The Express.
London, England, 1849-08-23 00:00:00

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LIVERPOOL, Aligessi 22.

be the parents of all the complicated misfortunes with
which this island is beset. Impolitic administration,
an unfavourable change in fiscal regulation', and the
occasional recurrence of bad season', may depreciate
but not destroy, and when we consider the vast amount
of wealth actually realis d in this island during its long
career of protested good fortune; sufficient, not only
for income but accumulation, after its possessors had
pad a just tribtee to the soil by settling,for the bene-
fit of posterity, that which they had disturbed for
their own, and by contributing to the establishment
of civil institutions for the social development and
improvement of its population (?)—when, I say,
we consider the immense fortunes made by the
' land, and gaze upon the universal poverty
spreead over it, in many cases the widows
and the orphans of those who died richest
Wag now in absolute want, and their estates either a
wilderness, or in the hands of a stranger. I cannot
help surmising that other causes than legislative,
social ceases, are to be found at
the ro
ot of
ound the main
n
mischief, and other deputed manageroblame than the governors appointed by the state.
My object, then, is to inquire into these causes, and to
see whether their consequences cannot be in some
measure remedied ; though they themselves cannot
be in every case removed, being b. yond renal.
But the general principle which I now seek
to establish, is tritely told by the instance
of the mote and the besm. Let use t
our
eyes to our own negligencies and ignorancee,
leek our opposing difficulties fairly in the face, then
" together in throng, with a pull long and strong,"
meet them after the "uo guards and at them"
fashion, and conquer them we must. Indeed, a new
era of prosperity in this beautitul island might arise,
if we took half the pains to convince the members of
government of its nch capabilities, as we do to im-
press them with its hopeless ruin. It was a wise
instinct which prompted Earl Grey to declare
that no better field existed for the specu-
lator than this island. I use the term instinct
because all evidence with referecce to the profit of
cultivating its present staples were against the asser-
tion.
But without going quite so far as the eulogy of I
Lord Grey on the prosperous enterprises which
Jamaica opens to the speculator, it is certain that we
leave undone many things which might be done to
very profitable advantage, while a great deal of
that which is done, we do after so inferior a fashion
that we reduce the equivalent, in return, to a standard
more proportioned to our invested intelligence than
the cost of production. It has been stated undoubt-
edly that this island possesses new and rich resources
for the employment of industry and trade. But
with its present opportunities orly, more especially
under its existing circumstances which so depress
the price of land, I should say that Jamaica offers
an admirable field for the emigrant, particu-
larly those of a class unused to severe manual
labour, and who take with them wives and families
hitherto surrounded by the luxuries of refined civiliza-
tion. Why should not such a one embark with the
same objects here as in Australia? The mountains
of this island, and its extensive savannas, are pecu-
liarly adapted for breeding sheep and forming mall
dairy farms—for (among the nnmher of like para-
doxes, of which 1 will give a lisle raisonnee by and
bye) we get all our butter from Ireland, Holland, or
America. The mutton of this island is celebrated;
and its wool, which crossing would improve, I am
informed by those who have shipped it, vetted
7/. 10s. per hundred sheep sheared. The South
Down breed has been introduced here, said these
can be bought at 20e. each; but the best way is to
buy the sheep or the country, which you can do for
half the money, and improve the stock by an im-
ported ram. There are at this moment on the moun-
tains where I live thousands of acres to be so.d,
comprising several properties, well calculated for
raising this and other stock; in fact, it would be
worth the while of a company to buy the whole up
for such a purpose, for the average price asked
now does not exceed 7s. per acre, and included
are houses, outbuildings, tanks, pond', fences, and,
between the small tenants residing and the produce
growing independent returns enough to pay five or
six per cent. on capital invested for the purchase, to
say the least. It must be r. corded that these pro-
perties were once worth 50/. per acre. Very tolerable
roads lead to market towns sad ports on the coast,
and the capital is reached either by sea or
land, without great difficulty or expense.
The very association of only being one month's
voyage from home must be preferable with those who
leave ties of affection and relationship in their native
land, to the reflection that cost and distance pre.ludo
the probability of meeting again. Oar own export
markets are, therefore, not very far off, and those of
America are within a few days' sail ; so that, if we
could raise wool cf equal quality, our profits from
saving in freight and rand carriage would be greater
than the Australians reap ; and there is this im-
portant point to be considered, that the very differ-
ence of expenses and transport saved by a gentleman
and his family coming to this country instead of the
other named, would suffice to stock a small farm.
I 'unaware that the great bugbear to be exorcised,
in order to induce people to select this island as a re-
sidence, is the climate.
It most be understood that the shore land of all
countries in the tropics is unhealthy, when undrained
at all events; and such parts having been necessarily
those originally settled, and, for commercial purposes,
the first site of towns, the general nature of the climate
has been rather too freely judged of by the earliest-
collected sample in these localities.
Again, we have been misled by barrack statistics
which are not much to be relied on in these matters,
and were, till of late years, the only data referred to.
We have, or used to have, a peculiar twist for build-
ing barracks in unhealthy situations both at home
and abroad, that is if we had a choice; and as com-
manders were not accustomed sufficiently to temper
the discipline of their soldiers from a con-
sideration of surrounding circumstances, nor
the private to regulate his personal habits by
any discipline at all, the military themselves
leavened the effect of extreme changes in tempera-
ture and diet with dangers which they might nave
escaped, thus rendering their collected cases no crite-
rion by which to judge of the positive nature of
climate, nor of its influence on mortality. All climates
require their peculiar precautions, our own in Eng-
land not excepted ; and as regards that of Jamaica, I
have no doubt that the medical records taken since
the troops were moved to their new quarters will
bear out what I state. In truth, the general salubrity
of the climate, on its upland savannas and mountain
Highlands cannot be surpassed. The air is pure,
light, exhilarating, and agreeable withal, for the
breeze modifies the warmth. The climate of Italy at
the same degree of temperature felt to me hotter.
For the effects of beat and cold on the sensations are
not sympathetic with those produced on the thermo-
meter. The scientific scale may be the test of an ab-
stract fact, indicating the actual amount of heat ex-
isting, but the animal economy appreciates the quan-
tity diffused in the atmosphere by a different rule
altogether. We are constitutionally provided
with checks against excess of its absorption on
the other hand, and safety valves for any
excess generated on the other, besides which it strikes I
I me that there must be some other imponderable agent I
of a magnetic character, such as influences other
attractions and repulsions, which tempers its idio-
syncretic effects. Be this as it may, the heat is stall'
nuns so far bearable, that people move about both in
town and country without reference to the hour.
Even Kingston itself, the upper part of it especially,
where most persons reside, is healthy enough, in
proof of which, Mr. Nethersole, a well-known mer-
chant of great respectability and extensive trade, told
me that during the 30 yeas (I think he said) which
he has been established in this country, he has con-
stvaly employed in his stores about seventeen Euro-
peans, the individuals composing this number having
repeatedly varied, and that only one death had
occurred among the whole, a fatality for which the
party himself was to blame, not the climate ; and
Judging by appearances the white mercantile popula-
tion of that important town enjoy • healthy exist-
ence, partaking of the jolly. In the country, among
the natives, I know several matinees of people living
to a hundred years of age ; and really I should say
that of old men and women we have more than oar
due proportion.
I myself have not yet been in this country three
years (perhaps rather an isolated instance in these
days of a proprietor coming out to reside for the first
time). During this period I have been occasionally
obliged by my medical avocations to expose myself to
the sun, the rain, and the dew, but I never enjoyed
better health—a fact which equally applies to my
wife and children, who, by aay of a good expen-

mental test, came from Scotland. As a resne-T;
pulmonary cases the efficacy of this client, is
unrivalled, and fur, very far beyond that of %AWN.
That deaths from fever do sometimes rapidly ems
however, true enough, but not so often in proportion
eta people are earned off at home by inflammstety
diseases ; and really, when I look around me and note
the reckless want of precaution which many
i
dividuals exhibit n thetr daily habits, we isms
wonder at the resisting power in such instances 46
soweak. Besides which, a most heretical pew;
prevails here of blending doctor and patient—by
which its specific physicking thenueises
specific action, and it.
physician of his legitimate chance of mess, whoa
anything serious arises. Conceive a gentleman eta
experiences c• rtain uncomfortable sensations
which sundry tumblers of rum aid water might
have had something to do) getting leisurely wed
bed and helping himself to calomel with--5 @pa!
I now conclude the cursory remarks made in this
introductory letter, reserving a more enlarged
eideration of such matters as require &liberal.
inquiry for future communications. Should I sae*
in removing the prejudices of some and simulate
enterprise of others for the benefit of this jaw
shall be satisfied. As long as I am here I pup%
labouring in some way or other to promote its gewei
juts rents—there is no affectation in my fraying this, it
being my candid conviction that our prosperity ss,,,
far resolved into its original elements that indiridoe
progress can only be substantially made baud it,
hand with general advancement.
P.S. While I write, down comes the rain at he,
How the ground smokes! sending forth an incense of
thanksgiving. The withered leaves rattle the r
joining*, and sprinkle tears of joy.

FATHOM.