The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-20 00:00:00

THE WEST INDIA MAILS.

---
The Royal Mail Company's steamer Severn, Vincent,
Commander,a arrived at Southampton on Sunday morning,
first-
clans a rapid passage, bringing the usual mails, 20 first-
bales of
212
iteasis,engers, 35 casks of coffee, 17 casks of ginger,
sags of pickles, &c., 56 bales of tobacco, 161
Her dates
19th;
arearura, and a small quantity of specie.
Barbadoes, the 24eTherara, the 18th; Trinidad, the 20th;
; Grenada, the 26th; St. Jags de
Cuba, the
thnecillth instant.
Porto Rico, the Jamaica,27th and
the 23d; Juemel, the '2sth ;
St. Thomas's, the 29th of
Ril:lands weziehflave our usual files of
September;
From
the avnadrFi
various
ießdilbly articles
papers ; their columns are
and discussions on the New SugaryDouctciueps Public
meetings were about to be held throughout the colonies,
and it was intended to memorialise the home Govern-
ment on their present critical position, and pray the
adoption of the most stringent measures for the total
suppression of slavery all over the world.
At Trinidad a severe shock of an earthquake had
been felt on the 6th of September, during the hours of
Divine service ; it was preceded and accompanied by a
rumbling noise ; the motion was at first tremulous, but
ended with a violent vibration sufficiently strong to set
the bells of the churches ringing. It lasted more than
a minute. On the 13th a still more severe shock was
experienced, and some part of the congregation in
Trinity Church had a narrow escape of being killed by
the falling of a portion of the building. Happily no
serious accident occurred at Trinidad, but it was ru-
moured that Dominica and some other islands had sus-
tained serious damage from the earthquake and a hurri-

cane.
Our papas; from Barbadoes are to Tuesday, Sep-
tember 8. As they make no allusion to the earthquake
(,f the 6th, we presume they did not feel it. The wea-
ther and the crops are favourably reported. The
markets were abundantly supplied with every descrip-
tion of native esculents. Yams were at 2 dollars per
ewt., and sweet potatoes 60 to 80 cents. The Colonial
Legislature was adjourned to the 15th. The heat W 53
intense, but the ger.eral health of the island was stated
to be good. Arrivals from America have been plentiful.
The quantity of supr shipped to the above date has
been 20,888 hogsheads, 1,267 tierces, 790 barrels. Rain
fallen for the month, 6.47 inches. The exchange was
494 and 495 dollars for 1001. sterling at 30 days.
Our latest dates from Tobago are to the 3d of Sep-
tember. The quantity of sugar shipped for the pre-
sent year from this island is 2,660 hogsheads, 332
tierce=, 435 barrels, being a deertase when compared
with last year's return of 968 hhdA, 207 tierces, and
176 barrels. A corresponding decrease in rum and too-
lasses is also reported.
The following translation of a late law of the Re-
•

public of Hay ti,—for the amendment of the navigation
laws of the Republic, will be serviceable to such of our
readers to may be engaged in the trade with Hayti:—
A LAW TOPERMIT FOREIGN AND HAYTIAN VESSET.S
ENGAGED IN EXTERIOR COMMERCE TO LOAD AT ONE
OR MORE PORTS, AND TO ACCORD CERTAIN ADVAN-
TAGES TO THE NATIONAL FLAG.

The President of Hayti, with the advice of the Coun.
cil of Secretaries of State, has proposed, and the &mate
after the three prescribed readings, considering that it
tends to encourage agriculture and commerce, to give
facilities to the export of national products, oonsidering
also that it is expedient to accord certain advantages to
the national flag, has enacted the following law:—
Art. I.—Foreign and national vessels trading on long
voyages, after having effected in the port of entry an
entire discharge of the merchandise destined for the
country, are permitted to proceed to one or more open
ports fur the purpose of taking in such part or entire
cargoes of produce as they may require for exportation.
ANL 2.—The same vessels will be permitted to take in
a cargo of mahogany at the port of the Great Salina of
Artibonite, after having entered at an open port, where
they will be measured and inspected.
The Customs' dues shall be regulated according to the
dimensions and full tonnage of each vessel at the rate of
500 feet the ton. They will be paid in the port of St.
Mark.
Art. 3.—Every vessel that shall go from port to port,
in virtue of the first srticle of the present law, shall pay
the following dues :
I. Two hundred Haytian dollars for vessels of 150
tons and under.
2. Two hundred and fifty Ilaytian dollars for vessels
above 150 tons to 200 tons.
3. Throe hundred Ilaytian dollars for vessels above
200 tons.
Art. 4.—llaytian vessels built in the country trading
on long voyages, or to the neighbouring islands, are ex-
erupt frora tonnage dues and other expenses of port or
clearances.
Art. 5.—A1l former laws and decrees contrary to the
present law are repealed.
Art. 6.—The present law shall be enforced by the
Secretary of State of Finance and Commerce.
Given at the National Palace, at Purt.au-Prince, Sept.
3, in the 43d year of the Intlependence.
By advices from the Havannalt we learn that the town
was illuminated upon the arrival of the news from
England of the new Sugar Duties Bill having passed ;
and it was reported that 12 vessels were about t) be
fitted out to proceed to the coast of Africa. The price
of slaves was said to have advanced 25 per cent. ; a boy
14 years of age, with good muscle, bringing readily in
the market 400 dollars.
The Severn had fine weather during the passage