New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-12
NEW ORLEANS REPUBLICAN, TUESDAY, JANUARY H. 1875

be fair, but it has been apparently limited to
small parcel Of the former and about elk
or eight, both ways, of the latter.
Transferring people and packages in an
open sea from one steamer to another is in
appearance perilous. The lifeboat lies un-
der the vessels bow. AS the waves rise
and fall, it is from five to fifteen feet below
the bulwarks. The passengers are let down
by derrick and chairs. For ladies it is
extremely uncomfortable. One. absent
from her family at Tampico three or four
months. bears it bravely. A Frenchman
has been absent at New Orleans eight
months. Four months ago he underwent
an operation by one of our skillful opticians,
who relieved him Of cataract. Since that
time he has been seeking diligently to re
turn to Tampico. Once he went down to
Honduras; another time he came to Vera
Cruz and sought to get home by schooner.
It vas in vain; the schooner came in sight
Of 1ampicO. but could not, or would not
for the weather, land him; so he returned
to New Orleans. This time it was doubtful;
the mail tug would not come out, and he
was in despair. lie had resolved to 20 again
to Vera Cruz and take his chances Of land.
ing on some future voyage. or Of taking his
abode permanently on the vessel. solacing
himself with all occasional glimpse of a
home which he could not revisit. Nothing
Cou1u cACccu OCilSU6 WHICH, uS edW Lut
chance Of transfer. and he went over the
side with countenance radiant with con.
viction that he had detied and defeated
fate.
1CxPAN.
We arrive eff this port a: an early hou
/ to day, the twenty.tourtb, and communicate
with the shore as at Tampico. This occu
pied some ten hours. so that our delay along
these coast ports must equal. perhaps,
| twenty.fOur hours. The commerce Of Tam.
pico and Tuxpan is very well worth cult
waiting, though it is perhaps due chiefly to
other countries than our own. Tampico
! has population Of 1000 or 5000, with ex.
ports worth nearly s., 900 600 and imports
export values ara chiefly specie, Of which
England takes more than million anu the
United States about $4,000. OF merchan.
disc England supplies something more than
100000, France something less, and the
United States something under $500, 900.
The trade with Tampico, town ct some
$500 people is Of course much less.
VERA CRUZ.
We arrive at Vera Cruz after voyage OF
five days. We go ashore, but before the
baggage can be landed q norther puts a
stop to boat Intercourse. SO that the passen.
gers proceed to the hotel, but their baggage
does not arrive until the morning after
friday. A day is spent agreeably in in.
speeding the commercial and social condi.
ton of the city. 1t is very quiet. The
commerce is confined chiefly to the export
OF the precious metals, estimated annually
at $2O, DOC. 900 to So, O00, 900, which requires
very little shipping. There are not more
than five or six square rugged vessels
anchored in the port.
1t would prolong this letter to describe
the city. As its population has scarcely
increased at all for some years. and as
these is a question whether any house has
been built within century, the reader
may safely be referred to any OF the nu.
merous and intelligent tourists who have
heretofore visited it. The general remark
may be hazarded that in the appearance
and usages of these people and our own
there is as much difference as between
those Of the British Isles and the British
Indies.
The commerce OF the port consists Of the
exported products of the country, while
the imports are limited to the manufac.
lures of Europe. The trade of the United
States amounted last year to less than
100000, Of which more than half was
coffee. The population of the State Of
Vera Cruz is something less than half a
million, composed almost entirely of the
natives, in whom the physical traits and
Intelligence are those OF the Indian. OF
course. there is much refinement and
wealth among the people. but the mass OF
the lower orders present the aboriginal as
poet, modified by such Christianity and
civilization as they have acquired from
centuries of intercourse with tho Spaniards.
There are not 5000 foreigners Of all nation.
a]ities in the State OF Vera Cruz, among
whom are only 90 Of our countrymen.
Vera Cruz is, as You are aware. walled
town. There are about 5000 people thus
inclosed, and perhaps 1000 or 5000 without
the walls. As there are but few manufac.
tories in the city. and small staple produc.
tons in the country Immediately around.
very moderate materials of commerce at
present exist, and our trade must be drawn
from the interior development of the couno
try. w. NJ. BURWELL.
Mexico City. December %. 1874.