The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-25 00:00:00

THE ESSEX MURDERERS.

EXECUTION OP THOMAS DRORY AND
SARAH CHESHAM.
THIS DAY.
CHELMSFORD, TVESDAT MORNING.
Thomas Drory and Sarah Cheshum, both of whom
were convicted at Coe last assizes held in this town of mur-
der, and sentenced by Lord Campbell to undergo the ex-
treme penalty of the law, were executed this morning, in
front of Springliold Gaol. Little or no sympathy was
exhibited on behalf of either of the culprit:, the atrocity of
the crimes for which they were severally condemned having
excited a universal feeling of execration against them.
It appears that since Drory made a confession of his guilt
he has on all OCCaMOII3 shown a penitential spirit;
and, though not violent in his expressions of regret, has
more than once testified to the governor of the gaol, Mr.
Near, as also the Rev. Mr. Hamilton, the chaplain, his
deep regret that he had murdered dad Denny, who, to use
his own words, "Was ever kind to me, and ill-deserved
such treatment at my hands." On some occasions he see=
to have desired to make a fhrther revela ' ; but no en-
couragement has been held out to him in this respect,
either by Mr. Honeywood, the sheriff, or by the chaplain.
On Sunday morning he attended the ordinary service in the
chapel within the precincts of the gaol. Ile returned to
his cell, and occupied his time in reading some tracts which
had been given to bins by the chaplain, evidently with a
wandering mind and districted attention.
Sarah Cheshara's conduct has been of a far different cha-
racter. Convicted on the clearest testimony,which extended
over a very lengthened period, she denied her guilt up to
the last moment, and urged that she needed no repentance.
Influenced by such f..elings, she objected to join in the ser-
vices of the church on Sunday morning, and remained in

her cell.
Long before day dawned, tens of thousands of persons
were seen wending their way towards Springfield gaol,
which is situate about half a mile from the town, in tho
midst of a large open space, so that the spectators had full
opportunity of moving th •mselves about.
At five o'clock this morning was commenced the erection
of the scaffold over the cat: lure gate to the gaol. At half-
past eight the first toll from tho bell announced the near
approach of the termination of the wretched convict?
earthly career, and the most eager anxiety was manifested
by the vast crowd without. and so it continued until nine
o'clock, the hour at which it was arranged the execution
should take place.
Thc Rev. Mr. llamiltoa, as early as six o'clock, visited
the culprit Drury. At a few minutes before nine both
criminals were summoned from their respective cells and
conducted to the keep or entrance-gate.
Drory came first, attended by the governor and chaplain,
and assisted by two of th,• principal warders ; on his arr,s al
at the room devoted for the purpose immediately nailer the
gallows, he was pinioned by Caleraft and his assistants ; ho
appeared calm and resigned.
Sarah Cheshaut was then brought under the charge of
the female warders from her cell toundergo the same opera-
thm, which she did firmly and quietly, reiteratiug her de-
claration :of innocence of the crime for which she had
been found guilty.
Before proceeding further it is proper to convey torn°
notion of the effect the sad spectacle had upon the thou-
sands assembled from all parts of the counties of Esscx,Nor-
folk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire, every parish of which
uruished their quota of the immense mass of persons press nt
nor was the metropolis itself behind, for, on account of the
proximity of Chelmsford, a vast number of persons availed
themselves of the opportunity of witnessing " the sight,"
amongst whom were a number of the swell mob, one of
whom, notwithstanding the vigilance of the police and the
railway oflicials, succeeded, between London and ugate-
done (the station last before Chelmsford), of casing a
female of her purse, containing upwards of 5/. in gold and
silver. On her loss being made known, telegraphic com-
munications were made both to lAmdoit and Chelmsford
of the fact; but the thief could not be found, and the poor
woman, who was proceeding on a visit to some relations,
was compelled to return home. During the night the
tramp of feet was heard throughout the town of persons
anxious to be amongst the first to get a good place, many
of them fatigued and careworn, from ;the distance they
had travelled, in sonic cases upwards of thirty miles. At
8 o'clock the morning, which had been overciet,
suddenly became bright and clear, and then might be seen
the full effect of the interest that hail been excited, there
being continuous groups of labourers, farm-servants, and fe-
males, all dressed anti decorated as if for some joyous occasion,
as if Chelmsford were for the day to be converted into a
scene of gay festivity. Vendors of edibles of every descrip-
tion were there, and plied their vocation in a manner the
most gross and revolting ; nor was the language of their
many customers, boys, women, and men, free from the same
charge, but the crowd generally conducted themselves
quietly.
Precisely at nine, Drury• appeared on the scaffold, when
cries of " Bats off," and " There they come," were heard
in all directions. Drory, although attended by two turn -
keys, walked up the steps leading to the scaffold, and
calmly looked at the surrounding crowd without exhibiting
any particular emotion. The rap wait speedily placed over
his head, and the noose adjusted and locked within one of
the links of the chain, which is here used as at Ncwgatc.
The wretched woman Chesham, ere three seconds had
elapsed, followed him, declaring her innocence to the last,
and, having undergone the same operation, in a few seconds
both were dead.
After hanging the usual time the body of Drory, in ac-
cordance with the sentence of Lord Campbell, was interred
within the precincts of the prison. Not so that of Sarah
Chesham, the act of parliament under which she was con-
victed, and the sentence of the learned judge being silent
upon the disposition of the body, the governor delivered it
up to her relatives, by whom it was conveyed for interment
to Clavering church-yard.
Drory was visited for the last time on Saturday by his
three sisters, two brothers, and his father. The interview
was short and melancholy. The friends of Sarah Chesham
parted with her yesterday.
At the moment of execution there could not have been
less than 30,000 or 40,000 persons present.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE

THIS DAY.

BOW-STREET.
adAoptawthelle-knimopowsnitiFml3coafr.benirg ettallAybraila'
blindlinwho
the always
streets, was charged with begging.
The prisoner was found this morning soliciting charity in
the Strand, anti although he appeared to be blind he never
asked alms when a police-constable was near, but imme-
diately he had disappeared he would commence his old
" dodge " again. When he was taken into custody he said
he hail been in this country five years, and he had a right
to beg for a living.
The prisoner said he was totally blind, and had no other
resource to get a living.
The constable said the prisoner could not be blind, as
when the prisoner entered the court he appeared to know
that he had to ascend some steps. He had frequently seen
him of a night in Drury-lane, drinking and smoking with
other Lancers, after they had been out begging all day.
Mr. Jardine said he had heard • great deal about tho
prisoner, who, he was informed, was nut blind, but adopted
that plan for the purpose of deceiving the public. Ile should
send him to prison for 14 days.
The prisoner persisted that he was blind, and had to be
led out of the court.

-
INTERESTING TO AGRICULTURISTS.—A contro-
versy has for some time been carried on between Mr. Mar-
client, of Row Hill Farm, near Broughton, and the Nor-
wich Union Fire-office, relative to the amount to which he
is entitled for 3.3 tons of straw consumed in • fire which
happened on his farm. The surveyor, who was sent by thu
office to report on the damage, contended that Mr. Mar-
chent had only a spending interest in the straw, and that
any interest in it, other than for manure, belonged to his
landlord. He reckoned three tons of straw as making one
ton of manure, and therefore apportioned to Mr. Merchant
the sum of 121. 10s. as compensation for his lore of 3.5 tons
'of straw. Against this principle Mr. Marche's% protested,
contending that as he should have to replace the straw for
business purposes, and should have to purchase it at a mar-
ket price, it was that price to which he was justly entitled.
The office, after considerable argument, has conceded the
point, and Mr. Marchent has received • cheque for
1891. 144, being the full amount claimed.—Aria's Ltiriningr-
Aans Gazette.
OXYGEN FROM THE ATMOSPIIERIC AIR. —M.
Boussingault, says the journal the Institut, has been some
time occupied in resolving the following problem To
extract in a state of purity, and in a considerable quan-
tity, the oxygen gas from the mote in the atmosphere.
For this purpose M. Boussingault has given the prefer-
ence to baryte, founded on its well-known property of
remaining in oxygen of a moderato temperature,. and
abandoning it under the influence of a heat sufficiently
intense. From the process which M. Bouseingault em-
ployed, he has remarked that 10 kilos. of baryte, in being
completely oxydized, is able to take and to return after-
wards 730 litres of gas. This is the number indicated
by theory ; but for celerity of operation, as far at least
as can be judged up to the present, more than 600 litres
can be counted on. In that limit, and in operating on
100 kilos. of matter, 6,000 litres of oxygen gas ought be
disengaged at each disoxydisation; four or five operations
might be performed in 24 hours, which would thus funish
from 24,000 to 30,000 litres of gas.

i~.

THE WEST INDIA MAILS.

The Royal West India Mail steamer Avon, Licut.
It N.. Commander. arriv,4l rat South-
ampton this m ffning, and landed her mails,
ander charge of the Admiralty agent, Licut.
Purser. R.N. The dates are: Ilavannah, Feb.
23; Ihagrea, 23; Honduras, 19; Carthagena,l
Jamaica, 27 (anticipated); St. :Ingo del
Cuba, 24 : Demerara. 27 ; Trinidad, 27; Barhadoes•
March ; Grenada. Feb. 2,3 ; Porto Rico, March 3;1
St. Thomas, 6; La Guayra, Feb. IS; Jacmel, March
1 ; Santa Martha, Feb. 13; St. Juan de Nicaragua.
Feb. 19. Slw brings 917,467 dollars on merthauts'
account, and 40 passengers.
The Avon, having experienced contrary.winds and
foul weather on her voyage out, waa obliged to put
into Fayul for coed. Leaving Fayal on the 26th
January, the steamer only arrived at St. Thomas's on
the 6th of February, thus delaying her departure for
the Spanish Main until the loth.
At St. Thomas's, were lying lEM. brig Helena,
from Barbadires ; and a Danish brig of war, visiting
the adjacent islands. On Feb. 10, the Avon fell in
with H.M.S. Scorpion, surveying vessel, coming
out of St. Thomas.
On the 11th, at Carthagena, the Avon received on
Ward Col. (Loan, appointed consul-general from
Grenada to the Uuited States. There being no har-
bour fur vessels of large tonnage at Chagres,
the Avon anchored in whenadsa A heavy surf
di fends the ent mace any~ wind blims, and
renders it very difficult for boats to land. An Arne-'
rhea" !schooner lay wracked on the shore, with the
surf breaking overlier. The railroad from Chagos to-
wards Panama is being constructed and surveyed ; but
the diffii allies frrmn marshy ground and uncut forests,
aid sit kness from the • xhalations, continually retard
the proceedings. There are ten engineers employed
in different parts ut the lirst 20 miles. They have
not yet got a clear line in conjunction. A miner
from California he re took his 'message in the Avon to
Grey Town. Ile had been thirty months digging
at California. Ile it is alas found ut the diggings
the !typist lump of pure gold yet found; it weighs
231155. 6 ounces. Ile proposes to exhibit it at the
Great Exhibition. lle said that the miners had agreed
together to enforce several laws of n very stringent
nature ins!, ; and that they still cont• subject
to those 'laws. They had consented to burn
one another for murder; and to hang each
other for robbery. This passenger assured the
Admiralty agent on board the Avon that
he hail las n present at the burning alive of three
individuals fur the crime of rape and murder,
and witnessed and assisted at fifteen exceutions
by hanging for robbery. Such was the effect in al
,short time of thew executions--these laws known to
Is• surely executed--that a miner could safely leave
hie plot with his tools and his gold in their place,
and go his way with the utmost confidence in their

si•eutity.
The King of the Mosquito territory came on hoard
the Avon at Grey Town. Ile is a boy of la yerins of
age, a very dark ~tultitto, and of no figure or manners.
1k is ill at ease with grown men about him, of whom
the chief is the consul, who acts as the King's chan-
cdlor and keeper of his conscience. The King
speaks English well, and is desirous of viidting nig-
htie', but fears the cold.
From Jamaica our dates by this packet have been
anticipated by the news brought, via New York, by
the Cambria.
IlltlTltill GUIANA.
'Phu ryal I its:elle of the 27th February, in its
review fur home readers, toys
'I lee chief veld of the Lot fortnight was the meeting of
the combined court yesterday. The session was opened, as
usual by his exeelleney, the don noir, in person. Portions
id the specs h di livered by Ills excellency on that occasion
will be found below. Though party spirit runs rather high
at present in the Comm 'ity, but one feeling pervades the
minds of int-Iligent and moderate men of all pionry with
respect to this uddress—unruingled satisfaction at it.. eon-
tents. So flourishing have heen the finances of the colony
under his eicelleacy's administration, that, it will be seen,
he, ear, 11ra y ha, been placed in the proud and plea-ins
plaiti.nv of this year reemumending to the eombined court ,
a bold Rai comprehensive measure of reduction fur those
burdens that press most heavily on the poorer classes of
meaty, at the same time that they clog and impede the
wheels of COU11111"0-, awl retard the progress of the colony
in its 041Wairtl career of improvement. Ills excellency,
it will he oho rved, suggests to the combined court
nil immediate ;Auction in taxation to the extent of
two hundnd thousand dollars, which, his excellency eon-
-I.lVre, ran be effected without danger. A inure popular .
proposal was never enunciated iuuur legislative hall, and is
the more wekome at the present moment, because unso-
licited, and linause the pressure of the time, form, the sub-
pet of general 411 not complaint. In England, where the
revenue and population are counted by tens ..f millions, this
AM, appear nu great saving. but the importance of things
is relative to their 1119riVil and incident.. In this colony,
where Our wbule public retinue &Ca not exceed eight or
nine hundred thousand dollars, two hundred thousand
of course is an immense sum ing as much to British
Guiana as ten or twelve minims sterling would be to Great
Britain.
After the delivery of his excellency's address, and prior
to any other business being entered on, a technical ohjeetion
was raised as to the right of two of the member.. Mr.
O'Dono,rhue, member for Derhice, and Mr. Daly, member
for Kssequebo, to retain their slate, those two gentlemen
having quitted the colony during the non-session tit the Com-
bined Court for a few weeks in the course of last year. It
was thought by iaone persons that their doing so vacated
their seats, and that pruchunations ought to have been is-
sued by the executive calling fur new elections.
Our files by the present mail arc chieliy filled with re-
ports of the proceedings of the Supreme Criminal Court tor
Demerara and Essequelm in two libel cases, which attracted
a good deal of public attention,- -the Queen against G. A.
M'Xidd, printer and publisher of the Coionist newspaper,
firstly, for the publication, and, secondly, for the republi-
citiesi of a certain scandalous and defamatory article in
that journal against his Excellency the Governor, in tel -
bon to the disposal of certain tenders, in the course of last
year, for the supply of forage, saddlery, &e., for the use of
the police force. In that review ,we stated that, owing
chief y to an eloquent address to the jury from the counsel
Ise the defence, Mr. J. E. homy, the publisher of the
Cuiorcist, had:luckily pit off; but that the second ease was
then going on. 'this second Can, was brought to a close
on the en gof the tame day, and some hours after the
appeanince of our review. We ate glad to state that the
verdict, in this mound ease, exuneratiml his Excellency iu
the mart smple manner from the unfounded and unwar-
rantable aspersions attempted to he cast on him re-
specting these tenders. It is true that the jury acquitted
Mr. M•Kidd ; but it had been emphatically stated
by the Law officers of the Crown that the object of
the prosecution was not so much to punish that party,
110 was never suspected of having written the article, as to
vindicate the character of the Governor, and that if the jury
could bud out any way of effecting that, the purposes of
justice would be fully answered. The Governor had been
examined in the course of the trial; and " on this
this trial" the Jury spoke ;" returning the following ver-
dict, '` Not guilty ; but ve do not believe his xcelleney
the governor had any other m"hvts in dealing with the
tenders than those stated by him in the evidence on the
trial." Now, as no other motives were stated by the go-
-1,01101, his evidence than such as were honourable, high-
minded, and strictly proper, it is clear that this verdict
must have been extremely gratifying to bit—far inure so,
indeed, than if his vindication haul been purchased only by
the punishment of, in all probability, a harmless and mof-
Doane publisher. With this government triumph all inte-
rest in the proceedings of the Criminal Court ceased.
It; proclamation, under the handand seal of the governor,
vessels coming from Martinique, Cayenne, 04111 Jamaica are
to be put under quarantine.
Ifer Majesty's steamer Inflexible arrived here on the
2.lth inst., with a detachment of the 2nd West India Regi-
ment from Jamaica, and, in COnreilUelleC of the prevalence
of cholera in that island, is now in quarantine.
The lord bishop of the diocese returned to the colony by
the royal mail steamer Derwent, on the 13th instant, alter
a lengthened absence from the colony in Europe. By a
circular to his clergy, published in our tam . ber it
will be seen that his lordship, having rererencen to the awful
visitation of cholera, with which it may please Providence
to Millet us, as well as our neighbours, has appointed
Wednesday next. being Ash Wednesday, as a day of general
prayer and humiliation throughout his
The weather during the fortnight has been favourable to
the planters. The colony continues healthy.
I%e governor, in opening the combined eons •
honourable Gentlemen of the Court of Policy,
Gentlemen Financial Itepreventatives,—ln vs
together to fix and provide for the public expenditure of h.
• present year, I have to congratulate you on the fulfilment
of the anticipations of improvement in the revenue enter-
tained by the last combined court, in spite of the financial
emliamosraent which prevailed at the time of its meeting.
The estimate of Ways and Means fur MO his indeed
been more than realised, and a balance of income over ex-
penditure left, even after the liquidation of the arrears
which accrued in 1548 and 1849 during the stoppage of the

supplies.
Pert of this improunatat in the revenue is attributable
to improved laws fee its collection ; part, no doubt, arises
from the feet that the liege stock of spirits and other articles
admitted dash els waspensien of the tax ordinance was
worked ad fate, than was expected. Some of the laws
referred to were only pared by the court of policy in the
middle of the year, and as the effect of the diminished
weeks es howl was teat fully telt until recently, we might
tarty ..halos to • orailaued increase in the nveipts of the
MINIM tot away dadmi the present year, in the trent of
dallied trim suas ••altered.
totoort la the expenditure of the
IS IMO bre atessag,lthiak. waded@ that the ties
leraboilllsedondl kw Ow otwoomite to imp the bwolt
ft. irengemie airaile Mamba

servii e which it lite be, n my endeavour, in conformity
with the views of tile elective members, during the theca
last v•ssions of the Combined Court, to tarry into practical
op. ration.
Assuming that a reduetien of taxation to the extent of
Lynn oar hundr.a anti iiity to two hundred thousand dollars
per annum should, on close examination, prove feasible, the
question immediately arises under what heads it could be
effected most advantageously for the interests of all claims.
This being the must constitutional opportunity for expres-
sing my views on such a question—since my attendance in
committee of ways and means would be unusual—l will
offer a few suggestions, not as doubting that you would
come to an impartial decision on the subject without them,
but as having from my position necessarily acquired expe-
rience of the pressure of different imposts upon different
classes, which I feel it incumbent on me to impart.
During the past year the receipts were contributed about
one half by duties on articles imported, the other half by
duties levied internally. some of them partaking more or
less of the nature of direct taxation. I should not deem it
prudent to vary this proportion.
It mar be alleged that the application of the entire sur-
plus to the diminution of the customs duties would foster
trade, and prove a boon to the productive industry of the
country, by enabling the labourer to support himself in
equal comfort on lower wages.
I am fir from denying the force of such arguments, but
it appears to me that both objects might be sufficiently ac-
complished at a smaller sacrifice of revenue than is thus
oinemplated.
The chief articles of imported food consumed by the
labouring classes in the way of luxuries are flour, rice, fish,
and pork. The duties on these four articles alone during
POO amounted to about 230,000 dollars, or far more than a
moiety of the eeneral import duties received. Sixty-five
thousand barrels of flour, at I dol. 75e. each, contributed
one half this sum. Were this rate reduced to I dol. per
barrel, it might at first make a difference of 50,000 doll. to'
the revenue, whilst the duties on the other articles men-
-6.11.4, if reduced in a similar proportion, would put in jeo-
pardy a like sum—siay, together, 100.00') dollars. Looking,
indeed, to the prohtble immediate effect of such reductions
in stimulating import., there can be little doubt that other
alterations of less moment might be made in the tariff with-
I out much risk of a larger deficit than would be covered by
the moiety of th...airplits already spoken of.
That a reduction greater in extent is by no means impe-
ratively called for under this head, even if stronger claims
for remission of taxes did not exist, might easily be proved;
for, however, high the duties on such articles as I have
enumerated may be. they have not yet had the effect of
checking that steady advance in their consumption since
emancipation, which I hope we may attribute, among other
C 31141 s, to the improving tastes of a portion of the labouring
population.
I think, however, that any person reviewing our fiscal
system attentively cannot fad to see that there are taxes of
a direct nature pressing far more heavily on the labouring
classes than the import duties. I allude to some of the
licenses imposed, such as those on hucksters and shop-
kweperi, which I have always considered to be particularly
inapplicable to a state of society like ours, where retail
trade of every kind should be encouraged, were it only that
it creates in the mind of the labourer a desire for comforts
and luxuries obtainable by industry alone. As a measure
of police the continuance of the licenYng system may be ad-
visable; but the tax on hucksters, should, in my opinion, be
reduced to a very low GI: for registration ; that payable on
account of shops aboli.4hed in the rural districts, and, if
continued in the towns, levied under a general system for
municipal purposes only. If those suggestions were adopted'
Isles* of nearly thirty thousand dollars would accrue. There
are other lie, uses, such as the cart-tax in the rural dis-
theta, and the porters' license in town, which, though
equally vexatious in their operation, bring in little or
nothing to the revenue.
Another strong claim for reduction will be preferred by
the shipowners connected with this colony, and, indeed, by
the whole commercial community, whose interests are in-
juriously affected by the heavy pert charges now levied. It
seem, fair enough that the shipping should contribute n suffi-
cient sum to defray the expense of lighting and buoying the
harbour, and providing a hospital for seamen, but very inex-
pedient that such a tax should be made a sourer of revenue.
Yet, it will he found, I think, that the beacon and ton-
nage duties, together with fees on entering and clearing,
produce three or four times as large a sum as is disbursed
for all the above named purposes. A liberal reduction on
this head would occasion a defalcation of thirty thousand

dollar, more.
Other valid claims will probably be urged, but I need
not here pass them in review. I wuuld fain, however,
direct your attention to the advantages winch would arise
from the withdrawal frum circulation of the debased guilder
currency, which might, I believe, be effected by an appro-
priation of some ten thousand dollars, spread over a con-
siderable period of time. More sweeping reductions than
are here contemplated should by no means be assented to,
bearing iu mind the fact, that the colony still continues en•
tenovely borrowing money fur immigration purposes, and
that next year one of the earliest of these loans will have
to be renewed, either wholly or in part.
I have to announce the confirmation of the ordinances
passed by you in special 74:5,1011 in February last, for the
purpose of sharing, to the extent of two hundred ana
fifty thousand pound., iu the guaranteed loan offered
by parliament. You will perceive from the Secretary et
State's despatch, which will be laid before you, that the
royal assent was given upon the faith of some slight often-
times being wade in one of those ordinances. I have availed
myself of the consequent permission to draw bills (or fifty
thousand pumas ou the Lords Commissioner* of her Ma-
jesty's Treasury, forty-live thousand pounds of which have !
already been paid, under the direction of the Court of Pe-
Hey, to the Demerara Railway Company, who had pre.
viously opened their line to Victoria, and thrown up the
earth work for a part of the distance between that village
and their terminus at klahaica.
It is probable that a further sum of 50,0001. of this par-
liamentary loan will require to be raised before the end of
the year, for immigration purposes more immediately to I
meet the expmees of the renewal of Coolie immigration, and'
to pay the bounty offered by a committee of the Court of
l'olicy to induce those Coolies who have already completed
their term of residence in the colony to remain longer. The
latter is a heavy and unforeseen item of expenditure, but it
nevertheless does not exceed what it would have cost to
provide to es bade to India, whilst the labourers whose
services are thus retained, being acclimatised and accus-
tomed to the work of sugar estates, are more valuable than
any two such immierants who could he introduced in their
stead. It is to be hoped that these expenses will prospec-
tively be much reduced by the ordinance passed by the
Court of l'olicy fur providing a fund towards the return
passage of Coolie immigrants out of their own earnings, but
it is not yet in my power to state that the objections of the
Honourable the -East India Company to such a measure
have been entirely overcome.
The whole subject of immigration will, I doubt not,
receive your deliberate attention, and I shall be happy to
lay before you all the information which it is in my power
to communicate. _ .

As it is prohibie that the greater part of the Paella-
mentai7 loan will nut by wanted for immigration fur several
years to come, whilst, in ease of necessity, money could be
raised for that purpose under the old immigration loan
ordinance, it is well worthy of consideration whether a
portion of the balance might not advantageously be made
applicable to drainage or other agricultural improvements.
Gentlemen Financial Representatives,
The estimate it now beture you. It differs little from the
last, save in some trilling reduction in the eroleshiastical
provision for the church of England, and in additions made
also sharing its progress through the Court of Policy, with
the view of calling your attention severally to the import-
ance of steam communication with the remoter portions of
the colony, to the expediency of upholding the inland posts
just established, to the necessity of placing a sum at the dis-
posal of the Central Board of Health, for sanitary precau-
tions against cholera, and to the desirableness of ',king as
accurate a census of the population during the present year
as may be found practicable.
All these objects, I need hardly say, have my hearty con-
currence. With regard to the non-provision of the curates'
salaries. I feel that I cannot express more forcibly than I
have tried to do on previous occasious, my view's OS to the
necessity of providing increased means of religious lie-trac-
tion for our population, and as to the impossibility
of many of our present parishes being adequately served,
owing to their great extent. The only difference in my
position is, that 1 then ventured to urge those points in the
face of a large deficiency of revenue—now I du so when we
ore about to dispose of a surplus. Yielding to none in my
desire to see the government of this colony economically
conducted, 1 still maintain this to be a question in which
economy should give place to considerations of far higher
import. It surely would be better to postpone fur a time
the renewal of steam navigation to Esacquebo, fur which
some twenty or thirty thousand dollars will have this year
to be appropriated, than that the worship of God should be
abandoned in temples long since consecrated to his praise,
for the sake of saving scarce a tenth of that amount. I con-
fidently trust that you will consider this matter in the light
in which I have thus placed it, especially after you have
read the despatches of the Secretary of State on the subject
of proper provision for the civilisation of such immigrant
labourers as may be introduced, and that you will make
that provision accord with the improved prospects of the
colony generally.
That these prospects are materially improved since w•
last met, I think few will be disposed to deny. The great
increase in the consumption of sugar in Europe, accompa-
nied by no commensurate increase of production in tropical
countnes, has not only cheered the much depressed planting
Interest with a gleam of returning prosperity, but seems
likely for some time at any rate to sustain prices at a remu- '
serative point, especially-if the slave trade be effectually
kept under, either by treaty or by force of arms.
I am far from meaning to infer that all the perils to which
property in this country has been exposed Dave been finally
surmounted.
Serious domestic diMeulties unquestionably surround us.
The constant seeessi.m of labourers from the cultivated
districts—the scarcity of labour caused thereby in many
parts—its uneertainty in all—the fearful drain on our re-
sources. oceasimied ley immigration, the remedy to which
reeetuee has necessarily been had—present evils of no com-
mis magnitude to be dealt with. Even as regards foreign
sompetition. it is impossible to ascertain what our position
will eventually be, so long as we continue to enjoy a rem-
nant of prot.ction.
But allowing for all this, it is nevertheless a great fact—
s fact no one here present would have deemed within the
limits of possibility., even whilst slaw labour was in exist-
ence—that estates in British Guiana have for the most part
been profitably conducted during the past year, with a dif-
ferential duty of less than five shillings a hundred weight
in favour of Colonial sager over that of Cuba and Brasil.
Damien frem without ead from within may mall remain
' to be encountered, bat we have, at Meet, seised
time to enable tie to away them eal.ly 1 end whatte=l