The Sun.
London, England, 1825-03-15 00:00:00

AFRICA.

We have received the Royal Gazette and Sierra
Leone Advertiser to the 20th January. The fol-
'oNving extracts present gratifying evidence of the
improving state of the Colony :

SIERRA LEONE, JAN. 1, 1825.

The number of vessels which have already arrived to load I
timber this season far exceeds that of any former one ; five have
lately sailed for England with full cargoes, and there is now a
of 460 tons ready for sea; besides this, no less than 21 yes-
--'s, making 3000 tons of shipping, are at present trading, all of
wnich, it is expected, will be dispatched by the end of February.
We hope our timber merchants will be enabled to complete
their engagementiwith all the ships they are expecting. Many
of the Gentleyoeu. engaged in this trade have certainly a great
stock on hand ready for shipping ; others, however, we fear, are
not at well prepared, and depend' principally upon the natives
Pbr their supplies as the season advances. This may lead to
disappointment; for although the quantity of timber is we may
say inexhaustible, still we are of opinion that it requires for
te present demand a much greater population than is settled
near the river to cut, square, and bring it to the water side. The
labour of the latter is every day increasing, from the cutters
having to go further from the water side than formerly to find
vets fit for their purpose. This we hope will engage the public
spirits of those engaged in this trade, as much for their own
interest as for the benefit of the Natives, to introduce the same
trucks for bringing down the timber as those used in England
and other parts of the world. At preselit the Natives have no,
machinery of any kind, nor do they make use of cattle to assist
in transporting the logs. The whole process is downright ma-
nual labour, which of course is very tedious, and requires five
limes the number of people it otherwise would. This is al-
ready demonstrated by the numerous strangers from other parts
of the country (where they might, but for that, be equally well
employed), who have flocked to the river in order to procure
employment, which they find no difficulty in obtaining.
We turn from this branch of commerce in our Colony to the
other parts of the coast, where we find a similar spirit of enter-
prise springing. In the Gambia the trade in timber has lately
commenced on the most liberal scale, and with the best prospect
of interest to the merchants engaged. A large ship, the Post-
humous, is also expected daily to load ship timber, at the new-
formed settlement of St. George ; and we have further under-
saod that it is in contemplation by some of our merchants, to
make establishments for the same commerce in one of the neigh-
bouring rivers, the " Scarcies." The only difficulty we fear, in
the way of this undertaking, is the shallowness of the water
upon the bar. The timber growing on its banks is the same as
the teak of this river ; and the natives are so extremely anxious
to have an opportunity of employing themselves in cutting it
flr sale, that they have sent to request such establishments
might be made; we therefore hope that the intentions of our
merchants may be fully realised.
It may be necessary to remark, that timber is not the only
article taken home by the vessels employed in this trade ; those
t-ont this invariably carry away large quantities of C^mwood,
and most of them wax, ivory, hides, and gold.

DEC. 25.

At a late hour on Friday night his Honor Governor Hamil-
ton, arrived in town, accompanied by the Hon. T. Retie', hav-
ing been exposed to the whole fury of tornado which came on
so unseasonably that night. We are truly happy to find that
his Honor has not sustained any serious inconvenience from the
ftitigue and exposure which he has undergone in his trip round
the peninsula, and that the party of gentlemen who accompa-
nied the Governor enjoy the most perfect health, notwithstand-
ing the numerous egaremens de la route which some of the rear
party are said to have sustained.
On Saturday last arrived his Most Christian Majesty's gun
brig Bressane, Lieut. de Vaisseau Le Hubie. This vessel
brought dispatches from M. Hugon, the acting Governor-in-
Chief of Senegal and its dependencies, for his Excellency the
Governor. 31. Le Hubie saluted the fort with 21 guns, which
was returned to him; and in the evening he dined with his
3t,nor the acting Governor, who bad invited a select party to
ineet him.

M. Le Hubie had strict orders to join the Hebe and Dra-
gon (part of the French squadron) at Cape Mount on the 14th
ilitant, and was therethre under the necessity of sailing on
Sucday with the morning tide. Most earnestly do we hope
mat the cruise of the French squadron along the coast this sea-
a4.:ri will be productive of some good, as we continue to re-
ceive the painful intelligence of a considerable number of ves-
sels engaged in the slave trade wh,ch hoist the white flag. We
hope to give some interesting details upon this subject in a fu-
gue nut6er.

THE INDIAN ARMY.

OF BREVET RANK OF CAPTAIN TO

SUBALTERN OFFICERS.

Bombay Ca'stle, Sept. 9, 1824.
The Honourable the Governor in Council is pleased to pub-
-I;sh, for general information, the following extract of a letter
from the Honourable the Court of Directors, in the Military
Denartment, dated the 14th April, 1824 :
i'ara. 2d. We have had under our particular consideration
the rules by which the period of service of our Officers is calcu-
lated in ascertaining their claim to the Brevet rank of Captain
under our orders of the 3d of August, 1815.
‘3tl. In June, 1819, we had occasion to observe that the sys-
tem adopted by our several Governments in carrying those or-
(101i into effect was erroneous, inasmuch as it had the effect of
giving the rank of Captain to Officers who had not served the
required period.
We.then directed that no Subaltern should he entitled
to promotion by Brevet, until he had completed fifteen years'
service. commencing from the date of the list in which he was I
ranked. on proceeding to India.
sth. Having lately ascertained that a different rule prevails
in granting the Brevet rank of Captain to Subaltern Officers
his I'fisjesty's. Regiments in India, in consequence of which;
thane Officers are liable to supercession by the system now in
force in our Army, we find it necessary to revise our Orders of
August, 1815, and June, 1819, before referred to.
ith. The time of service of his Majesty's Officers is cakes-
lazed from the date of their first Commissions as Comets or
linsigns. The same rule must be adopted in our service from
the date of your receipt of these orders.
7th. With respect to Commissions which have been issued
vender a different principle, we have to state, that in considera-
tion of the inconvenience, and the confusion which would re-
sult from canceling so many Commissions, and disturbing
• Officers ht the enjoyment of rank, which many of them have
held several years, these orders are not intended to have any
retrospective effect ; and we are happy to state, that his Royal
Highness the Commander-in-Chief acquiesces in the arrange-
ment.

• Bth. But we direct, and in the most positive manner, that
Abevale now prescribed be enforced in all future cases ; and
tbsitthe rank of Captain shall not be granted, by brevet, to any
OWcer who has not previously obtained that rank by regimental
rise, until he shall have completed a period of 15 years' service,
_xeciconing from-the date ofhis first Commission -as Second Lieu-
tenant, Cornet, or Ensign.

The Dutch and Belgic Journals are still filled
with accounts of the immense damage done by the
late inundations. In the Province of Overyssel,
19.,000 head of cattle perished, 1500 dwelling-
houses
were totally destroyed, and upwards of
3000 persons lost the whole of their property
A letter from East Frieseland estimates the loss
,in winter fruits, furniture, houses, and cattle of
every description at upwards of three millions of
dollars, between five and six hundred thousand
pounds sterling. The celebrated village of Brock
in Waterland, which suffered severely in the late
terrible overflowings, has not only declined all
pecuniary aid, but has actually advanced the sum
of 300,000 florins (upwards of 48,0001. sterling)
'to their distressed compatriots.

AMERICA.

ELECTION of PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES.

By the Canton, arrived from New York at
Liverpool, papers have been received to the 12th
ultimo. The election to the Presidency of. the
United States is at lastdecided in favour of Mr.
ADAMS. Though we trust we shall have no
favours to demand of the United States, and
shall conscientiously abstain from any conduct
that may require their forbearance, yet a
friendly disposition on the part of a Govern-
ment, betwen which and our own topics of con-..:
mercial rivalry may come to be discussed, will
prevent misconceptions. We therefore rejoice in
the election of Mr. AnAms, though we suppose
we should have had nothing to fear from that of
General JACKSON. The triumph of the success-
ful candidate may also be abated by the consi-
deration of the difficulty and the means by which
his success has been achieved. Ile must have
been defeated but for the timely junction of Mr.
CLAY'S party—Mr. CLAY having retired front
the contest. It affords matter for reflection
to observe, that the charge of corruption is
brought even in the election to- this the su-
preme office of the State. Hereditary sncression,
in a limited Monarchy, seems less objectionable
as a system than a periodic election, as far
at least as regards the liability to such a charge.
The numbers at the close of the proceedings
stood as follows :—For Mr. ADAMS, 13; Gen.
JACKSON, 7 ; Mr. CRAWFOII9, 4. This is only
the second time since the period of American In-
dependence, that the election for the office of
President has devolved on the House of Repre-
sentatives. It may be of some interest, there-
fore, as connected with this subject, to give the
following outlines of the rules adopted in 1801,
when the first election was made by that body.
At that period the electoral votes Were 73 for
Mr. JEFFERSON, and 73 for Mr. Buna. We
copy from the Boston Sentinel:—

" The declaration of the votes took place in the Senate Cham-
ber, on Wednesday, the llth of February. After the declara-
tion that a choice had not been made by the Electors, and that
it devolved on the House of Representatives, the House con-
vened in its own Chamber, and furnished seats for the Senate,
as witnesses. The house had previously adopted rules, that it
should continue to ballot without interruption by other busi-
ness, and should not adjourn, but have a permanent session
until the choice be made; and that the doors of the house shall
be closed during the balloting, except against the officers of the
house.

" The following was directed to be the mode of balloting :
Each State had a ballot box in which the members belonging
to it, having previously appointed a teller, put the votes of the
State ; the teller on the part of the United States having then
counted the votes, duplicates of the result were put by him into
two general ballot boxes. Tellers being nominated by each
State for the purpose of examining the general ballot boxes, they
were divided into two parts, of whom one examined one of the
general ballot boxes, and the other examined the other. Upon
comparing the result and finding them to agree, the votes were
stated to the Speaker, who declared them to the House.'

" The number of States was 16—nine necessary to a choice.
On the first ballot, Mr. Jefferson had eight States, Mr. Burr
six, and two were divided.

" The first ballot took place about four o'clock p. m. Seven
other ballots, with similar results, succeeded, when a respite
took place, during which the members retired to the lobbies,
and took refreshments. Mr. Nicholson, of Maryland, being
unwell, had a bed provided for him in one of the lobbies, to
which the tellers took the balloting-box of the State for his
vote. At three o'clock in the morning of the 12th, two
other ballots took place, and at four o'clock in the
morning, the 21st trial, several of the members came in
with their night-caps on. At twelve at noon of the 12th, the
28th the ballot took place, when the House adjourned to the
next day, having probably, in secret session, dispensed with
the rule for the permanent session. On Friday, the 13th, the
House proceeded to the 30th ballot, without a choice, and again
adjourned to the next day. On Saturday, the 14th, the ballot-
ing* had the same result. On Tuesday, the 17th, at the 36th
ballot, the Speaker declared, at one o'clock, that Mr. Jefferson
was elected, having the votes of New York, New Jersey, Penn-
sylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, North
Carolina, Maryland four votes for Mr. Jeff,rson, and four
blanks, and Vermont one vote fur Mr. Jeffasoo and one blank
vote. Thus ended the scene."