The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-20 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY.
The Royal Mail Company's Eteamghip Magda-
lena, Captain George Abbott, arrived here to-day,
with the West India and Mexican mails, in charge
of Lieutenant Beddek, R. N.. Her dates are—
Belize
Santa Martha — 22 St. Lucia — 28
Greytown
Carthagena — 25 Guadaloupe — 23
Colon —..— 23 Dominique
Kingston — 26 Antigua
Jacmel — 23 Montserrat — 30
San Juan — 31 Nevis
Georgetown - 25 St. Kitt's — 30
Tobago
Port of Spain — 26 La Guayra — 26
Grenada . —261 St. Thomas
St. Vincent — 261

This steamer brings 40 passengers (among whom
are Mr. Lemery, Governor-General of Porto Rico,
and his secretary) and 21 distressed British subjects.
On freight she has specie, received across the Isth-
mus from the Pacific ports, value $850,032 (of
which $402,200 are in gold, and $447,832 in silver);
from Jamaica, $22,737; and from other parts of the
West Indies, $7,335; total, $880,104, or say about
176,0201. sterling ; precious stones, diirnonds, Azc.,
value $4,000 ; and a cargo, consisting of 171 serons
of cochineal, 177 serons of indigo, 100 serous of
merchandise, 73 cases of cigars, 16 bales of sarsa-
parilla, 448 packages of cocoa, 10 live turtle, and
60 packages of sundries.

On the homeward voyage the Magdalena expe-
rienced strong breezes and heavy head seas for the
first 11 days, after which strong gales from the
n )rth-west, with tremendous sea and showers of
hail.

At Jamaica the sugar plantations were decidedly
improving, on account of the steady and good prices
in the English market. The health of the island
was in general good. Yellow fever still continued
prevalent in Kingston, though it had greatly dis-
continued its visits among the white troops, who
suffered so much lately. Business in general ap-
peared buoyant. In flour several large operations
had been made. Rum—proof, British colonial, Gs.
per gallon. Sugar—duty, refined, 2d. per lb.
Exchanges.-90 days', per cent. ilremium ;60
days', 1 per cent. premium. ; 30 days', 11 per cent.
premium. Private bills at par. ; merchants' bills
on New York, 14 per cent. premium.
From Demerara we learn that since the depar-
ture of the previous mail the cholera had spread
over nearly the whole colony, but the mortality as
yet was not large. A bill had been passed by the
Court of Policy to regulate Indian immigration,
and the payment of bounty during the seasons of
1856-7 and 1857-8. The Demerara Railway was in
rather a critical position.
At Barbadoes a respectable meeting of the rate-
payers had been held in opposition to the Corpora-
tion Bill before the House of Assembly.
The sugar crops at Antigua were looking better.
The Legislature was agitating to get a lighthouse
erected at the entrance of St. John's harbour, in
order to induce the Royal mail steamers to call
there, and to abolish port charges on all vesels.
Lieutenant-Governor Eyre had opened the an-
nual session of the St. Vincent Legislature. The
Governor had communicated by a message to the
Legislature his intension to depart for England
about the end of February, on leave of absence.
A bill had been brought in to make the same alter-
ation in the Executive Council Act of St. Vincent
as had been made in that of Grenada, to empower
the Government to add to the number of coun-
cillors from either branch of the Legislature, but
the bill was not likely to pas.
On the 20th of December a slight shock of an
earthquake was felt in the city of Mexico, which
lasted 30 seconds. On the same day a fearful storm
raged at Vera Cruz, in which seven vessels were
lost and above 80 persons perished. The Mexican
frigate Guadaloupe, war steamer Iturbide, and pilot
boat Posita, were wrecked ; also the American brig
Nenopur, the French brigs Fortuna and Clarita,
and the Sardinian brig Rimai.
The steamer Orizaba arrived at Manzanilla on
the 27th of December. Lola Montes was a pas-
senger on board, going home for the benefit of her
health.

The Costa Ricans had taken possession of Vir-
ginia Bay and all the river steamers. General
Moro had issued a proclamation to the inhabitants
of Greytown, stating that he intended blockading
the river San Juan, &c.
California was quiet.