New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-08-17
THE GREAT ROMANCE OF THE AGE.
CURIOUS RuMoRs AND REVELATIONS.
Authentic History of the Nicaraguan Transit
and late Mail Contract.
10 the Editor Of The N. Y. Tribune.


SIR: From the tenor Of the long pending contro-
versy touching the Nicaragua mbroglo, an observer
would be led to infer that the Governments of Central
America had reared insurmountabe obstacles TO the
adjustment of Transit affairs There is no question
hut this is an inference at which the majority of per-
sona who are interested in the matter have arrived.
Those uninitiated in the series of the question
have encouraged this impression; or rather
created and then disseminated it, until they have got
9 Themselves hopelessy bewildered. Commodore Van
derbt smiles at the power Of creduty 1t is not long
since that heard him say: E" do not care q d--n
for the Nicaragua Tran sit. None of the fellows that
"are always getting into my way have got any
money, but they are determined that shall pay
"them for something they suppose l want They
"hsvs no right to do this. The Did Transit can
"go. won't spend another cent
NV opinion is that this controversy has been one
sided affair fro beginning to end Though aataso-
nistic elements have appeared to exist 1t was not
real but an apparent exstencs-h we except the
eight among the Commodore" and the double
reaching speculators who have tried to make some
thing out of Commodore Vanderbilt. He has, without
doubt, held both bowers and the ace of rumps ever
since the Termination of the year 1856, when that
great game of bluff was ably carried on for him by
The indefstigabls Captain Spencer. We have heard
ii asserted by the way, and very good authority,
that the Captain never received any compensation for
his services and has not been successful in get
ting reimbursement of his expenses. If true, this
circumstance would seem to indicate that the Transit
speculation will stand fair chance of yet recovering
&" handsomely from the old Commodore
The Transit spectators commenced while he
Vanderbilt was closing the Transit. Spencer was at
San Jose at the time and anticipating the excitement
God nj
and sscured the contamination Of a Transit Grant,
With which he hurried away to New-York Had that
GRANT been carried into effect, it would have made
both Costa RIGA and Nicaragua bankrupt; but for
sunsfely for those countries the obtuseness or OBJ
d,rscy of Vanderbilt or his aversion to being bed,
xvss their salvation. Vanderbilt exhibited extra
ordinary tact in playing off agent against another
while TO use his own expression, he would wait Tor
fbs wagon" It has since become notorious that he
was all this time riding in chariot, for which the
travelling community between the Atlantic anu racine
States were mucted to the tune OF sooooo MONTH
This ia an exhibition Of tact to some purpose and we
can now understand why he refused to treat with the
indefatQabe agents but, the contrary, generated
a feud between them.
Then came the Webster Harris Grant, which was
fonpd invalid in consequence Of the previous com
m;tmept the Government of Costa RIGA had made to
Commodore Vanderbilt. 1t was created in an emer-
yencv and answered the purpose for which it was
cre.ted-yiz., to get the fllibusters out Of the
country. e..
Thar came the White and Stebbins Grant from
Nicaragua, which was acquired by fraudulent repre-
senta,ons They led the authorities in Nicaragua 10
believe that they had been victmized by Generai
Walker and other parties Interested IN tne
Transit operations; that they had sent an agent 10
Nicaragua and had borne heavy expenses IN order 10
save their property and the country from the Nanaa
invading it, while in reality they were themselves ou'
the fag ends of fllibusterism. The Grant was pro-
duced out of the brain of the Hon. .. l.. "hlte,
great magician and resurrectonlSt, VINO formerly
8our;shed as counsel for the old company whicn hsd
no means to put the Transit into operation, and was
very ANXIOUS to ont any one could be found TO
buv il. Commodore Vanderbilt would not do so
much A to pibble at the bat-he had sworn to put
White where he found him. So when White
hac.n N sbow some evidence of vitality,
Commodore Vanderbilt dispatched Spencer to
Central America to head him of, which
va, effectuslly accomplished. Besides, Spencer re-
turned to NevYork with another grant in his pocket,
and not that alone, but clean act of incorporation
The first information we had of this was from Wash
;pgtop whore Vanderbilt and Spencer were seen, arm
in arm. perambula,ing the avenues, and rapping at
<bs NON ala of the Executive Chamber, and together
,-.v;ng for mail contract Wall street was startled
The stocks of the various companies that trade by
nav Of Panama began to fall rapidly The respective
presidents of theee companies were OF to washington
in the lightning trains, and manifested great agony
Vanderbilt was very busy at the time, and woad mo-
be interrupted II was n strange sight to see men o.
their position dancing attendance upon Commodore
Vanderbilt until the small hours Of the morning. whe'
he condescended to receive them with, Now zen
"tlemen. what the HI do you want
little arrangement was contaminated Du' ~
one must know ito import, for there was mastery
stroke to be made, which If it did Illustrate nothing
instructive, showed that it was utterly Apossio.e o
Spectators to get hold of Commodore Vanderbilt :
money bags Ope hundred thousand dollars IN specie
was shipped off, os,ensibly to consummate the ar
rspgement and open the Transit. The "aniao''
"Dap,' better known to the public as ID. d. Allen
esq, vas sent in company with Spencer who was tt
receive $1,000 commission when al was mashed
But the SMOKE Of the steamer bearing the precious
freight was scarcely out Of sight when tie stocks
the other companies began to rise higher and SUI
higher until they reached an unprecedented nsure
The messengers arrived in Nicaragua, when On IN
cutting ultimstum was written by President Martinez
refusing to comply with their demands. What wa
the object Of sending thst amount Of money There