The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-21 00:00:00

WEST INDIA AND PACIFIC MAILS.

ARRIVAL OF THE STEAM-SHIP THAMES.
SOUTHAMPTON, JULY 20.—The Royal Mail Com-
pany's steam-ship Thames, Captain George Abbott, ar-
rived this morning, at half-past seven o'clock, from the
West Indies, with the usual mails, in charge of Lieut.
Dennehy, R.N., Admiralty agent. On her homeward
voyage the Thames experienced fine weather until the
18th, 19th, and 20th, when, approaching the Channel,
it became very thick and squally. Her latest dates are,
Havannah, June 23; Chagres, June 25; Carthagena,
June 27; Jamaica, June 28; Demerara, June 27;
Trinidad, June 28; Barbadoes, June 30; Grenada,
June 29; Porto Rico, July 2; St. Thomas, July 4; An-
tigua, Ju►y 2; Jacmel, June 30; Santa Martha, June 8;
Grey Town, June 18. She brings 127 passengers,
amongst whom are General Braun, from Valparaiso;
lion. Arthur Petre, from Panama; his Excellency Go-
vernor Darling, from St. Lucia; and his Excellency
Governor M'Donald, from Dominica; and the following
on freight :—Silver from the Pacific ports, value 829 877
dolls.; gold, value, 244,600 dolls.; gold from California,
40,716 dolls.; specie and bullion from Carthagena,
200,000 dolls., from Jamaica, 20,000 dolls.; the total
value being 1 335.193 dolls., or, say, 267,0401. sterling,
of which 987,689 is in silver and 327.504 dolls. in gold
and platina. Tne freight list also comprises—Pearls
value 2,0001., 583 serous cochineal, 114 serona indigo,
100 cases cigars, 92 bales tobacco, 17 barrels and 4

tierces coffee, 27 casks ginger, 2 live turtle, 1 case tor-
toiseshell, and 35 packages sundries.
Our accounts from Jamaica by this packet are not of
much importance. The cholera had appeared in several
districts, and a few cases had occurred in Kingston.
The weather in certain agricultural parts of the island
had been unfavourable. Regarding the state of the
island the Colonial Standard has the following:—
We continue to receive from all parts of the country
complaints of the want of labour experienced generally
throughout the sugar parishes, and especially at St.
George, Metcalfe, and St. Mary. A gentleman largely
connuected, both as a proprietor and attorney, with the
management of sugar estates assures us that never since
the year 1838 does he remember to have witnessed
such an indisposition on the part of the people to
work as at the present moment. The parishes of
Portland. St. George, Metcalfe, and St. Mary make the
principal portion of their crops between the months
of March and October, so that they are now in the
middle of crop without the means of takieg it off. There
is scarcely an estate in any one of the parishes we have
named that has not canes rotting on the ground, while
the plants are being choked with grass and weeds; and
yet, though wages have advanced 25 per cent., labour is
not to be procured either to take off the one or clear the
other. On the contrary, the quantum of labour obtain-
able for a day's wages is often little short of 50 per cent.
below what it was last year. It is probable that one-
third at least of the estimated crop of this year, which
should have been the largest exported for many years
from Jamaica, will be lost from sheer inability to take it
off; but the consequence to the crops of future years is a
subject for still greater alarm. Unless the planters be
assisted, and that immediately, by a large influx of in-
dustrious population, it is difficult to conjecture how
many estates that are now struggling with this diffi-
culty in the face of foreign competition can escape
abandonment."
From Havannah there is no political news. During
two or three days before the packet sailed a great deal
of rain had fallen. The influenza, or grippe, was pre-
valent in the city, and a large part of the population was
suffering from it; but the results were not fatal. From
Chagres we learn that the railway from Navy Bay was
rapidly proceeding, and a fresh accession of labourers
bad been brought out by the American ships Empire
City and Prometheus. The latter vessel also brought
out several iron steamers for navigating the river be-
tween Grey town and Nicaragua. Very heavy rains had
fallen at Greytown.
AtCarthagena, oz entering the Bocca Chins, a very
narrowent
itrawnceh the schoonertowardsthev
city,iiingetlizia, andeTha ms
into collision
down. Shee cut came
h e r
sank in a few minutes, and the whole of the
persons on board, 30 in
number,
were saved by the
boats of the Thames, with the
who was drowned. The accident exception
of the pilot,
e accident was not caused by
carelessness on board the Thames,
as the schooner was
standing right across the Course,m,
was inevitable, or the steamer must
tnd the catastrophe
have gone on shore
The passengers on board subscribed 400 dollars for the
relief of the sufferers.
Trinidad letters of the 27th ult., mention that heavy
showers bad fallen, and the rainy season had set in with
appearances of unusual severity.
The Venezuelan Government has imposed a rate of
1 doll. per ton upon all vessels carrying ,
cattle from its
ports.
The decease of the Hon. Charles Chi Pell as% collector
of customs in Trinidad, is reported by this mail.
The San Fernando Gazette complains of the scarcity
of labour in many districts of the island.
The accounts trom British Guiana are to the 27th ult.
The colony was tranquil.
The .Demerara Royal Gazette states that the reform,
movement in that colony is principally sustained by ab-
sentee influence.
Instructions bad been received by the engineer of the
Demerara Railway Company from the directors in Lou-
don to proceed with the construction of the line as far es
Mahiaca.

A valuable megass-lodge on plantation Montrose,
east coast of Demerara, was destroyed by fire on the
22d ult.

The weather during the fortnight preceding the de-
parture of the picket had be en ease atingly rainy.
Sugar-making bad, in consecppnce, entirely el-aied.
The Loyal had arrived from St. Michael's, with 72 Por-
tuguese emigrants.
Files of payers from Surinam to the 7th of Jur e, and
Cayenne, Ft. nch Guiana, to the 24th of May, contain
no news of importance.
Our usual files of papers from St. Lucia, Antigua, and
Barbadoes have miscarried. Her Alsje-ty's schooner
Bermuda Ras at Grey town when the Thames left. The
French war. steamer Asmcdee arrived ut St. Thomas's
on the 3d inst. The royal mail steam-ship Medway,
with the outward mails of the 17th of June, arrived at
St. Thomas's on the 3d inst., in 16 days from South-
ampton. The Conway arrived from Honduras, }Javan-
nab, and Jamaica on the 2d, and the Derwent from the
Northern Island route on the same day. Tho Treat