Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-10-16
From the National Register, Oct-S.
.MExICO.

ments De Al OUicCt Ui tuitSSj', 80 4, .
is principally derived from the
late splendid work OF Humboldt, not yet
we believe, translated I; work which
will immortalize the reputation Of ITS az
thor.
The reputation of the Intendancy o.
Mexico, in 1893, was 1,5lI 800. lhe
extent Of surface.in square leagues was y
5,927-by which it will be seen. thai
there were 255 persons 10 square
league.
This Intendancy is situated under the
torrid zone, and extends from 10, "a. e
al. 81. north latitude. Its Creates
length is 1s6 and greatest breadth y
leagues. More than two thirds Of It are
mountainous, in which are immense
plains, elevated from 6,65I to 7.545 iee'
above the level Of The ocean. The eli.
mate on the western coast, is burDIns
and unhealthy. TIE elevation OF the
highest summit of the Nova de Soluca
the Pico del Fraile, is 1886 feet. Six
great roads cross the CordilIera which
enc!oses the valley, the medium height OF
which is 9 842 feet above the level OF the
ocean. The city Of Mexico, contrary 10
the received opinion, that it stands in
the midst Of a lake, is 1853 feet from
lake Tezeuco, and more than 29,527 feet
from the lake of Chalco. This difference
originates from diminUtion of water OF
the lake Tezeuco.
The Spaniards hate every thing like a
shade round towns and villages and
the beautiful valley Of Tenochtilan has,
by stripping it of its forest, become dry
and without vegetation. The want oil
vegetation exposes the soil to the acton
of the solar rays, and the humidity is
quickly evaporated and dissolved in air.
The new city Of Mexico was built IN
1924. which, requiring great quantities
Of timber for building, &c, they destroy.
ed, and continue still to destroy, Without
replanting the trees that shaded and or
that beautiful valley. Ihls
has sensibly contributed to diminish inc
water. The lake of Tezeuco, wnlcf
Cortes called an inland sea, receives
much less water from filtration in the lotf
century. The lake Tezeuco, enc of the
five lakes in the valley of Mexico, is im'
with muriate and carbonate O.
sods.
The city of Mexico is among the fnest
cities In the world; the ground on which
it stands is uniformly level !; the street,
are regular and broad and its publ;c
places are spacious The architec ure
is pure the exterior of the houses a no,
loaded with ornaments; there are M
wooden balconies and galleries to be seen.
the ballustrades and gates are all of Bis.
cay iron, ornamented with bronze. The
principal objects of curiosity are, 1st.-
The Cathedral, Gothic edifice.-2d
The treasury, from which, since the be.
ginning of the 10th century, more than
$500 millions in gold and silver, have
been issued. Sd. The Converts 4th
The Hospital, which maintains 1900 chill
iren and old people. 9Th. The Acorda
da. or prison. 9th. The School of Mines.
9TH. Botanical Garden. 9Th. Univer,i-
ty aud Library. 9th. Academy of Fine
Arts. There are very few remains of the
ancient Mexican edifces to be discover
ed at present, Cortes having, as he says.
been obliged to destroy every house IL
the city to enable him to ssbdue the In
dams. There are some antiquities, how
ever, in the bounds Of the city of Mexico
and Its environs--these are, the ruins oil
the Mexican or Attic dikes and aque-
ducts, the stage of the sacrifices, the
great calendao monument, the colosssj
manuscripts or hieroglyphical pictures.
painted on Agave paper, stag skins and
cotton cloth. The only ancient monu-
ments in the Mexican valley, are the re-
mains o-tWo pyramids, censecrated to
the sun and moon. The first is 645 feet
inlength, and III feet hish-the second,
or pyramid of the moon, is so feet lower.
The construction of these is said to 60 as
Tar back as the 9Th century. In the city
of Mexico, there are 100000 souls, OF
which 1882 are devoted TO religion. The
revenue of the archbishop is l8,420l. ster-
ling. Mexico is the most populous city
of the new world it is richly supplied
with roots and fruits of every sort: these
roots are cultivated on chinampas, or
floating gardens, invented by the Indians,
in the 18th century they are formed Of
RATS, made of reeds, rtshes, roots and
Of brush wood they are cover
ed with black mould, naturally irnpreg-
mated with ,nur;a;e Of soda. The soil is
gradually purified from this salt, by wash
ing it with the water of the lake. The
chiaampas sometimes contain the cot
tage of the Indian, who acts as guard for