The Sun.
London, England, 1828-03-20 00:00:00

WEST INDIA INTEREST.

A Deputation, consisting of the Marquis of
Sligo, and about thirty of the principal West
India Proprietors, Members of Parliament,
waited on the Duke of Wellington last week,
and had a long conference respecting the dispo-
sition supposed to be entertained by Ministers
towards that portion of our colonial possessions.
Mr. Peel, Mr. Huskisson, and the Chancellor
of the Exchequer were present. A statement
had been previously forwarded to the Duke of
Wellington, containing the points to which the
West India interest desired to draw the attention
of Ministers. At the commencement of the
conference this paper was read by the Marquis
of Sligo, who concluded by the observation,
that the Noblemen and Gentlemen who com-
posed the deputation, attended merely as indivi-
dual West India Proprietors. The paper read
was to the following effect :
That the deputation contemplated with great
alarm the present situation of the Colonies.
That in the West Indies, and also in this
country, a strong impression prevailed that the
connexion between these Colonies and Great
Britain was held to be of very doubtful value in
the estimation of persons of influence in the
Government, and that the ties which originally
and intimately connected them with the mother
country are gradually relaxing.
The deputation therefore solicited from the
Duke of Wellington some declaration as to the
views and intentions of the Government with
respect to the connexion with the Colonies ; they
begged to inquire whether it was the intention of
Government to endeavour to conciliate the dif-
ferent Colonial Legislatures, and to avoid such
interference with their rights and privileges as
would impede their deliberations and retard their
consideration of the amelioration of the slave
population.
The deputation besought the continued atten-
tion of Ministers to this important subject ; and
further, that in the event of any proceeding being
instituted in Parliament calculated to interfere
with the rights of colonial proprietors, the Go-
vernment would adopt a course tending to quiet
the apprehensions entertained by those interested
in the fate of these Colonies, and to re-establish
that belief in the security of their property which
could alone restore them to the advantages they
formerly enjoyed.
When the reading of this statement had been
concluded by the Marquis of Sligo, the Duke of
Wellington replied, that in regard to the idea
which appeared to be entertained by some of the
West India Proprietors, that the Government
was not sufficiently alive to the value and impor-
tance of the Colonies and of the property vested
therein, he begged to say, that the West India
Proprietors were most certainly mistaken, and that
the Government was fully sensible of their
great value and importance. That as to the
rights and privileges of the different Colonial
Legislatures, his Majesty's Government consi-
dered that a conciliatory line of conduct was as
much due to them, and as expedient, as towards
the Legislature of this country. That the
Members present at the conference must at the
same time be aware of the strong feelings preva-
lent in this country in favour of the amelioration
of the condition of the slave population, in which
Government concurred to the extent of every
reksonable request consistent with the safety of
property ; and his Grace entreated the West
ndian members, as individuals, to lend their
Lpowerful influence towards inducing the Colonial
egislatures to adopt all such measures as were
necessary for the accomplishment of their object,
and which, indeed, their own personal interests
dictated. _ _

The Marquis of Sligo again observed that
the Members composing the deputation were
not there as representing any authorised body,
but merely as individual proprietors ; that in all
quarters the doubts as to the value of the colo-
nies were expressed, and that so strongly, that
they must have reached the ears of those from
whom one word would have set the matter at
rest, and that a public declaration in Parliament,
on behalf of the Government, was very desirable.

The Duke of Wellington then said, that he
was aware that he was addressing individuals of
great property and influence, and that he relied
upon the exercise of their influence to promote
the peace and good order of the Colonies to
which reference had been made, as they might
rely upon the influence of Government being
directed to promote the same objects, and to
conciliate the confidence and good-will of the
several legislatures.
Mr. Huskisson observed, that if he was one
of the persons alluded to with whom such doubts
had originated, as to the great value and import-
ance of maintaining the connexion between the
West Indian Colonies and the Mother Country,
and of protecting the great interests by which
both were reciprocally bound to each other, he
was glad that the opportunity was afforded him
of stating unequivocally that be entertained the
highest opinion of the very great value and im-
portance of those Colonies. He kinked to them
not only as contributing essentially to the extent
and prosperity of our navigation and commerce,
ut also with reference to the great mass of
British property vested in them. He knew of
no greater calamity which could occur externally,
to impair the welfare and power of this country,
than the breaking those ties of mutual good-will
and common interest which exist between Great
Britain and her possessions in the West Indies.
After some further observations of no material
importance, the conference terminated.

LIVERPOOL, MARCH 18.—We have had a
great deal doing in our Cotton Market to-day, a very un-
usual thing on this day of the week (Manchester Market-
day), and 3,000 bags have been sold at very full prices
with much firmness in the holders.
ITCHIN NA VIGATION.—This navigation
which extends from Southampton to the sea at Northam,
in the port of Southampton, by the effects of the unprece-
dented high tides and storms, which visited nearly the
whole of our southern coast at the end of December, and
.beginning of January last, and which did so much .damage
in various places (stud to which the extraordinary landb
floods falling into this river for a course of 90 miles were
added), was temporarily interrupted by the entire destruc-
tion of the last and sea lock at Woodmill, (two miles above
Northam), and the bridge adjoining it; but we are happy
to state that, by extraordinary exertions, the interruption
did not last longer thari a week or tell days, as the space
where the bridge was is now filled in with immense masses
chalk, to stem the torrent; and the inter-
sticesohard
lvith small chalk and clayey sod, to answer the
double purpose of a bay during the repair or re-construc-
tion of the lock, and a road. for the
.public in lieu of the
bridge. The only inconvenience now felt, is the shifting
the loads from the barges bringing it from the ships at
Northam, across the road, SO feet wide, to the barges from
Winchester, causing a little additional expence and delay ;
but this city and neighbourhood are now as regularly and
amply supplied with coal, corn, salt, iron, and all other ne-
cessaries as before. It has not yet been determined whether
the old lock can be repaired, or a new and improved one
erected, but preparations are making for doing either the
one or the other, a.s soon as the frosts shall be over, during
which, no masonry work can be safely done. The ex-
penses of the re-construction of the lock and bridge is esti-
mated at from 400/. to 500/../...lionts Advertiser.