The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-24
Things in Barbados.
[ Correspondence qf the ". Y. Tribune
BARBADoEs, Friday, May II, i


Correspondence qf the ~. Y. Tribune.
BARBADoEs, Friday, May II, 1850.
The island OF Bar badoes, once widely celebrated
as "the garden OF the West Indies, Is situated IN
latitude 80 north. Under the influence OF British
Legislation il is unable to take Of itself; like
Canada, II is eech upon the ver-taxed people ef
Great britain. The value Of real estate in this ISL
and is not great by one-half as il was thirteen,
or seven, years ago The business Of the isl
| and--ncrcaiit.le aud inancial-bas proportionate-
ly decreased. The failure of the West India Bank
about two years since, produced panic in none
tary affairs from which il has never since recov-
| cred.
The sugar crop is nearly all gathered, and,
according 10 the most reliable estimates, will reach
$4,000 hogsheads; 26,OOO hogsheads have been al,
| ready shipped. The weather has been clear and
dry fora long time, thus making the work OF gath
ering the crop comparatively easy. There is a
great want OF shipping; stores are filled with sugar,
and there scarcely any vessels 10 take II OFT
many vessels are anxiousy expected, for which
cargoes are waiting,
The legislature is in session, but the proceed
ings do not possess much interest The assembly
have had under consideration various petitions from
the Board of Health, urging discontinuance Of
burials in the Cathedral burying- ground. The
hope is held out by the Solicitor General that
some measure for the establishment Of an inland
post will be brought into the house. From the mo-
ment Of the abolition of slavery, twelve years ago,
the inhabitants of this Island have suffered the great
est inconvenience from having no regular and GER
tain mode of forwarding letters.
The population Of Barbados - about 900, and
seven eghths Of the whole are black The condi-
ton OF the greater proportion OF the negroes 10 de-
graded beyond any thing ever witnessed in the
United States small portion of them are large
property holders and intelligent citizens. Some OF
the officers of the customs half breeds; they, IA
well others who hold responsible public positions
are said to discharge their duties with zeal and
ability. negro police system has been in exist
ence several years, and it works we'll Many OF the
regiments garrisoned here composed entirely OF
negroes. The island, though nominally under the
control Of the whites, is in reality ruled by the
blacks.
} Mr. Hays, the present American consul at this
port, is deservedly popular among the natives, as
well among his fellow -countrymen, nine oi
whom permanently reside here. The Messrs. Cot
ton, Americans from Boston, have resided here
several years, and extensively engaged in bust
ness. Americans visiting this island always call at
the ice establishment OF the Messrs. Cotton, the
only place in Barbados where procure eat
ables and drinkables upon the American plan.
Without them, the Barbadians would never a
particle Of ice taste glass Of water which was
not nearly as warm as the blood in their veins
Rain water is almost exclusively used here for
drinking. Wells upon this island scarce, and
the water procured from them is OF an exceedingly
poor quality.
Disastrous Fire and Loss OF Life in Montreal.
1t is with deep regret we call the attention Of the
public ~ the details of the late calanitous fire. The
origin thereof has been traced 10 the carelessness OF
some persons, who, while smoking in a house hard
, by the Protestant church, near the Gas Works,
threw the matches among some shavings, which
quickly ignited The result in the fullest sense
of the word, disastrous--it was ruinous. Out OF
the thckly peopled district of Grtntown, six hun
; dred persons have been sufferers, having lost by
this wide spreading misfortune, house, home, and
goods, and all these able bodied men and OF ma
tured years. II we estimate the number Of persons
thrown upon the world by this event. we would con-
cude that treble that number have been the suffer
ers. The first notice of the fire was given by the
persons in the neighborhood of the carpenters shop
where it originated-ths about the hour of4 p.
m. Upon arriving at the spot large timber yard
, in Princes street. surrounded by wooden palisades
discovered to be on fire, and this event the
greatest stimulus 10 the flames that could have &C
CURED under the circumstances. The flame quick y
spread thence into Dalhousie street, with fatal sue
cess; Wellington street shared in the confiagration;
Princes street and Ann street. These five streets
forming quarter mile in depth, werc in the
of forty minutes, counting from the commencement
of the fire, enveloped in flames.
! Yesterday Sunday vast number OF persons
. of all ranks visited Grifhntown, in order to
tain clearly the amount of destruction. Certainly
the prospect that met their gaze was well calcu-
: lated TO awaken their symPathies. Hundreds o.
respectable families, thrown upon tile worlds wide
, common, yesterday to be seen in Griffintowr
stalking amid the ruins that had protected thei'
infancy, and witnessed their honest and edifyna
industry. A large crowd collected in Dalhousie
street, around the cellar where respectable wo
man named Mrs. Livingston had fallen prey tc
the flames Looking upon the spot where her bod J
reposed discovered a hollow in the ashes of tn,
ruins but TO discover any traces OF the deceased
save this, was impossible completely had her re
mains been cacincd to ashes which the
could recognise as those of human clay Ii appear.
that the deceased kept dairy, and had some COW,
near the house in an enclosure. Having escaped
along with her neighbors, she resolved TO return fo
some Of her property-probably for some money
and, upon doing so, was sufiocatcd by the flames.
Two children have been missing since Saturday
and these, we fear, have persisted. Dalhousie street
has been entirely consumed. Proyidentialy tn,
loss of life has been confined TO this one instance
but that of property has extended two hundred
and fifty families, which calls upon the charity, the
generosity, and the disccrnment Of the public.
We believe the following are, nearly posi-
BILE, the liabilities of the different insurance offices
as far can be at present ascertained.
Montreal, from t. 500 10 Il 500.
Quebec, 81 200
Globe. from ESQ to ESQ.
Etna, Protection and Hartford, 10000.
Mutual, from G9, 900 TO El0,000.
Northwestern, ESQ.
The total number OF buildings destroyed was two
hundred and seven. In Dalhouse street thirty
nine were destroyed; Gabriel street. forty. six
on Nazareth street, thirty and Wellington
OF the houses were OF a superior description having
been ofrecent erection. Cour., june lsh
MoaE STEAhsHIRs.-The New York Journal o,
Commerce says.
We learn that Mcssrs. Rowland & Aspinwall
" who have already embarked largely in the trad,
of the northwest coast, have just contracted for tn,
construction Of two more steamships, OF large di
conncxion with the Oregon, Panama, Tennessee
South Carolina, &c. They will register abou
| 800 tons, and will rank In the same class with
| the EmDre CITY. of Howard & Sons line. One %