New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-08-14

ofF CH.GHrs, 9Th Juy, l5i3.
4 dav or two before we sailed from Jamaica
too. walk through Port Royal, visiting the
Navy Yards, the fort and the shops. In for
mer note | placed the maximum population Of
the town at ,, O00, which l believe was yet be-
vond to mark. The tax collector informed me
that there are only two hundred and fifty males
in the place between the ages OF sixteen and
sixty years, but the number OF women and child
rens is beyond al reasonable proportion. Since
the year lSl5 the date Of the destruction OF Old
Port Royal, it is said the place has not grown.
Those burnt out who were able to shift their
quarters, removed to Kingston or to g Port Royal
Of the Mountains, place over the bay SAID TO
contain 1000 inhabitants. OF this town could
learn nothing to be depended upon.
There is little of interest to be found IN Port
ROYAL. The Fort and Navy Yard are kept in
good ORDER but one cannot help asking at every
step or two, cui Joa0 \ few negro soldiers and
white officers stroll around without any apparent
object. \ negro, free as he may be, is never
promoted in the military or navy Of this region !;
the corps arc negros, bat the Offices are filled with
whites alone.
The taxes beyond and above an intolerabc
impost, amount for very poor householder SAY
with furniture worth forty dolars,) TO nine dollars
per annum. When we add this to 100 per cent.
on -four and corn meal, and 300 per cent. as an
AVERAGE on other provisions from the United
States and AGAIN to an excise and domestic duty
of 10 to 40 per cent. with large municipal cXac-
tons on trades and cmploymcnts OF every de-
scrption. we find degree OF eXortlon IN the
sum total that would call for more than double
the award of our Saviour TO the villains OF the
old world, and should make every American
doubv thankful that the Stamp Act was met by
such men as Franklin and Adams-men who
could appreciate It's character and calculate lis
consequences British freedom, British magma
nimity, SC. are words Of rare use IN Jamaica,
believe, about these days. If Great Britain loved
10 talk about Yankees peculiar affection for
dollars and cents I would point TO a transaction
of recent occurrence al Port Royal: The Van
dalia sailed for Kingston at great Inconvenience,
for the sole purpose OF carrying two British officers
from Chagrcs to that port, Of course without
charge On the way, in gale, she carried away
all her head spars and gear. and it was necessary
when she arrived at Port Royal to procure new
iibboom. \ bare pole was furnished al the Navy
Yard, the Nandalas carpenters went there and
made a ibboom Of IT, and brought it on board
without any trouble to her Majesty's pcople-and
it arrived simultaneously with a bill for the
amount of near forty dollars suppose for the
benefit of her Majesty's treasury, as the pole was
recciptcd for on her Majestys books. have
heard no complaint from the Captain, nor from
any on board with regard to this affair, brt felt
that there was a degree of meanncss shown some
whcrc-we were dealing with Engishmen-not
provincaIlsts.
The standard of morality in Kingston and
Port Royal seems to be low. The marriage lie
is sadly disregarded. One OF the principal men
in Pert Royal introduced me to two Of his wives.
One the legal, the other the real mother Of his
children. They had no blush to meet my:sur-
prise with, no hesitation to answer my inquiries,
no regret or blame one side, no envy on the
other The patois OF the place contains a strange
admixturc of the Spanish. The words aver
yesterday quatra Gourl plata silver, Sc ]
pointed to a gentleman who told me that none Of
The natives knew anything of the Spanish tongue.