The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-21 00:00:00

ARRIVAL OF THE WEST INDIA

MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, Nov. s.—This morning at half-
put nine o'clock, the Royal West India mail packet
the Clyde, Captain Symons, arrived in the river, and
landed her mails, which were dispatched to London
by the eleven o'clock train. She sailed from St.
Jago de Cuba October 19th, Jamaica 24th, Deme-
rara 20th, Trinidad 21st, Barbadoes 24th, Grenada
26th, St Thomas 31st, and Fayal 12th November.
The Clyde brings home thirteen passengers, and on
freight 1,620 dollars, 181. British money, 75 ounces
gold dust, 699 ounces silver, 399 ounces plating. On
the 24th October the royal mail packet the Thames
left Barbadoes for Trinidad, Tobago, and Demerara.
The royal mail schooner Larne 25th from Grenada
for Guayno. On the 26th the royal mail packet
Forth left Grenada for Jamaica and the Gulf, and on
the 31st the royal mail packet Dee was at St.
Thomas, as also the city of Glasgow. Mr. Edwards,
an officer on board the Clyde, died on his voyage
home.

The mails which left here yesterday by special
train, were delivered at the General Post-office in
London within two hours and a half.
The Mary Ann, from the Cape of Good Hope, put
into Cowes last evening, and forwarded to this place
four boxes and three bags of ship letters, which were
sent up to London per mail train this morning; she
left the Cape on the 16th of September.
The Royal Tar will leave the docks on Thursday,
and take out the Gibraltar and other mails.
By these arrivals we have Jamaica and other West
India papers, from which we extract the following
paragraphs :
" Her Majesty's ships luconstant and Spartan are i❑
the Gulf of Mexico, and the Electra at Antigua.
"It appears that the season throughout the West
Indies has been unnsually hot, causing great sickness
and mortality. Demerara was particularly unhealthy,
t) phus and scarlet fever raging, in addition to the indi •
genous fever of the colony.
" The Jamaica House of Assembly was opened by the
Earl of Elgin on the 15th of October. The Hill Coolie
proposition was brought forward in a very full house;
and, after a lengthened discussion, was carried, the num-
ber, however, being limited to 2,000 instead of 5,000, as
proposed by the Home Government.

"A dreidful fire occurred on the Canal Coffee Plan-
tations, near Demerara, on the 14th of October, and was
burning on the 20th, whereby nearly the whole of that
valuable district would be destroyed. The plantations
were fired by the peasantry, in consequence of a tax on
the sale of plantains having been recently exacted by the
collector of the district."

" DREADFUL DEVASTATION AT MONTEGO

BAY.

" Since the year 1818 there has not occurred such a
dreadful visitation at this place, as was witnessed on the
sth inst. (October). On the night of the 4th the wea-
ther, which had been for days past rather threatening,
assumed an unusually lowering and portentous appear-
ance. Between nine and ten o'clock, P.M., it commenced
to blow very hard from the south, a strong ground swell
heaved into the bay from about three P.M., and at about
a quarter to two A.M. Saturday it acquired a terrific
force. The situation of several vessels in the outer har-
bour, Green's Hole, and the Close Harbour, became
now very critical. At Green's Hole one man called
George Young, on board the sloop Isabella, was placed
in the most perilous situation; the sea made a complete
breach over the vessel, and in utter despair he clung to
the mast uttering the most piteous cries, which were
heard from above the remorseless dash of the wild ocean.
He remained in this dreadful state of anxiety and alarm
until half-past twelve, P.M., when fortunately a line was
conveyed on board from Gun Point Wharf, on which he
swung himself ashore; in the very act, however, of
touching the wharf it broke, but we are happy to say
he was seized in time and safely landed, though consi-
derably wor❑ out by fatigue. There was during the
day comparatively little wind, but the sea raged in the
most dreadful manner. Between six and seven, A.m., the
fine schooner Africanus was driven ashore at Meagre
Bay, and very shortly after became a complete wreck.
It is impossible to describe the havoc that has been
occasioned. The whole line of coast from Christie's
Rock to Kathren's Beach has been ploughed up, and
bears more or less the marks of the extraordinary vio-
lence of the sea. Every wharf has suffered, and the loss
of lumber and other property is immense. The crane
at Gun Point Wharf (Jump's) was carried away. The
front part of the wharf (Jump's), occupied by the Messrs.
Melhadaes, was considerably undermined. I cannot de-
pict the scene of distress which prevailed in our town
yesterday, from four P.m. up to dark. Persons of all
classes and sexes were to be seen hurrying about in the
greatest possible state of agitation and alarm. The sea
rose higher than it has ever yet been known to do, and
the waves dashed into the bay with noise equal to that
of the loudest thunder. The following is a list of the
vessels and other property destroyed :
" The schooner Africanus and the Rachel, the pro-
perty of Captain Bates, completely wrecked. Four
boats, the property of Captain Bates. The schooner
Exertion and Sloop Isabella, the property of Joseph G.
Jump, Esq. The sloop Cissia, the Wave, and the Mary,
the property of Captain Selley. The sloop Magna
Charts, the property of Captain Brown and Son. The
sloops Hunter and Tom Smith, the property of Messrs.
Watson and Mowat. The sloop Glassinia, the property
of Mr. Peter Watson. A sloop boat, the property of J.
C. Hart and Co. A schooner boat, Davy Levy, Esq.
A lighter, Mr. Garth. A ditto, Mr. Manderson. A
ditto, Captain Heslop. A ditto, Mr. Thompson. A
ditto, Messrs. Watson and Mowatt.
" A large number of small boats and canoes, and Mr.
Lindo's bathing-house, a considerable quantity of lum-
ber, staves, heading boards, and scantlings, the property
of J. G. Jump, Esq., washed off from Green Point wharf.
Several wharfs considerably injured."

ARUNDEL, Nov. 19.—We are all gaiety in the
extreme, owing to the arrival of a large circle of royalty
and nobility at the castle. The Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge, and suite, arrived on Monday evening, as
also Lord and Lady Lincoln, Lord and Lady Jersey,
and the Hon. Sloane Stanley. The Prince and Prin-
cess Mecklenburg Strelita arrived this morning, and are
expected to remain till Thursday. A grand ball on an
extensive scale will take place on Wednesday evening.
at which upwards of 150 of the resident nobility and
gentry are invited. The town has not presented such
an appearance of bustle for years. The Norfolk Arms
is fully occupied by the overplus company that cannot
find room at the castle. The bells rang a merry peal on
Monday evening, on the arrival of his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge, &c. This day the party were all
out at an early hour, engaged in the sports of the field.
Upwards of one hundred and twenty head of game were
bagged before one o'clock. At the time our corres-
pondent was writing carriages were arriving from all
directions. _ _

INCENDIARISM AT DENBIGH.—OH Friday. night
last some evil-disposed person or persons set fire to a
stack of hay, the property of Mr. Thomas Hastings,
situated in the Park-laae, near the entrance to St.
David's Church, but happily it was soon discovered,
and through the timely interference of the neighbours,
the flames were extinguished before much damage was
done. The fire occurred about 10 o'clock. No doubt,
had it been at a later hour, the consequences would have
been very destructive. —Chester Courant.
FATAL RAILWAY ACCIDENT.---011 Tuesday an in-
quest was taken before Mr. Payne, at Guy's Hospital,
on view of the body of W. Thonaas Hollidge, aged
twelve years, in the employment of Mr. Phillipps,
farmer, Norwood, who was run over by a steam engiee,
the property of the London and Dover Railway Com-
pany. It appeared from the evidence, that about half-
past six o'clock, a man learned Wooker, a gardener, was
walking along the side of the Croydon Railway, between
the Jolly Sailor and Annerley stations, when a steam
engine, which was going slowly to London, passed him.
Shortly after he found the deceased lying on the ground,
between the up-rails. He was taken to his father's
house, which was in the neighbourhood, when a surgeon
was called in. Deceased was bleeding from his head
and mouth. He was prescribed for by the medical gen-
tleman, and then placed in a railway carriage, and taken
by an engine to the terminus at London-bridge, from
whence he was removed to Guy's Hospital. Deceased,
it was stated, was going to Penge, to his work, and that
he was in the habit of walking between the rails. The
driver of a steam-engine (which had a white light in
front) and which was going at a rate of from ten to
twelve miles an hour, said he did not see deceased, nor
was he aware of the accident until about eleven o'clock.
Deceased had a very extensive fracture of the skull and
other injuries. He died the same evening. Verdict--
" That the deceased died from a fracture of the skull,
but how that was occasioned there was no evidence."
OPENING OF THE GRESHAM CLUB Houss.---The
neat building recently erected at the corner of St.
Swithin's-lane and King William-street, City, known as
the Gresham Club House, was opened on Tuesday for the
accommodation of the members. The suite of rooms are
fitted up in a most chaste style, the whole being well
lighted.
THE KING OF THE FRENCH.—On Friday the King,
attended by General Gourgaud, Colonel de Chabanne;
the Count de Strada, and two orderly officers, went at
three o'clock to Versailles, and remained there till six,
when his Majesty returned to St. Cloud. On Saturday
his Majesty took a long airing in the park of St. Cloud,
and in the evening the company of the Theatre Franeais
performed before the Royal Family the Ecole des Vied-
lards and Faute de s'entendre. " The King," says the
Constitutionnel, " is expected in a few days to go to the
Chateau de Bizy, and to return by Dreux. On the 25th
there is to be another representation at St. Cloud, the
performers in which will be the pupils of the Conserva-
toire de Musique. Afterwards the court will go to
LFontainebleau, where the young Duchess d'Aumale will
be received by her new family."

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

PROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—The Paris papers of Thursday last
contain extracts from the ZollvereinAlatt, the journal
of the Customs' Union, upon the new relations opened
to the German States in consequence of the termi-
nation of our treaty with Brazil. It is now no
longer doubtful. that Brazil is negotiating with the
Zollverein. It is probable that Holland, who is
largely interested in the colonial trade, will join with
Brazil and the German States; and so adjust their
differential duties as to appropriate to themselves a
large portion of the Brazilian trade. Thus, our ship-
ping interest and our manufacturers will be again
sacrificed to party views, and the heterogeneous com-
mercial policy of the President of the Board of
Trade. In considering this question, it must not be
forgotten that early in last year Lord Aberdeen ad-
dressed a dispatch to our Minister at Berlin, com-
plaining of the then rumoured intention of the Zoll-
verein to increase the duties on iron ; and, generally,
of the unfriendly spirit of the Customs' Union
towards England. To this Baron Bulow replied
with no less spirit than truth. He reminded our
Foreign Minister that the British tariff was more
hostile to commerce than that of the Customs'
Union ; and instanced the articles of corn, wool, silk,
timber, &c., in proof of what he advanced. Baron
Bulow quoted and adopted the statements made in a
recent article in the Edinburgh Review, to the effect
that, " by our high duties and sliding scale, we had
made the commerce in German corn a mere specula-
tion." Baron Bulow also reminded Lord Aberdeen
that the duty on cotton velvet was "seven times
higher than any levied by the Union ;" and, in fact,
triumphantly met the complaints and expostula-
tions of our Minister by a reference to the com-
mercial policy of this country. Upon this cor-
respondence appearing in the newspapers, Lord
John Russell gave notice in the House of Com-
mons of a motion for its production. This, as ap-
pears from the reports of the debates, was postponed
from time to time, on the ground that negotiations
were still pending, and that the correspondence was
not closed. We conclude, however, from the state-
ments in the German papers, that all negotiations
are now at an end—that the Zollverein is treating,
with Brazil and Holland—and that the offer of Eng-
land to treat with the Zollverein has been repulsed.
After Baron Bulow's letter, England could only ne-
gotiate upon the principle of reducing her differential
duties on timber; a fixed duty on corn ; and an
adjustment of her silk duties. The Prussian Govern-
ment must also know that an offer of negotiation,
unless plainly and unequivocally made on this basis,
could not be sincere on the part of the present Go-
vernment. It is therefore not matter of wonder that
she has refused all further negotiation on the subject.
The English public has, however, a right to know
whether the offer to negotiate did, or did not, involve
the questions of corn, timber, and silk. If any reli-
ance can be placed on the principles of either Sir R.
Peel or Mr. Gladstone, we conclude it must have done
so—however those principles may be hampered, in prac-
tice, by their desire to affect some consistency between
their tactics when in opposition, and their policy
in administration. But is the correspondence brought
to a close ? When Lord Aberdeen wrote to Lord
Westmoreland, Baron Bulow answered and demo-
lished the statements of his unguarded antagonist.
Baron Bulow's letter demanded a reply. Doubtless,
so active a pen as that of Mr. Gladstone has not been
quiet, but has attempted to answer the Prussian
Minister; who, at present, in common with the other
Courts of Europe, laughs at Lord Aberdeen's ridi-
culous position in this great commercial controversy.
The answer, if any has been made, could only ema-
nate—and, doubtless, one did emanate—from the
Board of Trade. When Parliament meets, the al-
most forgotten correspondence will, we presume, be
moved for, and must be forthcoming. We question,
however, whether Sir R. Peel wholly left the matter
in the hands of Lord Aberdeen and Mr. Glad-
stone. The ill-considered letter of the former—
which, of course, was sanctioned by, if it did not
originate with, the Board of Trade—would forbid
his doing this. If not, to have originated such
a correspondence is a signal instance of weakness
and folly, and deservedly exposes its authors to re-
proof and eondemnatiors, There is, however, an in•
termediate hypothesis, viz., that a rejoinder was pre-
pared by the Board of Trade ; but that, as it did but
involve the controversy in still further difficulties, it
was not forwarded to the Prussian Minister. As it
laid our Foreign Minister open to still more obvious
disadvantage, and would have called forth another and
yet more damaging exposure of the inconsistency of
the British Government, it was quietly shelved. A
cooler and more wary head than Mr. Glad-
stone's interposed; and on his advice the re-
joinder was hung up—in despair of satisfying
the metaphysical President of the Board of Trade, on
the one hand, and the plain, matter-of-fact Prussian
Minister on the ether. We hope that Lord John
Russell will, on the meeting of Parliament, take an
early opportunity of renewing his motion for the
production of the correspondence. The interests
of British manufactures and commerce ate mate-
rially and deeply involved in this matter. They
have been seriously
injured by the neglect of the
Government. This the production of the papers
will clearly show. The tariff of Sir Robert Peel is
manifestly working the destruction of British inte-
rests. The continental Powers have taken advantage
of the termination of the Brazilian treaty with this
country, and are actively negotiating for their own
benefit. They will succeed in depriving England of
the Brazil trade--that once important market for
British manufactures, and the extensive employment
for her mercantile marine which that trade afforded.
Such is the natural operation of the high differential
duties, which our Government, coerced by the class
interests, have determined to maintain, at all risks,
and regardless of all consequences.
STANDARD.—The month of November is gene-
rally, we believe, a month pleasant only to the lawyers
—unless we are to except certain prowlers upon the
public, to whom lengthening of the nights is con-
venient, whom uncharitable people
might be disposed
—but we forbear. To the lawyers, the thieves, and
Mr. Daniel O'Connell (the reader may refer him to
which class his judgment shall direct) is November
otherwise than a highly disagreeable month. But
upon none, perhaps, does this inclement season fall
more heavily than the poor journalist. Campaigns
commence in spring; we are therefore six months re-
moved from wars both a parte ante and a parte post.
The sessions of Parliament commence about the be-
ginning of February, and end about the middle of
August ; it is, therefore, too early to discuss future
measures—too late to comment upon those already
enacted. When to this severity of the season we
add a continued state of peace and prosperity, we
surely place the journalist in a pitiable pesition
—a position " to move the hearts of barbarous
people and make Tom Butcher weep." There
is positively no topic of general interest at
this moment, and it would seem to demand
a fourteen-Whig-power of mischief—(there were
fourteen in the deficit Cabinet)--to produce
enough of public calamity to create any sensa-
tion in this dreary month. In such a state of desti-
tution, what are we to, do beyond chronicling " acci-
dents and offences," except we wear out the
time in some such sport as roasting a Bisbop or
wrangling with brother journalists—amusements
which may be innocent, but which are
not always safe, as we may sometimes
burn our fingers with the one, as is known
at Printing House-square, or come off second-
best in the other, as the Arcadian twins, the Globe
and Morning Post, are able, if they were willing, to
testify. Before proceeding to the subject which sug-
gests these remarks, let us, in candour, say a word
for this same month of November, our enemy though
it be. November is notoriously infamous for murders
and suicides, and other like crimes, but we believe the
infamy to be, in part at least, unjust. It is not that
many more crimes are committed in November,
but that the newspapers have more room for
the record of them ; and, to speak truth,
are more in want of them. Many an atrocity of great
pretensions is born to blush unseen, because com-
mitted in the heat of some important Parliamentary
discussion ; or when the eyes of men are bent upon
some anxious trial of foreign or domestic policy.
Mr. Thurtell was no doubt a distinguished Whig,
and a very eminent ruffian, but even ho would pro-
bably be now forgotten, if he had not judiciously
timed the murder of his friend in the dead season.
" Vixere fortes ante Agamemnon°,
Multi ; sed omnes illacrimabiles
Urguentur, ignotique longl
Nocte, carent quia vate sacro."
In other words, the newspapers were too full to
record their achievements with the proper " penny-
a-line " emphasis and diffuseness. By the way
the " penny-a-liners" had a project of presenting
a piece of plate to Mr. Thurtell, which they, no
I doubt would have carried into full effect but for an
awkward event at Hertford. We now come to the
csacasion of our recurrence to the peculiarities of this
particular season. Within the last few days

most of the Opposition newspapers have given
intimation of approaching changes in the
Cabinet. The Whig-Radical organs, indeed, are
not sufficiently audacious to surmise any change
affecting the political character of the Administra-
tion ; but they amuse themselves with recasting the
parts of the Government in a new distribution of
its offices. This, besides supplying the "wicket
want" of something to write about, affords a hand-
some opportunity to insult and abuse all and each
of her Majesty's advisers in detail. The man gra-
tuitously removed from an office has pr•we
himself wholly unfit for it; the man 63 gratui-
tously promoted to the vacant department is of
course so promoted because of his unfitness for every
other. In this Way a falsehood, in itself not very
important, is made the occasion for filling a good
many columns, with nonsense to be sure, but with
nonsense that is sufficiently spiteful to gratify Whig-
Radicals, and that other section of miserables
whom we suppose we must call Morning Postists,
since even Young England has cast them off.
Now when any of our friends ask us whether there
is any truth in these rumours of Ministerial changes,
we reply, as the truth is, that we have no direct
knowledge upon the point, but that we have
the most firm conviction, short of direct knowledge,
that there is nut one word of truth in the
reports. The first ground of our conviction is the
complete harmony that, from the hour of its for-
mation, has constantly prevailed in Sir Robert
Peel's Cabinet—harmony so complete, that the
Cabinet, we have reason to believe, has not
divided as often as it has been years
in office. Our second ground of conviction is
the perfect satisfaction notoriously given by the
head of each department to all his colleagues, and,
we may add, to the country. Our third and not
least weighty ground of conviction is that at which
we hinted at the commencement of this article, the
time when the reports take wing. Such reports al-
ways come over at this season with the woodcocks
and the widgeon, and come from a quarter as uncer-
tain and untraceable as that which serves for the sum-
mer abode of our feathered visitors.

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS.

CITY, TUESDAY EVENING.

TIMES.—The premium on gold at Paris is 11 per mille,
which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s. lOid. per
ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 25
421 ; and the exchange at Paris on London at shoe t
being 25 57k, it follows that gold is 0.59 per cent.
dearer in London than in Paris.

By advices from Hamburgh the price of gold is 434
per mark, which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s. 1441.
per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of 13 91 ;
and the exchange at Hamburgh on London at short
being 13 10k, it follows that gold is 0.23 per cent. dearer
in London than in Hamburgh.
The course of exchange at New York on London is
110 per cent., and the par of exchange between Eng-
land and America being 109 23-40 per cent., it follows
that the exchange is 0.43 per cent. in favour of England
But the quoted exchange at New York being for bills
at 60 days' sight, the interest must be added to the
above difference.