The New York herald., 1846-05-14


may be closed.
| In the meantime, our government ought at
once to organize force sufficient to protect the
immense amount of American property now
afioat. No time is to be lost for the treache rous
Mexicans will probably avail themselves of every
opportunity to depredate on America property at
/ sea.
BAD PRospKcT-SoMI PROBABILITY OF THE Block.
| ADE OF NEw YoRx HARBoR.-It will be in the recol-
lection Of our readers, that it was stated some
time since, that the two Mexican steam vessels OF
war, the Montezuma and Guadaloupo were sold
to some English mercantile houses in Vera Cruz.
This created good deal of astonishment at the
time, in view Of the hostile demonstrations of Mex
ico towards the United States This report is now
ascertained to have been without foundation
The vessels have been mortgaged to English mer-
chants at Vera Cruz, and the consideration money
has been employed in fitting out the present expe-
dition to Matamoras. Meantime, the vessels are
still under the control of the Mexican government
and have proceeded to Havana
What next? Their destination is scarcely proble-
matical. Nothing can be easier than to blockade
the port OF New York, and seize all the shipping
that approaches or leaves it. The vessels will
probably go round by Bermuda, where they will
take in coal and ammunition. They are already
provided with four or five paixhan guns each, and
can easily be furnished with whatever other ne.
cessaries they may require There is no vessel
of war in our harbor fit to cope with them. In
fact, our whole shipping is at their mercy. What
will our merchants do, in this emergen-
cyl The advent of these Mexican war vessels,
may be looked for sooner than desirable. In this
crisis, the Executive, whose vaclatng and un-
wise policy, has brought all those evils so sudden
ly on the country, should be besieged with remon-
strances to put our harbor in state Of defence,
although we fear that would be difficult matter,
as there are no vessels at hand, able to cope with
these Mexican war steamers.
The Princeton-the only vessel of available
force to oppose them-has gone to join the Gulf
squadron. Thus, the greatest commercial city is
left utterly naked and defenceless. Some effort
is absolutely necessary, to ward of the probable
approach Of danger. Let our merchants move
in this matter.
In reference to this important subject we have
procured the following official correspondence -
New YoRK, lath May, 1886.
At meeting Of the Board Of Underwriters this morn.
letter received BY you from the Hon James Buchanan
communicating khe substance Of the treaty between the
United states and Spain in relation to prvatee or let
am, very respectfully, yours
WILMINGTON. 18th April, 1896
our treaty with spain Of the ao ocober i7sS contain:
the following article, still in forces
Art l4-No subject Of his Catholic Majesty shall sr
ply for or take any commission or letters Of maque for
sa s1 or p so the
habants Of the said States or against The property Of
any Of tho inhabitants Of Of them from any prince
Nor shall citizen subject inhabitant of the said
United States apply for take any commission letters
srs the ns
property Of any Of them from any prince State with
Of either nation shall take such commissions or letters Of
marque, he shall be punished pirate"
Yours, very respectfully, ,.,,rs n,,c
EDWARD X. COLLINS, Esq.
BY this it will be seen that any Spaniard who
may be caught privateering under Mexican
letter Of narq,k, can be treated as pirate, and
should be, by drum-head court-martial, hung at
the yard-arin us soon as captured. What are the
provisions of our treaties with France and Eng
land Can any one tell
The MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH AND THE NEWSPAPER
PREss.-One ofthe tsingular features the pre-
sent crisis of our foreign afairsand the tremendous
that must increase daily, while we are at war
with Mcxico-s the rapid transmission of intelli-
gencc to this city, by tho magnetic telegraph
Every important item Of news that has transpred
within the last ten days, in relation to our army
in Texas, and proceedings at Washington, has
been published in this city by the Herald, and one
or two other similar establishments, in a f,D
hours after it reached Wahington. There lhave
been as many rs three or four extras in one day
issued from this Office, during the past week,
whenever any important intelligence arrived.
The neighborhood of our Office has become the
centre Of attraction for crowds Of citizens, who
daily throng the vicinity of Fulton and Nassau
streets, to learn the latest intelligence.
BY this enterprise on the part of ourselves, and
one or two other cash papers, the interest Of the
public is kept alive, instead Of being diminished.
The greatest anxiety is manifested to learn, at the
earliest hour in the morning. the news by the
overnight mail; and our Office is besieged by
crowds during the day, anxious to learn the latest
intelligence by the telegraph. Our circulation has
consequently increased, and is increasing, to an
unparalleled extent But the case is different with
the old humbugging journals down town. The
effect Of the early transmission of intelligence by
the electric telegraph, has been to cut down their
already limited circulation. 1t is no wonder that
the respectable old ladies that conduct them are
caterwauling and complaining. They are already
so fur behind the age, that every impetus given to
the transmission of news, deals a mortal blow to
their numbering existence. The telegraph is only
extended to Philadelphia, and from Baltimore to
Washington, and they already complain loudly.
When the chain is uninterrupted between here
and Washington, it is evident that those journals
must soon be totally 'annihilated. The cash pa
pers that spare no painsnor expense to furnish the
public with the earliest intelligence, will increase
in circulation and influence while those lazy,
numbering, sleepy Wall street journals, will bring
to miserable close their already too protracted