Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-09-24
From the New York Herald
The New Empire of Me xlco.

The New Empire OF Mexico.
It's Extent, Physical Features and ClamQte-Ag1icul
tural and Mineral Products, Manufactures and FL
! nances-Area and Population-1he 1ripartie H.
| Hlnce
| The new Empire of Mexico is bounded along IFS en-
tire northern limit by the United States the Rio Gran
de del Note being the dividing line that was establish
ed under the terms of the Gadsden treaty separates it
from California, New Mexico and Arizona. It's south
point extends down into Central America, Guiding
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and its whole territorial
extent is embraced between the waters Ct the Gulf OF
Mexico on the east and of the Pacific ocean on the
west. In it's greatest length it thousand
nine hundred apd eighty miles, and in its greatest
bTeadth-one thousand one hundred and tWenty-eght
miles comprising of eight hundred ard twenty
nine thousand nine hundred and sixteen English square
miles. Its frontier measures eight thousand one huu
dTed and twelve miles, of which FIVE thousand eight huI
dred and thirty miles is coast. 1t is traVersed
throughout its whole leogth by immense range of
mountains called the Corderas, some of the highest
peaks of which rise to elevation of between
and eighteen thousand feet above the level OF the
sea. That of Popocatepetl is at elevation Of H.
1876 feet. Onzaya II 1888 feet, and Yxtacchuat l5,-
| 900 feet. These are all volcanoes. Owing to this
mountainous formation the country is divided
| into three well defined belts zones of c-
mate. The lands lying along the coasts, and
up 10 an elevation of two thousand feet called
the cQlentes hot region, where the mean tenn
p rdturc s seventy seven degrees Fahrenheit. He.e
such productions sugar cotton indigo bananas ETC.
|
sand feet elevation is known the tierus tempLGdes
sgnifYing q temperate climate, where the tempe
throughout the year from sixty eight to seven
ty degrees Fahrenheit The re1t OF the reglon from
an elevation of five thousand feet to the line OF perpet
ual snow tierrGS friaS Geld lands where the mean
temperature is y-two degrees Fahrenheit The city
of Mexico lies within this latter zone its elevation be-
ing 74OO feet above the level but there tie
mercury seldom falls iu the thermometer below the
freezing point. The great traveller Humboldt says
that on the as,ent from Vera Cruz the climates sIc-
ceed each other in layers and the traveller passes In re-
view in the course of two days, the whole cilce of
vegetation, from the parasitic plants of the tropics to
the pines of the Arctic regions Although the coast Is
for the most part unhealthy and although the seaports
are subject to vistations of the vomto and yellow e-
ver still the climate may be regarded on the whole as
favorable to human life.
| AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
Tie cotton plant is indigenous to the soil. The
Mexcans ct the time of the invasion under Cortez,
possessed the art of spinning cotton to very high de-
gree of fineness and of imparting to 1t beautiful and
brilliant colors-arts which have since been lost-and
cottan fabrics then formed almost the only fabric for
clothing The average yield In late years has been sSt
down at seven millions of pounds; and of course un-
der an improved system of society," that product s ca
bable of an indefinite expansion.
The other principal agricultural products are coffee,
tobacco Gdgo vanilla, alap cochineal lax and hemp
The export of cochineal amounts to million OF do
lars annually There is also large export OF dye
woods vanilla, indigo and Coffee and ever some manu-
i into the export list.
i THE PRECIOUS METALS.
But that for which Mexico is chiefly priced is her
vast mineral wealth. There are said to be over one
thousand silver mines in Mexico, yielding an annual
product of between thirtyfVe and forty millions Of
dollars There are besides twenty-five mines of quick
silver, which yield from t"o hundred anf' nty 10 tnree
hundred pounds weight annually Gold is also found
in considerable quantities. stated varousy at from three
millions of dollars upwards British authority sesS
it down at thirty-two millions five hundred thousand
but that is evidently mistake. The mines are gene
rally located either the top or on the western slope
d of the Cordleras. They were wrought for ages be
J, fore the Spanish invasion. Gold and silver vases o
great value and workmanship sent beck to Spair
per are also produced in great abundance. The ggea
drawback to all this mineral wealth. however, ls tn
difficulty of transporting it to the seaboard there being
neither railroads nor navgabe rivers III the country
y and the only means OF oeng the oacks
g mules Under stable government this obstacle meh
soon be lessened and probably of the earliest en-
terprses that will be set foot under the new regn
will be connected with facilitating the forwarding
the precious metals to the seaboard.
IN Before the late years of internal war and anarchy
there was considerable manufacturing enterprises
ID hibited in Mexico There were seventytwo large cot
IA ton factories at work. six large woolen ones elgh
paper mills four glass factories and seventy hand ma
chimes for weaving sk-the total annual value OF mai
ufacured goods amounting to over one hundred million
" of dollars This industry, we presume mas oeen large
DESTROYED by the partisan WaraEe WHICH HAS toH IL
country in pieces for the last ten years Since then
. statistics have been published
IT, FINANCES.
In 1854 the public debt was $l30,0OO,O0O, over on
half of which was due TO foreigners. The revenue If
1852 amounted to only So 500,O00-about two:thire
ke the xpendure-whe the revenue of the church WI
n set down at $20,O00,00O The church property no:
b. ever has of late years been conscated, which is II
na cause of the church party in Mexico allying eelf
on the French invaders. One of the first acts of the
he choate government has been to declare null and yo
all proceedings under the act of coDfscation.
AREA AND POPULATION.
Mexico is made up of twentyone States, three TERI
tnres and one Federal district, the names, area
he populat:on of which were, in 1850, as follows
he Area in Square Miles, Populato
ct;onss .,.,....... 1850 44,070
ne SLibHabna .......,..,.... 97,Ol5 l47,600
ed Sonbnia .,.,.. 1851 $40