The Express.
London, England, 1851-10-09 00:00:00

TO TUE ILEFORNIERS OF BRITISH OVIA.NA.
. _

The Reform Committee consider it desirable very briefly
to address the reformers of British Guiana on the subject
of the changes in our political institutions recently proposed
by his Excellency the governor. The division on the first
amendment on Mr. Bean's resolution on the Gth of June,
made it clearly evident that the legislature, constituted and
composed as it now is, will not affirm the principles of those
comprehensive changes which the reformers advocate;
therefore the question fur present consideration is as to the
course to be pursued, in order to derive the greatest amount
of practical benefit from the measures for the modification
of our existing institutions, which, in consequence of that
resolution, have been laid before the Court of Policy ; and
the course whi.:l the committee would recommend they
now proceed to define:

1. The first thing to be urged on the Court of Policy is
the immediate introduction of a bill for effecting the changes
relating to that court. It seems a needle's waste of time

for the court to frame here a draft of royal instructions
for such changes as they may consider advisable ; for that
draft to be transmitted for the approval of the Queen, or
rather of the Secretary (or the Colonies; and when ap-
proved
and duly signed and sealed, to bo returned to the
colony, and then to form the groundwork of a bill fur mak-
ing its provisions law; while on the other hand, if by pos-
sibility his Excellency should intend to assume that the
crown has the right, by. instructions, legislatively to enact
changes in our political institutions, such an attempt should
be withstood by every means within the scope of constitu-
tional resistance. The concession of all that the reformers
demand would be dearly purchased by the admission of
such a clsim, involving, as such admis-ion would involve, a
sacrifice of principle, and the acknowledgment of a corre-
sponding future right of revocation. It would beta disgrace
to accept a charter, however liberal in its prosisions, to be
held on the precarious tenure which must be the result
of any such terms as arc included in an assumption like
this.
2. Every effort should be made to prevail on the governor
to give up his scat in the Court of Policy, and in the Com-
bined
Court, and the addition of another member to the
elective section of the Court of Policy, making that section ,
to consist of seven, instead of five, as at present, or six, as '
proposed, should be strenuously urged.
3. The committee would further suggest, by way of addi-
tion to the changes mentioned in the Instructions, that, in
actor lame with the precedents to be deduced from those
representative institutions which the reformers desire to sec
established, there should be a general election of the elec-
tive members of the Court of Policy every three years, and
it should be clearly defined that the right of adjournment
both of the Court of Policy and the Combined Court is in
future to rein with these courts respectively, and net to de-
pend on the individual will of the governor.
4. As regards the Colleges of Electors and Financial Re-
presentatives, the committee will merely suggest certain
altera.ions which they conceive may be advantageously
made in the bill which has been introduced, for the purpose
of remodelling these bodies.
5. Instead of the provision that each member shall hold
his seat for three years, a general election should take place
every three years.
6. As to the qualification of voters, changes should be
made, so as to admit feeeholders in the country districts to
qualify ou a fixed value (without reference to cultivation or
rental) as in the towns; to entitle leaseholders to register,
without depositing as of record, or recording their leases ;
and to establish a household qualification with such a value
as to rent, and such conditions as to length of residence, as
may be reasonable by ceinpurison with the leasehold quali-
fication ; and the committee are also of opinion that the
amount of value required to give a freehold qualification in
the towns should be lowesed. It should be established,
too, beyond a doubt, that persons qualifying, either as
members or electors for either college in respect of immove-
able prone? ty, in which they havecither a freehold or lease-
I hold interest, may so qualify in respect of any number of
houses or lots of land, or of both, the aggregate amount of
' cultivation or value of which comes up to the prescribed
standord ; and members should be allowed to qualify simply
I from income, without restriction ss to the source from
which it may be derived.
7. The provision by which it is proposed that the mem-
bers of the College of Electors shall be permitted to vote by
proxy is objectionable in point of principle, and must
necessarily not only came mistrust among their constitu-
ents as to the exercise of due judgment, deliberation, and
discussion in their returns to the Court of Policy, but can-
not otherwise than lead either to an utter want of such well-
founded concert of opinion as is desirable in such a body, or
to a still more objectionable monopoly of votes on the part
of members of the college resident in town—to say nothing
of other very probable evil results. It is, in short, so
utterly indefensible that it seems unnecessary to offer any
lengthened arguments against it: the government can
scarcely press it.
8. Tho oaths now required to be taken by the mem-
bers of the college it is proposed to perpetuate be this
bill; and, though the question may not be of much nu-
portance, it will still perhaps ho ;is well that an effort
should be made to do away with the necessity of taking
any oath except that relating to the qualification. The
others are not only unnecessary, but altogether nugatory ;
and it is desirable to avoid all solemn asseverations of the
kind which can reasonably be dispensed with.
9. Nu permission to resign a scat should be required ;
and provision can easily be made against any detrimental
delay of the public business, by resignations at iucuuvenient
times.

10. A, reganls the right claimed by the F.VCIIIOr of dis-
solving the colleges, no one of the three bodies, the Elective
Section of the Court of Policy, the College of Finmeial
Representatives, and the College of Elector,. should, at any
time, be dissolved without the simultaneous dissolution of
the other two.

The Reform Committee have thus given an outline of
the various matters which they conceive that the re-
formers should bring under the consideration of the Court
of Policy, with the view of placing on their right founda-
tion, and of improving, as tar as possible, the measures
Ito which the notice of that court has been drawn by the
government. A petition embodying these suggestions will
be prepared for presentation at the next meeting of the
court on the '22nd inst. The committiv, in no spirit of
dictation, but with the freedom and earnestness which
common interests and a common cause engender and sanc-
tion, call upon all reformers throughout the colony, each in
his sphere, however limited or humble, to join iu, and by
obtaining signatures to the petition, to promote the present
effort to derive the greatest amount of practical good from
the changes whirls are now proposed by the government,
and which arc the fruit, not mature, it it true, but still not
unpromising, of the past labours of the rethrm party.—
CHARLYM CONYEIf`,, Chairman of the Committee of the
British Guiana Reform Asiociuticni.—Committee Rooms,
September 3, 1851.

LATEST FOREIGN EXCHANGES.

ERUPTION OF THE VOLCANO OF MOI

PELEE IN MARTINIQUE.

1 The following are some particulars of the eruption
which took place in the volcanic mountains at Martinique
on the Sin and Gth of August. Several exploring parties
had visited the mountain cauldrons, which continue to be
still the object of general attraction at Martinique.
The following observations are by a correspondent of
Les Antilles, who had visited the PcMc Mountain Mune&
ately after the eruption:
" The PeMe Mountains—that primitive laboratory of
those geological substances which have contributed at dif.
1 ferent periods to the formation of the soil in the norther*
1 part of Martinique—still leaves perceptible several mouths,
or craters, through which those substances are thrown up
i from the bowels of the earth. Of these openings, the
principal one, commonly designated the Dry Lake, is
I situated on the summit of the mountain. It is large and
deep, and of a circular form, opening towards the west.
No other marks indicate here the presence of the volcano,
now for ages extinct; although, at the side of the moun-
tain, about two thousand yards to the north, there has
always existed a Soufriere, wills its bubbling spring of hot
water, and where the purest sulphur is gathered on the
ground. This is a remaining evidence of the volcano's
past activity, and shows the reserve it mule, as it were, of
its powers, albeit many persons considered it to be no more
than an extinguished volcano. Here it is that the teat
signs of its resurrection have been manifested. Foe a
month before, a strong scent of sulphur had been felt to
proceed from that direction, to a considerable distance, a
new basin having in the meantime formed, and the de.
ments of sulphur or sulphurous mud observed to have in.
creased. It was evident from these signs that some new
subterraneous operation was going on, conneetcd perhaps
with the unknown cause of the shocks of earthquake
which have been for several years multiplying in these
parts, and agitating more especially. the volcanic chain
of the Antilles. At length, on the nth and 6th of the
present month, that locality gave sudden birth to se.
veral eruptions. You know the deplorable effects they
have produced, not in any material disasters, hut
in the alarm they have thrown over the inhebitasits of
the neighbourhood. At a quarter of an hour after mid.
night, on the .sth, a tremendous detonation took place. It
was variously compared by different persons, according to
the greater or less distance at which they heard it ; some
likened it to the sound of the quick um:nem:eta of a leas,
body of cavalry, some to the rushing descent of au overflow.
ing river, and others to the roar of an immense steam en.
gine. In an instant all the dwellings in the neighbourhood
were abandoned, every one fled precipitately, carrying
away his valuables. A very strong smell of sulphur was at
the same time felt as far as the town CSt. Pierre) ; and, at
daylight, three immense sheaves of white vapour were Kell
on the mountain rising slowly and majestically in the air.
" Several persons wishing to obtain a closer view of
the phenomenon, started from town in the course of the
morning, on horseback, and proceeded as far as the
estate of M. Refits, a respectable planter and member
of the municipality, where they held counsel together as
to the best mode of arriving at the nearest pos-
sible point to the volcano in action. We experieneeel a pe.
remptory refusal on the part of the labourers whom we had
requested to show the way to the mountain, they declaring
the enterprise to be imposeible, or at le ust fraught with
Peril. They proposed, however, to conduct us to the river
side, where they said we might, at a safe distance, fully en-
joy the spectacle, or take a sketch of it, as an officer of the
gendarmerie, the first who arrived on the spot, had done.
A thick mist which hung over the mountain, preventing us
from seeing anything clearly, we were stimulated by natural
curiosity to advance a step further sir the study of a phew-
mown toward, which the whole attentiou of the population
hail been drawn. Oneof the labearers, seeing our deter-
mination, generously said at last, . Well then I shall con-
duct you.' We had no difficulty in bringing him to under-
stand that our intention was in uo wise to throw ourselves
into the jaws of the volcano, but wily to approach it up to
the nearest point at which its mephitic exhalations might
he borne. We were thus enabled to proceed on our adven-
turous excursion. Our guides, it is said, lotions entering on
the hazardous expedition, devotionally counted their heads,
thus confirming the excellent reputation fur civilisation and
piety borne by the labouring cLies ~f the above-nanualeetate.
" Oar course lay up-hill, and we hail to lv.afin by clam-
bering up an acclivity which hail been newly cleared of
hushes. The soil, saturated by the deluging rains we have
lately had, slipped trader our every step, and we were only
able to keep our legs by the aid of our sturdy walking.
sticks, the indispeneible companion of all who travel iu the
mountains. This first trial proved too much for one of our
party, who lost patience and prom:eclat no further. Wo
soon got into the woods. To persona acquainted with tho
virgin forests of our country, it will be easy to understand
what difficulties have to be encountered by those that are
bold enough to venture into theta. it passage had to bo
cut along by the cutlasses of our guides, and our principal
businms was to look out for suitable foot-ground. At times
the ascent had to be pursued in a direction almost perpen-
dicular ; at other times we had to travel the some hill hori-
zontally, a course which is far from being the less danger-
ous, for every step is eminently liuble to a stumble, and
Heaven knows to what a dreadful depth one ouch false step
would inevitably lead. All these difficulties were, however,
predominated by the salutary dread of the serpent —a feel-
lug which never departs from the Martiniquau in his
country. As the distance from the voleuno di-
minished, its roar assumed the greater intensity—at times
rising instantaneously, as we mounted any of the numerous
1 ridge, we had to pass over. The fatigue, though great,
was comparatively unfelt in our ardour to attain the desired
end. At length, alter an hour and 41 half of active oxer.
else, what was our astonishment to Mud ourselves arrived at
the very seat of the awful object, without being burnt, or
knocked down by stones, and without the stoppage of respi-
ration. Other pens more practised than mine must describe
such a scene. For my part, I shall confine myself to as
quaiuting you with the impressiois it made upon me; it
was Is feeling neither of astouiehment, of auunration, nor of
fright, but a veritable impression of sadness, analogous to
that which is produced on the mind by disasters occasioned
by nature or the hand of man, such MA the results of a vio-
lent earthquake, the sight of an edifice burnt to ashes, or •
hurricane or whirlwind.

," In this desolate spot lay the patent evidences of the re-
volution which the mound had undergone ten hours before.
The place was everywhere covered with a sort of grey
liquid loam of an offensive smell, which also laid
its wash upon the trunks, branches, and foliage of the cit.
cumjacent vegetation, even to the must lofty trees, which,
thus plastered up, seemed to bend down eh...lea:telly towards
the side opposite the line of the volcanic openings. lire,
the sulphurous odour rose with very great intensity, like
the strong smell of burnt gunpowder. it is siugular the
' animals of the forest had nut entirely abanelumel this spot
of desolation. At a very short distance we could hear the
melodious notes of the bird called " sittleur de montagnes "
(the mountain whistler), arid on the very edge of the
volcanic mouth we saw a living grasshopper.
" The order of disposition of the se volcanic or (unions
issues is remarkable. They are arranged to the number of
seven or eight, in a right line, of which, unfortunately, we
were unable to ascertain the orientation, being unprovided
with a compass, and unable to see the sun. 'I hey lie
in a narrow passage or circular gully. The first mouth
which offers itself to the view, is the smallest of
the number, and the one more easily observes'. It is like
large cauldron, wherein is seen in active ebullition a dark
matter of the consistency of molasses. Wu tried to aster-
taM its temperature by memos of a small thermometer, but
which got broken, and produced no result; yet it nary he
assumed, although the substance in ebullition contained
sulphur, that its temperature exceeded that of boiling
water. One of the party attempted to try it with his flai-
-1 ger, but nu sooner had he dipped it in than he very quickly
drew it out again. A bottle which had contained excellent
cognac, was tilled with this liquor, to lie submitted to che-
mical analysis. We await the decision of science, as to
I what proportions it contains of vegetable earth, water, sill.-
' cate of alumina, of potass, or of lime emetic pas, or sul-
phuric, chlurohydric and carbonic acid, de. On arriving
at the place we remarked that the articles of silver we had
about us were tarnished (irises), sad those of iron were
completely oz 3 dated.
' the other intermediate openings were from four to five
I feet in diameter. The last that we were able to examine is
the most important. We found it impossible to ascertain
its length, owing to the steam and gas which escaped
copiously from it, with a hiss and roar as from a steam
engine. Its width may be from Id to 18 feet. I think,
although its depth has not been found, that it may he of
WOW 30 feet. fhe large trunk of a tree, which had fallen
into it on being deprived of its bed of soil by the force of
the eruption, was still to be seen in it ; and wo also saw a
cluster of branches which did not appear to have yet car-
bonised. During the five or six minutes that I remained
contemplating this boiling whirlpool, endeavouring to make
out its depth, I observed what I should say wi re two
waves of gravel pushed from below, but diagonally, and
striking with violence against the left side or wall, then
falling in again. If the motive power in this instance
had hem greater, and the action had proceeded
directly upwards, we might have had an eruption
of more ructions, but an explorator the less.
Favoured as was our enterprise by the direction of the
wind, which blew the steam away from us as fast as it
gathered, we coald not think of quitting the spot before wo
had exhausted every effort to ascertain the Inuits of the
great opening. To this effect we clambered up to ono of its
sides which was still covered over with the nasty mud of
which I have spoken, holding on by the drooping plants
which overhung the chasm. All we could observe was, that
we now stood on a narrow cape, with the steep side of the
gulf to the left, and a sleep and perpendicular precipice to
the right, the ltivikm Claire running below it into the
Riviere Blanche. To this circumstance must be attributed
the muddiness observed in the water of this river, the
colour of which corresponds with the muddy productions of
the volcano.

' After this it only remained for us to go to the Soufriere,
properly so called, where we should have discovered the
origin of the two other larae sheaves of smoke seen from
the town. The group which I have described forms perhaps
hut a portion of the nearest sheaf. But it was absolutely
impossible to advance one step further, the line of the
l eruptions being, as stated by our guide, placed exactly on
the way to the Soufriere ; and, from a distance, it was im-
possible to make out anything. We were therefore obliged
; to beat a retreat, and return to our head-quarters at tho
estate of M. Ruffin, where, in the absence of tho proprietor,
' his representative, Mr. Come Medici, already favourably
known to his fellow citizens as having at the last award
I gained one of the prizes for industry and good manage-
ment, showed us the most liberal hospitality.
" The mist having somewhat dissipated, wo were now
enabled to review the general aspect of the surrounding
country. All the trees of the forest were to a great dis-
tance covered with the ashes of bluish grey cast up at the
outset of the eruption, and which had lallen even on the
houses in town, in some measure resembling the rime or
hoar frost of temp:rate climates, but rather dull and scanty."