The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-04 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAIL. 12

The Royal Mail steam-ship Magdalena, Captain
W. Chapman, arrived at Southampton, at 4 p.m.
yesterday, bringing the usual British and foreign
West India and Gulf of Mexico mails, in charge of
Lieutenant Hay, R.N., Admiralty agent.
The Magdalena also brings mails from the West
Coast of South America, received at Panama by the
Pacific Steam Navigation Company's ship Quito,
which vessel also brought specie, value $145,221,
for conveyance to the Bank of England.
The Magdalena left St. Thomas two days after
her appointed time, having been detained for the
arrival of the branch steamers. She experienced
fine calm weather till the 29th ult., when the wea-
ther changed to strong south-east gales, with heavy
squalls.
The advices brought from Mexico, Havannah,
ac., have been anticipated by arrivals of intelli-
gence by way of the United States.
The principal items of news from Jamaica are
contained in the follow* extract from De Cor-
dova's Intelligencer :
"The Assembly, it is expected, will re-enact the
existing Import Duty Bill, but in such a shape as will
render it doubtful if the Council will accede to it. The
existing Import Duty Bill will expire with this month ;
and in the event of the Council objecting to any sew
act which may pass the Assembly prior to the 30th inst.,
a recurrence of that state of things which was produced
some four years back by similar conduct on the part of
the Legislature is likely to be the result. Under these
circumstances all business operations are arrested, and
dealers for the most part will only purchase for imme-
diate consumption. The majority of the sales were of
a forced character, and were effected solely by the
temptation of low prices.
" Gold and silver doubloons continue very scarce, and
command 4 per cent. American and British gold are
worth 14 per cent. premium ; silver dollars are quoted
at the same value. This rise in the value of coin is at-
tributable chiefly to the eager desire of a large number
of coolies who are leaving the island to obtain any des-
cription of gold or silver, which is or may become cur-
rent in India, in exchange for our local notes. A rather
large amount, too, will be taken away by the passengers
per Glentanner, which is appointed to sail hence for
Melbourne to-morrow.
"The cargo of the schooner George Montague, from
New Orleans, was not entered at the Customs when we
made up our report.
" Exchanges on London.—Colonial and Jamaica
Banks :-90 days, 1 per cent. premium ; 60 days, 14 per
cent. premium ; 30 days, 2 per cent. premium."
From British Guiana our accounts are to the 9th
ult. The Combined Court has been occupied with
discussions on ways and means to meet the extra-
ordinary votes upon the annual estimate. A pro-
position to raise the existing ad valorem 4 per cent.
duties on certain descriptions of goods to 10 per
cent. had been adopted, and on certain specified
articles of luxury, such as wines, spirits, d.T.e., the
duties had been largely increased. An attempt to
impose a land and tenement tax in the rural dis-
tricts, as a means of adding to the general revenue,
had failed, as being utterly inexpedient in the pre-
sent circumstances of the colony. The civil list
question was again a vexed one, and from the re-
marks of the Governor to the Court it appeared
that he was disappointed at the opposition that was
starting up, and viewed it as a breach of faith. The
weather had continued dry, and it was feared the
crop would be materially affected. The health of
Georgetown was improving.
At St. Lucia the weather was very fine and the
island healthy. The crop was proceeding with
considerable activity.
From Martinique the Antilles alludes to the
crop as proceeding with activity, and states that
the St. Pierre market is abundantly supplied with
sugar, the local price being 19f. to 35f. per 50 kilo-
grammes.
From Barbadoes we learn that the inhabitants
had prepared a memorial to the Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty, complaining of the incon-
venience and disappointment occasioned to that
island by the irregularities of the West India
mail steamers. Several fires had occurred in
the rural districts. The yellow fever was gra-
dually disappearing.
We regret to learn that Trinidad was suffering
from malignant fever, which was increasing rather
than diminishing. Several cases of fever of a
typhoid type, sometimes attended with black vomit,
existed in Port of Spain.
Fever had also made its appearance at Grenada,
but had disappeared from Tobago.'
At Greytown there had been some excitement
from a meditated attack of the inhabitants on the
station of the American Steam-boat Company, for
the purpose of destroying the hotises and works. It
appears that for many months past the steamers
have landed all passengers from New Orleans, for
California (by way of the lake), and vice versa, at a
place on Point Arenas, opposite the town, so that
the inhabitants had been deprived of the benefits
which would have accrued to them in the way of
trade from the constant influx of 400 to 600 passen-
gers every month. Fortunately the United States
corvette Siam was cruising about there, and the
authorities belonging to the steam-boat company
claimed the protection of their Government from
the lawless intentions of the Nicaraguans, which
was acorded by the Siam anchoring inside Point
Arenas, opposite the works. In the meanwhile,
companyeyt h
until further advices from the British and Ameri-
can
Ministers, the
a G r
owan.ve agreed to land
passengersall their
The St. Vincent papers publish the new Tax Act
recently passed by the Legislature. b
levied
.thde pur-
poses of this act two per cent. is t e edviet upon
f
the produce of each estate upon
vitashipedroatuicoion of
sugar and arrowroot, nominally
100 lb.; rum at 9d. per gallon ; raola W. pere
gallon. All incomes of 1501. and upwards are to
pay two per cent.; and under 150/., and not ex-
ceeding 701., one per cent. The health of this
island had improved, and the yellow fever was
rapidly subsiding. The Governor had presided at
i
the annual meeting of the Wesleyan Missionary
Society.
ety.
Her Majesty's ship Imaum, Vestal, and Alban
were at Jamaica, and the Geyser at Greytown.
The Royal Mail steamer Avon was to leave St.
Thomas for the Gulf of Mexico on the 19th ult.
The Conway was under repairs at Jamaica, the
Dee at Jamaica, the Derwent on the Northern
Islands, the Eagle on the Savannah, and the Esk
on the onduras route, the Medway on the Spanish
Main, and the Trent at Barbadoes.

Tint LAND TAX QUESTION.—The question of the land
tax, which comes on to-day in the Court of Queen's
Bench, is exciting unusual attention. The court will
doubtless he crowded by parties interested. The Land
Tax Commissioners have retained no less than five
counsel. Among them are Sir Alexander Cockburn, the
present, and Sir Frederick Thesiger, the late, Attorney-
General. The latter learned gentleman received the
handsome sum of 200 guineas with his brief.