The Express.
London, England, 1852-02-09 00:00:00

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BELGIUM.

Letters from LiegeandVerviers state that, in con-
sequence of the heavy and continued rains, the
Meuse and Vesdro were rising, and there was great
reason to fear new inundations. General Lamori-
eiere has arrived at Brussels.

TURKEY.

The retirement of Resehid Pacha and his cabinet
is confirmed. Raoul Pacha has been appointed
Grand Vizir.

Our Paris correspondent writes:
"The new Grand Vizier, Knout' Pacha, is of ex-
tremely advanced age. Achmct Fethi Pacha, the
Sultans brother-in-law, is spoken of as one of the
new ministers. The change is looked on as a mere
seraglio intrigue, without political bearing. But the
fact of replacing a minister of acknowledged ability
like Reschid Pacha, whose name is identified with
the prosecution of liberal reform and the mitigation
of Mussulman bigotry, by a feeble old man like
Raouf, cannot fail to be attended by mischievous
political results."
CONSTANTINOPLE, JAN. 25.
The Kaaba (the house of God) at Mecca, the most
venerated of all lilussulman temples is a small edifice in the
interior of which the most precious object is a black stone
said to have been placed where it now is by the Angel
Gabriel in the time of Abraham. According to a tradition,
older than the time of Mehemet, the Lord himself has re-
posed upon this stone. Mehemet turned this tradition to ac-
count, and ordered his followers to look towards the rim,
and to have this sanctuary ever present in their minds. The
black stone was placed in a silver case. The present
Sultan caused this case to be replaced by a golden one.
Tho silver case was brought to Constantinople, and received
there with great pomp. The Vlemu carried it in procession
to the old seraglio, where it was to bo deposited in a room
destined to receive relics. The Sultan and his mother were
present at the ceremony. A prince of the Afghan country,
named Kandahar, has recently arrived at Constantinople to
compliment the Sultan as successor of the prophet, and to
renew the ancient treaty of friendship between the Otto-
mans and the Affghans. This visit has occasioned some
sensation, because the ShiiUe, who do not recognise the
Sultan as the supreme head of their religion, must look with
• jealous eye upon this approximation of the Affghans and
Ottomans.
WEST INDIA MAIL.

Yesterday the Trent, Captain W. Clarke, Admi-
ralty Agent Lieut. Whipple, R.N., arrived at South-
ampton with the West India mai. The following
are her dates of sailing :—Vera Cruz, Jan. 7 ; Tam-
pico and Chagres, 9th; Carthagena and La Gown,
11th; Demerara and Grenada, 14th: Barbadoes,
16th; Jamaica and Martinique, 17th; Antigua, 18th;
Porto Rico, 21st; St. Thomas, 22nd.
Amongst her cargo is specie to the amount of
1,709,842 dollars, of which 42,000 dollars are on ac-
count of Mexican dividends.

The Trent brings 40 passengers, amongst whom
are Lieut. Butler, RN., from H.M.S. Express ;
Lieut. Ayton, from Demerara ; Hon. Miss Copley,
from Barbadoes ; Mr. Falconet, from Vera Cruz ;
M.. Bristerfeld, from Vera Cruz ; Mr. Cosines, from
Vera Cruz ; the Rev. Dr. Muasen and family, from
Jamaica ; Mrs. Col. Darrah, from Jamaica ; Captain
Cockburn, Royal Artillery, from Jamaica ; Staff
Assistant-Surgeon Brown, from Jamaica; Ensign
Wallinger, from Jamaica ; Sir Wm. O'Malley and
servant, from Jamaica ; Mr. J. Beamont, from Ja-
maica, died on the passage on the 25th of January ;
Mr. Hallion and Mr. Douglas, from Jamaica.
JAMAICA.
_ _ _

From tho Jamaica papers—we learn that cholera
was still prevalent in several places. There had
been several deaths in Savanna La Mar, Montego
Bay, and St. Ann's.
The agricultural interest was in rather a favoura-
ble condition, and was a subject on which the planters
could congratulate themselves. The return of exports
of the 10 of of Oct., 18,50, showed that the quantity
of produce shipped from the colony was greatly in
excess of the previous year's exports.
The weather was very favourable for the planters
taking off crop, and, excepting those places where
cholera and small-pox prevail, the island was very
healthy.
At Kingston, on the 9th January, a man named
George Baptiste was tried for the wilful murder of
Mr. James Wedderburn. The prisoner had also
wounded several of the persons who assisted in cap-
turing him. It was satisfactorily proved that the
prisoner was mad on religious subjects, and a verdict
of acquittal on the ground of insanity was returned.
BRITISH GUIANA.

The Royal Gazette of Jan. 10 gives the following
summary of events since the departure of the pre-
vious mail:

On the 30th of December an important public meeting
was held in Georgetown, for the purpose of co-operating
with the British and Foreign Anti Slavery Society, in an
effort to bring the case of the West Indiesnder the notice
of parliament Man early period of the ensuing session.
Gentlemen have also been nominated in different parts of
the colony to convene district meetings of the inhabitants,
for the purpose of seconding the call upon the imperial
parliament commenced in Georgctewn. The neighbouring
colonists will, probably, pursue the same course; in which
event the cue of the West Indies will come before parlia-
ment with all the authority belonging to the united voice of
a peaceful and loyal people, addressing, in • constitutional
manner, the representatives of the empire.
Our planters have been much discouraged by the ac-
counts brought from England by the two preceding packets
of the low prices obtainable for sugar in the home markets,
and of the increasing production of beet-root sugar on the
continent of Europe—a circumstance from which, it is here
feared by many persons, the produce markets cannot fail to
be still further depressed. Alarm, on such occasions u the
present, is very apt to overestimate the magnitude of the
opposing force, and to underestimate the power of the re-
sisting one ; nor can most of our home readers interested in
the West Indies fail to remember the cry raised in these
colonies shortly after emancipation, but now proved to be
delusive, that the West Indies would bo undersold and
swamped in the market by East India sugar growers, with
"countless myriads" of labourers at their command. As
the West, however, has stood its ground against the East in
the production of sugar, so, we doubt not, it will do the same
against Europe.
At the beginning of the year the new arrangements re-
commended by the attorney-general, and sanctioned by the
Combined Court, for the administration of criminal justice,
came into operation. The result has been that on the let
inst. thopftices of high sheriff and sheriff of Essequibo
wore abolished, the police magistrate in Georgetown being
appointed to discharge the miscellaneous duties of the
former officer, and the senior stipendiary magistrate now in
Easequebo those of the latter, and the two puisne judges
being delegated to preside in the room of the sheriffs in tho
intoner ennimal courts throughout the colony ; the power
of imprisoning for twelve, instead of six months, being at
the same time conferred on these tribunals. .

Tbe Christmas holidays have passed off quietly, and the
labourers have generally returned to their work. The
weather during the fortnight has been rather showery, but
on the whole favourable to the planters, who, if prices
only prove to be remunerative, have no reason to look for-
ward with despondency to the crop of 1852. That of 18.51
is in excess of the crop of 1850 by about 10,000 hogsheads.
We are sorry to say that several cases of yellow fever
have occurred in Georgetown.
TRLYIDAD.

The Port of Spain Gazette announces that the cocoa
planters of tho colony have addressed a memorial to
the Forcign•offico, requesting an official interference
for the purpose of obtaining a relaxation of the duties
now imposed on Trinidad cocoa in the Spanish
market.

The Antigua Weekly Register, of Jan. 13, says :
The weather during the past week has been rather dry.
There have been some good showers in the city and in the
valley district, hut we learn that the central and windward
districts arc suffering from the absence of moisture. We
are sorry to state that with the moat favourable weather
for the next three or four months, there is no prospect of
'making more than two-thirds, or three. fourths at the ut-
most, of last year's crop throughout the island. This we
state on the opinion of several intelligent and experienced
planters, who have an opportunity of judging of the probe-
' ble amount of the coming crop. On the 6th a severe shock
'of earthquake was experienced, about twenty-five minutes
Ito four o'clock, the motion of the earth was not only
more violent, but it continued longer than the shocks to
which we are accustomed iu this island. There were two,'
some persons think there were three, distinct shocks, and
that it was the first that awoke the sleeping inhabitants,
who were considerably alarmed ; the remembrance of the
dreadful scenes of the Bth February, 1843, being vividly
excited on occasions when shocks of such severity are felt.
Coonnisdel InWAUneassr ass pee 4.1