The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1822-07-23

| Empire in Asia and the whole extent of the seven
teen United Provinces Of America-2dly, Its popula
ton is equal 10 what that of Great Britain before
the peace Of Amiens.-3dly, Its revenue exceeds &c
millions of dollars, five millions Of pounds sterling
4thly Its mines produce annually twenty three mil
hons OF dollars In gold and silver, being half the a.
mount of the whole produce of the precious metals
from all the mines in the world, America included
5thy, lis ImportatlOns exceed 20 millions of dollars.
Its expectation in agricultural, manufacturing and min
era produce, sixteen millions about half the total
port and import OF Great Britain. The above there
fore amply, proves the immense importance Of this
| boundess territory.
The face Of the country affords spectacle without
parallel. Ii resembles in every respect a hat the
main land of Mexico being the crown; and the sea
shore the rim IL vast mountanor table ofand with
narrow slio OF coast around its foot. The city Of
Mexico is situated at greater heg ht than the highest
mountain Ill Europe, and the whole country exceeds
the heights Of the Alps person travelling in Mexico
says MIR Humboldt, is not that he is living at
greater height i'll the air than any European balloon
ever assembled Thss the cause he adds Gifts delight.
fu climate, climate unequalled i'll any part OF tn
| world.
Nothing can exceed the beauty and sngularty Of the
images which the city of Mexico affords TO an Euro
pean traveller Upon the first entrance into this city,
| the eye is caught by an immense number of spires
columns aud minarets which rise from the richest To-
iage OF tropical trees. With the exception OF Peters
burg and London, there exists no city of the
tent, which will bear any comparison with Mexico
for the regularity and breadth of its Streets and gran
deur Of its public places and above all for It's neaness
freshness and activity. The domestic architecture
pure and elegant uniting the finish and compactness
of English housebuilding. with the airness of the
Italian iu its arcades and piazzas The houses are
almost all built Of stone and adorned with pillars
of porphry No such thing any where those wood
en- balusrades which disfsure the best houses in
West Indian Colonies. All the railing tres work,
&c is of the utmost delicacy and is always of iron
tpr hracc ali rxxrha nil s,f
roofs the houses have fiat terraces yards behind
with acades and gardens in the Moorish style, only
with more space and more taste.
Id the great square, there beautiful buildings
the School Of Mines and spacious and magnificent
Inn Hotel, both built the public expense. No
thing, indeed exceed the beauty and magnheence
of this great square Ii equals in size Russesquare
in London and exceeds any square in Paris or any
other city. and is surrounded all sides by an open
piazza supported OH pillars of porphyry, beautifully
worked, and deEcatey proportioned. In the midst Of
this square, which is called the Plaza Masor, is the
Cathedral and Palace of the Viceroy, both buildings
as ancient the age OF Gorez the Conquerer OF Mex
leo, though both embeshed and enriched by every
succeeding Viceroy.
The beauty and magnihcence Of this city greatly
augmented by the delightful country in which it is sit
uated. Nothing, indeed, can exceed in beauty and
variety the picture which this city presents when
summers morning. beneath cloudless and deeply
azured sky the spectator looks town upon it from
OF the towers OF the cathedral from the yerdant and
romantic hill OF Chapatepec. The richest vegetation
invests the sides and feet Of this thick
foliage OF ancient expresses raise their heads above
aromatic wood of shrubs Immediately hene ath
them From the bosom of this solitude the eye com
mauds boundless prospect woods. valleys.
plains and mountain Sides maize fields corn
fields, meadows, anu vineyards unrqualed ii variety,
in any part of the globe At little distance is seen
the city. with all It's busy hun,-its varied colored in
habitants-its beautiful arcsdes-its interspeIsed
gardens and its fanciful fountains The scene is still
farther embelshed by the magnificent and gorgeous
train which always surround the Vice regal Palace !;
as this officer lives in state far exceeding any Euro
0ean king. Long and wide avenues of trees, beeches
and oaks and elms and chcsnut conduct the traveller
on every side oi the metropolis whilst the country is
thickly studded all round with villages hamlets Villas
and iamhouses To the north OF the spectator arises
beneath empowering groves the magnificent convent
of our Lady of Gualaloupe To the south, all the
valley of -. Angelic St. Augustin, and Tacubala ap
pears immense garden of orange trees peach trees
apple orchards, cherry and plumb trees. This most
beautiful scene OF culture is snguary contrasted by
the wild and romantic air of the mountains, which
close the valley of Mexico in the distance the tops
of which, beneath tropical sun, covered with
eternal SHOWS, whilst their sides afford of the
greatest rural beauty in woods groves flowers and
corn of every hue, taste and smell.
The city OF Mexico is, moreover Justly celebrated
for its excellent police. aud for its cleanliness and or
der. The streets well paved and have foot-pave-
ments III London. They well lighted, likewise
with reverbeaing lamps. The city is supplied with
water by aqueducts and excellent roads lead into the
| country from all the principal streets.
| The principal public buildings as follows -
The Cathedral built i'll the gUtc style. massy, rich
and venerable.
The mint which joins the Palace Of the Viceroys.
and from whence reckoning from the conquest Of Mex
leo the present year four thousand millions of gold
| and silver have been coined and sent to Europe
The convents.al in the style ofthe same buildings
in France and Spain, only more richly decorated and
particularly with gold and silver.
The Military aud Naval Asylum, ike those of Green
| witch and Chelsea.
The Acordada (the public prisons, built all in one
establishment and containing on an average 1900
prisoners, mostly smugglers.
| The School Of Mines; the Botanic Garden (being
the garden of the Nice-regal Paace.)
| The University the Public Library, the Academy OF
Science and Fine Arts aud the Vcerega Palace, built
on the ruins OF the Palace of Alontezuma.
/ ICE-BERES.
The following novel account OF an Ice Berg is from
Review of koiztbue's Voyage of Discovery, in the
last number Of the Quarterly Review.
On a promonloIN which luts into the southeast