The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-18 00:00:00

THE WEST INDIA MAILS.

The Royal Mail Company's steamship Parana,
Captain T. A. Bevis, arrived at Southampton yes-
terday, a 3 p in., with mails in charge of Lieu-
tenant Pain, R.N., Admiralty agent, of the sub-
joined dates :

Belize (Honduras), Sept. 18' San Juan (Porto
Santa Martha — 22' Rico) • Sept. :30
Greytawn(Mosquito) 17 Carriacou
Carthagena — 26 St. Vincent — 26
Kingston (Jamaica) 26 St. Lucia
Jacmel (flayti) .... 27 • Martinique — 28
Georgetown (Dome- I Guadaloupe
rara) — 25 , Dominique
Tobago
Port of Spain (Tri- i Montserrat
nidad) ....
Bridgetown (Barba- St. Kitt's — 29
does)
Grenada

The Parana experienced fine weather and smooth
sea up to the Bth inst. On the 9th and 10th she
had strong breezes from the N.N.W., and on the
11th a strong breeze from the south-wesl. At 9 30
p.m. there was a sudden shift of wind to N.N.E.,
accompanied by furious squalls, and from that hour
until daylight of the 12th a fearful gale, amounting
to a hurricane, raged, doing much damage and car-
rying away her lifeboats. Since that period strong
south-easterly winds have prevailed.
This packet brought 6:5 passengers, including
eight distressed British seamen and Capt. Hodson,
RA., and the Hon. C. Wellesley, from Jamaica.
On freight she had 477,567 dols. from the Pacific
ports, 2,983 dols. from Carthagena, 1,032 from
Jamaica, and 11,588 dols. from other parts of the
'West Indies--total, 493,170 dols. (of which 189,063
dols. are in silver, and 304,107 dols. in gold), or say
£98,634 sterling ';
also jewellery, precious stones,
&c., value 1,650 dols., and a cargo consisting of
420 serons of cochineal, six serons of indigo, 25 bales
of sarsaparilla, 40 casks of ginger, 50 cases of limes,
and sundries.

Her Majesty's ship Imaum was at Jamaica, the
Racer at Carthageua, and the Valorous at Grey-
town.

The Royal Mail Company's steamship La Plata,
Capt. C. G. Weller, with the outward mail of the
17th ult., arrived off Virgin Garda at 2 p.m. on the
Ist of October, all well.
Advices from Jamaica are to the 26th ult., but
they contain no political news of importance. Ex-
changes on London—Colonial and Jamaica Banks,
90 days, per cent. prem. ;60 days, 1 ditto ;30
days, 1 ditto ; Commissariat, 1 per cent. ; mer -
chants' bills, 90 days, par.
At Demerafa there had been three sittings at the
Court of Policy during the fortnight. Oa the 10th
ult. his Excellency informed the Court that a
despatch had been received from the Duke of
Newcastle, to the effect that Mr. Austin had been
directed to make arrangements for sending the
2,200 Chinese immigrants which had been applied
for by the colony, but that, although it was fair
that the general revenue should bear a portion of
the expense, the planter ought to pay two-thirds
of it. The original calculation was that the
planters would have to pay only 70 dols. per head,
but the cost had been subsequently estimated at
about M dols., anti, as his Excellency stated, the
question was whether the planters would be still
willing to take the number applied for at the in-
creased rate. His Excellency further remarked
that circulars would be sent round to the appli-
cants to ascertain whether they would abide by
their original proposal. The weather continued
favourable, and several estates had commenced,
manufacturing sugar. Trade was rather dull.
From Barbadoes we learn that the barque
Laure, in charge of Lieutenant Pitman, R.N., ar-
rived there on the 16th ult., from the south coast of
Africa, bound to Vera Cruz, being a prize to her
Majesty's ship Archer. Sae was fitted with a
slave deck, and had on board about 200 casks of
water and every necessary for the reception of a
cargo of slaves ; she was taken under Mexican
colours.
The island of Antigua was healthy, and abund-
ant rain had fallen, but the heat was intense.
The papers from the French West India islands
are still filled with details giving further particulars
of the late inauguration fetes. There had arrived
328 Chinese immigrants for Guadaloupe, but the
whole were transferred to Martinique, the planters
of the former island not being willing to take them.
Business continued dull, and money extremely
scarce in the French Islands.
The weather continued very warm at St.
Thomas's, and several cases of fever were reported
among the shipping and Chinese on shore.
From Chili we learn that events have recently
taken place which show that the revolutionary
spirit is not yet quenched in the republic. A revolt
has been discovered in the Constitution. An in-
surrection of prisonzrs in one of the southern pro-
vinces has taken place ; an attempt was made to
seize the waggons of the Copiapo Railroad at
Pabellon. In view of this unsettled state of affairs
the President has asked Congress for an extension
to the Ist of November, 1860, of the extraordinary
powers he at present holds, and after some discus-
sion this has been granted.
All the Peruvian blockading squadron was in
front of Guayaquil, except the Guisse. A number
f merchant vessels had arrived. Signor Mal-
donado had been elected Governor of the city.
Congress had been convoked for the 15th of Soli-

tember.
The Gaccta del Sur, of Lambeyque, announces
the important fact that near the port of Pacta rich
coal mines had been discovered, and the coal pro-
mised to be of good quality and abundant in
quantity.

OUR NAVAL SUPREMACY IN THE SIX

TEENTII CENTURY.

A little squadron of three ships is entering the
port of St. Juan d'Ulloa, the " port which scrveth
the city of Mexico." Only one of these ships, the
Jesus, sent by the Queen, and commanded by
Hawkins, was of any force ; her tonnage was about
700; the Judith, a little vessel of 50 tons, was
under the command of Drake. There was at that
time formal peace between England and Spain, and
covenants were in force under old treaties for
water and victuals for the ships of either nation in
each other's ports. But choleric John Hawkins,
having been refused food, water, and licence of
traffic at Rio da Hacha, had straightway stormed
the town, with loss of two men only, and
helped himself at will. "Faith of treaties, my
Spanish friend, or -." The Spaniards soon learnt
how to fill up the blank, the sacred law of dip-
lomacy being then happily or unhappily, unknown
in those distant seas. Well, our three brave ships,
in sore need, stand into the port of St. Juan
d'Ulloa. Twelve Spanish ships lie in the harbour ;
the authorities mistake the Englishmen for an
expected fleet from Spain, and come on board for
despatches. Picture their dismay when they found
John Hawkins, John Hampton, of the Minion, and
Francis Drake, to meet them. They gave them-
selves up for lost. However the British, who ever
played an open and manly game, reassure them,
demand supplies, and on assurance given let the
commanders go. The next day came in sight the
thirteen great ships of Spain. Hawkins shall tell
the rest. "On the morrow," said Hawkins, "we
saw open of the haven thirteen great ships, and
understanding them to be the fleet of Spain, 1 sent
immediately to advertise the general of the fleet of
my being there, giving him to understand that,
before I would suffer thorn to enter the port there
should be some order of conditions pass between us
for our safe being there, and maintenance of peace."
There is something quite amazing in the hardihood
of the British. Three ships, one only being of any
force, with twelve hostile ships behind them, ruffle
up to the mouth of the harbour, and blowing their
matches, shout to thirteen great ships stand-
ing into their own ports. " Sheer off till we
come to terms, or we fire." Amazing, truly !
bat still more amazing, the thirteen ships did it.
They recognised their masters, and made condi-
tions of entry into their own ports. Still
Hawkins, though he carried so bold a front to the
Spaniards, felt himself in a most dangerous position,
and partly anticipated what subsequently occurred.
Hawkins stipulated for liberty to trade, food at a
fair price, the temporary possession of a fortified
island, and the exchange of six hostages as guaran-
tee of good faith. After some demur, the viceroy
(who was on board the fleet) agreed to the condi-
tions, though he considerably " mis-liked. them."
The master of 25 ships signed and sealed the condi-
tions, and was allowed to enter his harbour; the
splendid daring of the English having kept him
outside for three days.--The _Eclectic for October.

Tho Austrian Gazette says :—" The Archduke
Albert, Governor-General of Hungary, has arrived at
Vienna, and on the 16th, accompanied by several aides-de-
camp and a numerous acute, ua to set out for Warsaw,'