Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-02-02

Our advess fr'm Aspinwsil to the istb and from
Panama to tho ieth instant:

Our adviees r. m Aspinwa arc to the 18th, and from
Panama to tho i6th insiant:
The Aspinwsl Courier Of the 10th inst. says,
The shipping business Of Aspiawail Il quito considers
ble The list OF vessels which under the protection
OF the American dag alone, for the month OF December
which we publish In another column gives handsome ey
idenco oft This must continue increase rapidly u
ring the coming year. From such oreshadownes a. are
occasionally thrown across path, CLEAN the most
positive assurance that by the expiration OF tho year upon
which wehave Just entered the increase will DO % grea,
that the fair average will be three sail per day.
The Courier the l7th instant says:
BY dispatches received at the United Staes
at this port from Bogo,a, per last steamship from Cartha
geua, learn that the lion. James s. Green Charge
dArcs from the United States TO this ar
rived at the capitol on the l4,h u amer very pleasant
but slow journey.
States sloop ofwar Cysnc Is In Carthagcns but will
leave that port In few days FOR Fort Ecoccs conveying
thence tho corps OF engineers and Others sent to
explore the route for oceanic canal across tho shmns
\ Of Daricn.
| From the Aspinwall Courier jan M
The following news We received at tho hands OF Mr.. A.
b Forbes. Of the Pacific Mail Steamship Compauys Of
| dee at Panama, In seven hours from that place:
From the Panama Herald OF this morning we lear,
that dispatches received there yesterday from Commsn
der Provost Of H. M, ship Virago. dated JAM q states
that he had lost four men, three OF whom had been mnr
dcred by the Indians, aud one missipy Com p
with twenty men, having explored to the Cordilers
Uana on his return three dead bodies near provision
good road, and well marked" twelve stations
The Panama Railroad is progressing moro rapidly than
ever before The best employees ofthc company arc out,
dong themselves and surprising their promises or
expectation Instead OF twenty four miles tho train Ia
running with regularity daily thirty miles Theirs Ia no
sickness among the labores This fact tho recent large
accession Of forces and the alacry and tact with which
all portions Of the road under work are now
gives us every confidence Of its completion during th
coming autumn.
NEW FRENCH OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF NEW
CALEDONIA IN THE PACIFIC.
no A ai;.NI
has the following paragraph:
"Tho French have taken possession Of tho be,ut;G,I
group called New Caledonia. Ga tho esd September Tho
French war steamer PhoQue arrivsd there from ,rah;
Inc vessel understood 10 be under orders from the Com
manuern Chiei OF the South Pa ic station The John
H. hiay, an American trading bark which arrived In
Fort jackson yesterday has brought up two French on
GERS one Of them an officer belonging the admnisa.
ton, and the other attached to the above French war
steamer for tho purpose Of purchasing supplies for the
new French settlements The American vessel which
has been chartered Tor tho purpose and only ienays
from New Caledonia will immediately Her Mai
esys ship Herald at the Isle of Pines on the asb Of
September-all well.
New Caledonia is about nine hundred miles cast of Aus
uaia IL was discovered by Cook In l7T4 IL Ia 300
miles long and 40 miles wide It's chief produc,ions 40
yims aud tanas. The natives mild aud yery skIG,l
in the cultivation Of the soil.
The Sydney Herald Of the I'd of November eiyes tho
following additional particulars of the seizure Of New Gale
dona:-
A. winn
the particulars which have been enabled TO poa9 RAJ.
pec,ng the act of the French Government in TAKING ma
session OF the Island Of New Caledonia and its dependen
cies. Ii appearI that the French Rear Admiral o,n
ing in the South Pacific sailed from Tahiti in tho so,
corvette lie Phoquc accompanied by several Officer
ana civilians ION cruise among the Islands" On the
"3d September the Phoque arrived at New Caedoni,
and the 9th the Admiral Ian led ut Besde ami ~,
ing the French dag formally took possession of the
land Of New Caledonia and its dependencies" In the name
OF ms imperal majesty Nap'l on ILL., Emperor o. the
N lilo
" drawn up III which the Admiral states that he takes
possession Of the Islands by order of his government md
declares them to be French colony from snd after the
9th oScptember. ~
An USKSowS RIVERA lieutenant of the French sb;,
Armand has published in the Revue Coioa notice Of
the River Voto, of the great rivers of western Africa
nor'h OF The EQUATOR and tho OF which in tho
mountains OF Kong, not far from sources of the two
great nluens of the Niger. The notice IL transferred 10
the Courier ds Eats Unis from which VIC translate as
follows: "
Upon the two banks Of the Volt. NAV he soon nm ;,s
y OF small villages dcnscy pcoplej especially upon the
immediate shores. Fishing seems TO be the sole en
poyment Of this numerous people The beaches are
covered with flakes Tor drying The fish, previous to
ing into the interior, where il constitutes the PRINCIPAL
.ood OIL the inhabitants The river is deep and gable
to a very great extent.
THIS vast country Of which AIDA is the capital The nom
uatlon OF this city, far be Judged from cursorv
view ia about 25OO. 1t possesses an organized army r
which the commanderin-chief il Tofioo.
The cessation Of trade has reduced this people 10 prca
poverty Accustomed to subsst upon the profits Of trade
they have cultivated the earth any further than wn.
required by Their absolute necessities Upon either bank
o the river are vast forests Of palm trees from which
the people might derive a magnificent product Either
rom ldehess, indifference, the Of means of trans.
portaon however there appears be but one individual
IN the whole country who has undertaken the manufacturer
OF palm o-and he without success
The small quantity Of oil produced Is transported TO DC.
co. town upon the border of the sea- about eight miles
west OF the Volta. The expenses Of transportation and
shipment absorb much Of the proceeds Of the sales
s commodity that no encouragement is afforded for
engaging in the manufacture.
The oldest inhabtant" of this singular country does
not remember ever to have vessel in the Volta
deep and ayigable as it is.