New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-05-23
HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE.
Special 10 the Daily crsscent.l

HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE.
Special 10 the Daily crsscensl
HAVANA, May Is, 1859.
Iobserved 10 New Orleans paper some time agt
that the clipper brig Allan A. Chapman, commando
by Capt Laurent, on her last trip hence, conveyed
your city the latest intelligence from this Island
She arrived here again on the 18th instant prngnl
Us the latest "news from the United states ana Eu
rope It is 90 seldom sailing vessel brings us at
! nevs,n that feel justified in commencing thi
letter with the above. The Quaker City arrived herr
about O'Clock on the morning of the 14th instant
having made one of if not the shortest passage OF
record between your city and this port.
After the arrival Of the Spanish. bark Nuevs
Apollo (Which vessel, you will remember, reported
having seen, near this island two American screw
steamers under sail, crowded with passengers, who
were reported and believed to be flibusters), We
were for some days in state of excitement anxious
to know if the supposed flibusters had effected q
landing The hopes Of some and the fears of Others
that such landing had been effected were, however
relieved shortly after the date Of my last letter
when it was positively ascertaned that two thousand
African slaves had been landed on the east end Of
this island, from two French screw steamers which
must have been those seen by the Nueva Apollo, and
IS they we're, slaves.
The order respecting the only employing " Matri-
culados in the lighters used in this harbor, to place
ships cargoes alongside, still continues in force, but
IN order that it may no longer be said there not
any Mathematics employed, a certain number Of
sailors tabout twenty are daily permitted to come
on shore from each Spanish vesselofwar in this
harbor, and these sailoa are employed for the day
on the lighters, receiving high wages.
Thus the commerce of this city is compelled to pay
the wages Of the sailors of the Spanish navy for al
though do mot know the fact yet it is but reason
able snpposition, that sailors who are allowed to
come shore so frequently to earn money, receive
but very little II indeed any wages from their ships.
There has been a report some little time circu-
lated, which l have not before sent you because l
was unable, until within the last two or three days,
to trace to an authentic source that the Boards Of
Merchants appointed to revise the Island Tariff
have recommended that the duties payable upon ar-
ticles Of the first necessity shall be reduced to q
merely nominal duty. Flour, however, am assured,
is excluded from the category, and that altera-
tion in the duty now imposed on it is recommended,
and that it any alteration in the duties payable on
that article should be made will be to increase the
duty on American and reduce the duty on Spanish
Flour. On Lard, Cc.n, Rice and Lumber it is re-
commended to reduce the duties as before stated,
but no reduction in the duties can take place until
the assent Of the Spanish Government is obtained
thereto.
By resolution Of Her Majesty the Queen Of Spain,
the office of Military Governor of this city must here
after be held by the Segundo Cabo-second in
command Of the military forces of the standard His
Excelency, Brigadier Ehsrarria who has long and
so honoraby held the offices of Military and Political
Governor Of this city and the Presidency of its most
excellent Ayuntamiento,- (corporation,) having re-
signed, His Excellency the Captain General has dis
posed that Segundo Cabo, the Most Excellent
Senior Don Ignacio Planas, shall gil the Offices of
Political Governor and the Presidency of the Ayin
tamiento Of this city Brgadie Esharaia returns to
Spain via the United States, per steamer Isabel for
Charleston the 18th instant. His absence in GER
tain circles of our best society will cause void that
will not be readily filed.
There have been, l am happy to state heavy season
able rains in various part Of this island Here in the
Havana we have had but trihing shower OR two,
which, however, is not of SO much consequence as in
the agricultural districts
There was heavy thunder storm here on the
evening of the 18th inst, with but little rain. The
lightning killed man near the Punta.
There was very grand ball at Senior Aldama's the
wealthy Creole planter, the evening of the 18th
inst. The children present performed comedy on
the occasion very admirably. -
On the 18th inst. the Spanish screw steaIn-frigate
Petrona returned to port, having of course seen
nothing of the alleged filibusters.
The 18th inst. was the birthday of Francisco de
Asis, husband of the Queen, and King of Spain by
courtesy. Three salutes were fred in honor of the
day, and the bells rang merrily every hour.
The poor Asiatco free coloniss, who are permitted
to remain in this island after the expiration of their
term Of contract compelled, by recent Decree to
contribute to the funds of some of the government
officers. They must each obtain letter of security,
for which they must pay fifty cents, or not obtaining
it, be liable to fine Of ten dollars To the disabled
blind dumb, and very poor these letters for personal
security will be given gratis. The highest police
authority in the District will issue these letters
The British sloop-ofwar Devastation sailed 10th
instant for Bermuda The British gunboat Jasper
Liest Payne, arrived 18th instant from Tampico.
The British screw steamer sloopofwar Racer, of
ii guns and $50 horsepower arrived l4th inst. from
Port Royal, jamaica On 18th inst the British
steam screw ship Cesar, Capt. Fredericks, of 90
guns and 400 horsepower, and the screw steamship
Diadem, Capt. Morrison, of 80 guns and 800 horse
power, arrived from Vera Cruz. Same day the
British mail steamer Derwent arrived from St. Thorn
as, and went Immediately into the floating dock
She went ashore some time since at Barbadoes and
rubbed off few sheets Of copper, to have which
replaced she had to come here. She sails on her re-
turn to St. Thomas 2lst instant.
There is NOT, am happy to state, any Z" yellow
fever" in this city, board any of the vessels
in this harbor. At the Military Hospital outside the
,cahs prevails and am sorry to say that but few
of those persons attacked survive, nor can it be
expected to be otherwise-the medical men there
being almost strangers to Isle and possessing no
no practical knowledge of the proper treatment to
conquer this fell disease. 1t is my painful duty to
inform you that Col. William H. Robertson, formerly
extensive merchant at Mobile, and for considera.
BILE period Acting United States Consul in this CITY,
is the point of death. He is not expected to sur
vive many days.
As ever, ~
GREAT REDUCTION IN DRY GooDs.-Mr. John
Todd of the elegant drygoodsery IL and II Chares street,
publishes the fact interesting TO ladies' that he has
down his entire stock of beautiful excellent and fashionable
goods for ladies' the gu being bene til the i'm
poraton in many instances English bareges in robes
piece offered at half price, and silks laces millinery
being rutessly sacrificed tine advancing
dies who contemplate should the assortment