New-York daily tribune., 1843-08-22
-...---...,. .-.o.-por, Royal-Kingston, &c.
Correspondence Of The Tribune
AZ. S. SHIP VANDALIA,
Port Royal Hareor, June 81. l343.

al S SHIP VANpALIA,
Port Royal Hartor June 81. l343.
v.ndalia left the delightful and salubrlous
:. of Chagres on the Sd inst. under sudden and
Enacted orders from Commodore Dallas te
snceed to Jamaica Her passage was Of the
~. disagreeabe kind, running either under the
..,g Of hurricane, or lying still with the wind
:, and down-consequently she was l6 days on
y, massage, arriving here only on the 18th. |!
Gems we have been fortunate in delay, as a few
,,rs earlier would have placed us in the hear, OF
.he hurricane. We have reason to apprehend a
,ose acquaintance with these terrible affairs, as
900 have to cruize about the Caribbean Sea and
IN the Main for more than month yat before we
ran start for home. That is, unless we find Com
nodore Jones at Chagres on our return there on
,be first proximo, of which there is no probability
Our sailing day for the United States is fixed for
the first of August, giving us about the worst
season Of the year to traverse these seas Inc
harbor of Port Royal, where now lie, IS a
beautiful little bowl Of place, aflordlng excel
lent anchorage IN every direction. The shores
are very low on Port Royal side, but surprisingly
bold. think we passed the point OF the DOCK
Yard in running in, within twenty feet OF the
hard gravellv beach. Our anchorage IS about
seven miles from Kingston, between winch place
and Port Royal the only communication Is by
water, and that, except early IN the morning, OF
the toughest kind. Kingston possesses good
share of trade, but it is indeed miserable place.
Clouds of dust boom along the streets, (all un-
nsved.) driving into eyes and mouth and clothes,
entering every description Of crcvlcc, through
windows and under the doors, covering glasses.
dishes, every thing, in every place. The heat,
too. Notwithstanding continual wind, (breeze II
cannot be termcd,) is excessive. Our Consul
here, fine old gentleman Of IS, seems to bc the
urincipal American merchant in the place. One
Of bis sons is a Lieutenant IN the Vandalla, and
another assists him in the conduct of his buSl-
ness. This young gentleman took us in charge
On our visit yesterday, and through his kindness
we were able to sec every thing worth seeing |
believe in the place.
There is said to be no society in Kingston
The Governor resides at Spanish Town, where
every thing in the political line is attended to,
and all the wealthy and political classes make
that place their home. Lord Elgin, the present
Governor, is said to be very popular man, but
it is feared he will leave the Island soon, on ac-
count of the death Of the Countess, his wife. He
is son of the old Curiosity Elgin, and is only
about 80 years of age. Commodore Byng, son
of the murdered Admiral, is the naval comman-
der here now, but will leave for England in the
packet of the 9TH July. Messrs. Little and Hill,
of the Royal Navy, bearers Of dispatches from
Sir Henry Pot,inger to her Majesty's Govern
ment will leave here at the same time. These
gentlemen were brought to this place by the Van
dala, and were indeed the sole cause olour CON-
ing here. Their mission is supposed to be very
important but of that know nothing of course.
You can form some notion of living in Port
Royal and Kingston from the fact that we pay
50 cents per quart for milk, 373 per pound for
mutton and the same price for hams. Sugar
and coffee, although raised on the Island IN such
quantities. sell at enormous prices. Sugar of
fair quality brings Is and l6 cents, and coffee %
cents per pound Flour is the only reasonable
article in the market, and that brings SO per.
barrel-a common Howard-street brand being
the only kind that have seen on sale.
The Benjamin, which brings this, is the only
American vessel in port-thc Echo having sailed
on Friday last.
We have published later letter from Correspond
sn, which though despatched after this to hand be-
fore. cd 1ito'