New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-21
cINTO DOMINGO CITY.

all earlier opportunities are by mere chance.
SANTO DOMINGO CITY.
FAD HARBOR--A SAILORS LEGEND--TIIE CITY
THE FORMAL RECEPTION - CONVERSATION
WITH BAEz-THE VIEWS OF TIE ANNEX
ALTON PARTY.
IRON OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
SANTo DOMINGO CITY, Feb. 2.-If SANTANA Is the
best and most beautiful harbor in the world, which
many hold themselves in readiness TO swear this is
the worst, the toughest, the most barren, and the
most dangerous, 1t is 50 baQlhat it cannot be called
q harbor The sailors have q legend Of treasure
ship wrecked once upon time on tho jagged rocks
which line this portion Of the coast. She carried as
passengers two young ladies Of respondent lowell
ness, and believe the only article saved from the
catastrophe was box of tTinkets and an opal cross
belonging to one Of these unfortunate maidcns. The
sisters themselves were among the lost. Ever since
that night they have had the uncomfortable habit
of rising from the waves in robes Of spotcss white,
at the approach of every seventh ship, and after
gesture Of menace and warning, they fly upward
with unearthly shrieks The ship thus warned must
put TO sea again or be iufalibly dashed to pieces
| suppose ours did not happen TO be seventh ship,
for scw no menacing young women and we have
not been wrecked Seriously there is no port in the
West indies which the sailors much dread as this,
and why a city was ever built upon so desolate q
coast must remain a mystery forever The trip from
SANTANA was without special interest. The weather
excepting stormy night was delightful
but for T. or II hours previous TO
our arrival the sea ran high although the winl was
calm and warm. The ship, not generally given to
rolling in any sea, was very unsteady, because as
the sailors said, d" the waves was all chopped up,
and many who had escaped the deep damnati0n OF
scasicAncss OFF IIatteIas, were now sent beio" III
pain and sorrow The Nautaskc-, which started with
us from SANTANA arrived an hour or two ahead OF us,
and as we sailed along toward the white breakers
we saw her rccLng and struggling as though she
bore a restless spirit TLeTcnuesscc anchored about
a mile from Inc city. Her coming hadbccn lookcdfor
Tor several days, for the party which came overland
had announced her speedy departure from SANTANA.
She had hardly let 60 her anchor before the Amefi-
can Consul, Dr. Amos, came on board to pay ms
respects 10 the Commission, and soon aiterWdId a
Committee was sent ashore to arrange the ccrcmo-
MES OF reception On the following day the Ten
nessoe salutod the Dominican flag with q guns-a
salute which was admirable in its regularity and
correctness, but il was very noisy. An ll-nch gun,
wei loaded and fired on sAipboard, followed by -
Others is more Pleasant 20 read about than to hear
The salute was answered from the ancient and
feeble guns OF the fort. but their reply was com
pared, by one Of the naval officers VINO hau
seen every country to a salute in which he paTtici
paicd in the waters OF one OF the South American
Republics. Ii is customary, when an American ship
visits foreign port TO give notice 20 the authorities
that the flag Will DO sautcd II they viii return gun
for gun. III this ease, the officer says tho notlica-
ton was sent and the answer returned by the COM
mand9nt that he would chccrluliy comply with the
etiquette usual in such cases if the United States
shin would lend him the powder TINS was done,
and the international courtesy was maintained. The
difference in the Dominican salute and our own was
six guns-we gave them p and they replied with 21
The whole of the next day Deb Il was consumed in
attempts to arrange for the proper dignity Of the
presentation and in providing quarters. President
Baez had set aside an unoccupied Government house.
very spacious mansion miscalled palace, for the
Commission, furnished plain cots and an insult
fcencv Of bed-clothcs This house, unoccupicd and
un1roductiye, was refused by the Commission
through an innocent agent ath0uQhiJ was specially
proposed that the Commission should pay It's own
expenses including mess candles, attendance, and
everything. AfterwaId house owned by Baez was
rented and in it the Commission is safely
lodged Several unofficial persons accompanying
the Commits ion were permitted 10 occupy the palace
and so the whole party is accommodated without t.
course to the one hotel Of the city
Santo Domingo City Is nothing but . ruin. !
have been here now two days and have searched
vanIy for new house. q fresh brick, a newly
quarIied stone, or a latclysawci scantinr. Aprar-
entity there is not, in the whole city structure that
is not 20 years old All the houses bear the proof O.
great age. CrImlliug stones, concrete falling 10
decay ivy and other vines Ciing.ng 10 the walls
moss and mold and discooIatou everywhere
Every street is but COPY Of its fellows. is houses
are ike prisons with thick walls, massive doors, and
barred windows. But TIE tribune readers are
familiar with descriptions of this ancient town, aid
am glad to leave il in its decay for the ry Of the
present.
President Baez and his three chief Ministers came
to tie National Palace about 10. O'Clock, with the
expectation of receiving the Commissioners at IL;
but owing to some nluoky mismmagcmcnt tine
Commissioners who had been ready TO move Tor
some time did not set ont from their lodging until
after II. a tedious three-quartcTs Of an hour was
endured by tho Dominican dgBitarios IN chat with
newspaper correspondents and the other guests who
rs followers in the suite of the Commission, occupied
many of the rooms Of the Palace. 1t was II, O'clock
when the three Commissioners-accom by
Mr.. Fred. Douglass Gen. Sigel, Mr.. Barton, and u
few others-entered the principal splendid apart
ment of the Palace, which was set apart this day
as reception room, its lofty ceiling resoundng TO
the tramp of every foot on the floor Of tcssclItod
marble. and the stately figures of the two parties
Bacz and his Cabinet, and Mr. Wade and his coad-
iutors-multiplied by the immense mirrors upon all
the walls, seemed q throng as numerous as the court
which IN ancient days was brought to the palaces Of
Santo Domingo by Don Diego Columbus.
Each Commissioner in turn was presented to Pres
idcnt Baez. whose manner throughout the interview
was afable and polished. Nj. Wade then read the
following address:
ADDRESS or THE COMMISSION.
Mr. PHrsH EN-: We have the honor 20 place in vour