The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-20 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAIL.

_
The Orinoco, steam-ship, Lieut. Hai t, R.N.,
arrived yesterday morning at nine o'clock. It is
to be much regretted that since leaving St. 'Thomas's
the yellow fever has prevailed to an alarming
extent on board, no less than 41 cases having
occurred, of which 10 have proved fatal. Of these
two were passengers, and eight of the crew.
The last death occurred only four days since—
namely, on the 16th. The whole were, of course,
buried at sea.
The following deaths are also reported of the
same disease :—Mr. lanson, purser ; Mr. Vincent,
and Mr. Dudman, all of whom were officers of the
company, and attached to inter-colonial ships.
Mr. Vincent was son of Captain Vincent, com-
mander of the Severn, and the only surviving
officer of the Amazon steam-ship, destroyed
by fire in the Bay of Biscay in January last. Mr.
lanson (son of Mr. lanson, ship-broker, of South-
ampton) received his appointment as purser but a
few months since, and left his native place in the
enjoyment of excellent health and spirits. lie was
a young gentleman much and deservedly residected,
and has left a widow and small family to deplore
his early loss.
Immediately it was ascertained by the Customs
authorities that the yellow fever had been making
such ravages, the vessel was put into quarantine,
and remains at this moment in the river under the
surveillance of the Customs officers. No personal
communication whatever is allowed.
A telegraphic message has been forwarded. to Sir
Wm. Pym, chief officer of health in the quaran-
tine department, but no answer has yet been re-
ceived from that gentleman. No steps will be
taken, however, as to the release of the passengers,
until instructions have been received from Sir
William. It is supposed that as the last death
occurred so recently as the 16th, the vessel, pas-
sengers, and cargo will be put under the restrictions
of the quarantine laws.
The names of the crew who died on board the
Orinoco are :—John Gorley, fireman ; Thomas
Stevens, waiter ; Henry Savage, yeoman of closets ;
John Weston landsman • David Day, waiter ;
Henry Isles, fireman; John. Fryer, waiter ; William
Williams, fireman. The names of the passengers
have not transpired.
Four of the crew of the Orinoco were left at-the
Jamaica Hospital, ill of fever—viz., William Short,
1 fireman ; William Dally, fireman ; Joseph Dennett,
fireman ; Charles Biddle Combe, trimmer.
The Orinoco left St. Thomas's on the 3d instant.
She brings 1,273,722 dollars in gold and silver, 268
serons of cochineal, 193 bales of sarsaparilla, (ire. ,
There are 42 passengers in the aggregate, and 13
distressed British subjects.
The mails have since been landed, and our papers
haw come to hand.
The cholera at Nassau had nearly disappeared,
though in other parts of the Bahamas it was raging
to a considerable extent.
At St. Thomas's and the Leeward Islands the
yellow fever was making sad havoc.
Several of the officers and crew of the Esk had
Leen attacked with yellow fever, soon after leaving
St. Thomas.
The mortality at Barbadoes, both among the
natives and Europeans, had been very great.
Assistant Commissary Neil and the whole of his
family, numbering six persons, had fallen victims
to the disease:
Two or three cases of sporadic cholera had occur-
red at Jamaica ; the small-pox was disappearing.
Sir Charles Grey, it is said, is to leave Jamaica,
and that Lord Howard do Walden or Lord Wham-
cliffe would be his successor.
A severe shock of earthquake was felt at Jamaica
on the 26th ult., but did no damage.
Trade was dull in every department. The pro-
duce market was quiet. Rum and sugar maintain
last quotations.
The heavy rains in St. Elizabeth and Manchester
parishes have been most destructive to the coffee
crop.
A youth, one of the passengers of the Orinoco,
died, last evening at six o'clock.