The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-03 00:00:00

WEST LNDIA, MEXICAN, AND .PACIFIC
MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, MAY 2.
By the arrival of the Royal Mail Company's
steam-ship Atrato, Capt. Wool!cy, with the West
India, Mexican, and Pacific mails, in charge of
Lieut. J. Kempe, R.N., Admiralty agent, we have
lates from

Vera Cruz April 4
l'ampieo — 2
flavaunah - 9
Puerto Cabello — 9
3anta Martha ......March 23
Greytown April 5
Carthagena — 10
Chagres (Colon)
.Jamaica — 10

Tobago .
Trinidad
Barbadoe4
Grenada
St. Vincont's
St. Lucia,
Martinique
Guatialoupe ......
Dominica

...April 10
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- i 5

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12
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Jacmel — 12 Antigua
Porto Rico — 13 Montserrat
Berbice
Demerara
Tortola
On freight the Atrato has the following specie :
—From Tampico, 121,492 do!s; Vera Cruz, 173,091
.lots.; on account of the Mexican dividends, 59,000
dols. ; Gulf of Mexico, 294,583 d.ls. ; from the
Pacific ports, 313,511 dols, of which 27,854 dols.
is in gold and the remainder in silver ; from Cali-
fornia., 191,802 dols. ; Panam, 32,815 dols., Car-
thagena, 38,295 dols.; Jamaica, 7,600 dols. ; Ha-
vannah, 4,292 dols. ; and from other parts of the
West Indies, 7,000 dols., making a total of 890,898
dole., or say 176,0001. sterling, of which sum
279,338 dols. are in gold, and 621,560 dots. in
silver. There are also watches. valued at 2,100
dols. ; plata pina, valued at 3,4871. sterling, and
pearls amoubting to 1,9201. The cargo consists of
174 serous of cochineal, 104 ditto of quina, 22 ditto
of jalap, 108 cases of cigars, 3 bales of tobacco, 9
bales of sarsaparilla, 41. casks of merchandise, 13
live turtles, and 110 packages of merchandise.
Daring the homeward voyage this steamer had
fine weather and light winds up to the 26th of
April; subsequently strong S.E. winds and rain.
On the 30th ult. she passed and exchanged calours
with the following English vessels :—A barque,
from Jamaica, name unknown ; the ships Ann and
Penman Castle ; the barques Lady of the Lake,
John Rullett, and Spartan, and No. 99 transport,
P2ll steering for the Channel. May 1, passed the
brig Brooking, steering westward ; on the 2d inst.
passed the barque Antarctic, off Portland, home-
ward bound ; also passed a large number of sail-
ing-vessels bound for England.
While the Atrato was lying at St. Thomas's one
of the quartermasters accidentally fell overboard
and was drowned. A subscription for his widow
was entered into by the officers and passengers, and
431. were collected. The child of a passenger also
died during the homeward voyage.
The Panama Railway continued in good working
condition, and trains run daily from the Atlantic to
the Pacific in less than 3 hours. The goods traffic
was increasing very much.
From Jamaica we have intelligence to the 16th
ult. The Legislature was in session at the time
our despatches left, but would be prorogued that
day. A correspondent's letter says
" It appears that the Governor would have prorogued it
before, and was only waiting to hear the result of the loan
by the last picket. The present form of Government does
not appear to answer the purposes intended, and it is not
likely to give much satisfaction. Mr. Westmoreland has
resigned his post as Financial Minister, and his successor
has not yet been appointed."
There was a rumour at Jamaica of an insurrec-
tion at St. Domingo, and the authorities of that
place deapatched. a French war steamer to King-
ston, for the purpose of requesting the commodore
to send a vessel k.f war to protect British interests.
In consequence, her Majesty's ship Termagant
sailed on the morning of the 9th ult. for St. Domingo,
with the commodore on board. The island of
Jamaica was healthy and quiet. The crops were all
got in without damage, and had produced
an average yield. In the markets business
continued very quiet, with only a moderate
demand for fish and breadstuff's. Importa-
tions continued much in excess of consump-
tion. The stock of butter was very large, and
American was quite unsaleable. Sales in Irish were
tufted, at is. 2d. per pound. The quantity of corn

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on hand was not large ; Saville was quoted a
4s. Gd. per bushel, and American 10s. per bag.
Logwood was worth 40s. per ton. Sugar ranged
from 12s. to 16s. according to quality, and fine was
rather scarce. In freights, tonnage was quite ample
for the existing wants.
At St. Lucia a despatch from the Governor-in-
Chief, enclosing a proposal from the chairman of a
committee of the House of Assembly in Canada,
had been received by the Legislature, respecting
the removal of fiscal regulations on the productions
of the British American colonies, and, in the event
of the propssal being entertained, a reciprocal enact-
ment would be made, in order that the productions
of that island should be received free of duty in
Canada. The Council expressed its approbation of
the scheme, but nothing definitively was decided on
the subject. The carrying out of the proposal
would, it was believed, conduce materially to the
benefit of the island, especially if it extended to the
whole of the North American colonies. The sum
of 1,0001. was voted as a guarantee for the expenses
incurred in drilling militiamen, repairing and clean-
ing their muskets, and for the importation of their
clothing. The island was healthy. The barques
Gilbert Munro and Castries and the brigantine Ex-
press had left St. Lucia with produce for London
and Liverpool.
At Grenada much rain had fallen in many places,
doing damage to the crops. The country was in a
very deplorable condition ; a large number of
estates were being offered for sale, and emigration
was perpetually talked of. A measure had been
brought before the Legislature for the purpose of
establishing a free trade between Canada and the
West Indies. The barque Electra left for London
on the 31st of March.
At British Guiana trade continued dull, and
although a favourable change had taken place •in
the weather, little effect had been produced on the
commercial state of the island. The windward por-
tion of the corony continued to suffer from the en-
croachments of the sea. The Court of Policy was
not in session. Under the care of the proper autho-
rities some important bills were in progress. The
town council had advertised for a borough engi-
neer, offering a salary of $2,400 per annum. The
' Triumph plantation had been sold for $18,500.
From Barbadoes there is little news of interest.
A large and influential meeting of gentlemen con
nected with the agricultural interest of the island
had been held, for the purpose of taking into con-
sideratien the question of reducing the rate of
freights to the home markets. After considerable
discussion, it was resolved--
"That a committee be appointed for the purpose of
bringing before the commercial houses interested in the
shipment of produce from the island the equity of reduc-
ing the rate of freights to 3s. per cwt., and, in the events of
the failure, the committee be authorised to frame a memo-
rial to the absent proprietary body in England, soliciting
their co-operation in the question."
.The House of Assembly stood adjourned to the
17th of April.
At Demerara the crops wero looking -well, and
the yield it was expected would be very good.
At Trinidad a great improvement had taken place
in the weather, and the planters were busily en-
gaged with the crops. There was every probability
of the yield being quite an average one.
Mexico continued in avcryunsettled state. Santa
Anna nact jert the capital fur tho south at the head
of his troops, and had encountered and defeated the
force under Alvarez. The inhabitants complained
much of the conduct of the military.
At Havannah excitement still continued, and
the island was actively guarded by tire Spanish men
of war, which had mustered in great force. Another
of the conspirators, named Estrampez, was garotted
a few days before the departure of the steamer.
Two others who had been sentenced to banishment
from the island were retained for further examina-
tion, it having been ascertained that there was
oiler evidence of a more serious nature to be
brought against them.
Intelligence from St. Thomas's states that the
island had been suffering from drought for many
months past. The whale of the country presented
a parched appearance, and everything resembling
vegetation had disappeared.
The brig Sarah, 188 tons burden, had been
totally destroyed by fire in Carlisle Bay, Jamaica.
She was taking in produce.for Liverpool, and had
on board 200 hogsheads of sugar and 130 puncheons
of rum. The crew were saved. The origin of the
fire had not been ascertained.
The Tay, which left Southampton on the sth
ult. with the West India and Mexican mails, had
not arrived at St. Thomas's when the Atrato left.
This may partially be accounted for by the deten-
ticn which was occasioned owing to a slight defect
taking place in her machinery, which compelled her
to put back after her departure on the 2d ult.

DOVER HARBOUR OF REFII4E. —Among the sums
voted for harbours of refuge for the year 1855-6, we find
that 34,0001. has been voted for the continuation of the
magnificent works now in the course of construction at
Dover. The subsequent vote required to complete the
work will be 278,0001. It is stated that the works here
have been delayed in consequence of the chalk founda-
tion at the site of the present works not proving so good
as is the portion nearer the shore.—Daver Chronicle.
This work appears to progress at the same draAling
pace as the Plymouth Break water works. Like Rams-
gate Harbour, it seems to be understood between engi-
neers and contractors, that it is never to be finished.
Morning Advertiser. [Why not run out a breakwater
at the north-Eahtern promontory of the bay, in a S.S.W.
direction, and E3O prOted vessels from N.E., easterly,
and south Winds? This would make a complete Harbour
1 of Refuge.--EA, 4144.]