The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-09 00:00:00

" Not a fiction.

PENNY POSTAGE.--A public meeting was held
at the Tolsey, Gloucester, on Thursday, convened by the
Mayor, in pursuance of a requisition, signed by thirty of
the merchants and traders of the port of Gloucester, to
take into consideration the proposed reduction of postage,
as recommended by the Committee of the House of Com-
mons, and to petition Parliament on the subject. The
Meeting was numerously and respectably attended, and
petitions to both Houses of Parliament were carried una-
nimously. The inhabitants of Ross, Herefordshire, have
also forwarded petitions to both Houses of Parliament in
support of an uniform penny postage. Petitions to the
same effect are now in the course of signature in Hereford.
The inhabitants of South Wales should be on the move, as
no proposition, in our humble opinion, was ever better sus.
tained by reason and sound policy.—Cambrian,
When the police arrived in Mansfield, and the
Tories believed that they had been sent by Lord John
Russell entirely on his own account, loud were they in
their denunciations ; but the moment it was found that
the Duke of Newcastle and some Tory Magistrates had
their fingers in the pie, why it was quite necessary to have
the force I And, now it is a matter of doubt as to who will
turn out to be in the blame for causing the unconstitutional
step, and the heavy expense, they are expediently silent
and stillll--Derbyshire Chronicle.
PENNY POSTAGE.—On Friday, the Town
Council of Devonport unanimously agreed to a Petition
to both Houses of Parliament, in favour of Mr. Rowland
Hill's plan of a general Penny Postage. The petition
will be presented to the House of Lords by Lord Ash-
burton, and to the Commons by Sir E. Codrington,
MURDER BY A HUSBAND.—An inquest has
been held at Poorstoek, on the body of Mary Hounsel, who
died from the effects of mineral poison. The inquiry com-
menced on the 28th of February, and was continued by ad-
journment until Monday week, when the jury came to a
unanimous verdict of Wilful Murder against John Hounsel,
the husband of the deceased, who was committed to gaol
upon the Coroner's warrant for that offence. The contents
of the stomach have been analysed by Mr. Herapath, the
chemist, who discovered the presence of arsenous acid,
from the effects of which she died.—Bath Gazette.
On Friday Mr. O'Connell had a meeting with
the Deputies from the different trades in Dublin on the
subject of combination ; when he informed them that he
was strongly opposed to any further legislation for restrict-
ing combination, and he believed the Government had not
the remotest idea of legislating on the subject.
There is now living in the Bel:on poorhouse a
man, named Jacob Adcock, who on Tuesday last completed
his 101st year, and is in perfect health.—Derby Mercury,

BRITISH FORCE.

VERA CRUZ AND WEST INDIA STATION.

A Return of the Amount of British Force present
in the Bay of Vera Cruz at the time of the taking of
the Castle of St. Juan d'Ulloa, by the French Squadron
under Admiral Baudin, and at the taking of Vera Cruz
by the same Squadron ; also, copies of any Memorials
on the same subject addressed to the Lords of the Ad-
miralty ; also, a Return of the number of Disposable
Ships and Vessels under the orders of Commodore
Douglas, actually present within the Jamaica part of the
West India Station, at different periods between May
and December, 1838.

H. F. AMEDROZ, Chief Clerk,
Admiralty, 22d March, 1839.

No. I.—A Return of the amount of British Force
present in the Bay of Vera Cruz at the taking of the
Castle of St. Juan d'Ulloa and of Vera Cruz.
At the Castle of St. Juan d'Ulloa, the Satellite sloop
and Express packet ; at Vera Cruz, the Express packet.

No. 2.—A Return of the Number of disposable Ships
and Vessels under the Orders of Commodore Douglas,
actually present within the Jamaica part of the West
India Station, at different periods between May and
December, 1838.

On the Ist June, 8 sloops and 3 schooners ; on the
2d July, 8 sloops and 1 schooner ; on the 14th August,
8 sloops, 1 steam vessel, and 1 schooner ; on the 10th
September, 7 Floops, 1 steam vessel, and 1 schooner ;
on the 28th September, 1 frigate, 7 sloops, 1 steam
vessel, and 1 schooner ; on the 13th October, 1 frigate,
7 sloops, 1 steam vessel, and 1 schooner ; on the Ist
November, 1 frigate, 8 sloops, 1 steam vessel, and
2 schooners ; On the 3d December, 1 frigate, 7 sloops,
1 steam vessel, and 2 schooners.

No. 2.—Copies of any Memorials addressed to the
Lords of the Admiralty.
Liverpool, 28th July 1838.
MY LORDS,—Being deeply interested in the trade
to Mexico, we beg respectfully to call your Lordship's
attention to the unprotected state of the British trade
to the ports in the Gulf of Mexico, which your Lord-
ships are aware have been blockaded by a French
squadron since the 16th of April last ; and up to the
latest dates, from Vera Cruz of May, and Tampico of
the 16th of June, we do not hear of any of her Ma-
jesty's ships or vessels of war being off, or in, any of
these ports, to protect British interests. We beg to
acquaint your Lordships, that besides the Mary
( Wheelwright), which returned to the Thames some
weeks ago, with a valuable cargo shipped in London in
February last, that the Laurina, Captain Kirk, with a
cargo of British manufactured goods, to the value of
50,000/., returned to this port a few days ago, having
been warned off by the French squadron. Captain
Kirk could not touch at Vera Cruz to have an interview
with his consigners, but only through the favour of the
Commander of an American vessel of war, who kindly
lent his boat for that purpose, otherwise he could not
have had any commurication with the shore.
Several other vessels which have sailed from British
ports, from March and May inclusive, with valuable
cargoes of British manufactures (without any know-
ledge of this blockade) may shortly be expected to re-
turn to this country, or have to land their cargoes at
some neutral port, to the great loss of the shipowners
and merchants interested. May we beg to hope that
this state of matters (if it has not already) will receive
the immediate attention of your Lordships, and that
the Admiral on the West india station has been, or will
be, instructed to send a force sufficient, to remain off
Vera Cruz and other Mexican ports, to protect the
trade.

We have further to call your Lordships' attention to
the report, that her Majesty's packets will no longer be
allowed by the French squadron to carry home any
specie or bullion on merchants' account. We cannot
believe that such an indignity, to call the right into
question, can be for a moment submitted to by any of
her Majesty's ships commanded by commissioned naval
officers ; if so, we may next hear of the French officers
opening the letters on board of the packets, and ab-
stracting bills of exchange ; unless, therefore, we are
protected from this grievance, the merchants and min-
ing companies will be compelled to send their specie
and bullion in American ships of war to the United
States, thus experiencing protection, denied or with-
held by our own Government. May we, however, yet,
hope to be assured by your Lordships that the British
trade to Mexico will receive due and immediate protec-
tion from your Lordships.—We are, Scc.
(Signed) JOHN and GEORGE CAMPBELL and CO.
To the Right Hon. the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, London.

Admiralty, August 1, 1838.
GENTLEMEN,—Having laid before my Lords Corn-
mi.sioners of the Admiralty your letter of the 28th
ultimo, drawing their Lordships' attention to the un-
protected state of the British trade at the ports in the
Gulf of Mexico, I am commanded by my Lords to ac-
quaint you, that they do not understand, either from
your letter, or from any other source, that there has
been any want of protection to the British trade in
Mexico, as it is impossible for her Majesty's Govern-
ment to interfere with the blockade legally established
by the French.

With regard to carrying treasure in her Majesty's
packets, belonging to private parties, into or out of
Mexico, it would clearly be an infraction of the block
ade ; and, therefore, any attempt to do so has been for-
bidden by their Lordships.

_
I am, sze.
(Signed) CHARLES WOOD,
Messrs J. and G. Campbell and Co.
Liverpool.

Liverpool, July 31, 1838.
MY LORDS,—I take the liberty of addressing your
Lordships on behalf of the Mexican and South Ameri-
can Association of this Port.

By advices from Tampico to the 16th of June, we
learn that the United States sloop of war Ontario was
on the Mexican coast, and that the French blockading
squadron had interposed no objection to her shipping
specie for the States on account of American citizens.
According to the regulation lately promulgated by
Lord Palmerston in the House of Commons, British
merchants at Mexico will not be allowed (as we first
supposed) to ship specie to this country by the packets ;
it of course becomes of immense importance that we
should, if possible, obtain this privilege by the interven-
tion of a ship of war ; there being no doubt, we appre-
hend, that we are at least entitled to be put upon the
same footing as the Americans in this respect.
This Association, therefore, are induced very respectful-
ly and earnestly to request, that your Lordships will be
pleased to detach a ship of war from the West Indian
station to the Mexican coast for the general protection
of British interests there, and with particular instruc-
tions to aid, as far as may be practicable and proper, in
receiving shipments of specie on merchants' account,
which, if your Lordships think proper, might be conve•
niently transhipped into the packet at Havannah for
conveyance to this country. I have, &c.

(Signed)
To the Right Hon.
The Lords of the Admiralty.

W. WATSON,
Chairman

Admiralty, August 1, 1838.
SIR--Having laid before my Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty your letter of the 31st of last month,
wherein you state " that the United States sloop of
war Ontario was on the Mexican coast on the IGth of
June, and that the French blockading squadron had
interposed no objection to her shipping specie for the
States on account of American citizens,"
I am commanded by their Lordships to acquaint you,
that my Lords have no knowledge of this transaction,
though they believe it cannot be true, as it is contrary
to the regulations of a blockade, which my Lords would
not be justified in infringing ; and, for the same reasons,
my Lords cannot comply with your request to order a
ship of war there for the purpose of shipping treasure
belonging to private individuals. lam ,&c.
(Signed) C. WOOD.
W. Watson, Esq., Chairman of the Mexican and
South American Association, Liverpool.

the required protection will appear in the strongest pos-
sible terms ; for your Lordships will not fail to observe
that, for rant of that information and advice, which he
could only have obtained effectually from one of our
own cruisers, this vessel and her very valuable cargo
were placed in imminent jeopardy, and only escaped
being captured by the accidental absence of the block•
ailing squadron from off Laguyra.
We may further be allowed to observe, that the
peril of the British residents in the sea-ports of
Mexico, and their property, will continually inenatse
with the duration of the blockade, producing, as there
is every reason to apprehend, a stste of political con-
fusion and anarchy on the coast, and withal great temp-
tation to outrage in the accumulation of specie. Your
Lordships will also readily perceive, that by the inter-
diction of remittances in specie from Mexico, it is we
alone that suffer, the Mexicans, probably, not caring
how long they may be left In possession of a plausible
excuse for not paying their just debts to this country.
Under these circumstances, we beg leave, most
earnestly, but respectfully, to intreat your Lordships'
further consideration of this important subject, and
herein the protection and assistance requested by my
previous communication of the 31 st ult.

I have, &c.

(Signed)
To the Right Honourable the
Lords of the Admiralty.

W. WATSON,
Chairman,

Extract of a letter to Messrs. Cross and Co., from
George Wheeler, Master of the brig Lama, bound
from Liverpool to Vera Cruz, dated at sea, 24th

June 1838.

" On the 3d instant, I arrived off the port of Vera
Cruz, when to my great disappointment, I found the
harbour strongly blockaded by a squadron of nine or
ten French men of war. I was soon boarded by an
officer from one of them (a brig), who demanded the
ship's papers, which he indorsed to the effect that all
the ports and harbours of Mexico were in a state of
blockade, and if I touched at any of them I should be
subject to capture of ship and cargo, concluding his
unwelcome visit by ordering me off immediately. The
officer spoke very little English, therefore I could get
no information whatever from him.
" It struck me, that if I could communicate with
Laguyra, that I.might learn something that would tend
to direct me in my future plans ; accordingly, I pro-
ceeded to that place, and landed in the ship's boat
on the 13th instant, and on calling on Mr. Russell and
the Vice-Consul, they informed me, that the port was
declared by the French in a state of blockade, although
there had been no vessel of war there later than the
25th ult., and from what they knew there was no chance
of a speedy settlement of the differences between the
two Governments, and strongly advised me to go to the
Havannah, which agreed with my former ideas."

Admiralty, August 7, 1838.
Sin,—Having laid before my Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty your letter of the 3d instant, on the
subject of affording assistance, by means of her Majesty's
vessels, in bringing away from Mexico specie belonging to
British merchants, and repeating the statement, that
American ships of war have conveyed from thence
specie belonging to citizens of the United States, I

am commanded by their Lordships to acquaint you,
that my Lords cannot doubt the statement so con-
firmed, though they cannot order a vessel of war there
for the same purpose, as it is directly contrary to the
acknowledged regulations of blockade, which it has
been the invariable policy of this country strictly to
maintain ; their Lordships have, however, represented
the matter to her Majesty's Secretary of State for Fo-
reign Affairs, in order that he may take steps, as he
thinks advisable, under these circumstances.
With regard to the extract of a letter from Mr.
George Wheeler, Master of the brig Lama, it does not
appear that the French officer enforced the undoubted
rights of a blockading force otherwise than in the usual
manlier, to which no objection can be taken.
I am, &c.,
(Signed) C. WOOD.
W. Watson, Esq., Chairman of the Mexican and
South American Association, Liverpool.

(A)
Admiralty, Aug. 14, 1838.
SIR,-1 am commanded by the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty to acquaint you, that in consequence
of orders forwarded by the French Government to the
Commander of the blockading squadron, to allow the
shipment of specie from Mexico on account of foreign
merchants, as well as on account of their respective
Governments, the Commanders of her Majesty's packets
may ship treasure fur private individuals at Veca. Cruz
and Tampico. I am, &c.,
(Signed) C. WOOD.
Captain Plumridge,
H.M.S. Astra3a, Falmouth.