The Express.
London, England, 1847-12-28 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAIL.

We yesterday announced the arrival of the Trent at
Southampton. She brought the following passengers:
Capt. Viscount Chuston, from Demerara; Col. Torrent,
Major Mackintosh, and Capt. Plunkett, from Barbadoes ;
Mr. A. Cross, surgeon, R.N., Mr. Cuddry, assistant-surgeon,
R.N., and Mies Ellis, from Mr. Smith, from La
Guaira; Mrs. Davis, from Demerara ; Mr. Galls and Mr.
Caine, from Trinidad; HoreCapt. Beauclerk, from Barbadoee;
Mr. Human, from Martinique; Mr. and Mrs. Saundurr and
three children. from Antigua; Mr. Melville and Mr. Bar-
rett, from Nevis ; Mr. Lamalue, Mr. Lang, Mr. Lomusgez,
Dr. Myeng, and Mrs. Major, from Bt. Thomas; Captain La
Forester, from Fayal.
JAMAICA.—In this colony the money market was,
at the time the mail was despatched, even more tight than
it had previously been. One of the banks had advanced its 1
rate of discount I above its urinal rate of 6 per cent., and
refused to negotiate bills having more than 60 days to arrive
at maturity. Much difficulty was experienced in procuring
bills of exchange for remittance by the packet. The Com-
missary-General, who accepted tenders for a and 1 per cent.
premium, was unable to supply more than half the
amount tendered for. The Colonial Bank drew at a per cent.
discount for 90 days, and a per cent. premium for 60 days,
but even from this source the demand for bills was unsatis-
fied. The Jamaica Bank drew for *a very limited sum at 1
per cent. premium for 30 days. and a per cent. premium for
60 days, while the Planters' Bank refused to operate. In
the produce market no change had Occurred since the de-
parture of the previous mail.
The legislature was in session, but no business of import-
ance had been transacted during the fortnight which inter-
versed between the railing of the mail packets.
Jamaica had been honoured by a visit from " a crowned
head"—the King of the Musquito coast as he is called.
His Majesty is a stripling earned about by a Mr. Walker,
ex-everythieg in Honduras, and now an agent of some kind
or another for the British government on the Muaquito shore,
who has undertaken to educate and civilise the young man.
The court newsman of the Jamaica press (extemporised for
the occasion) chronicled his Majerey's proceedings with due
gravity told how he received and answered addresses from
the legislative council and Hoes., of Assembly ; how
he reviewed the militia ; bow he rode out to
take the air and kept his seat, though a runaway
hone came against him ; how he was present at a
performance of the amateur Thespians of Kingston, the
play being " Rolla" (we presume " Pizarro" is meant). His
Majesty, we regret to state, was taken unwell about the time
fixed for his departure. "We are happy," says the Despatch,
" however, to be enabled to say that the indisposition is not
of a very serirus nature." It was enough, however, to
oblige him to postpone receiving the address of the council
from the 22nd of November to the evening of the 23rd.
Her Majesty's ship Alarm was at Jamaica, destined to convey
"his Mosquitian Majesty" to Bluefields.
The Carnival! Chronicle narrates a piece of interference
with the coolie labourers on the part of the magistrates of
Montego Bay, which looks very like unnecessary and vexatious
meddling, and which has the further objectionable feature
of appearing to be experimental with a view to similar in-
terference with the negro festiviti, s at Christmas The
magistrates having been apprised yesterday that it was the
intention of the coolies belonging to some properties nigh
this town to celebrate some religious festival by procession
through the streets of the town, a special session of the puce
was immediately called and holden at the court-house at
two o'clock, which was numerously attended. We are glad
to learn that the magistrates, one and all, have set their
face against the proceeding, and one of the magistrates in-
terested in the properties to which they belong undertook to
intimate the same to these people, and at the same time to
advise them to confine their orgies to the properties upon
which they are located. We trust the same restrictions will
be quite as applicable to the Christmas holidays "
E. A. Harrison, Esq., son of the U. S. consul at
Kingston, died there on the 18th of November. He was in
his '!Bth year. He had arrived a few weeks before from New
Orleans in the hope of regaining his health, which had been
much impaired. The British and American ensigns were
heisted half-mast on the occasion, and the American vessels
in the harbour paid the same mark of respect to their young
countryman.
The office of provost marshal is, in all our West Indian
colonies, one on which devolves duties of great importance,
and which appears in all of them to require a complete over-
hauling and reform. The provost marshal's offices in Guiana
has been an annual source of Jeremiads ever since we can
reoollect, and that the Jamaica one is not immaculate will
appear from the following comments of the Despatch, on a
petition recently presented to the legislature by one of the
deputy marshals :
" The condition of the provost-marshal's office has been
often made the subject of reprehension ; but no one has
ventured as yet to propose any measure which could fairly
be considered to strike at the root of those evils of which so
much, and often such exaggerated, complaint has been made.
Other offices have been inquired into, and their emoluments
and their duties have been regulated by judicious enact-
ments ; but this, the most responsible of them all, retains its
primitive condition, and all that honourable members have
done has been to denounce it. It has been constantly de-
clared, both in and out of the house, that the deputies of the
provost-marshal, or the majority of them, are systematically
guilty of extortion and every possible form of corruption.
It is no part of our duty to relieve them from this
charge; that rate upon themselves; but it may
be asked, have just and rational means been
adopted by the legislature to keep them honest? Heavy
responsibilities and arduous and expensive duties must be
counterbalanced by a corresponding emolument, or the
strong probability is, that recourse will be had to illicit
means of making the office support the officer. And if this
be the case with thsdeptities of the provost-marshal, as their
offices are at present regulated, how, we ask, can any one be
surprised We have been generally adverse to the placing
of judicial officers, heretofore paid by feel at the cost of the
private suitor, upon the public for remuneration ; but there
are considerations beyond the mere question of economy.
The provost-marshal is an indispensable officer whose re-
sponsibilities are of an incalculable nature. His staff of
deputies must be maintained under all circumstances, arid in
all times ; and the safety of the public as well as his own
security requires that thou deputies should, so far as they
can be obtained, be men of character, respectability,
and probity. It has been said that one
source o the dishonesty of certain of these deputies has
the rent exacted from them by the provostmarshal ; but
there is some misconception on this pint. The provost-
, marshal's revenue (inconsiderable as we believe it to be at
the present moment) is derived from there rents, which, to a
muck larger amount, were formerly paid by the deputies,
tsgether with a bonus varying from 5001. to 1,0001., acoord-
ing to the value of particular districts. Business, however,
now scarcely yields this revenue to the provost-marshal
from the legitimate perquisites of the deputy, and as it were
I to render the latter still less able to make his office honestly
equal to his rent and to his own reasonable suheistence, the
house has done its but to reduce hie just dues for arduous
and costly duties necessarily performed in the discharge of
his office, and under heavy penalty. in ease of de-
fault. We have been led to these observations by
the perusal of the petition of Mr. A. S. Lyon,
which we this day extract from the Votes ; and
it really seems very difficult to consider the allegations of this
document without arriving at the conclusion that fair play
is not done to these officers. We take it to be an universal
principle that no public servant should be required to per.
form duties without remuneration. Now, in what light is
the warning of jurors to be held? It is beyond doubt a
public duty, performed by an officer who is unremunerated.
If the provost-marshal were a salaried servant of the public,
I paid a given sum, no matter what its amount, for the dia-
-1 charge of the duties which belong to hie office, the claim of
his deputies for the discharge of • public duty which necessa.
rily devolves on their principal virtues officii, would be tril-
-1 tenable. But the provost-marshal receives nothing from the
public. He is paid by specific fees for the discharge of sped-
' fie duties, those fees being payable by private individuals
on the execution of process issuing at the instance of
ot
didtnd exigencyxuuex-
ample. ciextending
trivial
individuals.
epw: exacted
:we pobendlThibentjoeti.nuesuwWodoaimoylt:i7rbegalienms2ieluedth"nlanfowernithineft:edi ctetaoratbdydiopirg
uithath"bthlictect
for the public gratuipirithTtoakus:y.thweohifpc:h.tio,::ntotonthoyefal saeis.tLo. fAyas:pdrireasva:Wn,
and
ei nx.-
Kin,gston, compelled by law to summon various juries for

public jarisprudence in three j
year to the number of 1,200. It
there is necessarily heavy expels',
monly just to ask a man to do
not do it—and then to refuse t
the public revenue, whilst y
from making him just rem,
this is holding out • pretniu
the corruption of which so
In some districts the countm
service of jury notices cannot fal
hundred square miles. Hurst,
for the duty, and the duty is
There is real injustice here, and
does not do to throw the blame (a
office must be kept op, and that
are at present regulated by the
would be advisable at once to ph
one permanent or certain looting
ere lung, become a matter of grav
meantime fairness demands a just
not be denied, and we hope that i
tition the house will see fit to CI
deputies of tho provost marshal g
no public officer ought to he re
duties without remuneration."

TRINIDAD.—The genera
this colony during the fortnight m
of the Wit mail, will sufficiently
extract from the packet summary
—" Our modern reformers have
monstrations of late, in political I
commercial distress is Britain I
political and social horizon, whic
hension. Trade hu been dull, a
Foods have been coming in. A 1
the market; but we du not ob
very extensive even in this wa
making fur the approaching Chri
not looked forward to generally
in former years. Money is still
bills are not much in demai
rules rather high, 482 dots.
vale during the fortnight have
various quarters. Provisions
with the exception of one sill
flour. It is now about three we
been received ; and we understaa
is now selling at 16 dollars per I
lumber and live cargoes of fish
report, besides some provisions ft
islands. Five vessels from Brit
are reported inwards; and one o
way of Madeira, hu brought a c
number of our immigrants from
few more from the other islands,
Ist of January to stand thus: 1,8
children—total, 2,999. We hart
produce .to notice, sugar, moles
ing as they were a fortnight sin(
however, have been despatched,
and of coffee 926 lbs. The we
variable and rather wet. Theist
dry, however; but therein' no sayi
Some meetings of coneiderabl,
held. The most important wen
ber, for the purpose of consider
Curtis's colonial railway. The r
addressed in favour of the soh
governor, and several members
Mr. Burnley alone attempted tc
The following resolutions speak
Resolved: "That the general &dm

eista—b—lialiOsent of railway r7oriMitrn-k-ati
that these advantages are applicable it
Trinidad; and that thin meeting is pn
to cooperate in any undertaking wb
vantages"—" That this meeting is of
extensive trade in the timber of this
foreign maximal, will form a 'source
pany, and which can only be attoinal
way company upon the plan laid dove
the most cordial thanks are due, and
l=sultight lion. Lord Ilan* r
e
'on in attending this meelii
proteeMng' s evinced by his lordship."
The other meetings alluded to
the Trinidad Spectator:
" The Trinidad Literary Art
anniversary ; and we rejoice to k
now put forth in earnest, resusciu
praiseworthy energies. Althom
rather too fully occupied with oth
fully as we have wished, yet we h
rest in it; and now that a better
mation is about to spring up, we
to time, as we can find oppertui
befire the public, so as to excite tl
co-operation for its success. At
ject is advertised for discussion of
is hoped there will be • full att
learn that arrangements are belt
of lectures on various subjects,
interest and influence in various s

" The Wesleyan methodists be
111g11 in this island during this wee
last night was numerously attend'
addresses were delivered on the oe
great praise for the efforts put fort
throughout the world?'

WINDWARD ISLANDS
the exception of an expiated coati
of Assembly there is ne politic
Mr. John Hampden King, son of
one, a barrister, is candidate for
Mr. Goodridge, a liberal.
The Barbados Mercury, in its
speaks favourably of the weather
"The rain has been daily and
the Wand is fully saturated ; mos
that so favourable a November ha
many years. The canes have it
the worm has been partially deft
tion of vine plant appears to t
cially the yamb, the yield of
rain which may favour the
sent month. The eddoe crc
corn was greatly put back it
effects of worm, but u this has no
phnt has been completely freed of
no doubt of a fair return being o
Indian corn has been lost in some
by the worm soon after it sprung
enabled to ascertain, a short gene
the same time, in particular distri
will crown the success of the hus
description is very scarce. The
time, were destroyed by the. woi
only to assist in making manure o
the principal occupation in mi
the opening of cane holes, tb
to them, and any preparatory
mencement of next year's sugar
have net yielded the retun
considering the favourable weatl
parte of the island the cattle are I
manufactured on smell sugar eta
is offered occasionally In the city.
—very few—plantations a small qr
consumption, will be manufacture
fore or very soon after Christmas.
meneement of the crop nothing is
continues as favourable as it has b
February or March next year, a gr
doubtedly be made, for from all It
tion that the canes are vigorous ir
promise well. Staves for the mi
are being carried up in abundance
necessary plantation supplies, boi
from the hands ef the smith, and
evincing itself on the highways."
The same authority speaks thus
" We are never inclined to des
observe the most deepondintsympl
But from all the evidence which
forced to the conclusion that bruin
net been the slightest impronmen
step has been taken in all snunact
daily sale of the merchant is a ma
And all :these unfavourable cire
(plums of a lengthy period of de
eight months, succeeded by a prof
country for the sugar manufactu.
Ferment to the agriculturist, wl3(
duly expenditure in money wages
results may attend hie efforts. 1
things is also induced from th
money for unrestricted circulation
inhabitant!. their energy is kept
searches in vain for a awn in whi
St. Lucia.—The only news in
is that the court of inquiry into t
Torrens, lately the officer admi
there, and Mr. Chief Justice Redd
vestigation after a fortnight's hard
denee nor the decision of the a
Padadiunt,with singular bad test
comments Cm its publication of r
partisan spirit, on the evidence as
of which is before its readers.

TIM HINDOSTAL—The Oril
packet Hindoetan, Captain Lewis,
yesterday, and landed her mails ni
Brady, RN., Admiralty-agent.
20th. The Hindman reports th
Southampton on the 7th, did not
the 20th, haying taken thirteen di
owing to the tempestuous weather.
with no damage. She was to lea'
the 20th, and would no doubt alto
and may be expected at Southamp
Hindustan also reports the safe a
Paths, which took out the India n
accident end return of the Brio.

SHIP ON FIRE IN THE Lc
noon yesterday, the barque Jarnac,
Docks, was disoovered to be oa fir
posed to have occurred from swk
in consequence of the activity dipla
the damage was confined to the a
and sails were alone damaged, whi
of the dock, was truly providential

ELECTIONS FOR MARRIAOI
day three young women, educated Mr.
Mr. Rainey, the celebrated brews
Ram, were elected to receive the m
each, for good and virtuous condo
bliahment. These marriage portic
order of the benevolent founder o