The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-30
Highly Interesting from Central
America.

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March Of the Honduras Army npon Guatemala.
The Department Of Chequimula Occupied
by General Cabanas,
&C., &o., dc.
The bark W. o, Alden, Captain Bates which ar
rived at this port last Saturday, from Belize, brought
us the annexed NEST interesting and highly mpor
tant communication from the capital Of Honduras.
The information which it contains relative TO the
geography Of the interior Of Central America, the
yield Of the mines, aud the opening and working Of
the Gracas silver Mines will be found most useful.
The present state OF the actual political relations ex
Ating between Honduras and Guate maa is very gra.
phicaly painted whilst timely warning is given to
our cabinet as to the necessity Of increased viyi-
lance in that quarter, in order 10 enable the people
to guard against the effect Of British intrigue, when
masked with the garb Of Mosquito sovereignty.
Our Honduras Correspondence.
CohAyAGuA, HONDURAS, June 20, 1853.
The A~eieu Ctty Of Consa3agaa-Ks History, 70
Js.latiom and Suuation-Ertraordind,y Geogra-
piricai Fact Rlldtire to the Corduleras R0~ge-in
terror of Central hmericG- Irgeeigalp0 and the
Ho,sduras Siirer Miaes-O7e"lng Of tho Gracid,
Miaes-Ih Weathsr !. Crops, and Public Health
Ca,Ysra's Troops Ia Ho,,d..ras-Poidieai Re,a
tioas of Guatemala aud Hosdsrss--Di6 cali.es
of a Uaioa of The Central States--Esgltsh In
trigue and the Mosquito King.
The nj tho -i~.. whence tis letAer 10 loot;
will doubtless be new 10 most Of your readers yet
the loyal city of Santa Maria de valladolid de Co
msyagua was tlourishing town before Hudson had
discovered your magnificent bay, and before New
Amsterdam had . name. 1t was founded in 1910,
BY one Of the generals Of Cortez who had been des
patched to And aplace in the heart Of the country
for facilitating intercourse between the Gulf OF Hon
duras and the Pacific. II is situated upon the east
en edge OF the great plain Of the same name, OF
which il commands complete view--a view unsur
passed for IL extent and beauty This great plain
has its longest Axis from north TO south, and in
tina. direction occupies quite third OF the breadth
Of the continent at this point. few miles 10 the
northward Of it IL another snt smaller pain-that Of
Espino. It is in the plain Of Comay aqua tina: one
Of the principal branches Of the great nayigable
river Una, the Humuya has it's origin. This stream,
flowing due north ihterlocks, about twenty miles to
the southwark Of this city, with the Goascoran,
flowing due south into the magnificent Gull OF
FOnseca on the Pacific. Their respective sources
are in the same level savannahs, and not hundr n
feet apart. II is extraordinary fact that the river
Una, and after il the Humuya aud Goascoran,
throughout their whole course do not vary five miles
from line, and coinciding with the meridian. And
it is an equally extraordinary and most interesting
fact that here the great range Of the Corderas is
wholly interrupted, and that great transverse val
lev extends from one sea to the other.
The geography Of the coasts OF Central America
has been very accurately ascert0ned by the English
in their numerous tem pantics visits to this quarter
Of the world and their estimate Of their value pretty
well shown by their attempts to get possession OF them
But the geography Of the interior is absolutely IN
known 10 the world. As laid down in the maps, It
is quite as applicable TO New Holland as TO Central
America. The absurdest extremity OF error has been
reached in the attempts 10 represent the natural
features Of Honduras For example, the river Goas.
coran, the principal river flowing into the Gulf Of
Fonseca, except the Choluteca, u not so much o.
laid down on any map. Bailey's map, the largest
and most preentious OF any yet published, is equally
incorrect. IL has not, In the instance OF a sngle
State, given its boundaries truly. These al
distorted and ialaiied 10 sDit and advance English
prcttnsions, and were framed as its publisher mas
Hnce admitted. under orders from the Foreign Office
But ghile pointing ont these defects, cannot, o.
c,urze IN the limit Of letter. undertake ~ set
them liz ht. let Us retGrn, therefore, " COmsya-
qua.
The city now contains about 900 inhabitants.
Previous 10 l5Z1 il had upwards Of IL 900, and was
embelishcd with fountains and monuments. IN
that year i va burned and almost dcpoplato1, By
the arstocratic faction Of Guatemala IN lis efforts
10 put down The liberal came to which the town
has always been attached. II has never been able
n wholly recover from the sbock. Az the capital
Of Honduras, Il has also suffered greatly since that
period from thu OWL warr and turnoils ~ the
country at large. Lately however, II hss very
much improved. and II it continues 10 enjoy the
same liberal government which 1t now has, Il wlD
soon regain its los, prosperity.
The eiy d 1ege:cigalpa, two days journey 70
the southeast u this town, on the river ChOlutesa,
= much larger aud more ACTIVE town. IL deriy =
lts Importance chiefly from being situated In the
heett o. q rich oliver mining district.
Ddeed, al! B9nduras has been celebrated
Tor ts mineral wealth ever since tie period vi -
discovery. Before the revolution and the subse Inent
commissions OF TIE country which haze eiectualy
DTokcn up almost every KIND Of enterprise. itA mines
we're numerous and extensively worked vita results
CGual u the hest proceeds q those of Mexico and
Peru But the working Was always carried on Ia a
rude way, a. compared With the modern rapid and
effective processes. Silver pted9minates althourh
tho>c Of gold and copper are abundant A Iey
silver mine was opened not more than Ix month.
ago III the Department 81 Gacias which ba,
already produced not less than ~ 900 ,oO0 Fabulous
as II may seem, II Is nevertheless strictly true that
~ orcs Weld seventy-6ve per cent al pure silver
II i In this department that The opal mle of Hon.
duIas are found The department 81 blanche Il
richest in gold. The Guyape, Gaallambre and other
large streams flowing into the Atlantic near Cane
Gracias Dios, abound in gold w8shiugs. These are
now only worked IN small way, by the ludilns.
several American euomen, ffom Icon 10 NiGirt-
Rua, lately tltIttd thcm and, i believe ate Mikiay