New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-02
THE NICARAGUA WAR.

The arrival of the Daniel Webster at New
Orleans brings news that war has actually COM
meneed between General Walker and the State of
Costs Rica.
II the declaration of war, 90 ia stated, came
from Costa Rca-as 10 which we shall take the
liberty 10 entertain sOme dOubts-we cannot but
think it very bad policy on the part Of that Govern
ment and not unlikely to be attended with disas-
trous results. 1t gives Walker precisely what he
wanted, namely, somebody to attack and the weak
and unwarhe, though comparatively wealthy cOun-
try of Costa Rica is precisely the sort of object Of
attack most to his purpose. He has soldiers, which
10 Just what the Costa Rca people have not; they
could have afforded to wait till time, fever and dis
content had done their work on Walkers men,
which is precisely what he cannot afford. H. then,
the Costa Rica people declared war against him, it
was a perfect godsend-tbe very thipg he would
most desire.
There seems little prospect that the Costa Rica
militia can be able to resist his trained soldiers
The great difficulty for Walker is to get at those
he wishes to plumber.
The best inhabited and best cultivated part of
Costa RIGA is an elevated plateau-the plains OF
San Jose and Csrtago-lying about two degrees of
latitude south and two degrees of longitude east
from Granada which is Walkers headquarters
and about equidistant from the Pacific aud the
shores of the Gulf of Mexico. From Granada to
Virgin Bay the transportation is easy by water;
and indeed, Walkers army of operations is repre-
sented as already at that point when the steamer
left San juan. The first pOnt to be reached from
Virgin Bay is Punta Arenas-not the place OF that
name at the mouth of the San Juan, opposite
Grey town, but another Sandy Point to translate it
into English Cd the Bay Of Nicoya, which makes in
from the Pacific; Puhta Arenas, lying on the east
shore of that bay in about nine degrees of north la
tude. This place, Punta Arenas, whichis the princ
| pal shipping port of Costa Rica, might easily be
reached by water fromSan Juan del Sur from which
il is distant southwest hundred miles or so; bat
Walker has vessel, or if he could possess him
self Of any Frtnch ship Of war is said to be lying
at Punta Arenas fer the very purpose OF cutting
him of. He will therefore be obliged to go by land.
| From Virgin Bay 10 Riyas, on the frontier of
Nicaragua, is no great distance, and the road lies
through friendly country. At Riyas the Difficult
| ties OF the route will commence. From THAI place
| to Punta Arenas. There is 0 road through the
tlinly inhabited district of Gnan4costi, province
Of Costa Rica eight days journey with mules.
One. third Of this road runs through forest and
mountain without any village; for the rest there
may be some Eve small villages. The territory
through which the road passes is very thinly in
hsbited, being divided into large haciendas for
raising cattle.
From Punts Arenas TO San Jose the rosd extends
due east For the hrst two or three miles it
runs along The beach, and here Walkers forces
may be exposed to the guns Of the French ship Of
war. Then 1t goes up toward the mountainous -e-
gion Of the Aqaaeate, where Il crosses three dis.
tnct chains OF mountains, the passes of some OF
which sire extremely difficult. Before entering
these mountains two or three s;resus must be
crossed, over one Of which, the Ba.anca. tAe Coy.
eminent OF Costa Rica has lately completed stone
bridse-this being the chief route by which the
coffee Of Costa R.ca is brought 70 tue sea tn, co.