The Express.
London, England, 1856-05-01 00:00:00

WEST INDIES.

The Royal West Lodi& mail packet Magdalena,
Capt. Abbott (Admiralty agent, Lieut. John Kemp.,
R.N.), arrived at Southampton
Her
with the
West India and Mexican mails. Her dates of sailing
were :—Vera Cruz, April 4; Tampico, March 30;
Havana, April 9; Oreytown, 5; Panama, 8; Car.
thagena. 10; Jamaica, 11; Demerara, 9 ; Trinidad,
9 ; St. Kitts, 13; Barbados., 11; St. Lucie, 12;
Antigua, 12; Bt. Vincent, 10; Martinique, 12;
OaMsloope, 12; Grenada, 10; Jacmel, 12; Porto
Rioo, 15; Dominica, 12 ; St. Thomas, 16 ; La Gunn,
9; St. Vincent, 10; Tortola, 3.
The Magdalena brought 215 passengers, among
whom were Major Conran, Messrs. Went (wife and
family), Westmoreland, Frazer, Worrall, Grey, Soars,
Scott, Campbell, and Capt. Leeds.
The freight on board consisted of specie to the
amount of 931,376 dollars, of which 395,420 dollars
value were in silver, and 525,456 dollars value in
gold. There were also 10,500 dollars value in pearls,
and 269 bales of tobacco, 129 cases of cigars, 79 bales
of sarsaparilla, and five packages of succades.
At Jamaica were the Imaum, Buzzard, and Daring;
at Greytown, the Eurydice ; at Antigua, the Vestal
and Amine; at Port an Prins, the Malacca; at
Bermuda, the Argue, Arab, Medea, Havana, 800.
caws% and Powerful.

_
Jamaica was healthy. The events of the fortnight
are few. The Morning Journal publishes an article
on the generally encouraging prospects of the island.
The Industrial Exhibition is said to have given an
impulse
ito agricultural improvement. An inures.
ing desire s manifested among the lower orders to
extend the cultivation of the sugar cane, and the
mineral interests of the colony are stated to be in the
way of ultimate and complete success. 1)e Cordova'
reporting on the state of credo, says:
A general inartivity has been the prevailing feature of
our market for some time past. No speculative Inquiry
whatever has been manifested, and the operations or the
trade, wanes& almost szelosively to the supply of theig
inunitliato wants, wore rest:toted sad unimportant. Sup-
plies of implies goods were, for the most part, on a mode-
rato soak, yet holders felled to derive any advantage from
the circumstance, and as the receipts within the het few
days from America have been on a liberal scale, prices have
receded to those which entail losses, and buyer. are cantina.
imgto operate with the utmost caution.
Exchanges on London : 90 &ye, per cent. premium;
60 days, 1 per ant. premium; 30 dem per cent. pre-
▪ marebants' b he, par.
The weather in Demerara continued exceedingly
dry, and the canes were suffering severely for want of
water. The exports for the fortnight were—Sugar,
967 hhds. 49 tree. 269 brie. 243 bags. Rum-820
puns. 119 hhdif. 47 brie. Molars's-2GO puncheons.
Cotton-135 bales. Business among the merchants
continued dull. Freights were low, and produce
wares.

Two large fires had been raging in the Naparimu,
Trinidad. At Les Efforts and the adjoining estate of
Paradice several quern*. of canes were burnt, bat it
is hoped that by rapid grinding a large portion of the
apprehended loss may be averted. At the Glenroy
estates the fire extended over several fields of uncut
cantle. Water is getting very scarce, and its want in
many places is most severely felt.