The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-23 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAIL.

SOUTHAMPTON, MONDAY.—The royal Mail seam•ship
Avon, Lieutenant Philip Host, R.N., coanuand,:r, arrived
this morning, at eleven frcm the 'tVest
with the usual mails, in charge of Lieutenant Jusepis
Ray, R.N., Admiralty agent. On het homeward voyage,
the Avon expfrienced moderate wosteriy winds, with
fine weather generally. Since the morning of the 19Iii
inst., the ship has been propelled with but one engine,
and or.e wheel, the intermediate shaft of the port engine
having broken.

The latest dates brought by the Avon nre—Vera
Cruz, April 16 ; Tampico, 13 ; Havannah, 27; Hondu-
ras, 11; Jamaica, 22; St. Jago de Cuba, 19; Desnerara,
19 ; Trinidad, 21 ; Barbarities, 29 ; Grenada, 23 ; St.
Kitts, May 1; Nevis, I ; Porto Rico, 1 ; St. Thomas, 2;
Bermuda, 7; Ship Island (New Orleans), April 21 ;
Nassau, 29 ; Tortola, May 2; Antigua, 1 ; St. Vincent,
April3o; St. Lucia, 30; and Montserrat, May 1.
This vessel brings on freight 312,272 dollars on mer-
chants' account ; nil for the dividends ; 902 ounces of
gold dust ; 21,511 ounces of silver ; 7,767 British coin;
427 serons of cochineal ; and a general cargo, consist-
ing of 54 barrels of arrowroot, 26 barrels of Bermudian
potatoes, 8 vanilla cases, 76 cases of cigars, 5 cases of
pine-apples, and 53 turtle.
The Avon brings dates from the city of Mexico to
the 14th of April, and from Vera Cruz to the 16th.
The intelligence from the city of Mexico is of no de-
cisive character. Mr. Clifford, the American Com-
missioner, had reached the capital, and Mr. Sevier, the
prospective Minister Plenipotentiary, was on the road
from Vera Cruz, and hourly expected to join Mr.
Clifford, for the purpose of putting their final hand and
seal to, and exchange the ratification of; the treaty. By
the last accounts received by the courier of the British
legation at Vera Cruz, they had not yet been able to
complete a quorum at Queretaro, but it was believed
that this would be effected by the 25th of April, and
that, notwithstanding the dissatisfaction shown by the
Mexican Government at the modifications made by the
American Senate to the treaty, its ratification will be
authorised by the Mexican Congress. In the meantime
vast importations of European and American merchan.
disc were taking place at Vera Cruz in anticipation of
the peace, and with the object of taking advantage of
the American over the very probable re.establish-
ment of the Mexican tariff. But there is most
disastrous intelligence from the peninsula of Yucatan.
The native Indians of that province had risen
against the whites, and, by the last accounts, were de-
stroying with unrelenting ferocity the whole white
population, man, woman, and child. The authorities
had applied for protection to the British, American,
and Spanish authorities at Cuba, but as what they
chiefly wanted was a military force, and that
force could not be promptly given, it is much to be
feared that by this time the Indian population will have
regained all that the Spaniards had taken from them
three centuries ago. Affairs in Yucatan are assuming a
most serious character, and the insurgents appear to be
approximating. By the last accounts it is is stated that
about five or six thousand Indians had approached
within six leagues of Bacalar; that they had burnt the
mahogany wors of Don Domingo Martinez, and also a
sugar work. There were several persons killed; and it
is their determination to murder every one whom they
may encounter. The total number who have risen is
said to be about 30,000. _

There was evidently, on the part of the American
army and residents, a strong disinclination to relinquish
the grasp which they had on the country, and it will
require no little effort on the part of the American
Government to reconcile them to it. Santa Anna had
chartered a Spanish brig, and sailed for Jamaica.
There is no improvement in the state of Jamaica
since the sailing of the latest packet. Distress is general,
but especially amongst the planters, and unless some-
thing is done to place the cultivation of sugar on a more
satisfactory and remunerative footing, the ruin of the
proprietors appears to be almost inevitable. From the
want of confidence felt in the stability of property, no
money can be procured on its security ; and the reluct-
ance shown by the banks to discount, so many bills
having been dishonoured by the English merchant,
places the planter in great difficulty, and renders it
almost impossible for him to procure the means of pay-
ing for the cultivation of his estate. When the packet
sailed there were promising indications of good May
seasons, which, under other circumstances, would be
hailed with great satisfaction, but the planter now feels
that he is growing sugar at a loss. The same remarks
apply to the British West Indies generally.
On the 20th ult. a large public meeting had been held
at Kingston, to take into consideration the deplorable
state of destitution to which a large portion of the in-
hakdtants are reduced, when nearly 4,u00 persons assem-
oled. The speakers all testified that, unless a speedy
alteration took place in the mode of conducting colonial
affairs, such distress and misery as now exist must
necessarily soon lead to the utter extinction of pro •
party, and even life itself. Several strong resolutions,
expressive of these sentiments, were unanimously
adopted.