The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-09 00:00:00

MEXICO.

We have received the following letter from our cor-
respondent in the capital :
Nov. 29.
• • • Since the taking of Monterey no time ho. been lost
by the authorities ; and Santa Anna had now certainly some
39,000 men at his command. On the 7th of thi. month
General Taylor informed Santa Anna that the armi.li
agreed upon at the capitulation had not been r. cognised by
his government, and that he intended to resume his military
operations on the 13th. Consequently on the 14th
was taken possession of by the American forces. Santa
Anna's order to General Parrodi to evacuate Tampico, the
see runt seaport in the republic, has caused a considerable sen-
sation. This order was obeyed in such haste, that several
cannon, with which the Mexican army are by no moans well
sapplied, were sunk in the river, there bring no time
to remove them. Six days later, the American fleet
took possession of the place. We have the most contradic-
tory accounts of the force under the command of General
Tay! ,r. Some say he has 6,030 regulars and 15,000
volunteer' with eighty guns; while others assert that the
whole of his force amounts to no more than 1.5,000 men.
Suitt' Anna has placed a brigade of about 2,000 men under
General Urea, at Tula de Tamaulipas, to watch the mos e-
ments of the United States forces from Tampico upon San
Luis, and two other brigades are stationed on the road to
S iltillo ; the great hotly of his army remains at Son Lobs.
Yesterday (the 28th), we received the official information
that General Taylor had addressed a letter to Santa Anna,
requesting him to use his influence in promoting a negotia-
tion for a speedy peace, he (General 'Taylor), being willing
to await the decision of congress as to any agreement they
(the Generals) might enter into. To this letter Santa Anta
has given an answer: That so long as the cony's of ',lexica
were threatened by American fleets, and a portion of the
country actually occupied by American troop., he could
not possibly listen to any proposals for peace, and he
was convinced that the congress about to unet in the
city of Mexico would be inspired by similar sentiments.
General Taylor has two roads before him, by which he my
advance from Saltillo upon San Luis. The one of 110
kyisas, through au uninhabited country, in which water is
only to be met with at intervals, so that triselli vs are often
compelled to divide their journeys most unequally. The
only town of any consequence on this road is Villa de
Ca'orce; all is one immense plain, inte.rutted here and
there by deep ravines a dangerous rie°, I should think,
for an army. The places where water is to be found ar
known to everybody; they are not rivers or brooks, but
tanks, into which the water runs during the rainy season,
an.l which can serve only a few human beings, are principally
used for cattle ; and even this poor resource could easily be
destroyed, either by letting toe water e.cape, or by throwing
some carrion into it to render it useless, when the march of
an army through the district would be rendered next to im-
poe"ible. The second road leads through Ziamterws, almost
the same distance, and throuah an • aterruptel plain,
somewhat more peopled, and until now quite free
from any enemy. We shall soon see, whether General
Taylor means to seek the Mexican army, and by
what road. The notion that Santa Anna had i Yen while
vet in the Havannah, undertaken to make peace with the
United States, still obtains credit here among many .li-li-in-
formed and sensible people, and it was supposed that an op.air-
tunity would have been afforded him to gain some trifling
victory of which he might boast, and which he might rope,-
sent as t'te foundation of the peace to be concluded. 1 be-
lieve that, Santa Anna is bad enough to have made some
such agreement with hit country's enemy, but I also believe
that he will iio just what seems to him convenient at the
moment, tota:ly disregarding any previous promises. The
great bar to every improvement, and to every effective stop,
is want of mon. y, and no way Mean opus to bring matters to any
tolerable conclusion. The Minister. of Finance are either
rogues or fools, and therefore no reasonable course is pur-
sued ; at the same time even British officials add their share
to increase the &trendy deplorable corruption. The
scandalous arrangement concerning the English loan,
was confirmed by Aro, the Minister of Finance, without
the knowledge of the President, fir which feat he is
said to have received 250,000 piastres. It is revolting to
sec the representative of a nation which is so proud
of having itself placed in the van of civilisation art in a
manner decidedly opposed to British interests, and seduce
the miserable ever-greedy facials of this country by the
offer of money to do that which is against the interest of all
except Meyer.. Maintosh, Escandor, and Schneider, who gain
about a million of pounds sterling by this transaction, while
the shareholders must of necessity loose because tlexic o is
unable to fulfil those conditions relying upon which they
have given up a large portion of their claims.
To-morrow the new Congress will hold its preliminary
meeting; and will most likely be formally installed in the
course of next week.

PEItU.—TIIE FLORP-4 EXPEDITION. Extracts
from private letten rceived. via Panama, by the Clyde
steamer, dated Lima, 10th of November:
. .

I hove been rather surprised to irc that von do not say a word on
the subject which is in everytwalia mouth here; I mean Flores Expe-
Wu. to the Ecuador. Mad and Imm...in-able a. the scheme appears
to be, it has mused no little alarm in the minds of the brave Peruvians,
and they are already beirinuing to Who( waiting with Chili and Bolivia
Mr the partauw of asguing the kkuadur isms against the udo. (old
,paniards). Mr. C—. bedewn that limes will he joined by 2,000
men in his own country as soon as he makes his appearance there
that he will then march on Peru with 10 or 16,000 men. Chili anti
Bolivia will join with Peru, and then it is to be feared that the three
repolilits might determine to bare three commanders, all which might
enable Flores to conquer them in detail, proclaim himself king, and
there we hove him a south American Napoleon. Sonic people believe
It to tea farce from beginning hi end, and that by the nest packet we
shall hear that M. Vlore. has returned to bin wawa. lam glad to say
the country minia iCrreelly quiet. No revolutiona nor any Mew ut
them now. Wird 11th November, 1010. The Per.. of the nth isat,
canons a long account of Flores' meditated expedition, to which
I refer you. I hove beard to-day that the said expedition i. no joke,
and that Flores really intend, coming to the Ecuador. Ills fnenda
here are of opinion that he has only got to present himself in his own
country and he will he inimodiatelvjoincd by hundreds of his party,
in which case be will find it no difficult matter to carry all before him,
and of course once more proclaim himself president. Colonel %loom-
don ca reLnicn of norm's who is here just now) intends starting by
the steamer to-day far Panama, where he will kohl himself in roads-
nem to rein More.. The excitement here on this subject is immense,
and will continue till the arrival of the nest pocket, when we shall see
what steps General Claina intends to take—Prom another letter the
pro noted expedition of (Ramat Flores and Santa Crux has caused no
little stir in this place. However absurd we may think the scheme, It
will be well for the motile to be on their guard ; and i think from the
circulars they ore issuing to the other state., that they are =winced
of the neorreity of this. Whether be really intends coming or not,
this announcement will do Donn, for it puts into these people's heads
Ideas of wars and revolutiohs again, after they had once more sub-
sided into a state of the utomat peace and tranquillity.

- -
CHlLL—Papers and letters to the 26th of October
have been received via Panama, from Valparaiso, but their
contents are without interost. Senor Pardo, the newly
appointed Envoy from Peru, had presented his credentials to
General Baines, the President.

COLONIAL.
WEST INDIES.

JAMAICA.—TunL-m;tat.ail.fia:Yie election for St.
Thomas in the East, vacant in consequence of C. 11. Dar-
ling, Esq., having accepted the office of secretary to the Go-
vernor, was held at Morant Bay on the 3d of December.
It was previously understood that Captain Darling was to I
withdraw from the contest. Accordingly, though nomi-
nated, only two electors tendered their votes for him,
and nineteen for his opponent, Mr. Davidson. The
uhjections to Captain Darling arose mainly out of local
party matters, but it seems to have been doubted
whether he would go far enough in the retrenchment of pub-
lic expenditure. Petitions had poured in upon the Assembly,
calling for an entire revision of the system of parochial taxa-
tion, the surcease of all public grants to any religions sect,
&c. &c. An act for the reduction of salaries was rapidly
making its way through the legislature. The committee
appointed to inquire into the state of the island had reported,
and on the 33th of November its report was adopted by a
majority of 16. The committee state, as results of their in-
quirks, that " the reduction which has already taken plac • in
the value of sugar has rendered it a profitlessaiticle in seven
eases out of ten, proofs of which have been laid before your
committee; and their attention has been most forcibly drawn
to the consideration that, inclusive of a few estates, ruined in
1833, from the effects of the rebellion in that year, the total
number thrown out of cultivation up to this period since the
passing ef the act of emancipation, exceeds eighty, two of the
parishes of the island, formerly in productive cultivation of
sugar, having almost totally ceased to export ; that notwith-
standing the improvements in our agriculture, and in the
process of manufacture of the great staple to which the de-
spatches of ou. late governor have borne willing testimony,
it has been stated, on authority in parliament, to ho the in-
tention of many absentee propnetors to abandon their
estates—intmtions which they had followed up, by direct-
ing
preparations for further cultivation to be stayed. The
committee, therefore, leave it to the candour of the
hotik and the world to form a judgment of the nature
of the task now imposed upon the remnant of our
cultivators, when they affirm that the article of sugar ,
cannot be generally produced in the colony under from 20
or T 2 shillings per cwt. ; and which rate, including the value
of the rum, cannot be reduced below 18s. Your committee,
therefore, must advert to the facts, that the annually de-
creasing differential duty, which is to wholly cease in Bye
years, will throw the cultivation of that article entirely into
the hands of slave-owners and slave traders. That the
island of Jamaica has no other source from whence support
is derived. That the cultivation of coffee is almost abandoned,
and that article will shortly cease to be exported, except
from one peculiarly favoured district of high elem.
tion. That ginger and pimento are precarious products,
upon which there can be no reliance, from the limited and
fluctuating demand for them, and from their very
doubtful production, which is dependent upon circum-
stances over which c ul neaten have no control." The reduction
of public expenditure is zealously recommended. The report
commences by stating, "that Asiatic immigration should be
abandoned because too costlyfor competition with slave.labour,
but which, under other carumstauces, would have cont t.
buted greatly to the support of sugar cultivation ; and that
African immigration, at the cost of the British nation, ought
to be urged as the cheapest and most direct mode of putting
an end to the slave-trade, by establishing the fact of free,
bring cheaper than slave-labour, and. as the only mesas left,
unless a further reduction take place in the duties imposed
on British colonial produce, of saving this ancient and ones
valuable colony."
Cants.—The weather had been favourable, especially in
the parish of St. Mary. The canes, however, were reported
not to be yielding well. The canes for next crop were
looking remarkably well. With reference to Pimento, the
Despatch says " As there has been no pimento crap this
year, the trees have recovered themselti .0..1 are looking
very promising far next season Indued, if Providence

favour. the peu.ketoers and settlers with his benign bless-
ing. in the way of favotuahle seasons, the next crop win be
the largest gathered in 'or the Ina fi.n or six years."
lastiottavion.—The African imnagraws landed from the
Indus were in high health, only three inva:Os nut of 337.
They Men to he plq.cipally settled in Blue Moninnin Valley
district. The ludo.. Log table shows the distrabutiou of nu.
migrants up to December last :
Africans. Asiatic. 31314.
Kingston 977 -- 977
St. Thomas Last .. 261 _ 291
14:t.dre 223 233
st. Nary
K. JAW, . B3 SI
489 313
W., tmosel_ind
Bid harbour l4O 623 672

HON OURAS.—Tnn TRIAL. Or blcsusaa. CONNt.LL AND
STIIONu4.—In ► private letter, dated Belize, Nov. 20, it is
mated Lieut. Conn-II and Mr. Symonds remain in gaol,
the new trial will commence on the 2.5 th inst. A new
Attorney-General has come from Jamaica to prosecute in the
new trial. The lion. Mr. Gray, Queen's Advocate, died
after Aix days' Miles% deeply regretted. His death is at-
tributed to over excitement at the trial of Mew's, Connell
and Symonds." From the fiunduras toserr,r, of 21th
October, we further learn that mine discussion took place
previous to the discharge of the first jury. When the fore-
man, on the seventh day of the trial, steed that they had
not agreed, and were not likely to agree on a verdict, the late
Mr. Grny moved that the)• he discharged, "on the ground
that the court had over-ruled hi. right to the peremptory
challenge of jurors, before the entire panel quad Liven gone
through ; and ales because sufficient time lad elapeed since
the jury had retired, to render a verdict if they intended
doing no." This motion was objected to by the relici•or for
the prisoners. The jury were then ordered to retire until
C.c. cloning of the court, when, not haying firmed, they were
dismissed. Ju-t an they hail been or!Cred to retire "the
superintendent," sop the Otomerrer, having entered the
enurt, was rolled upon to give his opinion. Ths Chief Jua
tit* explaiiied the difference existing between him and the
judge•, each of whom was alt.o called upon to piec his opinion
an to the position of caw. Ills Excellency iu hie opiuton
coincided in the decision of the Chief Justice."

GUIANA.—Tits LIVIP.L.trumE. —lt is rated in the
packet summary of the Guiana Times, that—. There bare
been frequent meetings of the Court of Policy during the
fortnight, and some important business has been got over.
The bill to facilitate arrangements between debtors and
creditors, the Rent Bill, end that for regulating the relations
of employers and employed, hey,' all been unanimously
pa • ed. We would call the particular attention of the
friends of the colony at home to the pneelamation published
to-day, extendina the bounty upon emigrants to the Azores
and Western Isiatide. This is a measure which has
been lung called for. There are in the.° islands
at least 60,003 souls bendable for immigration, to
whom the chine, to this colony would be of the
greatest possible benefit. These ielanels are no farther out of
the course of running ships than Madeira, and therein no
likelihood that so many obstructions, if any at all, will be
thrown in the way of their inhabitants leaving, .15 have been
opposed to the Marleirians by the Poreguese Rescreening.
Teta INDICOIENTIS roa Szoireen.—The Supreme
Criminal Court opened its evasion in George Towa en CI.
23rd November. The individuals against whom the indict-
ments were issued were the Reverend E. A. Walbridge. a
Londe-en Missioesary preacher; Mr. John Emery, and Mr.
JaMe3 Alters. The two latter were the p,:lelishers of a local
paper, celled Enteru't Journal. The indictments framed
against Mr. Emery, who had leR the colony &emend weeks be-
fore the commencement of the ses,.ioa, did not come on to
be tried. Under the Dutch law, and an ordinance regulating
the publication of newrpapers, the Attorney-Ger.eral
applied for a warrant of apprehension against Mr. Emery,
which the court ',fused for various legal reasons, The ease
against Alters went off on a none prosepei, one or two
error. of orthognpy having been committed by the copying
clerk in the registrar's-office in the indictment ; nor, from
what we learn, is it likely that the prosecution will he
resumed leggiest him. Mr. Wallbridge's ease has been pest-
paned, on his swearing that Emery, now absent from the
colony, was • material witness for his defence, and that he
would probably be back next January.
IM•4IOIIATION.—A proclamation was issued on the 3rd
of Dec., by the Governor, naming the Azores, Cape de
Peed, and Canary Islands, as places whence emigrants may
be brought to the colony at the public espeese. It may be
proper to mention for the guidance of shipowner and others,
that to entitle the importers to bounties the regulations of
the Imperial Passengers' Act must lan complied with, and
that the voyage of a transport must not exceed four weeks
from the place of embarkation. The bounties are thirty
duller* for each adult, and fitteen fur each child between
Is., and fourteen years.
Ton Clauses.— the weather had been rainy, hut (enur-
ed. during the fortnight. however, should it continue
much longer unchanged, it will prove detrimental to the
young canes. In the meantime agricultural pruspeets were
brightening, and next yeais crop, should no untoward
casualty occur, will be the largest shipped for many years.
TRINIDAD —Tun LBUIIILATVILE.—At • meeting of
the Legislative Council on the Ist of December, L oral Harris
read a despatch from Earl Grey in reply to a report from his
lordship on the subjeat of emigration. The substance of the
most important parts of Earl Grey's despatch were to the
effee: that—

His loribhip preferred the fourth plan of his Excellency's, a. it
I WU 1114114 ClVlCtllifli to combine with secular inAtruetion such robin..
as could be linpartel by tile respect ire si inevers A seir,rate da. and
hour in the week should be allowed to each sect At school, on 0111,h
the Minister should be expected to attend to instruct the children id
his congregation, and ..hould b• paid a sum for each child. In timid-
, lug the school Milne.% a overate room might rutty be set apart fur the
Repair, or the minister might be alluwid to have the ire of the whoa
roam for an hour or two etch week. That It wan most important to
connect haltuttrial occupation and teaching with that of general Mo.
cation; he should br indooed ta reconunend that in a portion of them
sehoolathe childrim should br weekly beerdent, gohit home to their
parents on ttitunbir morning rind returning to school on Monday
morning, so that the reboil master should have the interval for his
lei(ure and comfort, Se. With revect to the establishment of a ionise
for the upper and middle cl.oses, he agr.rd in thinking that cook a
place would be desirable if it codd be accomplished, but doubted the
practicability of effecting It at pment.
Lord Harris intimated that on the lvt of February he would
bring forward a plan for general education in the colony. Oa
the motion of the Attorney-General, the report of the com-
mittee on public offices, of which we gave an outline in our
abstract of the news by the previous mail, was adopted. 'fee
following amendment, moved by the Attorney-General, on a
motion by Mr. Scott, alto parted
That a committee be appointed to consider end report what no.
provernents niay be ItrAtk In the general system of taxation end
mares, of revenue of the colony, or in the manner of levying and (A-
lecting the talc% customs duties, and other charges upon the ship-
ping, or the import., and exports of the colony and that such com-
mittee have power to call for all persons* and papers.
Tux COCOA CROP.—The following paragraph appear in
the Trinidad Spot-War :
A friend of ours, who Ma lately paid a visit to the cocoa distrkt,
informs us that in mere quieter the trees present a most luxuriant
appearance, and that the planter. were looking forward full of the
hope of an abundant crop. The fruit and blossoms were never be-
fore known to have been in such plenty; and an almost immediate
and non-intermittent picking may be expected, which will, moat
likely, continue (*semi months. A little sunshine is now all that is
required, and we have every primmest of it.

- • - •
WINDWARD ISLANDS.—BARIUDORS.—TuE Goys'.
won.—The Globe of 3rd December states :
The steamer Hermes, with his Excellency our new governor ang
suite, isespected to arrive here tomorrow, or CM Saturday at forth's*.
On the Hermeo hearing In sight of her Mojedy's ship Hyacinth,
now lying in Carlisle Ray, she will be rernmunielted with by tele-
graph; ani should Colonel Reid be on board—the fact will te
announced to the public by the discharge of two guns from the
Hyacinth and the hoisting of a gag—which signal will b at ones
taken up at the Commercial HA, and by the earmus signal stations
throughout the island—on rack of which will be displayed a unton-
mek with a red pennant over It.
Tug Wr.Arrien.—ln the report of the St. Phillip's
District Agricultural Association for November, it is stated
that :

---The weather, during the month of Nerember, was favourable is
wane parts of the district, In others no rain fell until about the middle
of the month, but dm* that time fair showers have been of frequent
occurrence and general extent. The report of the canes mud partake
of the .411 e varied character in those places which hid the bencat of
rain early in the month, the unfarourable weather of Octobrr did ad
produor serious or !satins( ill effects, but in those leas fortunate the
canes suffered a great deal, and have not recovered. The proapert of
the crop, on the whole, Ia much better than it was at this period of
Ind year.
I n the report of the Leeward District Association for ar
same month, we read :
. .

The weather for the past month bar been very elvishle in its cba-
meter. On the lit ass anumially heavy rain was experienced in W
northern part of the district, which Inundated a comiderable tract d
the lower lands : and from that date to the present period no want d
rain has been felt. The cane. generally are very fine, and promise
large return. In the southern part of the diatriet the drought which
commenced in October, preys/1M until the 16th. (In that day some
fine showers fell, which continued with but little intermission to as
close of the month. The canes on the hills had suffered en/alders/ft
from the protracted dry weather, but have resumed their naiad
colour, and are now growing stemmed,.
ST. LUCIA.—The LIWISLATISUE.—The Palladium of
Dec. .5 says
There wan • abort sitting of the Board of Legislative Ikon, it Oil
yesterdar for the special purpose of taking tamely steps to good
against the threatened recurrence of those evil, which :E tre bra
more than once experien nil from the absence of our tax onlinmee a
the opening of a new year—probably again owing to del. at Barb.
doom. A provisional ordinance has been accordingly ;weed he gm
purpose of enforcing the present tax ordinance next year, in the event
of the one sent home for her Majesty's approval not being reared
beer before the Int of January.
THE CILOP.—On comparing the quantity of anger shippwl
this year with that shipped in 184-1, there appears a fallifm-
off of 1,183,800 lbs., or a little more than 1,000 hhels. Tks
total quantity of produce exported this year is given as fol-
lows in the books of the colonial treasurer : sugar, 5,597.425
lbs. ; molasses, 1,036 puns. ; rum, 30 puns. ; coffee, 51,431
; COCOS, 106,283 lbs. ; firewood, 2621 cords ; chafes'',
12.5 barrels ; dogwood, 94 tons ; raw hides, 449. In cora
there is an increase of 9,667 lbs., and in cocoa 28,3061 h.
LEEWARD ISLANDS.—AwrIouA.—The new gofer-
nor-in-chief, accompanied by his private secretary, Chula
Henry Higginson, Esq., arrived on the 12th ult., and the
same day a privy council was convened, when her Majesty's
commission was read, and his Excellency took the oaths of
office, and his Excellency Lieutenant-Governor Cunningham'
embarked for the island of Saint Christopher the following
morning.