New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-09-24
VOLUME XII.
MEx1cAN CORRESPONDENTS.

MEXICAN CORRESPONDENCE.
Special to the New Orleans Crescent.I
VERA CRUZ, Sept. 8, 1859.
LOWER CALIFORNIA IN THE MARKET.
In consideration Of the importance attached to the
acquisition Of Lower California by many Of your
American statesmen, that narrow strip Of land six
hundred miles long, with average width of seventy
miles, is at present attracting some attention here,
aud believe the Mexican Government is prepared
to dispose of it upon favorable terms, if you have
mind to pay down reasonable sum- say 81 00O, 900.
This is the figure put upon the property by the Mex
leans themselves, with which have nothing to do.
am Of opinion that the United States does not re-
qure that territory upon any terms at present, and
particularly is she enoned from making landed pur.
chases while you are 80 much in want of personal
liberty and commercial advantages which shall ex-
tend your rights and trade in this very desirable
quarter In possession OF the goldbearing State of
California, the United States should bring herself
close to Mexico by reciprocity which would pour into
your lap the silver Of this Republic and until Ari-
zona and Mesa taken Of, it is useless waste
Of time to neglect commercial advantages for more
extended dominion over waste lands.
MILITARY REASONS WHY You Do Nor NEED IT.
The Peninsular of Lower California Is not otsneces-
sary to you in military point Of view for the Colo.
RADIO possessions, il they were considered worthy of
attack would be better defended leaving that long
belt Of land n possession of Mexco than If you had
it yourself. The dangerous navigation Of the Gull
Of California would deter an expedition from ventur
ing into those waters, and your coast defences
could therefore be concentrated about San Diego in
stead OF being extended all along a line Of shore
reaching seven or eight hundred miles up and down
the peninsular and which is well stocked with cattle
This freedom from attack would preserve the line of
overland communication by the way of Ell Paso,
except from an overwhelming force which might
land in the neighborhood of San Diego or Los Ange
les, and which would then come into possession OF
the country clear to Fort Yuma. But before this
could be done, all the strength Of the lower section
of the State Of California would have to be beaten.
CHARACTER OF THE CouETRY--AMERIcAN INTERESTS
THERE ALREADY.
The country thus offered for sale is mountainous
and rugged, and really unfit for use except for its
copper and salt mines its grazing qualities and its
pearl fisheries. At present many persons from Cali
forna own large cattle estates there which are largely
productive, and which are virtually untaxed. These
are destined to be Of great benefit in feeding Cafor
MA Cucdpiyi duu tueleOEc ouSuL HUI W Uc CElppGu
In the next place the salt and copper mines and
pearl fisheries are open to common enterprise, ever
more literally than if they belonged to you, and they
do not need to be purchased to be expanded. YOU
thus have common advantages under existing laws
the country costs you nothing to govern or defent
the people are opposed to being bought, and car
conceive Of nothing which justify your statesmen
or diplomats in negotiating for unwilling race
subjects, barren country and host of expenses
which are saved to you at present. Or is the in
sanity of expansion too deeply rooted to look at any
other argument than that OF extended empire?
As said, the Pearl Fisheries the most valuable
resources of the country at present, and that th,
public may form its own opinion of their worth,
translate a somewhat lengthy although accurate ant
interesting article from the Progresso of this city
the subject. AS this article appears in the Govern
ment organ, l suppose it is thrown ou. as bait t.
catch the popular mind in the United States, tina
Mexico may be enabled to sell another slice of he
very worthy territory.
PEARL FISHERIES OF LOWER CALIFORNIA.
Diving for pearls constitutes the principal resourc
of the people living along the eastern shores of tn
dustry began its development ia the middle of tn
of mora or loo. oct;,;t,, n WOW, l.,
tho nroson, IA, II ,v,. % .uo,.a.a,s,
strictions nntii l7eo whom tho Condo Ioso A. ro,,
established the basis of a civil organization vh;c
wac soon converted nto tbeocrot;o ,,o
the province nnder the dominion of Tho Jasr,s ,hoo
m;ssone and vboso rno a. o,o tir,o .,aro -. ~;.,,
an nowerfnl nnon tho whole rol;forn;a ,oos+ -
of ftb mart of all tho ,oins va tho ,auioa
continued to he collected until 1ses vhan tha Mo-
con rovor,n,ont h.u;n,, h,o,,,, L., a. c.
rnle nroceeded tn root ont tha nadras rhon ,t, rs
was abolished and tho fshari.a th,o,, '.e "a "a
enternr;se and sL;ll of all
Tho routina of tho E;obor, n. 4, ~ aoo, M. g..
what II wac tw, hnndred veor, oco Tha 49,; ~,
erers are divided into two al, tbosa ,ho
divers, and who are called emnreso,;o, and ,bos
who engage to these for n mart of what tb., ooi,
The aforementioned class has heen very ron;du i,
veoned within the last five years and ;hero NO no
empr,sa,;o, who emnlov from 5o tn Inn ~ hoat. N
The fleets of these .mn,eso,os ORC snnrIiod +. s,,
starting tn the diving orounds with Ia
liuor boans dred heef .o,, oorn ona a,ha. noa,
saries together with varied stocks of goods of d
scrntion tn he sold tn tho dvars and which
to them at the most extravap,nt rates
Probable oneha,f of the dvers ara recru;to, fro,
California. while the other half is drawn from sonor
speculative spanards to pass a regulation forbddin
the Jesuits from emnlovinp those LARGO missions ,
new,v.convertod Indians into tho trosic which ,vo
acceded to bv the nadres on the understanding n,
whatever pearls were taken IN Sunday sbon,a ;