The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-02-25
CIV or ar. pon,roo. Jan. 2s. ls47.

CRY 81. DoMINoo, Jen. %, l647.
Description of the city DWsng House Of Chrisfophsr
CoI,,aubus7 The Dominican Fsmales-FinaHeial affairs
Of the Republic.
Having been sick during the greater part Of my
brief residence in this city have boen unable to write
TO YOU or in fact even to my family; but as the
schr Henry @ King is to sail tomorrow, have deter
mined to threw together few facts that you may digest
them at your leisure.
This city lies at the mouth of the little river Ozama
and ID bounded the south by the sea; Is not strongly
fortified, and is very weakly garrsene
The only fort or castle so called Is at the entrance,
on the southeast point of the city and with its range Of
commodious, extensive and one might say elegant Bar
racks, capable Of accommodating i've thousand men,
might be rendered almost impregnable from the sea,
situated it is abrupt enhance of fifty feet of
solid lime rock, necessarily washed by heavy seasurf
On the north and west sides, he city is square, the
walls more than respectable but sadly deficient in
but it is protected by perpendicular bank Of
with heavy surf On the east river side, though
inactive naval force consisting OF small threemased
American propeller built vessel small hermaphro.
de brig, ana three little schooners.
The city is laid right angles and contains only
one square, (La Plaza NaconaD on the east side Of
the front yard one aide and rear buildings Of the csho
lie cathedral This oddly constructed edfce was be-
gan In 1918 and finished in loot is large and extreme
ly massive for which il ID mainly to be admired The
roof Of arch Of masonry not supported inside by
columns, and not inelsgantly grooved.
this cathedral thrown by the English during their last
with France This cathedral has, invaluable
relic the first Cross cts of woody erected in the
. .:Is ~0'''' d" was "''' " ''0'' o'An'0' n'"
speaking of Columbus must tell you that the house
commenced by him for his Diego, and in which he
was confined in chains before he sent home has
BEEN competed-its roof was never put 1t is
fifty feet square, two stories high and massvev
built but has nothing Of easteatsd appearance thong
it SO terribly frightened his enemies
49,. 10 <kA
of this city, and its suburb st. Carlos They dug
through the solid lime stone which the whole islam
generally round of about feet damatsr (but Of
them square and from one hundred to one hundred
IT'S most beautiful sight to see til. pretty madens
these wells with their jars which they carry in the
nsr of the ancients, on their heads
The congress to meet next week. lin this city }
Topic of conversation among the NJ e. Of st Domingo
The government has about $4,000 900 Of paper money
anoat land a little copper) and is from time TO time
issuing more, with no means Of redemption, unless BY
con6scated property, should the Dominican Republic
ever be established IT'S true, there very lsrse
of this con6sca.ed real estate yielding
or sa psesr Der saus IL spanish coin
less than SIS per annum.
Colombian Venezuelan, New Grenadian, and Mexican
douboons have averaged since the middle Of November
$3.50 in paper and have occasionally sold In
extreme cases as high as $500. :,
able bodied men, white black soldiers per force
the privates receiving fourteen reals week for sub
one dollar Spanish per month.
The mass, of course, not duty continually but
take turns and are allowed to work for themselves the
greater part of the time.
There is great deal Of fever here of the bilious
type, and the small pox (caed variooid is also general
Provisions far from plenty still the prices Gin Span
ish coin) are very low.
The President puslished Banda, equivalent to de-
cree, in the early part of December remain in force
till the 2sh of February next, permitting the free i'm
portaton OF all kinds of provisions.
Flour selling at $50 per BARREL which less than ST
Spanish rice $50 per cwt French about Sc per cod
fish $a6 same to say &c; butter $500 pei
cw French, which is less than l6c per h. Other pro
visions in proportion, and European goods lower
! than in New York
The exports at present consist of mahogany almost ax
clusivey without regular price, but exceedingly high
| Fustc, lignumvt@. and hides, are SO scarce, that
| scarcely any shipped Coffee and cocoa only
produced in sufficient quantities to supply at high prices
the home demand. Oftobacco, is shipped from th
place; the contrary the whole of this section Of the
Island is measurably supplied from the north side.
sgAli religion tolerated The Jews have meetings
but no synagogue. The Methodiss have meetings. but
| no church Yours. &c. q. w.