The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-19 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAIL.

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY MORNING..--The Op,
mail steamer Tay, Captain Chapman, has just arrived
I here, bringing mails from Jamaica, Demerara, Bar-
badces, Trinidad, and the Windward and Leeward
Islands, but none from the Spanish Main or Pacific.
The Tay has experienced head winds on the
voyage home. She brings 16 passengers; and on
freight 226 bags of pimento and sundry cargo. Specie,
value 1,916 dollars; 191. gold dust; British corn,
6561.; silver, 6181.; and 1,114 francs.
We have advices from Jamaica to the 27th ult.
The first packet with the mails, under the new
arrangement, reached Kingston on the 24th, in 22
days, from Southampton.
The weather in the islands had entirely changed to
abundant rains.

Cotton cultivation was taken up vigorously.
The island was healthy and quiet, with no politica'
news.

Sugar was in fair inquiry, at better prices. Pimento
fetched 41. per lb. Logwood, 403. per ton for St.
Domingo, and 30s. to 344. for Jamaica. Freights
unchanged. Exchange on London—Jamaica Bank.
60 days, par ; Colonial Bank, 90 days, par ; 60 days,
premium ; 30 days, 1 premium.
In imports a fair amount of business had been done
since the departure of the Crescent City on the 15th,
at prices somewhat lower than those current at that
date.

We have Demerara papers to the 27th ult. The
colony was quiet, with showery weather, favourable
for sugar making. The Court of Policy, after pass-
ing the Emigration Bills, had adjourned till the 13th
September.

The Trinidad journals contain no news.
Some arrivals of African emigrants had taken
place.

Sugar was quoted 3 dollars per 1001 b.; cocoa, 6
dollars per 1001 b. ; coffee very scarce.
Exchange on London—Colonial Bank, 30 days,
488 dolls. ; 90 days, 484 dolls. ; private bills, 90 days,
480 dolls.

In Antigua the Legislature has voted 3,0001. to
encourage the introduction of Portuguese emigrants.
In Montserrat several estates had been sold at ruinous
prices.

A severe gale visited Barbadoes on the 16th cf
August-, and did some damage to property in the in.
terior of the island.

DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES.
The following is the official report presented
;o the Holstein Chamber of General Willisen's re-
cent unsuccessful attempts to force the Danish lines
on the Schlei :
"The day before yesterday (the 12th) a division of
our army undertook a reconnoisance against the left
wing of the enemy, by which the object proposed in
the movement was fully attained.
" The left of the enemy's position, who held Elo-
chendorff and Osterbye and the vicinity, as well as
Eckernforde and Fleckerbyc, with a force of about
6,000 Mere was attacked by our avant-garde and our
first brigade, and driven across the Schlei at
Missunde. The enemy, by this movement,
abandoned all their field works in front
of Eckernforde and near Holm and Missunde,
and retired across the bridge at the latter puiat
with precipitation, and not without consider-
able loss. Here a conflict began in the afternoon by
a heavy fire of artillery from both banks of the Schlei,
which continued till six o'clock. The enemy, late in
the afternoon, brought out a strong force of artillery
on the north bank opposite Missunde, from whence
they could command the whole of the ground on the
south of the passage (the Holstein position). As it
was not the intention of the General to force the pas-
sage of the Schlei at this point, towards evening he
ordered the tiring to cease, and withdrew the troops
to Osterbye and Humenelfeldt. The Danish
garrison of Eekernforde had retired to the north
without making any resistance. Our troops, who
had advanced to the Borbyer Mid, were not allowed
to take possession of the place, in order not to expose
it to a bombardment from the water. Only a few
patrols were sent through the town, by whom many
of our soldiers who had been lying in hospital there
were liberated. Yet, notwithstanding the town was
not taken, the enemy with useless cruelty fired on
many of the houses. The Gebion frigate, held by
Prussian troops, was also fired on, and a timber-yard
in its immediate vicinity was set on fire.
" All the troops that were engaged in the operations
have won the approval of the General. All the huts,
field-works, arid block- houses of the Danes south of
Missunde are destroyed ; about 50 prisoners have
fallen into our hands.
" The town of Eckernforde, which is commanded by
the Danish ships in the harbour, was yesterday again
in the possession cf the enemy. .
" Of our loss in killed and wounded, which appears
to have been not insignificant, no official list has yet
been published. We have lost no prisoners. The loss
of the enemy is, according to the estimate of the
General, much greater than our own.
" The army has gained fresh confidence in its
strength, and eagerly anticipates a renewal of the
conflict."