The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-11-25
INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE.
Oar Panama Cerrespondenes.


AMosoa~s on the lsthmHs-Am1ica~s Seeking
che Protection of the British Flag aptatio~
1dr on Enugra~ts-Ametca~ Hospnal-Desf'-
America, &c. re.
Since the departure of our last mail for your CITY,
Ve have little to talk Of here except "wsrs and
eumon of wars" on the lsthnus You nave Oh
eourse. heard something of the Disturbances at
Chagres, between the Americans, the Jamaica ntg-
GERS. and the natives; and it is to be hoped that
our government has a. length had its pride little
asttled on learning that, during the riot, the
United States mails, and specie from California, had
to be conveyed on board the United States mail
steamship under the protection of the British dag,
and that United States naval officer, (so report
says) was obliged TO hold treaty ofpeacs with the
alcalde of the place On board an English schooner
while his own steamship was lying at anchor close
by. Surely, if our friends and our government Ut
home feel the degradation Of the stars and
stripes" on this occasion, as did the handful OF
Americans living in Panama, who are always
ready, and always striving, to maintain the honor
of the "star-s pangled banner on this lsthmus,
and who could, from our consul to our poorest
countryman, have weft tears of humility ON re-
ceiving the Internationally, if the honor of
eur standard has tse same Influence on those
enjoying its protection AZ home, a. IL has those
trying to uphold that Dou In foreign land,
the American government will at length be in
duced to comply vito the often repeated calls OF its
citizens, requiring some protec ion and some So
purity for their lives aud property here, and send
one man Of war, ut leass, to this port and one to
the pcrt of Chagres 30 SHIELD American lives and
interests from massacre and robbery, which may
any day be committee by mass Of people whose
government, no sever Wiling, has no more power
TO rule them when once excited, than the ripple of
the sea has to check he progress of the tide. Ger
tainly Panama and tb.gres have claims on our
government far exceeding those OF any other port
OF south America "a Panama there are possibly
GRE thousand resoen, americans, and not less than
twenty-f FIVE hundred ass through this city monthly
en- route to CaIiforria, and rice rrSa Further
more, about three hun1rsd bags OF nited States
mail matter are monthly transported across this
18th nus, side the government dispatches to and
from all parts of the Pacific. BY referring to the
shipping returns published in cur last week jour
nal, II will be seen ina. one hundred vessels have
entered this port durng the SIX months ending 30 ,h
June last, laden with about fifteen millions of
specie and gold dust, Cndependent Of that brought
by private Individually which has also been trans.
ported across this lsthmus to the United States;
and during all this time and for the twelve months
previous, have been visited once by the Raritan,
for a few days, and once by the Nandala, for few
days also, both of when vessels came in here by
chance, looking not after as, but after each other.
This lie all the protection that has been extend
ed to Us, except what sur good Consul does for US,
notwithstanding tbs. three times we have had
rious riots with the natives of tue place Our ships
have been all along suffering heavily by the deser-
ton OF their crews, without any power to recover
them. Monthly robber,es are committed on our
special trains, with to detect the thieves
except that extended by Americans alone, and with
no laws to punish them II captured. For months
past the lower provinces vi this republic have been
IN state Of revolution against the present govern
ment which has alse been threatening the province
Of Panama. and at this present moment there Is not
n solitary soldier in this city to assist in quelling an
outbreak the only guagG here for months past being
few undiscipined militia, the regular soldiers being
al ordered down the coast At last, to crown all,
cur government officers have, as said before, been
compelled to seek the protection Of foreign flag,
N port which we had vainly hattered ourselves
the Americans might almost call their own. But
you grow tired of our complaints, and so leave the
subject.
Il will be gratifying to those in the States having
friends on the WY the lsthmas TO learn that
cur Consul here, with the stance Of some of the
resideat Americans, has at length succeeded in
making arrangements WITH this government to
establish an American hospital in Panama, and the
matter is row so ar soyspced that we expect the
hospital will be opened H. few Gays. The arrange
ment has been effected BY raising the cspitation
tax, payable by emgrau.s emoarking or landing
at this port, from two 10 two and half dollars
the Americans being permitted TO recc We the extra
half dollar for the support Of hospital, and the
two dollars, as heretofore. going 70 the bene-
a. OF the government The arrangement is O
good one, and will doubtless give general satisfae
tioo, as icones equally .Dd lightly on all; unless
rs is TO be feared, the old Administrator Genera
should, by and by, be induced 10 claim this add
tionAl tar also for the Golfers Of the republic. He
v close listed, grapirg old fellow, Is may be /
Judged from the fact tina, Of the seventy FIVE thou
sand dollars, or Whereabouts, annually levied en-
the American emgrants pessng through this city,
We have never heard Of solitary cent being ex-
pended for the benefit Of the Americans or he i'm
provement Of this city, either in the way Of erecting
a decent hospital, or burial ground, providing q
house Of refuge for the destitute, establishing a
police force. or, in fact IT. any cause-priyse, pub
Tic, charitable, or religious The funds, We know,
20 into the admins traitors hands, but whether
they N question.
A few evenings past we had the pleasure Of At
.endipR the celebration OF the opening OF q new
mericsn nItel and restaurant IN this city. There
was a cold COLLATION. spread open TO all, gratuitously,
which would not disyrsce our hotels a. home, and
ar superior to any hing that, in the way Of eating,
'ver gratifed the eye sati,-eo the taste on the
sthnus. The hotel is well fitted up, and premises
very comfort, 30 that travellers may ~ length /
hope oknd something that Of old Gotham,
n the way Of respectable testing place whilst So
our niDg 10 Panama
Our city has again been crowded With emigrsnts,
hsny OF whom went of, feS day, since, on the
Dfegon, ard many on the new steamship Golden
ate; And many. am sorry TO say, remain here
AL, without the means Of procuring a passage,
nc some Of them without q solitary dollar. IL is
neatabIe that men act so foolishly as 10 come to
range country like this entirely penniless-starva-
on AID fever the only prospect before them-think-
z that tb-;- ~~---' h~-~ 80 the paaiso Mail
tsanship Company, are bound to forward them
cautiously TO California. Were IL sot that the
at, 90 every steamer that sails for san Frar CISCO
manages to fad berths for some dozen or two Of
ese poor wretches, they might die of destitution
our streets. The greatest beneht you, and the
urnsl generally In the states, could confer on
slifofnis emigrsrts would be 10 publish, not once
twice, but constantly, either Ia the shape Of an
tvertisement, or otherwise, the certain misery !
I'd amos, certain death, to which strangers are
inject, Who attempt TO cross the Isthmus Of Pa
sma without money amply sufficient to defrsy all
heir expenses, hst Of which might be stated
bout a. follow
cat hir. mule, Nc, from Chsgre. 70 Panama $50
sxrsge (say) average IS 10 at &c ............. 600
csrd. Ac, IN Panama, allowing seven days for
d<tenffon 81 W IA %
ortersSe and beat hire when embsrsng ........ 3OJ
s.ssge from Panama 20 San francieco ....... las 90
I
moderate calculation. .................S1s $50 20