The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-03 00:00:00

JAMAICA.

Advices from this island, which extend to the
evening of the 7th of November, represent the colony
as continuing healthy, and the weather, almost
throughout the island, highly favourable to culti-
vation.
The mails, which left Southampton on the 2d of
October, did not reach Kingston until the evening of
the et November. The delay was owing to bad
weather experienced by the outward boat from South-
ampton. The general irregularity in the arrival of
the steamers has created considerable annoyance to
parties in Jamaica as well as in other colonies. In
the present case in Jamaica, many parties residing in
parishes in the interior had not sufficient time afforded
them between the arrival and the departure of the
steamer to answer their correspondence. American
steamers arrive semi-monthly at Kingston with more
regularity than the English boats, and European in-
telligence is generally anticipated in Jamaica by
them. Merchants have in many instances availed
themselves of the conveyance to forward letters to
Europe.
The Legislature continued in session, and had been
sitting upwards of kfro mouths, during which period
little or no business of real importance to the country
has been transacted. The retrenchment question,
which has been so long in abeyance, and upon which
parties cannot agree, seemed still'to exclude from the
public mind all other subjects, and many important
measures of legislation were left unattended to. The
evening before the packet left a report from a com-
mittee was agreed to by the House, recommending
the following reductions in the expenditure :
All salaries of 2001. and up to 1,000/.- to be reduced
10 per cent., and salaries of 1,0001. and upwards to
be reduced 20 per cent.
Contrary to general expectations, this scale of
reduction was opposed by the " King's House
party," principally on the ground that it would
not be assented to by the Council. The Country
party supported it, declaring it to be for the public
good, and disregarding altogether the wi.hss of
the Council. The report was agreed to in rather a
thin house. Eighteen members of the Country party
voted for it, and six members of the Opposition
against it. The evening on which the steamer left
was appointed for further discussion on the subject,
and there appeared no doubt that a Bill to effect the
reductions recommended in the report would be
agreed to. In the event of this, should the Council
again venture to reject so mild a measure, the hostile
position of the different branches of the Legislature
one to another will be renewed. In the meanwhile
the country was suffering from the loss of revenue,
the Country party having refused to proceed with
the consideration of a Bill levying a duty on rum con-
sumed in the island until the Council shall have
passed the Retrenchment Bill which would soon be
prepared for them. From the unnecessary delay
which takes place in almost every measure introduced,
occasioned by the unseemly and personal discussions
which arise, it was thought that the session would
not be brought to a close in time for the Christmas
holidays, unless, as usually is the case, many im-
portant matters were disregarded.
The following, in reference to the establishment of
a regular mail communication between New York
and Jamaica, appears in one of the local papers :
" KINGSTON, JAMAICA, Nov. s.—The Consul of the
United States respectfully takes leave to inform the
merchants and other inhabitants of this island that the
address which they did him the honour to present to
him, under date of the 3d September last, requesting
that he would solicit his Government to e6t.3blish
regular mail communication through this port, has been
forwarded and most favourably rec.'iv"d; and from the
tenor of the communication received by him, he is led
to believe that, at the meeting of Congress, the measure
will be carried into effect."
MARKETS.—TUESDAY AFTEMOON, NOT. 6.

The business of the week has been quite as dull and
heavy as that which preceded it.. Trade seems to be
entirely at a stand. The ScASCII3 throughout the
country have been excellent; but them are few estates
at th s moment in a position to take advantage of them.
The labourers are ill employed, and are therefore unable
to purcha,c more than they are compelled to provide
thtmselves with. Business consequently droops con-
siderably, and all branches of trade are in a state of
complete stsgnetion.
Freight remains extremely dull, without any lick of
Ships.

Exchanges on London—Jamaica Bank: 90 days,
per cent. prem.; 60 days, 11 per cent. prem. Colonial
Bat k: 90 days, 4 per cent. prem.; 60 dap, per cent.
prem.

BARBADOEO, Nov. 3.—A very numerous and re-
spectable meeting was held at Bridge Town, for the
purpose of petitioning both llou3es of Parliament to
take some decisive steps to suppress the African slave
trade.

Loss BY FIRE AT SEA OF TUE AMERICAN EMI-
GRANT SHIP CAREL GREMSIIEM.—FAYAL, AZORBF,
Nov. 26.—The British barque Sarah, D. Cook,
master, from London to St. John's New Brunswick,
put in here on the 24th inst., with 390 passengers
(emigrants) taken from the American ship Cabel
Gremshem, on fire, on the 17th inst., sixteen miles
south east of the Island of Flores. The unfortunate
people have lost everything, but have every reason to
be thankful for their providential escape from death
by fire. The master of the late American ship Cabel
Gremshem has been induced to charter the barque
Sarah, and forward the passengers to the United
States, at the expense of his owners.

AN AID TO EARLY RISING.—A mechanic -residing
at Newtastla-street, Hulme, has constructed a little ma-
chine fur tile purpose of awaking himself early in a
mornieg. To a Datch clock in the kitchen he has at-
tached a lever, from which a wiro communicates through
the ceiling to the bedroom above, in which he has tired
his novel invention. Having set the lever to any hour
at which he may wish to be awakened, when the time
atlises it is releesed by the clock, and the machinery up-
stairs rings bell, then trikes a match, which lights an
oil latep. This lamp runs upon four wheels, and is at
the same instant propelled through a tin tube on a mi•
niature railway, about five feet long, which is raised by
small iron supports a few inches ahovo the bedroom filar.
Near the end of the " line" is fixed an elevated iron
stand upon which a small teakettle is placed (holding about
a pint), and immediately under it, by the aid of a spring,
the lamp is stopped, and its flame boils the water in the
kettle in 20 minutes, thus enabling him to take a cup of
tea or coffee prior to going to work. The bell attached
is so powerful that it awakes his neighbour, and the
machine alt gether is of a v7ry neat appearance, the
mechanism being of polished iron. The inventor bas
made it during his leisure hours, and has been about
18 months in bringing it to a state of completion. ye
has also combined economy with utility, as the working
of it doe" nut cost more than a halfpenny per week !
a:lane/tester Guardian.
UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW.--THE RECTORSHIP.—
Thu fulh,wing lies been received from Mr. Macaulay, in
reply to a communication from the students announcing
his re-election as the Lord Hector of the University of
Glaagow:— "Albany, London, Nov. 17, 1849.
"Sir,—l am much obligee, to you for your letter, and
highly gratified by the honour which has teen conferred
upon me without a contest.
•"I have no expectation of being able to revisit Glas-
gow during the present session, but I shall always retain
a grateful recollection o: the kind reception which
toi nd there last spring.
" I have the honour to be, Sir, your faithful servant,
"James M'Ghie, Esq." "T. B. MACAULAY.
—Caledonian Mercury.
IVESTMINSTER PLAY.—The head master of West-
minster School has selected the Andria of Terence,
ac the play to be represented this Christmas, accord
ing to annual custom. The play nights are the 10th,
13th, and 17th.