The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-09 00:00:00

BRITISH GUIANA.

Our accounts from Demerara are to the 12th ult.
The Combined Court reassembled on the 28th of
April to receive the statement of estimates in its
complete form. On the estimate being laid on the
table, it was found that the apparent amount was
804,880 dela., or nearly 60,000 dots. in excess of the
amount required to be provided by taxation during
the year. This anomaly was, however, rectified, and
the estimate reduced to the actual amount required,
viz., 748,618 dots. The report of the Committee of
Ways and Means was understood to recommend, in
conformity with the views of Governor Barkly, in
his speech at the opening of the Combined Court,
extensive reductions in the general taxation of the
colony. The income tax was to be entirely
abolished. A reduction was to be effected in
the produce tax, and the planters are to be ex-
empted from the payment of duty on all such per.
tions of their produce as are consumed within the
colony. A bonus was to be conferred on the slipping
interest by lowering the tonnage duties.
reductions were also to be effected in the
tariff of import duties, especially on those arti-
cles most extensively consumed, as, for in-
stance, flour, rice, candles, soap, beef, pork, fish,
and cattle, of which latter largo importations
were constantly taking place from the Orinoco, where
cattle can be raised as cheaply as in any part of the
world. The court stood adjourned to the 14th of
May, when it was expected a draught of the tax
ordinance, embodying the views of the committee,

would id on the table. A letter from the chair-
man of the Demerara Railway Company had been
read at a meeting of the Court of Policy, stating that
in consequence of pecuniary difficulties the directors
I bad found it necessary to instruct the committee of
'management in the colony to suspend the comple-
tion of the line at • point several miles short of
Mahaica, the place where the directors originally
agreed to run the trains. This announcement=
grtst dissatisfaction in the colony, and the
following resolution were arca to on the si-
ject
Resolved, lst,—That this court is of opinion that after
the assurances given in the sankinsd court whoa • pardon
of the guaranteed loan was applied br
the directors of 5,0001., of tkesaisfaat than Assisi lois
an express condition, by ordiuman data like of Kw*
WA and for the sole purpose se astilllng As compel, to
continue the line halfway beevems Vide& and Mahaisa.
--elm, the further payment to the local lssaull of manage-
ment of the remaining sum of 5,0001., in order to secure
the completion of the railway to Mahaica, it would be a
breach of faith towards the colony if the directors of the
Dement= Railway Company should persist in their inten-
tion of suspending the construction of all works beyond
Victoria for an indefinite period, instead 411 doing all in
their power to complete the line to blahaica, as stipulated
in the ordinance by the end of the present year.
2. That this court calls upon the local board of manage-
mut not to abdicate their functions nor consent to the
appropriation of such part of the loan as may null remain
unexpended to any other object than that of defraying the
cost of construction of the line of railway between the vil-
lage of Victoria and the village of Mahaies.
3. That his excellency the governor be requested to for-
ward • ropy of these resolutions to the directors of the De-
merara Railway Company in London, and the secretary be
requested to send a copy of the mine to the local board in
Demerara.
A vacancy had taken place in the College of Finan-
cial Representatives by the resignation of Mr. John
Duly. The schooner yacht Ariel, with Sir George
Douglas on board, had arrived at Demerara. The
weather had been very rainy during the fortnight
preceding the packet's departure.
TRIN IDA D.
The Governor had communicated to the council
the intelligence that all the Coolies whose period of
service had expired had accepted the colonial bounty
of 30 dole. fur entering into new engagements of five
years more. These people had all turned out ex-
ceedingly well. The IWza Stewart had arrived with
a fresh supply of Coolies (173 in number) after a pas-
sage of 83 days. Lord Harris had issued a proclama-
tion, directing that two burial-grounds in the town el
San Fernando should be forthwith closed, as they were
reported to be dangerous to the public health. The
Trinidadian states, however, that a large number of
Coolies whose contracts had expired were about to
leave the island, and were waiting till the Govern-
ment should provide a transport for their conveyance.
The crop generally was proceeding well. The San
Fernando fiecette complains that shipping was
scarce, and that the wharfs were encumbered with
produce, because there were no ships by which to
send it to market.
LEEWARD ISLANDS.

Mr. D. It. Ross, the newly-appointed Lieutenant-
Governor of Tobago, had arrived there in her Ma-
jesty's sloop Helena, and was duly installed in office.
In Grenada some alight showers had fallen.
The St. Vincent papers mention a rumour that
the lieutenant-governor had received a despatch from
the Colonial-office, notifying that his term of office
would not be extended beyond the period for which
he was appointed, and which will expire in October.
The return of the census of the island of Antigua
gives the population of that colony at 17,378 males
and 19,011 females ; total, 38,389.
The St. Lucia papers mention that Governor Dar-
ling, having obtained leave of absence, would shortly
proceed to England.
The St. Lucia Palladium, of April 25, gives a very
gloomy description of the condition of the colony, on
account of the long drought, but just before the sail-
ing of the packet a most favourable change in tho
weather took place, and a few genial showers had
fallen, to the great benefit of vegetation. A large
sum of money in British silver h-ut been received in
the island to replace cut money withdrawn from cir-
culation by the Colonial Bank.
A French steamer arrived at St. Thomas on the
17th of May, and reported that an earthquake had
continued with but little intermission at Guadaloupe
for 24 hours; the inhabitants were in great conster-
nation. We have not learnt what damage had been
done up to the time of the steamer leaving
Sir John M•Gregor, Governor of Tortola, diedon that
island on the 11th May. Her Majesty's sloop Helena
being there at the time, the interment took place
under a fire of minute guns from her, the offieersand
crew attending at the funeral. The weather was
favourable for the crops. The cholera still lingers in
various parts of Jamaica, and in many places shows
symptoms of a fresh outbreak.
(For markets sot pegs 4.)