The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-19 00:00:00

THE WEST INDIA MAILS.

ANOTHER OUTBREAK OF YELLOW FEVER.
A summary of the following appeared in our pub-
lication of yesterday :
Yesterday the Royal West India Mail packet
Orinoco, Captain Hast, R.N., from the West Indies,
arrived at Southampton, and landed her mails,
under the charge of Lieutenant Barrow, R.N., Ad-
miralty Agent. Her dates of sailing are as follow :
Carthagea, April 25th; Chagres, 23rd; Grey Town,
21st; Colon, 24th; Jamaica, 28th; Demerara, 25th;
Trinidad, 23th ; Barbadocs, 27th; Antigua, 28th;
i Martinique, 28th ; Grenada, 26th ; Porto Rico, May
2nd; St. Thomas, 3rd ; La Ganyra, April 3rd ; Ber-
muda, 3rd; Jaemel, April 20th; St. Martha, 10th.
The Orinoco brings 98 passengers, among whom
are Mr. Grey, son of the Governor; Mr. Porteous,
M.C.P, and lady ; Mr. Davidson, M.C.P., Jamaica ;
I Mr. Shortland,-Resident of Nevis, and lady ; Captain
Boyle, Military Secretary, Bar badoes ; Mr Lark,
Vice-Consul of Hayti, and lady. 79 saloon passen-
gers, and 19 deck and second-class.
The freight on board consists of 1,621,886 dole.
from Panama, &c., on account of merchants and pas-
sengers; 6 Barons of indigo, 60 packages of mer-
chandise, 65 bales of sarsaparilla, 7 packages of sue-
cadees, and 130 bales (quinine) bark.
Yesterday, for the first time, the West India mail
steamer was telegraphed to Southampton while off
the Isle of Wight. The Orinoco passed the Needle
rocks at half-past 10 yesterday morning, and in a
few minutes afterwards her approach was known in
Southampton. At a quarter-past 11 she hove in si,ght
at Southampton, and at 12 o'clock mid-day she
dropped anchor off Netley Abbey. In a few minutes
afterwards she was surrounded by boats, which how-
ever were kept at some distance by the Custom-house
authorities. In the Custom-house boat were Doctors
Wiblin and Harvey, the health inspectors. In con-
sequence of fresh instructions from the Privy Council,
a long examination of the captain and surgeon of the
Orinoco took place while she was at anchor. By that
examination it was ascertained that the Orinoco had
only been so far as St. Thomas, that fourteen had
been ill on board of yellow fever, and that two had
died of that disease, viz., Henry Dunken, fireman,
on the sth, and James Duke, scullion, on the 7th
inst. There were two invalids on board who were
brought to the gangway to be seen by the health in-
spectors—one, the boatswain, named bmith, appeared
still very ill. At one o'clock the examination of the
officers of the ship terminated, and the Orinoco was
placed in quarantine. The mails were, however,
allowed to be thrown on board a small steamer lying
alongside; and the despatches, after being fumigated,
were also allowed to leave the ship. Telegraphic
despatches were then forwarded to the Privy Council,
and also to Sir William Pym, of the quarantine de-
partment, announcing the state of health on board
the Orinoco.
Tho Orinoco was subsequently released from qua-
rantine in the course of the evening.

BRITISH GUIANA.
The Boyd GaeUc, in its review for home readers,
Bays :
-Since the sailing of last mail we are sorry to report the
continuance of excessive drought. An occasional shower
has refreshed the city and put water in the vats of the
poor ; but in the rural districts everything is parched, and
mischief has been already done to the growing crops, which
we are afraid is past remedy for the season. The plague of
rats still continues, but in a mitigated form. We have ob-
served lately that, probably for the purpose of convincing
incredulous owners and mortgagees, large specimens of
canes have been shipped home to show the mother onetandi
of this destructive vermin. The two causes combined will,
we are afraid, seriously affect the year's exports, which a
month or two ago were so promising.
The labours of the Combined Court have terminated in a

manner unprecedented for its satisfactoriness. The civil
list has been debated and settled without immediate change
for another term of seven years. Certain reductions are
proposed to be effected as offices become vacant—a prospec-
tive measure of economy which may alter with circum-
stances—but the principle was universally recognised in the
court that the early settlement of the question was for the
general interest—fair to the individuals interested, and re-
spectful to the home government; and placed on this bads
as a guide for the future, the question of time becomes com-
paratively of little consequence.
Resolutions were passed by the court recognising the pro-
priety of a system of local taxation and of local boards for
its management. The carrying of the resolutions into effect,
however, appeared to be surrounded with so much diffi-
culty, that although their principle was admitted to be rea-
sonable and correct, they arc to await the further considera-
tion of the colonial legislature.

city gave a dinner to Captain William Knocker,
KN., who has held the office of agent at this port to
the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, and that of
marine superintendent to same company since July,
18.50. The entertainment was presided over by
William Perry, Esq., her Majesty's consul at this
port, and Captain Knocker was highly complimented
lon the very just, gentlemanly, able, and energetic
manner in which he fulfilled the duties of his post
during his residence here, by the chairman and many
others

_ present.
General Blanco, the Chilian minister to France,
will arrive here on the 3rd proximo, en I (Mee fur
Europe.
The Royal Mail Steam-packet Compan3's steamer
Medway, leaving Chagres on the 24th, will take
treasure as follows :—Ex lltedalue, from Mexico,
931,344 dole. ; ex California, from San Francesco,
238,577 dots. ; ex Bogota, from South Coast,
328,438 dots. 98c ; from Panama, 33,822 dots. 52c. ;
Total, 1,534,282 dole. 30e.
Tho Isthmus is very healthy.
CHILI.

Everything is quiet in Chili. The President is
expected at Valparaiso on a visit. At Valparaiso—
three old hulks had sunk at their anchors, in a
northerly gal?, and some damage had been done to
the mail steamer Bogota by one of them.
Great complaints arc made that, in consequence of
want of concert or punctuality, the mails take 58
days to reach Valparaiso from Southampton ; while
they reach Southampton from Valparaiso in 46 days.
At Payta, and bound to Guayaquil, the French
frigate Forbe, GO guns, Admiral Fabrier Despontes:
steamer, Proney ; brig, Obligade.