The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-22 00:00:00

WEST INDIES.

Her Majesty's packet, Linnet, Lieut. Forrester, arrived a
Falmouth on F. iday afternoon, having sailed from St.
Thomas Feb. 17th, and Care Henri, the 24th, furnishing Ja-
maica letters, brought up by. the Firefly steamer, to St. Do-
mingo, of Feb. 15. She had a trithrz freight of about 5001.
I'a sengers, the Hon. Mr. Sinclair, Captain Courteney, and
Messrs. Bean, 'Marlyn, and Stoney.
The accounts now furnished are of a much later date than
those we were before in pssession of, principally owing to the
shortness of her voyage homewards, but ate only of ordinary
interest.

His Extelloney Sir Charles Metcalf, by proclamation,
dated January 2:2, proropM the Ilothe of Assembly from
Feb. 1, to March J.

'1 he ball given by his Excellency en the 10th of February,
in benour of the birth of the Princess Royal, was numerously
attended. His Excel Lacy wore his uniform as Captain-Ge-
neral, and appeared it health and spirits. The Members
of the Council were dressed in the Windsor uniform. Dancing
was kept up with animation until the period arrived fur ad-
journ'ng to the supper-table, when Sir Charles proposed" The
Health of the Royal infant and her August Parents ;" which
toast was drank is enthusiasm, and was loudly cheered, in
which the fair vi,itaitts jained. A royal salute was then fired,
and the band struck up the national anthem. After supper '
dauctin,g was resumed, and the party did not break up until past
two o'clock. The public buildings were illuminated, and
several tasty and apposite transparencies were placed in different
quarters.
The " Jamaica silk Company" appears to be 'progressing,.
A pound of beaut,ful silk was transmitted to the Governor as a
present from the Directors, and a good. sized hank was exhi-
bited at Kingston as the first-fruits of the Company's produce.
It wi-I scarcely be credited that the plants upon whose leaves
tha worms were fed only arrived there on Dec. 13, and that the
coe.oens were ready for winding off on the 26th day.
A stioels. of earthquake had been experienced, with very con-
siderable rumbling, during the night of the 4th of February.
We reg -et to timid the following in the Royal Gazette, of
February 6:—" 'the signs of the times' in Jamaica are
decidedly of the most gloomy character ; nor do we exactly
sea in I;kat manner they can be changed for the better.
Throughont the country generally, as well as in the towns,
the most deplorable stagnation and want of confidence
exist. '1 he planters are toially despoiled of all hopes
for the ensuing year; and in their consequent distress are
obliged to inconvenience the country traders, who, in their
turn, disappoint the me-chant in town, whose resources being
thus impoverished, and whose accommodations being otherwise
drawn in, serious embarrassment, if not bankruptcy, is the
consequence. Nor can we see that it is in the power of army
sinle 'early sto remedy this serious evil. At one time, unques-
tionably, it nsiaht have been averted, or its effects very mate-
rially modified, by a greater f teility being allowed the public in
turning-the island checks into money, and a judicious conti-
nuance of credits and diseount.s of the several banks. Now,
however, the disease is too radical in its nature : and nothing
but the vilest violent remedies need be attempted. In sooth,
it is like a fire which has gained to) much ascendancy, and can
only /Ls) extinguished by suffering it to burn itself out ! 'then,
and no'., ;till then, may we expect anything like security and
vigour in the mercantile sseirld; and, although in the mean-
time public distress may assume an almost appalling form, yet
we are confident it is the only effectual means of estaLlishing a
healthy action in the long run !
The manner in which Sir Charles Aletcalfe's speech, de-
livered on the occasion of his opening the House of Assembly
last ses-iioa, was received in England, has much pleased the
islanders.

A general election of the representatives of the Assembly of
Barbadoes took place on the 4th, when the old members Iv, re
all returned with the exception of Jahn Packer, Esq., in the
room of Sir R. Ilowcher Clarke, resigned, and John U. Grant,
Esq., for St. Thomas, vice Mr. Carrington.
On Tuesday, the. 12th, the Ilonse met, and received a very
friendly an 1 gew rally favourable speech from his Excellency
kir Evan 111‘Gregor. The following are the two pr:ncipal
ruragraphs, and well deserve attention anywhere :
" Ile unusually severe drought, at present seriously affect-
ing the agricultural prosperity of the country, is deeply to be
deplore', and prudence seems to recommend, for the purl ose
of alleviating any temporary financial pressure thence arising,
that the erection of a town hall, a government house, and
other con,iderable edifices, of late contemplated, should be
postponed to a more convenient season ; but it would be in-
cons:s.,ent with sound economy to disturb the works at the
Mole I-iced, in the satisfactory progress towards completion.
,s In general, the best understanding prevails between the
proprietary, body and the peasantry; and notwithstanding the
variu*s de6titfta allurements practised en the inexperience and
credulity of the latter (such as the assurance of their speedily
revelling to a state of sla-ery, on the approaching abandon-
ment of Harbaioes to a foreign power), the artificial migratory
propensity produced among them during the past year has ma-
terially declined, but not until the departure of 2,157 labourers
anima ably demonstrated that the practical effect of the local
enac,lments did nit in reality unduly impele the voluntary
excrdse of their locomo'ive privileges."
The sum of 2114.0. sterling has been granted as an annual
salary to the resident Chief• Justice; and 5001. for the Attor-
ney- Ge:rerrl.
The packets Ranger and Express put back on Friday, when
their mails were landed, and all letters thereby which arrived
at Falmouth to and on that day were despatched. The weather
having moderated at night, the mails were reshipped, and the
packets again left port.