New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-28

have
peously aud in great quantities IN the thickets-'
Cochineal is brought 10 from the interior and ex'
poYted 10 a considerable amount. a lew garden
vegetables are cultivated
The indigenous animal kingdom comprises
many valuable ar bearing species, as ounces,
partfers, tsprs, deer. sntelopes, Peccarils and
warrees. (animsls of the hog kind,l CAVES, sgou-
it's armadillos, opossums and racoons Monseys
are numerous and some Of them are eaten Ma
natis and slligatorS are met with In the lagoons
along the COST. Among the numerous birds are
turkies spOOD.bllls, tOucaDs, Muscoyy ducks,
macaws and many kinds Of parrots, pellcans and
bumminc birds Fishes are plentiful aud In great
varieties, some of which are very large, AMI tur'
ties furnish a very common and nutriciOus edible
TO all classes. HOLSTERS and shell-tsh are abund'
ant and excellent Domestic animals, as cattle
sheep and goats, are not kept in sufficient mum
beers for consumption. The cattle are principally
used in drawing timber aud logwood from the
forests But few horses are bred in the settle
ment. 80
There seem to be no aboriginal tribes within
the limits of British Honduras except some Ca
ribs who have fed into 1t as place OF refuge
The preseut population consists principally OF
negroes originally brought into the country as
slaves and colored persons sprung from the inter
course Of Europeans with Africans and Indians.
They are engaged in cutting mahogany aud dye
woods. and in fishing; a few of them cultivate
small patches Of ground The scanty white popu-
lstion is occupied in commerce. The number OF
inhabitants is stated, in the Superintendents re-
turns for ls45, 10 be:
COlored zee. 67t5 " ..,..z,ooo ..'.''94lO
rotal.....6s95 ......2sl4 ......9sO9
In 1923 the population numbered 5,l79, and con-
seouentlv has nearly doubled itself in ~ years.
The Indians are Wobably included in the enumer-
alton OF the colored races. The number OF slaves
manumitted in 1884 was 1901, and the comPenss'
zion paid tl0l,39S.
Honduras is governed by a superintendent
nominated by the Sovereign "to watch over the
interests Of The settlers to secure them from any
improper intrusion OF foreigners and to regulate
al affairs which more particularly affect the dig
nit, ofthe Crown There isRlso mixed Legls-
lAtve and Executive power, termed the Magls-
tfates o Honduras. consisting OF seven members,
elected annually. All their enactments, to be
come law, must first receive the assent oil the
Chief Executive. They are the Councillors OF
Her Maiestys Superintendent, the guardians oil
the public peace, Judges of all the Lower Courts;
they form the Court OF Ordinary they are the
guardians of orphans, and can delegate their power
in the management Of the property OF such per
sons to another &c. They settle all Salvage
causes, manage the Finances and control the
Treasurer No money can be paid without the
sanction of four OF them, who sign all orders Tor
issue. Their services are gratuitous. Trial by
Jury is established and from the decisions OF the
Court appeal lies directly to the Sovereign IN
Council.
The Military protection of the Colony consists
of one company OF Artillery aud Regiment OF the
Line There is also local Maritime force. The
Superintendent is Commander in Chief OF this
Militia All duties and taxes are levied under the
authority of acts passed by the Magistrates and
sanctioned by the Superintendent. The ordinary
expenses Of the Government amount to about
100000 per annum. In Church affairs Honduras
is an sppendege to the Diocese OF Jamaica, and
the public religion that of the Church Of England
There is but one church, however, and one or two
chapes in the settlement, but there are also sew
eral Wesleyan and Baptist places OF worship
The public support a Common School at Belize,
and there are several good Private Schools, beside
a number of Sabbath Schools, the latter Of which
are conducted chiefly by the Dissenters.
The Commerce Of Honduras is as yet but in its
infancy. Prior to lS45 it amounted, in the aggre-
gate, to about half million pounds sterling per
annum but since that year. IN consequence oil the
duty on Mahogany in England having been re-
duced to a nominal amount, the trade has greatly
increased. Mahogany, Cedar Logwood, Indigo
and Cochneal are the great staples, which are ex-
changed for British manufactures and foreign com
modiIies. The trade between the United States
and this settlement is considerable, but varies
much in q number OF years.
BELIZE, icalled by the Spaniards Vati=e
name corrupted from the original Wallace, no
ted Scotch Buccaneerl the only tos%" a,'u oaP,.o'
of tho ~@.si~.nent, Is puut On uOIh SUES Vi tue
mouth Of tho river OF the same name, aud the
stream is crossed by wooden bridge. 1t con.
sists Of long street, running parallel with the
shore, from which three or four smaller streets
branch oil. The houses are constructed of wood
and are raised or 10 feet from the ground on
pillars of mahogany. They are well Quilt spa
cious and convenient. Ia front of the town there
is excellent anchorage for vessels of moderate
size and the surface OF the sea is rarely agCated
by winds, as il is protected by the numerous keys
from the heavy s~ells OF che open seas. tort
on q small island at tue mouth OF the river pro
tects the town. The principal bulldogs are the
Government House, Barracks and Church. Mr.
Stephens describes the inhabitants tne look
ing race, tall straight and athletic. At Puenta
Gorda, about L so miles south Of Belize there is
settlement of Carbs, refugees from Central Amer
lea, numbering about 500.
The Honduras Coast was discovered by Column
bus in 1909. At first it was occasionally resOrted
to by wOOdcutters, whose chief place Of resi-
dence was then St. Georges Key The first reg
ular establishment of the British was made at
Cape Catoche by some Adventures from Jamai
ca whose numbers so increased that in a short
time they occupied as far south as the River Be.
lie The territorial jealousy of the Spaniards
was soon reused, and the Governor Of c peachy
fitted out several expeditions against the settlers
in which he not only failed, bus on two occasions
in 1863 and 1913, the enemy actually took posses.
sion of bis capital without a single cannon, and
aided only by the seamen in the trade.
By treaty concluded with Spain in 1910 by Sir
w Godophin, the 9th article, generally, though
not specifically embraced the territorial rights OF
British occupancy at Honduras-and in cOnse-