The Express.
London, England, 1851-11-03 00:00:00

CUBA.

There was a rumour from Havana at \ew• York,
on the 22nd ult., that the officers who were the cap.
tors of General Lopez had been assassinated. The
new• American Consul appointed in place of Mr.
Owen, is a Judge Sharkey, of Missi,sippi, a stanch
friend of the Union.

POLYNESIA.
We have received the Sandwich Island TWynesiing
of the 16th August. It contains an interesting re-
port of the proceedings of the "Royal Hawaiian
Agricultural Society" toe the past year, from which
we extract the following :
One of the most important subjects brought before the
society for its consideration, has been that of labour. Under
the present system of agriculture in these island., there is
nothing that otters so gnat an obquele to success as the
want of a sufficient number of good, faithful, Libourcrs.
Every plantation requires from thirty to one huialred men,
in constant employment, and the impossibility of obtaining
the rcquiiite number has been to many a serious injury, to
othrrs, almost absolute ruin.

To remedy this evil to a certain extent the committee
ltl
on labour—consisting of easrs. It. W. ‘Votal, J. F. IL.
Marshall, and Stephen Reynolds—immediately atter tho
last meeting, entered into a contract fur the hiring of
two hundred Chinese coolies, to be deliver;sl in Honolulu,
and advanced between nine and ten t''utisand dollars to
insure their speedy and safe transportation. Unfortunately
the coolies have not arrived, and the experiment of intro-
ducing labourers from China vet remains to be tested.
More labour we must have ; and it is clear that we cannot
depend upon the islands for an increase. It only remains,
then, for us to look :ibrosil ; and I am happy to inform yon
that a new enterprise to procure coolies is under way,
which, it is confidently believed, will not, like the first,
prove a failure. Another branch of this subject, of great
importance, is the economy of labour. This must be ac-
eamplished mainly by the introduction of new and
loosed implements and machines—new modes of eultiva-
tion, and a proper and systematic division ,if our labour.
The division of labour, in all the arts, is found to be of tho
greatest value, and the same principle holds I(noclitx respect
to agiiculture. I have no doubt that, by a judicious divi-
sion of labour—by the assigning of certain kinds of work
to different classes of operator.—our sugar mid coffee
planters would save one-fifth of all their expenses.
It is painful to observe, throughout the island, the gene-
ral want of system in all agricultural labour. Our opera.
tions are irregular—our implements, in many respects un- I
suitable—mid our machinery, especially our sugar mills,
rode and inefficient. In this respect we hare not kept pace I,
with our cultivation, and, at the present time, Imu told 1'
there are huudreds of acres of cane going to decay for the
want of sufficient machinery to grind and manufacture it
into sugar. 'lbis is a sad spectacle, and calls for prompt re.
form. Our little wooden mills—what are they ? .t constant
aggravation—u screeching nuisance. In many respects
wine of our boiling houses are but little better. While
prices were high, our planters were enabled to make money,
notwithstanding these rude structures ; but they will not
meet the demands of the future. It will he answered, s' We
have nut the capital to remedy this evil." This is true, and
I deeply mourn the fact ; but nevertheless the deficiency
must be supplied insome way, either by increased industry
and economy, or by importation from übruail, else the cul-
tivation of our fields will he in vain. The whole subject of
the economy of labour, by the improvements of our ma-
chinery, our implements' and otherwise, has occupied the
attention of the board of managers to sum.: extent, and yet
little advance has been made in this line beyond the exer-
tions of individual members of the society. Horses and
mules, ploughs and cultivators, have, to a considerable ex-
tent, taken the place of the native and his hoe, and it is
hoped that this refrain will speedily become more general.
A letter in the Putynesian, from Katsina, gives the
following account of a school examination, which
speaks well for the educational progress of tho
natives :

The number of schools examined was eighteen, embracing
937 scholars, from the ages of four to eighteen. Of these
326 were examined in reading, 490 in geography, same
number is writing; 391 declaimed, 80 exhibited specimens
of drawings on slates, 2 of plain needlework, and :IS6 in
vocal music. All were dressed, and some well, handsomely,
tastefully dressed, in foreign fabrics of all colours and tex-
tures, though it must be confessed there is much room for
improvement in the fashions of Molokai. I have been
, amazed and gratified beyond measure at the acquirements
of these children in elementary knowledge. Most of tho
scholars could read well, and some of them are truly
beautiful readers in their own language. In gererrapby
1 they did not appear no well as in some other branches.
Being a people good at imitation, they learn to write
easily, and their handwriting generally was good—
some of it was elegant. But arithmetic is their
favourite study, and in it they excel. Ordinary sums
in the rule of three, vulgar or decimal fractious,
interest, or the square root, whether the SUMS are in their
books or not, were solved by the more advanced scholars
with the utmost facility, and a few could solve simple ques-
tions in algebra, all taught, too, by native teacher+. 'rho
great reading b tole in these schools is the Bible, and on ex-
amination, the children evinced a very gratifying acquaint-
ance with that holy hook. In this revert they would not
suffer in a comparison with the children of much more en-
lightened communities.
. _ _

'On the Lith of July, a bottle was picked at Ktuiwa,
in Koolauloa, island of Oahu, conta ttt it ig the follow.
ing memorandum: "On board the bark Nluzepixt,
June 29, ISil, east point of Maui, bearing S.W.,
distant :JO miles, 10 o clock p.m." From the courso
taken by the bottle, a westerly current is indicated,
of some two or three miles in twenty-four hours.

The foreign residents of lionolulu. had been ordered
out on the roads by the government, to work out
the labour tax. An indignation meeting was held
at which resolutions in favour of resisting the collec-
tion of the tax by every constitutional means wero
passed.

COLONIAL.
__-
CANADA.
Our correspondent writes as follows :
l'OltoNTO, Ocr. 17.
The past week has been one of great rejoicing in
this city, in consequence of the turning of the first
sod of the Lake Simcoe and Huron Railroad. An
immense crown was present on the occasion, and tho
sod was turned by Lady Elgin. An address was
presented to the governor-general expressive of the
greatest good-will to him, and setting forth the ad-
vantages that would result from the railway. His
Excellency, on his part, made a very suitable reply.
This railway will run northward from this city
about thirty miles, through a beautiful and well-
cult:vated country, inhabited by a class of rich and
independent farmers, who are also at once very in-
telligent and the owners of the laud they occupy.
I do not believe that anywhere in the two hemis-
pheres can be found a set of farmers in hater circum-
stances or possessed of more intelligence. Tho
proposed railway will connect the waters of Lakes
Simcoe, Huron, and Ontario, and will form an im-
portant link in the westward line of travel.
The approaching general elections arc exciting the
attention of the people, and almost all the local
papers are tilled with electioneering addrases.
A new ministry is in course of formation, in conse-
quence of the resignations of which I before apprised
you. It is not yet officially made known who arc to
belong to it ; but I believe it is known on very good
authority that it will include Dr. liolph and Mr.
Nalcolni Cameron. The former, as Commissioner of

Crown Lands, and the latter as Chairman of Com-
mittees of Council. Mr. Richards to be Attorney-
General, west, Mr. Drummond, ditto, east. Mr.
Morin, Speaker of the Assembly, to be Receiver-ge-
neral. Besides these, the members of the late ministry
will keep their old places. •
The change will consist of the introduction of '
" clear-grittism," or more of tho ultra-demoeratic de-
ment into the government than formerly. Dr. Rolph
is said to be a man of immense ability ; and he was
implicated in the late rebellion. Neither he nor
Malcolm Cameron can hold a place in a cabinet that
will not pledge itself to secularise the clergy reserves
by act of parliament. Nor can they do so unless the
rectories are destroyed by the same process; but I
fancy there has been a compromise on this head.
Three of our great political chiefs have left public
life within a very short period. These are Pap:neau,
Lafontaine, and Baldwin. The first-named was the
French leader who brought about the rebellion, and
he retires a disappointed man. The second took his
place and retires in triumph, on the plea that he is
tired of public life. lie confessed that he was impatient
of English domination, but he cries peace now, and
the truce seems to be acceptea. The old feuds have
gone by ; and now, instead of quarrelling, we prefer
to make railroads. The last-named retired in con-
sequence of a defeat on a favourite measure. But he
eaves a g 0,41 name, and has certainly done much
towards bringing ablut constitutional government in
Canada.

The agricultural fair of this county was held
during the week, and the farming stock displayed
was such as to do credit to the country.
The weather is fine.

The fall business is commencing. All kinds of
produce is very low. Wheat scarcely fetcher 3s. per
bushel.

According to the papers, the cabinet is arranged as
follows :
"President of Council, Malcolm Cameron; Com-
missioner of Crown Lands, Dr. Mph; Inspector-
General, Hon. F. Hincks; Postmaster-General, lion.
W. Morris ; Provincial Secretary, Mr. Morin ; At-
torney-General for Canada East, Mr. L. Drummond ;
for Canada West, W. H. Richards; Solicitor-General
for Canada East, Mr. Cartier ; for Canada West, Hon.
John Ross; Receiver-General, Mr. Tachi..." The tory
press are in a rage at the appointment of Dr. Rolph
to a place in the government ; on the other hand the
ultra radiesls regard his alliance with Mr. Mitch@
as an act of treason to progressive principles.
The following statement relative to the immigra-
tion into Canada appears in the New York Tribune:
Complaints vu loudly made by the provincial press of the
number of destitute pauper ennunuiti sent out to Canada
by Irish and Scotch landlords. From estates in South Uist
and Barra, in the highlands of Scotland, more than 1,100
destitute tenants and cotters have been sent off under the
most delusive temptations, they being assured that they
would be taken care of immediately on their arrival at
Quebec by the emigrant agent, receive a free passage to
Upper Canada, where they would be provided with work
by the government ago nts, and receive grants of land on
certain imaginary conditions. 71 of the last cargo of 4to
have signed a st,tement that some of them bad fled to the
Rhona tides iv Lieu au attempt was made to farce them to
emigrate.