The daily gazette., 1882-04-11
MExICO-GUATEMALA.
THE BORDER STATES OF MEXICO
DESCRIBED.
From the Rnainn Har.ia

In general outline Mexico resem
Dies cornucopia, with the month
open toward the Uhited States nre,
putually yawning for what we may
give her, with the smaller portion
resting upon the Central American
states. Into the little end of tbe
norm are crowded some.of the richest
States-ln natural wealth-of the
Republic four of. which, Chiapas
Iabasco, Campecbe and Yucatan
nave q continuous boundary with
Guatemala. About the running oi
that boundary line between the two
Republics which have the honor TO
De nearest US, there has been a dis
pute Tor many years. IL 10 only a
small portion of. TERRITORY that is open
TO claims from both parties, a com. .
paratiVelY worthless SET ton on the
southeast coast OF Chiapas. This
State is the southernmost in Mexico
and is contiguous to Guatemala by a
longer line than any OF the four
which join it. Acc riding to beau
tliul map, published in 1859 by the
G0atemlan government, the proper
termination Of the international
boundary line on the Pacific is at the
hlo Slntilapa, in about lat. Is deg.
20 min., and Ion. 90 deg. west from
Greenwich. On the Mexican man.
published in the city of Mexico, this
point is placed in lat. Ia deg. 80 mln.,
and West Ion. go deg. 20 min, at the
bay of Ocos.
NOW tnis has been an open question
so long, and both republics have in
yeals past been so preoccupied with In
ternal revolutions, as u 1, rget the mat
Ter entirely for the time, aud neither
knows where the real boundary should
lie. An nnfOr' unate interval of peace
brings the matter to the attention of
ooth pa Ties, ard may cause the wheel
OF revolution TO again revolve. Whoever
has the right Of tho case, IL certainly
looks as though Guatemala ought to
have he territory. The line commences
ID sharp bend of the great river Usam.
acinta,and thence ruhs in a straight lIue
10 the oceau - following the Guatemalan
map; bat In the Mexican map il is di-
rected southwark some so miles frotnLhe
coast, thus giving 80 or 100 miles OF ad-
ditional coast llue. Little Guatemala
evidently has the right on her side, but
Sle mas chosen an unfortunate time,
when Mexico W at peace aud prosperng
as never before, TO enforce her caim.-
ii any attention be paid to natural
Dodnoaries and trIgOnometrlcal surveys
Guatemala should he placed In posses.
sion II this disputed territory, which
comprises one-lhird her entire Pacific
coast line. In such circumstance as
Mexico Is al present, and with an ex ent
OF coast reaching over IS 10 miles, she
can afJrd to be magnanimous and give
TO her smaller sister portion that be-
longs 10 :, her by right ofnatural dlyi-
sioE,aD which she herself would scarce
ly feel the less OF. But will she? 1t
appears, from certain warllke preDara-
tions apd the bellicos1 tone tfthe MexI.
can press, that she will rot, In The ewes
of the MexicAus thsTe Is no reason wby
she should, for she has soldiers and m,i-
nitlons Of war In abundance, while |
Guatemala is impoverished and political |
~ distracted, unless this difference serve
TO weld her people together. Undoubi- |
edly 1t will fare hard with Guatemala |
II these two nations come to blows. for |
he might Of fMexico Is all sufficient TO |
crush the right.
San Cristobal, the capital of the
state of Chiapas, and situated a little
north of its geographical centre. is
distant from the city of Mexico 750
miles, or 2SS Mexican leagues, by the
road. 1t is the faIthest place of any
size to which the Mexican govern
ment has 10 transport troops, by land,
in southern Mexico, and is more ac-
eessible from the liver Taba>co, by
the way of Vera Cruz, than by the
long rOnte overland. It has a popu-
lation according to the latest sources
of III, 300. The extent of the entire
state of Chiapas, which is bounded on
the north by ToDasco, east by Guate-
mala, south by the Pacific and west
Oy Oaxaca and Vera Cruz, is 2474
square leagues, and it's total
population about 200, 600. 1t possess
es an agreeable climate, and produces
tropical frui's in great variety, as well
AS vegetables and cereals of all de-
scriptions. Among the trees may be
selected pines, oaks, mahogany, lIg-
mum vitae, etc., aud those yielding
precious gums, like the amber, gum
lac and copal. There are abundant
Indications of gold, silver and copper
but the mines are little worked, on
account of lack of skill and capital.
In addition to these are sulphur, as {
phaltum, phosphate of soda and
other substances, while salt is pro-
iuced in great quantities. Tobacco,
'ugar-cane, cotton and coffee are
Iere produced of the finest quality.
There are no large mills or factories.
'ut abundant handlooms, in which I
'otlon or woolen cloths are woven by i
he Indians. 1t will be seen by the t.
'bove statistics that Chiapas, famous Q
n history as the residence of The great y
defender of the Indians, Las CaRas. /,
las great material wealth king dor. \
nant, unwOrked, owing to its distance q
rom the Mexican capital and centre d
IT power. 1t has many towns of a
arge size, inhabilated mostly by In y
lians Comitatap, 6,2S6; Tuxtla, u
!. .936; Chiapa, 4, 1874. Tonala, 6.7OO: i,
)cosingo, 1000; Palenque--famous n
or the most remarkable ruins on this fl
IN this continent-2,7 700; Simoiovel, &
900; Plcnucalco, $500, and Sau &
1900. It's ports are Ton, dGI =
la and Syconusco, the latter in the q
disputed territory. 1t is said to con- d
ain the only tracts of land of suffici- p
mt extent for immigration purposes r.
u southern Mexico. a
ln confirmation of this we have the ~ ~