The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-29 00:00:00

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Colonel Mason then recommends that a mint be
established at some eligible point of the Bay of San
Francisco, and concludes, "If this course be not
adapted gold to the amount of many millions of dollars
will pass yearly to other countries, to enrich their
merchants and capitalists."
We quote the following testimony to the genuine
quality of the gold from the Vfashington Union :
" Understanding that Lieutenant Loeser had arrived
in this city, and had deposited in the War-office the
precious specimens he had brought with him, we called
to see them, in order to free our mind of all hesitation
as to the genuineness of the metal. We had seen
doubts expressed in some of our exchange papers;
and we readily admit that the accounts so nearly
approached the miraculous that we were re-
lieved by the evidence of our own senses on the
subject. The specimens have all the appearance of the
native gold we have seen from the mines of North Caro-
lina and Virginia; and we wore informed that the secre-
tary would send the small chest, called a caddy, con-
taining about 3,000 dollars worth of gold, in lumps and
scales, to the Mint, to be melted into coin and bars, and
most of it to be subsequently fashioned into metals,
commemorative of the heroism and valour of our officers.
Several of the other specimens he will retain for the pre-
sent in the War-office as found in California, in the form

of lumps, scales, and sand; the last named being of a
different hue, from bright yellow to black, without much
appearance of gold. We have seen it stated, in letters
and in the newspapers, that what was found in Cali-
fornia and brought to the United States was mica, but it
seems to us impossible, from the appearance, and density,
and weight of the metal which we saw last night in the
War-office, that there can be any delusion or mistake.
The specimens have come to Washington as they were
extracted from the materials of the • placer.' The heaviest
piece that is brought by Lieutenant Loeser weighs a
little more than two ounces, but the varied contents of the
casket (as described in Colonel Mason's schedule) will
be sent off to-day by special messenger to the Mint at
Philadelphia for assay, and early next week we hope to
have the pleasure of laying the result before our readers.
Among the specimens were some grains of metal sup-
posed to be platina, one of the heaviest of metals ; and
also a rich specimen of cinnabar, or the ore of quicksil-
ver (very heavy). They are transmitted to the Mint,
with the gold of California, also to be submitted to
analysis. Somo suppose that the quicksilver mines
of California may prove more valuable even than its
placers of gold. The high price of quicksilver, so im-
portant a material for extracting gold from its combina-
tions, has hitherto prevented the working of many of
the mines. Should this treasure continue to be as abun-
dant as it promises to do, and as this specimen of cinnabar
indicates, the quicksilver mines of California will pro-
bably prove the richest in the world. The house of
Manning and Mackintosh, of Mexico, who have taken
charge of the
great undertaking for opening a
water communication between the two oceans, through
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, had begun a road for the
transportation of all the materials necessary for this
great work. The road is preparing for the purpose of
establishing at once a temporary communication to the
point where already the river Cautzacoaleos and the
fine lakes bordering on the Pacific, and running into
that ocean, can be navigated with safety and facility for
the distance of 40 miles by vessels of large tonnage. The
lands through this whole district are celebrated fur their
extraordinary fertility, and they abound in timber of the
greatest value, both for shipbuilding and furniture. The
road now opening is to be completed within the ensuing
eight months, and negotiations are now progressing be-
tween the undertakers and the Post•office department
for the regular transmission of the American mail by
this route.

Accounts from Havannah to the 4th inst., received
at New York, contain no political news. Business
was quiet. Sugars nominal—whites, 7to 8i- rials ;
yellow, 5i to 6i ; brown, 41 to .51. Molasses had
been received at Cardenas, but had not changed
hands.

A letter, dated San Juan de Nicaragua, Nov. 14,
states that a revolution broke out in the State of
Costa Rica among the Indians, and that Nicaragua
had declared war against Costa Rica. In conse-
quence of this, it was said, that the people had sent
an envoy to England soliciting assistance.
In Yucatan the people continued active in their
operations against their enemies. Several divisions
had marched in the direction of the strongholds of
the Indians, who had, up to the latest accounts, been
driven from the towns of Ticum, Tixcuytum, and
Pencuyut.