effect of these explo-
sions will materially injure the banks in all the large
cities. The aggregate result will be the bringing about
a revulsion more disastrous in its effects than that of
the year 1837. There will probably be another revul-
sion in commercial interests, and particularly in the
shipping business in all the great cities. The amount
of American property that may be lost in this way is
incalculable.

This is the view of the disasters that may be pro-
duced by the present war. Another is, the effect which
the distribution of the funds of the Government may
cause in the rise of breadstuffs and the munitions of
war in the Western States and in the Gulf of Mexico, to
supply the army on the Rio Grande.
Thus it will be seen, that while the Atlantic cities and
coast will suffer terribly, the west and south-west will
be benefited by the vast expenditures that will be re-
quired to bring the war to a successful and honourable
termination. These expectations are gloomy on one
side and glorious on the other. We must take them as
they come, and do the best we can. An imbecile Govern-
ment has brought us into this condition ; and having
elected them, we must make the best we can of a bad
bargain, and fight it out with the best energy and
courage we have.—New York Paper.