Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-06-17
eHsa see ell a. 10 e O a. s.
Eatracts from FVaddy ThOmpsOn's
Rerollections of MericO.
THE FORTRESS OF ST. JUAN
DIR ULLOA VERA CRUZ.

DR. ULLOA AND VERA CRUZ.
Gen. Thompson says that the little is
land of ST. Juan de Ulloa, which is en-.
tirely covered with the fortress, is some
FIVE or six hundred yards from the mole
at Vera Cruz, between whic;, points all
the commercial shipping anchors. 1t
can scarcely be called IA harbour, but an
open road, like most of the others on
the Gulf of Mexico. 1t frequently oc.
ours thar violent north winds (called clos
norlcs," or northers) drive the vessels
on shore, and seriously injurn the mole
itself. Vessels of wal or other nations
anchor about three miles below, neal
the island of Sacricios. A very narrow
channel affords the only passage toI ves-
sells Of war, which must Of necessity pass
Immediately under the guns of the fort.
The fortress of St. Juan de Ulloa has
always been looked upon as one of the
strongest in the world. With proper
armament and competent engineers, he
should regard it as almost impregnable.
if indeed that term can now be with
truth applied to any place after the re
cent inventions and improvements in
this department of military science.
When it was blown up in 1880 by the
French, the armament WAS ia most
wretched condition, and as TO scientific
engineers and arlilcrists, there were
none. Even then it would not have
been so much of holiday affair as it
was, had it no, been for the accidental
explosion of the magazine. Any tu-
ture assalant must not expect so easy
4 victory if it is toIerably defended. He
! was very much surprised, however, TO
I learn that, in the b' ginning Of the year
1875. when an attack was anticipated
lrom the English, Captain General San
. ia Anna ordered he fortress TO be dim.
.. dc B
I Cruz.
But Vera Cruz is much more c0tc>
tnaIly protected than by all her foriiii
tons. by the norlhers and vomito (the
yellow f.ver.) The former have been
the terror Of al! scamen since the disco
very of the country. The latter prevails
on all the Atlantic coast Of Mexico dur
ing the whole year, and with the grea,>
est malignancy for two-'hirds Of the
yca,; and it so happens that the few
months OF comparative exemption from
the ravagcs o! the yellow fever ale pre-
c;>rlv those when the nurthers prevail
with most d4S,ruc,iv" violence.
THE BUILDINGS OF MEXICO.
There is not, believe, IA house in thu
, city without cout, OF greater or less
dimensions, in proportion To the size oi
the building. There is only one door
on the lower floor, and none at all on The
: outside oil the upper story. This door
is Very strongly huilt, ard high enough
5 Tor a coach'o pass through; it opens in>
/ l.. the patio through which you pass to
5 the steps leading 10 the upper stories,
where alone every body lives except the
lowest classes. In all the es Adjustments
of the better classes, the basement story
is only occupied by the servants and as
, lumber rooms, and what sInck me as
, very strange, as stables. do not sup>
pose there is such separate building in
the city as stable. In visiting Count
| Cerluna, for example, whose whole es-
, labishmenl is altogether princeIy. and
; others OF equal splrndor and luxury, |
found this cour, on the ground floor used
as stable, and passed through rows Of
horses and carriages to make my Way
to the more spacious halls, filled with
r fine painting of the great masters and
furnished throughout in style allogetlr-
er gOrgeoh$.
In some ofthe larger private building:
T thirty or forty different families reside
= each one having rented one or two rooms;
al! entered at the only outside door into
$ the court, which is the common proper
o ~ of all-and from which each one has
!, an entrance to his own rooms on the
ground fl,or of the gallery above, which
: runs all around the building. ] do no
!. think that the erea covered by the city
,, ;, of Mexico can exceed two miles in length
y and a mile and half in width, very
J, small space occupied by population
e of nearly two hundred thousand.
;. Bu, it is not at all surprising wher
S you see thirty or forty families, enoug
$ to make respectable village, all hud
!, died away in one house, and conside
: what a large number sleep in the oper
# air in tina. delightful climate. How pure
4 must be the atmosphere when the city
IS of Mexico is so remarkably healthy, not
r wi,l,st.nding such crowded and filthy
mode of living, and with tropical SUI