The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-23 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAIL.

SOUTHAMPTON, MAY 2.—The Conway, Royal Mail
West India steamship, ;Captain Clark, with the usual
West India mail in charge of Lieutenant R. Percival,
R.N., arrived here this afternoon, soon after two o'clock.
The Conway has been two years out performing the
mail service between the islands in the West Indies, and
is now arrived for the purpose of receiving some trifling
repairs..

Her dates of sailing were—Vera Cruz, 15th April;
Tampico, 13th ; Havana, 26th ; Honduras, 12th ; Ja-
maica, 21st; Demerara, 18th; Trinidad, 20th; Barba-
does, 28th; Grenada, 22,1; St. Kitts, 30th; Nevis, 30th;
Porto Rico, 29th; St. Thomas, 2d May; La Guayra, 6th
April; Bermuda, Bth May.
The freight brought by the Conway consists of-
-320,784 dollars, on merchants' account; 315 oz. gold
dust, bars, and coin; 1,5221. British coin; 149 serous of
cochineal; 6001. French coin; 2 barrels of coffee; 3 cases
vanilla, ; 27 cases cigars; 5 cases succades; 45 turtle;
and about 100 packages of sundries.
The Conway brought home 81 passengers.
Stations of her Majesty's ships—April 10, her Ma-
jesty's brig Hound sailed from Vera Cruz for England,
calling at Jamaica; April 17, her Majesty's brig Helena
at Vera Cruz, all well; May 8, at Bermuda, her Ma-
jesty's ship Wellesley, Vice-Admiral the Earl of Dun-
donald, Commander in-Chief, all well; leaves for
Halifax; May 20, her Majesty's ship Trencombe at
Halifax.

Stations of the Company's steam•ships—The Thames:
Bermuda, New York, and St, Thomas; Teviot, next ship
home from Spanish Main; Tay: Havannah, Jamaica,
and Spanish Main; Severn: Gulf of Mexico; Trent;
Barbadoes and Demerara; Reindeer; Barbadoes, St.
Thomas and Northern Islands.

The accounts from Jamaica are still very desponding;
trade, commerce, and, in short, almost everything con-
nected with the best interests of the colony being at as tand-
still. The only relief to the monotony of events for some
time past has been the preparation by the planters of the
last crop for the home market. They are sadly disap-
pointed in the yield of the cane ; it is considerably short
of the least sanguine expectations. The deficiency is not
confined to Jamaica alone, for in nearly all the other
islands the same comPl4ints exist. The slight advance
in the price of the articli will by no means compensate
the growers for the deficiency.
The islanders were much absorbed in the scheme for
an alteration in their constitution. A large meeting
upon the subject had been held in Falmouth, and resolu-
tions passed, and a petition agreed to be presented to her
Majesty, praying for an alteration in the constitution
of the Council of the island.

(From De Cordova's Mercantile Intelligencer.)
GENERAL REMARKS.—Tho business of the last fort-
night has been very dull. The only articles for which
anything like a demand has existed are the various sorts
of pickli d fish. The stock of flour is large, and we learn
that large quantities have been received at Falmouth
(Northsidr). The island notes still stand very much in
the way of business, and greatly retard the operations of
corn merce.
We cannot too often impress upon shippers the in-
justice and impolicy of sending on barrels of fish which
are of short weight. Such unfair proceedings not only
cause loss to the retailer, but make him wary and sus-

picious.
We have not yet been visited by "the seasons,"
though we have been repeatedly threatened with their
approach by heavy clouds. They are very much re-
quired fur all branches of agriculture.
Tonnage is wanted for sugar and coffee ready to go
home.
FREIGHTS.—Two first-class vessels have been taken
up for London—one at 31. 55., and the other at 31. 10s.
for sugar. . _

EXCHANGES ON LONDON.—OOIOIIiEd Batik, 90 days,
per cent. prem.; ditto 60 days, 1 per cent. prem.; Ja-
niaica Bank, 60 days. per cent. prem.; Commissariat
Bills, 1 per cent. prem.

TESTIMONIAL TO A SCIIOOLMASTEII.—On Wednes-
day evening last, in the mayor's parlour at the Town-
hall, Manchester, a number of the friends and pupils of
the Rev. William Giles, of Netherleigh House, Chester,
met together, under the presidency of Sir Elkanah
Armitage, for the purpose of presenting to the rev.
gentleman, on the fiftieth anniversary of his birth-day,
a splendid coffee-pot, tea-pot, sugar basin, and cream
ewer, as a token of their respect, esteem, and gratitude.
Amongst those present, were Captain M'Donald, pay-
master of the 30th Infantry; Messrs. Peter Clare,
Joseph Adshead, C. F. Faulkner, William Holme,
Joseph Lees, jun., Samuel Lees, jun., Edward Lees,
Benjamin Armitage, Elijah Armitage, Joseph Armitage,
Sic. Afters few introductory observations from the
chairman, Mr. T. F. Pollit read the following address or
inscription, commemorative of the occasion, which was
intended to be framed and glazed and presented to Mr.
Giles, with the plate:--" At an assembly of the pupils
and friends of the Rev. 'William Giles, of Netherleigh
House, Chester, held in the mayor's parlour in the Town-
hall, Manchester (the use of which was kindly granted by
John Potter, Esq., for the purpose), on Wednesday the 16th
day of May, 1849. at which Sir Elkanah Armitage presid-
ed, supported by Captain M'Donald, paymaster of the 30th
Regiment, as peesident, a testimonial, consisting of a
silver coffee-pot and teapot, sugar basin and cream ewer,
was presented to Mr. Giles by the president, in the name
and at the request of a Dumber of Mr. Giles's former
pupils, to commemorate his attaining the fiftieth anni-
versary of his birth-day; and as a slight and inadequate,
yet heartfelt token of the respect and esteem which the
subscribers entertain towards their friend and tutor, for
the fidelity, firmness, and great ability, mingled with
undeviating courtesy and paternal kindness, with which
he invariably discharged his duties towards those, while
under his care, who now desire to place upon record
their appreciation of the advantages derived from his
tuition and example." He also read an address from the
committee to their former schoolmaster and friend, and a
letter from Mr. Charles Dickens, who was formerly a
pupil of Mr. Giles, expressing deep interest in the object
of the meeting, and warm respect and esteem for
Mr. Giles. The chairman then, in a brief address, pre-
sented the testimonial to the Rev. Mr. Giles, who re-
turned thanks in a feeling speech. Several other ad-
dresses were delivered during the evening by the friends
or former pupils of Mr. Giles, and the party broke up
about eleven o'clock.—Manchester Guardian.
SWEEPING MORTALITY.—The obituary of the
Banffshire Journal contains the following terrible instance
of mortality in a single family:—" Died, at Middlehill,
Monquhitter, of malignant scarlet fever, on 20th Feb-
ruary, Mary, aged 6 ; on 25th February, Helen, aged 14;
on 27th February, Isabel, aged 12 ; on let March,
James, aged 4; on 7th March, Jane, aged 2 ; on 10th
March, Ann, aged 10 ; on 29th March, George, aged 8,
children of William Beaton, farmer there."
Whoever looks for a friend without imperfections
wild tletsklirl what he wants.—Eliza Cook's Journal.