New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-10
TWO WEEKS LATER FROM NICARAGUA
Returning Caiifornians- Popuiarity W
Americans.
DISCOVERY OF GOLD MINES.
British UsurpatiOn-ChaiGelds Movements
SACASA ELECTED DIRECTOR.

Mr. Smithey came down the Lake 10 San Car.
los the port at its lower end on the steamer hi.
rector on her second down trip, when she broasht
200 passengers, which crowded her to the utmo,t.
She is to make two trips weekly She was TWEEN.
ty hours on the passage of % miles, and the "a.
naming s. miles Of river navigation to San Juap
was accomplished in bungos with the rapid cur.
rent in about the same time The COmo.,x
charge Tor the trip so there are two schooners
on the Lake by which the passage costs bat SIS.
The steamer is run with wood bat coal is expsct
ed to be brought from San Juan for her use. The
Orus Mr.. Smithey saw lying on the Machacs
Rapids She cannot be raised he thinks II Il.
intended to transfer her engines TO iron steamer
which is to be sent out from New.York, and wa
expected soon to arrive. Mr.. Vanderbilt had
reached Granada on his way to Nicaragua, where
the engineers are now engaged in surveying the
route for the proposed ship canal They were
surveying between Granada and San Juandel Sr
when Mr.. smthey left, but had not arrived at any
decisive results.
Mr.. Smithey was In Nicaragua four months,
having come there from Californis. Daring that
time some four thousand returning Csfornians
passed through the country. Prices oflvng have
advanced i've hundred per cent within eighteen
| months in consequence Of this ahluence OF
strangers Dr. g. w. Livingston, former u. S.
| Consul at Leon, is warmly spoken of by Mr.
Smithey as exercising the most generous hosoit.
| atty toward his countrymen. Americans are
welcomed in Nicaragua. At balls and public fes
rivals the flag of the United States is seen
wreathed together with that of the country Many
Americans are now settling there, being allowed
70 purchase land without becoming citizens Mr.
Smithey speaks with enthusiasm Of the beauty of
the country, the kindness Of the inhabitants, the
fertility of the soil and the excellence Of the eli
mate. He tells us that he has seen in the same
day, corn ripe for the harvest, corn hafgrown, and
corn Just coming up, while in another field were
men planting the same grain. He intends to re.
turn to Nicaragua to reside.
From files of the COyreo del Istmo and Gaceta
del Salvador to Dec. 90, as well as from private
letters received in this City by the Georgia We
have obtained number of additional particular
of much interest
The Acalde OF Realejo in a letter to the Gov.
eminent of Nicaragua, dated Dec. II, announces
that the discovery of rich placer Of gold, at the
distance OF eight miles from Realejo and one from
Chinandega, in opening the National Road be-
tween the two plscers The placer is sufficiently
rich to excite the highest hopes as to the result
| On the discovery being announced the Alcade
made q personal examination, associatiDg with
him NJ. Mercher, French gentleman OF science.
They tested earth taken from three different
points, with such satisfactory results as to leave
no doubt that this is much the richest placer In
Central America. One man, it was stated, who
had been working two days, obtained from two
to three ounces each day.
The crops in Nicaragua had been threatened
with destruction by the appearance of focks Of
locusts. great deal of anxiety and alarm was
felt in different parts of the country, on this &C.
count. The Government of Nicaragua has issued
decree opening all the ports Of the State, and
making all kinds of grain free
The State election has taken place, and Don
JOSE SAcAsA has been chosen Director of Nicr
aqua. The term of the present incumbent, Nor
berto Ramirez, expires on the LIST of May The
delegates to the National Convention of the three
States of Nicaragua, Honduras and San Salvador
met at Chinandega on the 2lst of December
Don Jose Barundis, who was the first President
of Central America and the author Of the Consti.
tuition of 1921, was elected President of the Con-
vention and Don Jose Silva, Secretary.
Mr.. K. g. Squier's letter to Mr.. Foote has been
translated into Spanish and published in the Nj
caraguan papers, with warm commendations
Ramirez, the Director, and Gen. Muhoz, 1t was
understood, had written to Mr.. Squier, express
ing their gratitude on behalf of the State Of Nj
csragua, for bis defense Of its best interests.
The San Salvatorian papers which we have
Al H.
in that State, and the difficulty which was al
legged to have arisen between it and Guatemala
There is no war between Honduras and San Sal
vador on the one side and Guatemala on the
other, as the Belize Observer stated. The trou.
bes were in the latter State alone, and were
caused by the refusal OF the Montaaeses or in
habitants Of the mountain provinces, to concur 10
the policy urged BY Mr. Frederic Chatfed and
adopted by the Central Government. The De-
partment Of Esquintla, and the Cities Of Eslui'
pulas and Chigumula have made pronuRciamen-
tos against the Central Government and in favor
of q Federal Union Of the States. 1t was in at
tempting to put down this opposition that the
fight at ChiguimuIa took place and the Govern.
ment troops under Carrera were defeated The
Governments OF San Salvador and Honduras have
been merely raising troops and stationing them
on the frontiers to defend their own territories in
case Of need.
The blockade of the ports of San Salvador, and
other outrages, the news Of which has just reach
ed US, is Of piece with Mr.. Chstfeld's previous
course. From the Gaceta del Salvador we now
learn the pretence under which this blockade
was ordered. We translate from that psper 50
a curiosity Of diplomacy Mr. ChatGeld's letter
sent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Of Sans
vador on the 9th of August last;
| 10 10 lar an1f hat