The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-10 00:00:00

THE WEST INDIA AND MEXICAN

MAILS.

The Royal Mail Packet Company's steamer Tay,
E. T. Sturdee commander, arrived at Southampton
yesterday evening at nine o'clock, bringing mails of
the following dates :—From Tampico, Oct. 24th ;
Vera Cruz, Nov. Ist ; Havannah, 11th ; Nassau, 13th;
and Bermuda, 21st. Also, fr.-1 Lionduras, Oct.
20th ; Demerara, Nov. 4th ; Tor3go, sth ; Trinidad,
sth; La Guayra, 7th; Grenada, 10th; St. Vincent,
10th ; St. Lucia, 10th ; Martinique, 11th ; Domi-
nique, 11th ; Guadaloupe, 11th ; Antigua, 12th ;
Montserrat, 12th ; Nevis, 12th; St. Mitt's, 12th ;
Tortola, 13th ; St. Thomas, 14th ; St. Jago de Cuba,
sth ; Jamaica, Bth ; Jacmel, 10th; and Puerto Rico,
12th. She brings on freight 600,000 dollars for mer-
chant's account, gold dust and gold, value about
33,000/. ; 7561 b of silver, 7 packages of platina, 53
bales of tobacco, 57 cases of cigars, 15 cases of pine-
apples, and a variety of other produce.
The Tay has had to contend with a succession of
gales since leaving Bermuda, chiefly from the N. and
E. This, with a detention of 24 hours at the said
port, by order of Admiral Austen, accounts for the
lateness of her arrival.
This ship was out during the whole of the hurri-
cane, which visited the Havannah with such devas-
tating effects on the 10th and 11th of October, having
sailed from that place for Vera Cruz at 5 P.M. on the
10th. It was blowing very strong from N.N.E. at the
time of her departure, the wind continued increasing,
and from 11 P.M. on the 10th to 4 P.M. on the 11th,
it blew with the most intense fury. At the latter
hour the wind shifted suddenly to W. by N., and in
a few minutes after to S. W., then round to E., and
settled at W.N.W., blowing the hardest at N.
During nearly the whole of Sunday, the 11th of
October, the weather was tremendous, the drift flying
over the ship in a complete sheet, and the sea assum-
ing a most extraordinary appearance, the waves rising
in pyramidical forms and breaking at the summits,
resembling breakers on a high shore.
The ship during the whole of this fearful time
behaved admirably, and but for her well-known qua-
lities as a sea boat, together with the excellence of
her machinery, she must have experienced far greater
damage than the comparatively slight injuries she has
sustained, namely, the loss of one of her quarter-boats,
and the sponsons being carried away.
From the position she was in during the night of
the hurricane, had she been a sailing ship instead of
a steamer her total destruction must have been in-
evitable.

Her Majesty's steam-ship Vesuvius arrived at Port
Royal on the 7th ult., from Halifax, where she had
been to recruit the health of her crew. Her Majesty's
schooner Pickle had returned from Cuba, after
having been driven on shore in the late hurricane,
with loss of mainmast ; when refitted she is to pro-
ceed to Hayti, with Mr. Bathurst, her Majesty's
Consul. Her Majesty's ship Hermes, and her Ma-
jesty's ship Vindictive, with the flag of Vice-Admiral
Austin, was at Bermuda. The Persian vas also here
repairing damage.
From Trinidad we learn, that the weather during
the month of November has continued favourable
for the planters. An abundance of rain has fallen,
with favourable intermissions of fine sunny days.
A little dry weather would now be desirable for en-
tering upon the usual business of the season. Some
estates have already commenced crop, and as soon as
the weather is more settled, we may expect to see it
very general throughout the island. Everything at
present connected with the crop wears an appearance
of promise.
The Agricultural Society, we are happy to observe,
are proceeding satisfactorily. The council of the
society have resolved on publishing a journal, to be
devoted to the discussion of all matters having refe-
rence to the improvement of the practice and science
of agriculture in this colony.
We regret that we cannot report favourably of
the state of trade. Every department of business
here is unusually dull. The planters are also de-
pressed in consequence of the recent measure of Go-
vernment.

The Legislative Council was specially titled to-
gether on the 17th ult. to receive the message of his
Excellency, communicating the disallowance of in-
tercolonial immigration and the Coolie regulations.
The Jamaica newspapers make no mention of the
weather or crops, but, as has lately been the case,
contain long articles on the new sugar duties.
The intelligence received by the last packet from
Halifax reporting the seizure of 2,000,000 dollars by
Santa Anna is confirmed. The alleged ground for
the seizure is, that he was afraid the money might
fall into the hands of the enemy.
HER MAJESTY'S SHlrs.—The Endymion, Captain
Lambert, and Alarm, Capt. Franklin, were lying at
the Sacrificios. The Electra, Capt. Maitland, sailed
for Tampico, from Sacrificios, on the 29th October;

and the baring, Capt. Matson, for the same place on
the morning of the Ist November. The Vindictive,

Capt. Seymour, with Admiral Sir F. Austin's flag,
was at Bermuda. The Persian had been hove down
to have her bottom examined, and was refitting when
the Tay left. The whole of the British-men-of-war
were in a healthy state.
The French squadron consisted of—Mercure, 18 ;
Perouse, 18 ; and Pejlade, 18.
The Spanish ships were—The Isabella 11., 22 ; and
Juannitta, schooner.
The Company's steamer Dee, Captain Allen, ar-
rived at Barbadoes on the 6th of November, and sailed

for Grenada on the Bth, arrived there on the 9th, and
sailed for Trinidad the same night. The Eagle was
at Barbadoes on the 7th of November, and the Teviot
on the 9th, leaving there on the same day
for Jacmel,
Jamaica, &c. The Forth was lying at anchor at
Jamaica on the 9th. The Reindeer arrived
at St. Thomas's on the 13th from Grenada, &c.
The Trent brought the Jamaica and Northern Island
mails to Bermuda, to meet the Tay from England, on
the 20th, at noon, and was left there when the Tay
sailed. The Clyde arrived at Havannah on the 7th
of November, and sailed on the 9th for Vera Cruz and
Tampico.

Tlie intelligence brought by the Tay from Mexico
is of no great importance. She had very little com-
munication on shore. No restriction was put upon
her entering any of the ports. The blockading
squadron was still lying off Anton Lizardo, and no
movement had been made in any shape whatever
since the last edvices. At Vera Cruz the Mexicans
were still exerting themselves, and adopting every
means in their power to defend their favourite Castle
of St. Juan de Ulloa.
The American brig of war, Porpoise, arrived at
Tampico on the 21st of October, and was lying there
when the Tay left.
The American squadron at the anchorage of Anton
Lizardo were—Cumberland 52 ; Potomac, 52; John
Adams, 20;
schooners and steamers. The Saint Mary's, 20,
Mississippi, steamer, besides several small
Falmouth, 20, and Somers, brig, were likewise cruis-
ing off the port.
It was reported that the scurvy had made its ap-
pearance in the American fleet, and that the crews
were suffering severely. In short, one ship had been
sent to the United States with invalids.
A movement, on the part of the Mexicans, had
been made at Tampico. The whole of the forces
were preparing to leave when the Tay left, in order
to rally round Santa Anna, who was at San Luis,
concentrating his army. Every person capable of
bearing arms had voluntarily entered the service, and
it was supposed that the force under Santa Anna
amounted to upwards of 20,000 men. Their desti-
nation was Monterey, to meet General Taylor. No
further intelligence had been received from the seat
of war in the interior. It was intended on the part
of the Mexicans to evacuate Tampico. The can-
non was being transported to Monterey, but the
ammunition, copper, shot, &c., was thrown into the
river, to prevent its falling into the hands of the
Americans.

A private correspondent at Mexico writes to the
following effect:—
" There has been a general alarm in the interior,
particularly in the city of Mexico, during the last month,
arising out of the arming of the lower classes of the
people as a civic guard. Foreigners especially had reason
to be apprehensive lest an attack on property might lead
to personal violence ; but on the departure of the cou-
rier all was quiet, and confidence in a great measure
restored.

" General Santa Anna had collected a considerable
force at San Luis Potosi, and the prevailing opinion was
that General Taylor had not the means of advancing
from Monterey, where they had experienced a heavy
loss, although they obtained possession of the townby
capitulation. A little more firmness and energy on the
part of the general officer commanding must have obliged
the Americans to retire.
the
encouragingthe coast
Vera Cruz was still blockaded, but the Americans
had
foiled
tihne theiretraileoto
attempts
greatlyttemptsalongand
this
Mexicans to resistance. Nearly the whole of the male
inhabitants of the city and its vicinity were arming,
undergoing
daily drilling, and would, in all probability.
use the most desperate means to repel any attempts that
would be made. As to negotiation, no one thought of
it, nor is it likely. that it would be
beenha d had
be, even if the Ameri-
cans 'penetrated into the heart of the country. Any
government attempting it would be overthrown in a
month.
" Commodore Stockton, on the western coast, had
divided the Californias into three different states as a
part of the American Union." ,
From another source we learn that—
" General Santa Anna, with 20,000 men, mostly well
armed, was at St. Luis Potosi, on his way to Monterey,
to endeavour to retake that town from the American
General Taylor.
" The chiefs of the federal party who had recalled
General Santa Anna from exile had been removed from
power by him after he reached St. Luis.
"Forced contributions had been made from all classes
and nations residing within the Mexican Government to
carry on the war, and as the people in general as well as
the army had become most enthusiastic in the war, it
was thought that if General Santa Anna would pass
rapidly on, he would do something that would redound
to the national character by the recapture of Monterey.
" Two American steamships, the Mississippi and