The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-09-15 00:00:00

for the- ilefendara ; for, although that evidence may and
does aid our conviction as individuals, it cannot be ad-
mitted in an argument upon the case as it went to the
jury. The law always presumes that the best evidence
that can be had is adduced; and even abiding by that
strict rule, wl maintain that according to the evidence
of the witnesses on Mr. Hearne's side, it was no libel
upon him to say that he was the imposer of O'Hara's
penance. It could neither "endanger him in law," nor
tend to " exclude him from society," nor " impair his
trade."

Come we now to the second point in issue, namely,—
whether, in reading the document subscribed by the
four policemen, Mr. Stowell was guilty of malice
towards Mr. Hearne. Some nice distinctions between'
malice in law and malice according to the general
'acceptation of the term, have been attempted ; but, we
take it, that what is understood by "militia provoyi-
tata,", or by the French definition, "un disposition a faire
une male chose," was meant in the case before us. We
leave that, however, to be settled by those who think
the point worth discussing. What we maintain is,
that no malice—either " express" or " implied"—was
proved against Mr. Stowell. He was engaged in
denouncing principles not men ; and, although it hap-
pened that Mr. Hearne's name was made use of, the
circumstances with which it was linked were no reflec-
tion upon him personally, nor were they related in
that sense maliciously ' • therefore, we say, that as far as
malice has to do with the question, Mr. Stowell was
not guilty of libel. Baron Rolfe says it is not necessary
to constitute a libel that malice should be proved.
That is viewing the law of libel by the new light thrown
upon it by Lord Denman ; but, for our parts, we are
disposed to go along with Mr. Cresswell ; and in this,
we are strengthened by Mr. Justice Blackstone, who,
speaking of slander, says, (with emphasis on the word
" maliciously,") that words to be actionable must be
" maliciously spoken, which is part of the definition of
slander." Hence it seems to be manifest, that on both
the points in issue, the verdict of the jury worked in-
justice and wrong towards Mr. Stowell, and that a new
trial ought to be granted.

CAPABILITIES AND RESOURCES OF BRITISH
GUIANA.

(From Schomburgk' a " Description,"

No part of t'se dominions under the British crown sur-
passes Guiana in the commodiousness of its situation for com-
merce, and in maritime strength, in diversity of soil and luxu-
riant vegetation, as conducing to national prosperity, and in
the connecting the interior with the coast regions, to make
these treasures available to the leek extent. In the fore;
going remarks I have given a general outline of the produc-
tions of this rich and beautiful country, and it is now my in-
tention to state how far its capabilities and resources might
prove of advantage to colonists and the mother country, and
its riches be made subservient to the wants of mankind in
general.'
The clayey and alluvial marshy land which is now under
cultivation, extends to those sandy hills which I have already
described, and has, when protected against the encroachment
of the sea, and rendered mellow by labour, produced asto-
nishing returns, which make it probable that if immigration
to the colony increases, its produce will be doubled in every
ten years. This extensive district is at present only partly
cultivated with sugar, coffee, and cotton, the three staple ar-
ticles of the colony, intermixed with a few plantains.—To
enable my readers to judge of the richness and fertility of
that soil, I may observe that it has been recorded to have
produced 6,000 lbs. of sugar on an acre, or 20,000 lbs. of
plantains.* To this fertility the former prosperity of the co-
lony was to be ascribed ; how much that prosperity might be
increased, if the flow of emigration were to be directed to
British Guiana, tilay be imagined chiefly, if many of its in-
digenous productions, which, comparatively speaking, are
almost unknown, were added to the list of exports or inter-
nal consumption. It wants only the means of drawing them
from their obscurity, to open new resources to the enterpris-
ing emigrant.

tt is not probable that British Guiana contains gold and
silver mines. I have explored its chief rivers, and visited
the mountains which traverse the heart of the colony, with-
out finding the slightest indication of precious metals. The
bare and rugged mountains of Pac rima, and the chain which
takes the direction of the meredian in the equatorial regions,
are the most likely to possess in their bowels gold and silver ;
but the colony possesses a treasure superior to those metals,
and able to enrich millions of its inhabitants, namely, its
amazing fertility, and the diversity of its soil and natural
productions.
The sand-hills are followed by savannahs, which generally
extend to the first rocky belt, and are sometimes interspersed
with woods and rivulets. They are most extensive between
the rivers Demerara and Berbice; they are also frequent be-
tween the latter river and the Corentyn ; but these must not
be confused with those of the Rupununi, which are sterile.
The former are clothed with nutritious and wholesome grass-
es, and in consequence of springs and brooks, and the
thickets of wood with which they are interspersed, it appears
that nature herself had pointed them out'for the pasture-
grounds of thousands of cattle and horses. Those between
the rivers Berbice and Demerara occupy upwards of three
thousand square miles, and the favourable circumstance that
they are plentifully watered by woodland to afford shade
during the heat of the day, enhances their value as grazing-
grounds.__ . . . -

The soil between these hills and the central ridge of moun-
tains, consists of a strong, fertile loam, mixed with clay and
vegetable mould, and sometimes with ferruginous matrer,
which gives it a reddish appearance. Indeed it is a rich,
primitive soil, retentive and springy. The fitness of the hilly
tract, of the central chain of mountains for the cultivation of
coffee, and in consequence of its gravelly and clayey nature
for the cultivation of the vine and olive, is perfect. The
springy soil in these mountains would produce almost any-
thing ; but the sides of the mountains, I am sure, as far as
my experience goes, are qualified for the production of the
finest firapes, equal to those of Madeira, and without much
labour or expense ; these fertile regions have a great advan-
tage over the African Isles, in not being subject to great
droughts. The Catholic misiionaz ies, who before the struggle
for independence broke out in the former Spanish colonies,
were settled on the banks of the rivers Caroni and Caura,
tributaries to the Orinico, are known to have cultivated the
vine. The revolutionary war destroyed their missions, de-
prived them of their lives, or rendered them fugitives.

In ascending the river Berbice, and having passed the
central ridge of mountains, we found, in lat. 4 20 N. the
b
hank of the river low, and formint, large inlets. The under-
stratum of the soil was here highly retentive, while on the
surface it consisted of a claye marl, mixed with mud and
sand, the deposit of periodical flooding' of the river, it is
therefore particularly qualified for the cultivation of rice ;
and thousands of square acres, now lying in a worse than
useless state, might thus become subservient to the wants of
man. This morasty soil is bordered by gently undulating
ground of great fecundity. The soil which I found between
the two rivers, when crossing from the Berbice to the Esse-
quebo, was very rich : we found near the banks of the Esse-
quebo, at the abandoned Indian settlement Primrose, nume-
rous cocoa-trees; they extended more than a mile from the
river's banks, being loaded with fruits in different stages.
Though some of the trees might have been planted by the
Indians, it was evident that nature had assisted in propa-
gating them :—their luxuriant growth and numerous fruit
proved that they throve well in this soil.t
The vegetation of the river Rupunnni is far less luxuriant.
The savannah which approaches its banks, consists of arid
sands upon a clay substratum, and are unproductive. 'Woods
form only here and there a f.inge along the rivers, and
either disappear entirely at some distance from the banks, or
become quite stunted in the growth ; the only .fertile soil at
the regions of the savannahs is along the foot of mountains,
or on their ridges.
If we turn our attention to the consideration, how far the
mineralogical productions of Guiana might be rendered use-
ful to economical purposes, the clays of the alluvial flats
first claim our attention, as being nearest the cultivated
part of the colony. The immense masses of fine white
clay of the river Corentyn would probably prove a
valuable article for the manufacture of stoneware or
porcelain, while the coloured and coarser clay might
be used in the manufacture of bricks, which, at pre-
sent, for the construction of the necessary buildings on
sugar-estates, are imported at great expense from Europe.
The Indians are the only individuals who prepare a coarse
earthenware by mere manual labour from the clays of the
country ; the white clays of the Corentyn alternate with
quartz particlee and layers of sand, the latter a necessary
ingredient in the fabrication of porcelain. The sand which
forms the first elevation, when penetrating from the sea-
coast towards the interior, contains much silex, and is well
adapted for the manufacture of glass. Experiments were
made with it in Boston, U.S., which proved highly satis-
factory, and prnduced a better glassware than is generally
manufactured from the sands in the United States. These
cliffs become of further interest, as their structure, if judged
of by analogy, renders it probable that coal might be found
in that situation ; if such proved the fact, it would add a new
and valuable resource to those which the colony alrrady
possesses.

Steam is not only employed in the manufacture of sugar,
but likewise in cleaning the coffee of its husks and the cotton
of its seeds. Coal is at present imported from the mother
country, comparatively at an easy freight : but would this
continue if Great Britain should be involved in a war with
any other power? Setting aside all other advantages which
it offers, a reference to this circumstance is alone sufficient
to demonstrate the vital importance of the discovery of coal
measures in British Guiana.

Though it may be possible that gold and silver mines exist
in the mountain chain of Pacaraima, no native specimens
have ever been brought by the Indians to the colony, although
they frequently bring the mountain crystals, red chalcedony,
and coloured agates. Captain Cordiero, the commandant of
Fort San Joaquim on the Brazilian.frontier, told me in 1835
that,the Indians from the upper river Branco had brought
him at different times specimens of native silver.
The Dutch made several attempts at mining in 1721, and
sent a miner by the name of Hildebrand to examine the in-
terior ; but though Ms search was conducted with great at-
tention, he did not discover any indications of the precious
metals. Red iron ore is sometimes met with in the granite
regions •, but the brown iron ore is most conspicuous in the
tracts previously alluded to. I have observed, elsewhere,
that the oxide of manganese, which I have seen in the pos-
session of the Indians, consisted only of small quantities.
Whether large mines of that metal are extant in Guiana it is
difficult to say, and the limited use of it does not increase the
importance of such a discovery. The Indians employ it to
give a lustre to their native pottery.
The granitic tract in the vicinity of the mouth of the
Mazaruni, and the adjacent country, has already afforded
building materials, and has been used in the construction of
wharfs and in .the building of houses : if once fairly intro-
duced, it will be of great advantage to the colony. The tracts
of sandstones in the river Corentyn may prove likewise useful;
some of the blocks would square ten to twelve feet.
The vegetation of the interior contains' treasures which
need only be developed to insure the welfare of millions, and
to minister to the comforts, necessaries, and elegancies of
mankind in general. The beautiful timber which abounds in
the vast forests, and covers millions of acres, profits, under
present circumstances, only a few ; and if we except the tim-
ber which is employed for colonial use, scarcely more than
one hundred to one hundred and fifty pieces have been ex-
ported annually. This trifling export does not arise in con-
sequence of the inferior quality of the timber ; and, as every
competent judge acknowledges, the more and green-hearts
vie or even surpass the East India teak and African oak ;
but the high rate of labour, and the trouble connected at pre-
seri t
coast,w otwrasn sopnolrytian gt
rti
ntimber
tfrtoontihteh ee
enterprising
rie
pnrtiesri
ni ogr
wtoo
ot
dh
cutter. There are about one thousand eight hundred to two
* I 've keen infot" d

Aned that at the estate, Mary's Hope,
plaintainas.v
_ na. dt,..
been produced on
on the Corentyn, 80001bs. of sugar h
it is generally an acre ; and with regard to
atswirk throughout the
calcu-
lated that an acre gives seven b,uoooncihbess.
year. The above weight of 20
that
no means extra-
ordinary, since instances are known ha 30,0001b5. of
plaintains have been produced.
t The cocoa-tree is found indigenous on the banks of he
Rio Branco; it is, therefore, more than probable thatthtos
at Prinross are likewise indigenous. e
.1.- Several cargoes of green-heart have been sent to the.
Clyde, where it is preferred to' any other timber ; but the
want of labourers in Guiana makes it impossible to meet the
demand. Another cargo was lately imported at Liverpool
and bought by the corporation at a shilling per foot higher
than any other wood.