The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-10-06

passes. with high stone walls on each side This was
terminated by canal, or moa with drawbridge
H. we next arrived at flights Of stairs, and passing up
several vault like accents gained the top Of the grand
batteries Their general characteristic Is that of great
loo long FOUNDERS ali Of brass They were
Tor the moot part in excellent condition The mortars
were ofarge cabre though not in such good order as
the guns The powder magazines we're each literally a
dry stone WELL plugged at the top with blankets, and
having round metal Lid over the mouth that opened
We next descended to the inner works. and gained the
secondary walls by circuitous route Besides the ne
csssy to the besegers Of having guides who well knew
every turn OF the works. the excitement and smoke are
almost Certain to produce confusion in which the voice
or presence Of the guides would be lost and the party
dashing onward might only arrive at dead WALL gap
looking out upon the sea, the mouth OF twentyfour
FOUNDER The crcutous route Of descent from the
upper to the lower range Of walls was sn,r; exposed
like 30 many black usks as We traversed stone cause
ways and narrow passes. Whole regiments might here
be raked down, after they had conquered the outer
walls. But the chances OF war" numerous; and
imperecon in the greatest power f otherwise perfectly
may render it nsppIicsble and perhaps ridiculous On
wretched condition They were no better than Chinese
effect. calculated" to strike terror into the mind But
one may imagine how angry the subtle architect
formidable castle would have been could he have
seen his excellent arrangements for the safe and nearly
certain destruction OF the assalans thus rendered abor
We now descended very wide and steep fight of
stone stairs which led down into the grand castle
square, or little town. might almost call it. We
entered at the bottom through stone gate.ways (he
chitect had never missed opportunity for giving the
besieged protection in retreang and time to ally and
then found ourselves in large open square, enclosed
on all sides by very lofty walls the lower part of which
displayed doors and entrances into barracks, guard
and shops Of various kinds for the sale OF such
articles as q garrison would need. The Governors
house is at the further end 1, gepuine soldiers
lodgment and very bare of all ornament except those Of
war for it was riddled all with the marks of shot
and shell Its strong covered balcony intended to
both as protection from the broiling and from the
TALL OF In many places torn in long gaps All
the towers and buildings any elevation had also been
knocked about and defaced by the shot shells from
Vera Cruz previous to the surrender Of the castle But
the mutilatons and destruction did materially affect
the strength of the place Very few Of the guns had
ured to render them ineffective with the exception
OF gap ofruns in one or two places There is about
How strongly and skilfuly this fortress is protected
by art the reader has idea San Juan dc Ulloa
art which have briefly described arc chiefly devoted to
the side and anglo facing the town. those angles which
lace the main ocean on the opposite SIDE back Of the
castle are protected by long Of rocky reef
utterly detying the approach of any vessels of
Many black and rotten wrecks, visible at high
water attested ofhe natural terrors of the
But in these daysit generally understood by all militia.
soldiers. well ocercd and led, can and WILL aud do,
take any place. AT what cost, is not to the question
The thing can be done.
Correspondence of the London Timesl
Mexico, July 3O.-Matamoras remains in tho hands of
the Americans and Vera Cruz and Tampico boclad.
pT6V6enL OIL
the year. and which have fallen with unusual violence
that part OF the country have paralyzed the further
operations Of the American army the Bravo, under
General Taylor Nor has any attack yet been made by
Commodore Common on Vera Cruz the Castle. Gen
Taylor has now under his command about Ia 600 men,
force sufficient to penetrate TO San Luis Poos great
proportion Of these however volunteers from Texas
and the western States of North America men who spurn
all control and when il win be dicut to subject to
military discipline 1t is known that they intend to march
to the interior as the weather permits, and
that the nrst point of attack will be Monterey,
IA al of A,cso. 0s
moras Some preparations for defence going on
there, aud Meia has led the wrecks of the army OF the
town. and the result viii no doubt be cap,uation as
soon the Americans appear Gen Arista has frankly
expressed his opinion that Mexican soldiers, in their
present state Of discipline cannot be brought to face the
North Americans might be thought that this govern.
ment would see the wisdom Of negotiating for peace be
fore the Americans penetrate further the country
but the national vanity and touch of obstnacy which
they inherit from the Spaniards forbid them take the
initiative which has reached this Of the offered
mediation of Great Britain the contest, has however
given much satisfaction Intelligence has been received
from New Mexico of the invasion OF that province by
assist: the authorities Of Chihuahua Durango and
Zacatecas, all OF whom promise aid but in reality can
give none.
The blockade of the At,ntc ports of course renders
arrangements for the payment Of the public debt the
for which must be derived from the maritime
tom houses matters Of theory Before retiring from
office however, Senior Iurbe produced and Gen. Paredes
decresd new financial scheme, the leading feature Of
the customs revenue while the other half is appropra.
ted to the Of the debt 30 per cent of the Vera
Cruz and Tampco custom houses going to the English
bondhoders and the payment of British claims
ed by diplomatic intervention the quota assigned by
those conventions. do not observe however that any
provision IL made for the repayment Of the seized
in violation Of all agreements by Senior Iurbe. His
swer when applied to this is remarkable spe.
cimen of assurance f had to repay those sums sal
the Minister, e" should gain nothing by having taken
hem This logic may do in Mexico but will hardly be
considered satisfactory in Downing street The new
rhaun AvNla oct
houses very much in the hands of turbe himself and
few Of the other large holders of the IS per fund.-
certificates and variety Of other credits against the
government But the holders Of those credits have de.
INJURED and protested and i is thought that the next
great evil OF Mexican legisation nothing
On the formation OF the rs per nd they did their best
body Of the bos but the terms Of that decree have al
ready undergone several notifications, and now sweep
ing measure is attempted, giving the fund an entirely
ALBANY, Oct. 3, 1916.
Closing Scenes in the Convention Theatricals, &c.
The closing proceedings of the Constitutional Con.
venton are hurried in quite inconsistent with
their grave importance The discipline and tact which
the members have acquired during the session would
have been of material benefit at the beginning. and
might have qualified them present Constitution to the
people which would have commended itself TO their
erests ard wants The session has been long one but
bers have simply gone through nitiatory premi
nary process. II the work which has been done could
be cancelled, and the members be allowed to sit year
longer good Constitution would be submitted
This afternoon the report Of the Committee upon the
Division OF Estates was had under discussion. Judge
ely dc, Of Columbia, made tremendous hit lie elo
quenty advocated the adoption OF the following articles
to be incorporated into the Constitution =
T. All feudal tenurcs of every description, with all
their Incidents declared to be abolished saving how
ever all rents and services certain, which at any time
have been heretofore lawfully created or reserved
p No lease grant Of agricultural land for longer
period than ten years hereafter made in which shall be
reserved any rent service of any Kind shall be valid
g. All covenants conditions in any grant Of land
whereby the right Of the grantee to alien Is in any
ner restrained and all hnes quarter sales and other
charges npon alienation reserved every grant OF land
hereafter to be made, shall be void.
After very able and interesting debate among the
most distinguished members of the Convention the frat
section, as above, was adopted An ndment TO the
second section was offered that the section would read
asfollows =:
- No lease grant of agricultural land for longer
period than twentyone years during the natural life
of the grantee, hereafter made in which, &C. shall be