The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-04-05
Position of San Domingo.

Position of San Domingo.
II any one will take the trouble to draw, on
any good map of the United States, line due
south from the extreme point of the penin-
Sula of Florida, it will be found-after cross
ing the inlet, sixty miles wide, from the At
lantic Ocean to the Gulf Of MeYico--to inter-
sect the Island OF Cuba at a point about one
third of its length. The northern shore of the
remaining two thirds of that island winds, in
gentle curve, in q southeasterly direction
finally terminating at Cape Maysi. What is
known as the "Wlndward Passage" a strait
which connects the Atlantic ocean with the
Caribbean Sea, separates Cuba Eom Hayti;
the distance between Cape Maysi the eastern
terminus of the former island, and Cape St.
Nicholas, the western terminus of the latter,
being not more than twenty i've miles. In the
ives tern portion OF Hayti, covering about one
third of the area of the island is establ shed
the Republic of Hayti, Port au Prince being
its capital. The east stern division of the same
island, and by far the most mountainous, con-
stitutes the Republic of Dominica of which
San Domingo is the capital. The Mona Pas
sage, mother en- trance from the Atlantic to
the Caribbean Sea, separates on that side
Hayti from the island OF Porto Rico, the strait
that divides them being about the same
breadth the Windward Passage-twenLy-
five miles. 1t will thus be seen that Hayti
lies exactly midway between Cuba and Porto
Rico both OF which are Spanish dependencies
and any Power holding these three islands
would be in possession Of the ocean gateways
to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and
ali the States OF Central America.
We have been the more particular in de-
scribing the geOgra phical stua ton of these is.
lands, and their relative positions in regard to
each other, because intelligence reaches us
| from Havana to the effect that Spain has
seized upon that part OF the island of Hayti
which is known to us as the Dominican Re-
! public, or, more popularity still, as San DO
mingo, and Is about to annex ii to the Span
| ish Crown. There Is nothing at all mproba-
Bile in this report, though it is not unlikely, if
| it should turn out to be true, that the fact of
| this reassertion of an authority which had
| been abandoned for nearly half a century will
| lead to grave cOmplica tiouS with this Govern
ment.
We forbear from making any comment at
this time upon movement which may have
| been misunders TODD, and concerning which
we have as yet but imperfect details. I'm til
we know more with regard TO the matter, the
| foregoing resume of the history of the island
will serve perhaps 20 enlighten some of our
| readers, and will certainly enable us, any
| further occasion, to render better understo
| such remarks as we may have occasion to
| make upon the question of Spanish occupa-
| tion.-Batttmore Exchange.
| LATER FRoR HAYTI.-The Havana cores
| pondent of the New York Journal of Com
| merce, writing on the 26th uit., says:
| The news brought by the Pajaro del Oceano
| arrived 24th, from Port Platte, st. Denim
CO. does not quite confirm previous informa-
| ton, and the authorities here are hesitating
| about sending down the balance of the force
| and the two vessels of war named in my last
Three battalions of CaZadores, Qight nfan-
| try and two companies of artillery,
| dy to be sent on board the ships. The story
| of revolt, and that 1.-the Spanish flag had been
| displayed by the revolutionists," is now tenn
| pered with the information that "they do not
| ask the assistance or protection OF Spain or
| Spaniards." !" The emigrants sent down by Spain
| have been q little too precipitate, and Il good
deal too certain of their game, it no " seems
The Blanca, too far on her way to recall, may
compel different Issue, and involve the au-
thorlty here in the necessity OF forcible &C tion
| to justify what has already been done to de-
| stroy the independence OF recognized Go
| vernment
Since writing the foregoing, I have ascer-
| tanned that the Spanish war steamer Pelago
got to sea the night of the Goth. with detach-
| ment OF troops, provisions and Goals for St.
Domingo; and further, that all doubts and
| hesitancy have been overcome, and that abou I
5000 troops will be displayed in the capital of
the Republic Of ST. Domingo that the screw
frgate "Petronilla' and the war steamer
''Blasco de Garay" will leave for that place
as soon they have taken on board their
shell, provisions, Goals and their quota OF
troops. The "City of Norfolk steamer, re-
Gently condemned as a SLAYER, is also loading
with provisions, coal and camp equipage.-
She will take a detachment of artillery and
| three other Spanish Government trans ports
are loading for the same point with field ser
vice stores and supplies of all kinds.
| A FRESH WATER SPRING AT SEA.-Mr w A
Booth, the coast pilot of the revenue cutter
Harriet Lane, reports the disco, cry OF a boil
ing fresh water spring at sea, off the coast o.
| Florida. He says the spring is situated twelv,
miles, north by east, from ST. Augustine, Fla.
and eight miles of shore. 1t boils up with
great force, and can be described at a dis tanc
of two miles. When first seen it has the ap
pearance of a breaker, and is generally avoid
ed but there is no danger in the vicinity, a.
there is five fathoms OF water between it ant
| the shore. Ten fathOms of water are found 4
| SI,A t,.,t Ln+t 4.
| with the deep sea lead and thirty fathoms O
line at the spring itself. The water in tn
spring is fresh and is by no means unpalatable
One peculiarly about this phenomenon, is tina
when the St. Johns river is high, it boils III
from six to eight feet above the level of the sea
and presents rather a forbidding appearance
This spring has doubtless deceived hundreds
who have hastily put abeut from, as the
, thought, imminent danger and repor ted seein
a crock with water breaking over it." Tn
Harriet Lane has passed through it severa
times, and water has been drawn from it by
, bucket thrown over the side, and when DIR anl
no unpiea SAINT taste or smell has been found
I Its position and harmless character have bee
long unknown, but now the supposed DANCE
has become, as it were, "a well Of water in
} barren land"
THE EFFECT OF SHor.-A shot does not max
5 a hole Of its own size right through wood, bu
t indents it, the fibres springing back after tn
| shock. Generally, the course of shot can onl
9 | large as mans finger. The damage mos
1 often happens in the inside of vessel,
splintering and breaking the wood after tn
4 | main force of the shot was spent. For
: Hamilton and Richmond, which are about
mile apart, with a vessel lying between then
s could not, with their guns, send shot throug
two feet of its timber. There is rarely an il
, | stance where ship was sunk by solid shQ
J., Hot shot and shells do the mischief; the latt
!, | will some times make apertrres Of several fe
!, in extent, through the sides CT vessels.
= THK FIRST Posr- OFFICE was established
!, France in l464 In England in 1851 /; in Gei
}, | many in l64l although one authority attr
butes the authorship of the modern postal sy
!, tenn TO the Emperor Maximilian of German
:, for the purpose of facilitating an espiona,
! over his subjects through the medium Of the
!, correspondence, and also for the porpose of 81
rching himself by the profits of the enterpris
i, The first post In America was established
: New York l7l9, under the Colonial Cover
:, ment. In 1889 the direction of the pos tai bus
;, ness OF the country was conferred ON Congre
!, by ths terms OF the Constitution. AT that tin
y there We're but rs post-offces in the Union;
- 152a there were 5,dT1. AT the commencement
/. lSae there We're ~ ,5I3,
!, SECESSION IN UouRT.-A day or two ago OF
j. William Chester was arraigned before q
kenton iky) Circuit Court, charged wi
j. passing u counterfeit bill on the State Bank
= Louisiana. After the evidence was hard. coa
d sci Tor the prisoner claimed that as the State
y Louisiana had sscsded, tho court had no jur
. diction In the case, Judge Moore, howevs
ruled that ~ neither the President Of the u,
10 ted States nor Congress has recognized secs
Ia sion, the trial would proceed under the la,
Of Kentucky and II did. resulting in the ju
l. awarding Mr.. Chester three years In the PEI
}. tsatiary .-Loutseilss Courier,