The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-19 00:00:00

THE WEST INDIA MAILS.

The Royal Mail Company's steamer Severn, Vincent,
commander, arrived at Southampton yesterday morning,
after a rapid passage, bringing the usual mails, 20 first-
class passengers, 35 casks of coffee, 17 casks of ginger,
212 packages of pickles, &c., 58 bales of tobacco, 161
bales of sarsaparilla, and a small quantity of specie.
Her dates are—Demerara, the 18th; Trinidad, the 20th;
Barbadoes, the 24th ; Grenada, the 26th; St. Jago de
Cuba, the 19th; Jamaica, the 23d; Jacmel, the 25th ;
Porto Rico, the 27th; and St. Thomas's, the 29th of
September; and Fayal, the 11th instant.
From the various islands we have our usual files of
papers ; their columns are chiefly occupied by articles
and discussions on the New Sugar Duties Bill. Public
meetings were about to be held throughout the colonies,
and it was intended to memorialise the home Govern-
ment en 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 papers from Barbadoes are to Tuesday, Sep-
tember 8. As they make no allusion to the earthquake
of 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
cwt., and sweet potatoes 60 to 80 cents. The Colonial
Legislature was adjourned to the 15th. The heat was
intense, but the general health of the island was stated
to be good. Arrivals from America have been plentiful.
The quantity of sugar shipped to the above date has
been 20,883 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
tierces, 435 barrels, being a decrease when compared
with last year's return of 968 hhds, 207 tierces, and
176 barrels. A corresponding decrease in rum and mo-
lassos is also reported.
'1 he following translation of a late law of the Re-
public of Hayti, for the amendment of the navigation
laws of the Republic, will be serviceable to such of our
readers as may be engaged in the trade with Hayti:—
, A LAW TO PERMIT FOREIGN AND HAYTIAN VESSELS
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 Senate,
after the three prescribed readings, considering that it
tends to encourage agriculture and commerce, to give
facilities to the export of national products, considering
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 for the purpose of taking in such part or entire
cargoes of produce as they may require for exportation.
Art. 2.—The same vessels will be permitted to take in
a cargo of mahogany at the port of the Great Salina of
Artibunite, 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.
MArark.
t. 3.—Every vessel that shall go from port to port,
in virtue of the first article of the present law, shall pay
the following dues :-
1. Two hundred Haytian dollars for vessels of 150
tons and under.
2. Two hundred and fifty Haytian dollars for vessels
above 150 tons to 200 tons.
3. Three. hundred Haytian dollars for vessels above
200 tons.
Art. 4.—Haytian vessels built in the country trading
on long voyages, or to the neighbouring islands, are ex-
empt from 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 Port-au-Prince, Sept.
S, in the 43d year of the Independence.
By advices from the Havannah 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 to 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
home.

SOUTHAMPTON, OCT. 18.—THE MAILS.—The Gib
raltar mail packet the Madrid, Captain Bingham, left the
docks yesterday at 3 P.M. with the outward Peninsular
and Mediterranean mails ; also 40 passengers and full
cargo of bale goods. The Royal West India mail
packet the Dee, Captain Allan, left the river yesterday,
en route for the West Indies, &e., with the usual mails, a
light cargo, and 104 passengers, among whom was the
Bishop of Barbadoes and family and the Governor of
Antigua. Her Majesq's steam-ship Cyclops arrived in
the river yesterday with Lord de Walden and family
from Lisbon ; which place she left at 11 A.M. on Monday
last. The Cyclops, after landing his Lordship, proceeded
round to Portsmouth. Arrival of mails :—The Oriental
Company's steam-ship Queen, Captain Russell, from
Gibraltar, arrived in the docks at 11 P.M. yesterday, and
landed her mails of the following dates—Gibraltar, Oc-
tober 7th ; Cadiz, Bth; Lisbon, 11th ; Vigo, 13th ; and
Corunna, 14th. She has a full fruit cargo, and 25 pas-
sengers. The Queen spoke with the Prussian corvette
lying at Gibraltar, with the body of Prince George, from
Civita Vecchia. The Royal West India mail packet
Severn, Captain Vincent, arrived early this morning, and
landed the West Indian (not the Gulf) mails, which were
forwarded by trains immediately, to London. Her dates
are—Jamaica, Sept. 23 ; St. Jago de Cuba, Sept. 19 ;
Demerara, Sept. 20 ; Trinidad, Sept. 19 ; Barbadoes,
Sept. 24 ; Grenada, Sept. 26 ; Porto Rico, Sept. 27 ; St.
Thomas, Sept. 29 ; and Faye), Oct. 11. The New
Oriental Company's iron steam-ship Ripon arrived round
from London this morning, and will start for Alexandria
on the 20th, with India mails, &c.
MAR FOREST.—Some days ago, as a youno man,
from the parish of Abernethy, was crossing the hills on
his way to a market at Braemar, and whilst witi2in
some distance of Mar Lodge, he was met by thc
Duke of Leeds's gamekeepers, and conducted by them—
although much against his inclination—to the Lodge,
where he was ushered into the presence of his
Grace. The poor Celt was threatened with the
severest vengeance,, and took his leave promising,
almost upon oath, never to retrace the same
path. The practice of annoying the enthu
siast who seeks to admire nature in her wildest
which his
forms in
that sublimely beautiful part of our country,
Grace of'Leeds at present occupies, is bad enough ; but
the interruption and delay caused to a pedestrian on
1 business, unarmed and alene,is an actin quite unworthy
of the dignity of a titled Nobleman.—lnvernesh Courier.
[
The banking establishments in Sheffield have
agreed to allow their clerks a half-holiday evgry
Thursday.