Republican Herald

Vera Cruz, the Mexican city lately captured by Gen. Scott, was established about the year 1590, by Count Monterey, Viceroy of New Spain. It was for a long time the sole commercial city of the Republic of Mexico, and contained, in 1800, about 16,000 inhabitants. Since 1830 it has contained but about 6,000. It is surrounded by a stone wall, with nine bastions, calculated to support one hundred guns of small calibre It has a cathedral, two chapels, four convents, three hospitals, and a large government house, styled a palace. It is situated in an arid plain, the sands of which are piled into high drifts or hillocks, by the "northers", which invariably visit the coast in the spring and autumn.

San Juan de Ulloa, the famous castle situated in front of the city, was built by the Spaniards at an expense of forty millions of dollars. The little island on which it stands is of coral, was first visited in 1518 by Don Juan de Grijalva, and by him named Ulloa. The castle has been four times captured--first, by the pirate, Juan Aquinas Dote, in 1568--again, by the pirate Lorencillo, in 1693 --again by Admiral Baudin, and again by Gen. Scott and Com. Perry. It is a strong place, and never has and never can surrender to any body or any thing without disgrace to the party having charge of it.