The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-07 00:00:00

GROWING OF RICE.

It appears that the recent deficient harvest and the
extensive demand, both at home and abroad, for Ameri-
can breadstuff's, has forced on the attention of the inha-
bitants of Trinidad the question of rice cultivation, not
so much with the view of making it an article of export
as of rendering themselves less dependent than they are
at present fora supply of food.
In communications lately received from that island
it is stated that the cultivation was introduced many
years ago, but that the production has never been car-
ried beyond a small surplus of the consumption of the
growers, the reason of which is attributed to the great
amount of manual labour (in the absence of machinery)
required to separate the paddy or the husk. As from
this cause the growth is restricted, the parties advocat-
ing an extension of the cultivation seek the aid of the
colonial Government to set up a rice mill of sufficient
size and power, and to farm it out, when erected by
tender to the highest competition, a price, however.
being fixed at which the lessee shall be bound to clean
and re deliver all rice brought to him. It is thought
that this plan would have the beneficial effect of inducing
other parties to erect mills, when, of course, the Go-
vernment, if satisfied with the experiment as far as it had
been carried, could either continue to work their own,
or di,pose of it to the best customer.
That the growing of rice with the facilities afforded
by machinery for cleansing the paddy would prove not
only remunerative, but also profitable, is. it seems, con-
firmed by an experiment lately made. In the case al-
luded to four acres of land produced 56 barrels of rice
in the paddy at the cost of about 68 dolls. It is assumed
that the process would not reduce the bulk more than 60
per cent., or that 2i barrels in the paddy would at least
give one barrel of clean rice; so that the 56 barrels would
ultimately yield 22 barrels of the article in its perfected
condition. Each barrel of rice, fairly weighing 2001 b.,
would, at 5 (lolls. per 1001 b., produce a considerable sum.
If one doll. were allowed to the miller for each barrel,
besides ordinary cartaLe expenses, then, it is remarked,
the profit still left is surely sufficient to tempt the
laziest owner of a slip of land in Trinidad to arouse him-
self and make it available."
The question is argued with much earnestness, be-
cause it is necessary—so say the advocates of the mea-
sure—that the colonists should have some article of food
of native growth produced in large quantities, and easy
of preservation; and rice is described as precisely the
article they stand in need of, inasmuch as, in addition to
the small care required in its preservation after it ia
gathered, the plant flourishes in the poorest soil.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.—A notice, posted in
the underwriters' rooms of Liverpool, Wednesday, announces
that in future such deck passengers as arrive from Ireland
at that port are to be examined in quarantine, and such of
them as labour under disease removed to the lazarettos.
DEATH OF VISCOUNT ASHBROOK.—We have to
record the decease of the Right Hon. Henry Jeffrey Viscount
Asbbrook, who expired on the 4th inst., at his seat, Beau-
mont Lodge, Old Windsor, in his 71st year. He was mar-
ried to a sister of the late Lord Metcalfe, and was father of
the Duchess of Marlborough.
The Earl Fitzwilliam entertained a distinguished
circle at dinner on Tuesday evening, at Mortimer House,
Halki 1-street. The guests included the Earl of Burlington
and the Hon. Mr. Cavendish, Viscount and Viscountess
Milton, Sir Robert and Lady Price, the Hon. F. Dundas,
and a distinguished circle.
ROYAL MARINE FORCES.—The distribution of the
additional 1,500 Royal Marine forces, voted this year in the
navy estimates, is at length accomplished. We presume it
must have been a work of great labour, to have been so long
delayed. Three companies have been added to the Royal
Marine Artillery, and the divisional companies have been
strengthened to 111 privates, which will, together, dispose
of the 1,500 men. But three first lieutenants, Henry Carr
Tate (Artillery), George Colt Langley (Portsmouth di-
vision), and William King Shoveller (Woolwich division),
will thus be promoted; and the like number of second lieu-
tenant?, J. S. Dowman, F. B. Gritton, and H. J. Tribe,
all of the Portsmouth division. This is a miserable allow
ance of officers to 1,500 men. at a time, too, when the duties
of the officers of the Royal Marines at several of the divi-
sions are very severe. It is understood that no field officers
are to be appointed to the additional men, though the de-
tached duties at Pembroke Dockyard and the battalion in
Ireland always take Lieutenant-Colonels from the divisions.
The Marine Artillery will also be too large a body of men to
have only one field officer, and the detachment at Deptford,
about 160 strong, a field officer's command in any other corps
under the Crown, remains in charge of a captain. We re-
gret to say that the Admiralty Board every year is proving
itself more and more incapable of regulating a military
corps.
Loss OF THE TWEED.—A subscription has been
commenced for the purpose of repairing in some degree the
sad losses of the sufferers by this awful calamity. The ap-
peal thus made appears to receive an appropriate response,
and promises to produce results alike creditable and satisfac-
tory to those who promote it, and beneficial to the indivi-
duals who are placed in the melancholy necessity of requiring
such an interposition in their behalf. The subscription list is
headed by the names of her Majesty and her illustrious Con-
sort, who are donors of 201., the Queen Dowager contributing
25/. Amongst the other sums contributed for this benevo-
lent purpose are 2004 from the West India Mail Steam
Packet Company,loo/. from the surviving passengers of the
Tweed, and 291. from the engineers of the Royal Mail Steam
Packet Company.
CONVICTS FOR HOBART Tow N.— The following
detachments are selected by Colonel Thomas Weare, K. 11.,
Commandant of the Provisional Battalion, for embarkation
on board the ship Joseph Somes, fitting at Deptford for con-
victs to be conveyed to Hobart Town :—The 11th Foot fur-
nishes 1 corporal, 11 privates; 96th, 1 sergeant and 15 pri-
VACS; 99th, 20 privates; 65th, 1 corporal. These troops
will be under the command of Captain Oliver Barker D'Arcey
and Lieutenant James Paul. officers of the 65th Regiment,
and they are under orders to march on the 7th inst., en route
for Deptford, to form a convict guard over 200 prisoners,
under sentence of transportation for life, and on whom penal
punishments have been inflicted in this country under the
superintendence of the Government. Those prisoners bear-
ing good characters are under sentence to be discharged on
their arrival at the colony, on condition of their remaining
as settlers for life.
RUGBY RAILWAY STATION.—This establishment,
which, at the opening of the London and Birmingham Rail-
way. was one of the most insignificant on the line, now pre-
sents every prospect of becoming one of the most elegant and
extensive in the kingdom. The central position of the town
having led several other companies to make this their point
of junction, the London and Birmingham Company came to
the resolution to pull down the present station, and erect a
new one. To enable them to do this, they applied last ses-
sion for an Act to enlarge and extend the station. Having
succeeded in obtaining this, they purchased a quantity o
land, the occupants of which were forthwith served with no
tices to quit; and as several of these notices expire at Mid-
summer next, the intended alterations will commence im-
mediately. Amongst the first portion of the works will be
theerection of 300 cottages for the residences of the servants
in the employ of the respective companies; these cottage,
will form a neat street, extending from the station to Obi
.
crossing s
will onbe
aboutt e line a
fl leading dnitni
mile
length.
built in the form of a crescent, divided into compartments.
Ru Rugby
=The
eo offices Lutter:iou,
rtb
each of which will bear the name of the company occupying
it. The goods department will have no connexion with tto
passenger traffic, the warehouses, sheds, &c., being built at
the back of the offices, with " off" lines leading up to them.
so as to allow the luggage trains to pass between the two
ranges of buildings, and thus avoid that appearance of con-
fusion and danger that at present exists in front of 01'
station. When we state that there are 54 passenger trains
and 28 goods and coal trains pass by this station every [la%
and that the only means of crossing from the "up" side to
the town side, and vice versa, is by a wooden platform even
with the rails, the surprise will be that accidents of a serious,
if not fatal, character do not occur every day, particular')
when we add that it is not at all an unusual circumstance
for three or four trains to be at the station at the same time.
whilst luggage, coal, or ballast trains are almost constantly
passing ov, r the crossing along the intersecting or " off "
lines. This very serious evil will be remedied when the new
buildings are completed ; a handsome covered gallery, extend-
ing from the central office on the " up " line to the opposite
office on the " down" line, affording every convenience to
passengers, and also removing every chance of risk or danger.
The number of lines that will converge at this point is six ;
tiweatirl elobaf
et
jepupr
leeyseeenfdot
roeppneanst.sbe
enTglhesret Tt
of
fe
jitsuV„_b_ ae
The
Rugby and Stamford opens i
of these the London and North-Western and the Midland
for
agy
( rßoeoudtglisi:eyao
nt
on
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thert hd a)
in November next, the Rugby
and Leainington on the Ist of October. 1848, and the Rugby
and Oxford in 1849, by which time • it is expected the new
offices will be completed.
MONEY MARKET.--The premium on gold at Paris
by the last advices was 14 per milk, which, at
fish Mint price of 31. 17s. 1 per ounce for the Eng,
; and the
gold, gives an exchange of 25.50 exchange.
tanddr
ato
Paris on London at short being 25.60, it follows
gold is 0.39 per cent. dearer in London than in Paris.
is.
of god
By advices from Hamburgh the pricen is
4321 per mark, which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s.
100. per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of
13.84 ; and the exchange at Hamburgh on London at short
being 13.91, it follows that gold is 0.23 per cent. dearer
• in London than in Eamburgh.
• 14,1 LLiii