Principal Towns -The city of Guatamala is the capital of the republic; and stands in a beautiful interior plain, in latitude 14 degrees north. It is a large town, containing a university, and numerous convents and churches, with a population, estimated by some at forty thousand, by others at twenty-four thousand.

Leon, the capital of the State of Nicaragua, is situated near the Pacific, on the south-west border of the lake of the same name, distinctly seen from the hill of St. Petre, in the vicinity, and from which the roar of the sea may be frequently heard, although the distance is twelve miles. The climate is warm, but the town is healthy; the public offices of the province are located here; its public buildings consist of a cathedral, a university, and three convents. The population of Leon, and that of the two adjoining parishes, amounts to thirty-two thousand.

The other principal towns are Granada, Nicaragua, Masaya, and San Salvador. Conception is a small place, near a ruin of the same name. Santa Fe, is a small town, and a bishop see, in the middle of the ancient province of Veragua. Santiago, a small place, and bishop see, in the middle of the province of Costa Rica, or Rich Coast, so named from its mines, which were formerly worked, but they have been abandoned in consequence of the dif

The account of the population, as here published, is taken from an official statement made 1778.

The settlement of the English in the Bay of Honduras is called the Balize.

ficulty and expense of working them. Valladolid, is an inconsiderable place, and a bishop see, situated in a pleasant valley, in the State of Honduras, and one hudred miles east of which is St. Jago, both formerly towns of considerable business, but now greatly declined. About ninety miles east of the town of Guatamala, is Sansanata, or Trinidad, which is the nearest harbour for ships from Panama or Peru, trading with Guatamala.

Government and History.-The revolution of Iguala which overthrew the royal government in Mexico, enabled Guatamala, also, to throw off the Spanish yoke; and as the events in Mexico had occasioned the emancipation of the neighbouring territory of the Central Provinces, this, and other circumstances favoured a union between the two countries; and the Central Provinces were considered as annexed to the Mexican Empire. From the comparatively small importance of these provinces, they have participated but little in the struggles and sacrifices of the revolution, so far as respects the contest with Spain, their battles having been fought in Mexico and Colombia; the contest would naturally be with the most populous and powerful colonial governments, and the struggle fell heavily on Colombia and Mexico. Their success and emancipa tion, was the success and emancipation of the Central Provinces. But although Guatamala has been in a great measure free from the struggles with the royal government, it has not escaped the agitations and contentions of the revolution. Almost immediately after the Central Provinces were annexed to the Mexican Empire, symptoms of uneasiness and disaffection appeared among the inhabitants. The province of San Salvador taking the lead, revolted against the imperial government of Mexico, declared the union to be forced and illegal, and prepared to defend its independence by arms. Troops were sent against them by the imperial government, and they were compelled to submit ; but soon after the Mexican forces were removed, they prepared to make another effort to maintain their independence, and resist the union with Mexico. But before they had an occasion to do it, the imperial government was dissolved; and the government which succeeded it, being entirely occupied with its own affairs, the Central Provinces were for some time left to themselves. Availing themselves of this opportunity, they convoked a congress in the capital, declared the act of

union with Mexico null and void, and erected that country into a republic by the title of The United Provinces of the Centre of America. The Mexican government did not think it advisable to oppose the will of Guatamala, and ordered general Tilisola, who commanded the army, destined against that territory, to return with his troops.

For a considerable time, however, the Mexican government declined to acknowledge the independence of the Central Republic, although they made no attempt to reclaim it, or establish their dominion over it, and at length after the government had got into operation, they recognized its independence. For some time after the act of separation from Mexico, and the establishment of the republic, the tranquillity of the interior, continued to be disturbed, and symptoms of disunion appeared in the provinces. The province of Chiapa determined to adhere to the Mexican union, and now forms one of the states of that republic; but all the other provinces finally declared in favour of independence, and the general or federal government. Tranquillity has at length been restored, and the government gradually acquired stability and energy; and now maintains friendly relations with the neighbouring independent republics.

The government of the united provinces, is a federal republic, called the Confederation of the Centre of America, similar to that of Mexico, and like that, formed on the model of the government of the United States. The constitution provides for a general or national government, and local or state governments, for the direction of internal concerns. The national legislation is vested in a general congress, consisting of a chamber of deputies, elected in the proportion of one to every thirty thousand of the population; and a senate composed of two members from each state, chosen by the electors, and not by the provincial assemblies. The chamber of deputies is to be renewed one half every year, and the same person is eligible only the second time, in succession; but is again eligible after an interval of one term. The powers of the national legislature, are much the same as those of our congress, and the only essential difference in the two bodies, is, that in Guatamala, the senators are chosen by the people, and not by the states; and consequently are not the representatives of the states in their corporate character. The executive power is vested in a president and vice-president, elected by the