The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-08-03
Interesting from Honduras.
OUR BELIZE CORRESPONDENCE.

IBy the Grand Turk. at Pensacola]
BELIZE, Hon duras, July Q, 1852.
Important Movement Of the British ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ncn a. the Honduras Islonds-THe Establishment Of the
Colony Of the Boy Islands-TAe Mahogany Trads-hs
Erfe~f, &C., &c, &c.
this moaning took stroll through the town Of Belize,
in order to the town It's inhabitants and to learn
something Of their manners, habits and customs MY
rst visit to the court house. where conspicuous
large black board in front Of that building found
royal proclamation by which learnt that it had pleased
Her Royal Hghness the islands of Ruasn Bonac
ga, Utilla Barbarat others into colony, under
name and style of the COLONY of the Bay Islands"
send you copy of the document. Here it is
This give motto, that Majesty. the
sn t. Bsssr n and
s be soony 20 be known and designated as colony
H1sssy aoSF
God save the queen ,s ,sso
Belize, British Honduras,
Alongside of this saw list Of imports and conspicu
amid the entries of large number of English vessels
whose cargoes all set forth and described as rum
brandy wine soap, bricks, hay, rope GIN ale porter,
sugar pums, sweetmeats, hats, Shoes walking canes,
beads gilt jewelry &c. Sc, american schooner
Grand Turk, to supercargo, Yankee Notions This
looked strange to had been board Of the vessel
and and had heard that she had provisions board
Immediately deferred my visit of examination of the
town and to the store of her consgnee and in
qured what she had board. He Immediately put in
my hands the manifest of her cargo which was flour,
bread lard rice hams, wine gin, bricks tobacco
candles coffee vinegar cheese, champagne and rasns
afterwards, several occasions while conversng with
come of the most wealthy merchants and citizens,
frred TO the entry Of provisions the Grand Turk and
learned that the who posted these entries his
Excellencys Private Secretary who acting Colo
nial Secretary during the absence Of Mr. Berkeley am
glad add also that all united in the opinion that
Frederick Augustus Gore who now the acting Secrea
ry WAS very young man. lie stands about five fee.
nine inches high in his boots is very SLIM hns very
long nose, long, shaggy hair; wears pair of white
cotton brosaps white cap, white jacket and white
trousers. l suppose he thinks that England and her
colonies e1ceenee the world Well vot of 2?
The great effort Of the settlement of Belize is to cut
mahogany and dyewoods. few persons engaged in
fishing for turtle but that business is mostly the
hands of old and their families. The articles of
sarsaparila cochineal and indigo all produced
the interior by Spanish Indian labor On careful
survey q the business o. mahogany cutting am pre-,
found where that tree must become
and high as it is now all cut out of the actual boun
dsries OF Belize. nearly all out in the States of
Yucatan and Honduras and also what is called the
Mosquito Territory, this side of Cape Gracios bios.
OF course mean large wood, from twelve to twenty
inche in situations where it be got out may also
mention that some persons trucking wood from
distance which requires two days to get 1t TO the water
side which will not pay at the high prices at which
that wood is selling. During the present year,
country brought into operation in order to get out ten
million feet but from all l can learn the quantity
which will actually be got out will exceed If it will
reach millions Much wood been sold, at forty
and fifty dollars during the part of
this year but at this time cargo cannot be bought at
500 M owing to the wood still being up the rivers,
waiting the usual floods As it has commenced raining,
the wood will probably soon be out which will be great
relief 10 the cutters here who have about twenty large
vessels waiting for Very little of the wood
cut win get to your market owing to the system you
surrnent is far less than Belize while at this
ment the government officers seize the wood under
measured or fine the parties who ship Great complaints
made land in my opinion justly too by the shippers
herefor why should they be compelled pay duty
correct Why sell the wood by measure
ment Why compel the shipper to pay double duty or
fine when his wood ually ten twenty
five per cent less than the by which he is
compelled to sell bis wood
This matter may not be interesting to the general
reader but IL OF importance several
American vessels have been obliged to leave here in bal
when they might have found freights these
differences existed IN the sales and custom house
Another seriousI ought to say fatal-drawback to the
entire Of this settlement is the abolition Of sla
very There laborers cnough-but then they are
eemen and have no inclination and cannot be compelled
to work. great number of these live idle and useless
hves-an impudent insolent raceand never better
pleased than when they exultngy show their indie
pendence 1t lie no longer question: but settled by &C
tual denomination that Great Britain has not benefited
her slave population by paying for their freedoms while
che has entirely ruined all her West India possessions by
that measure And among those who have had expe
rence with negroes there not doubt in their minds
tion Of slavery do freely admit that the negro
uneducated are not fit TO be their own masters.
happy to say, that The public Of Belize have made
in the of education by recent act
in which they have formed Board of Education and in
stituted system of public education somewhat similar
to the in New York. The children of Belize are
already beginning feel its Influence; already there
large ard several small schools in this and
have been ned and others TO be opened in other
places the coast and in the settlements.
Belize was formerly the point OF all mercantile ope
ratons the southern part Yucatan and
also the mart which received the merchandise for the
States of Central America; but lately the merchandise
for those places has found its way direct This may
be sscribed to the advancement of the age but is
doubedy in part owing TO unwie legislation aud TO the
obstacles thrown in the way of the merchants by the Of
gcials here.
At present a very limited and not safe business is
done with Honduras and Guatanaa; and on the whole
there appearances of prosperity in the town.
Everything appears dull aside from the public build
Of the merchants and traders all to
be going to decay. The merchants are ambitious, ven
tureeome and enterprSng; and show great amount OF
energy in pushing their mahogany cutting operations
in all quarters and deserve succession the capital
attention talent and energy in any business In any part
Of the United States would be to succeed In fact
this l. the only paying possession Great Britain has in
will add that the inhabitants Ruatan not
ali pleased with the proclamation and that report is
in Giro ulaton that the commandant of Truxilo and
Omos is about to attempt to take possession of the
islands for the State of Honduras to whom they un
doubleday belong II true II will hardly any
thing than protest, that State is not able if
disposed to eject the British from these islands.
hear Of nothing important from the Musquito coast
Central America. Yucatan Business here is very
dull and provisions hear cannot be sold in any quant
ties, for what they cost In the United States.
During the last night violent norther blowing.
which it IL feared has done injury to the shipping
on the coast il unexpected and out of season.
shall write you again soon-at once should any news
reach me OF interest; and till then am, sir,
TRAVELLER.
The Fisheries.
We have st. John papers TO the Goth ut They
tain little on the subject of the fisheries. except
uit nj thE to,to tha fV,fn Gtataa