St. Croix Avis (Christiansted, St. Croix [V.I.]) 1844-Current
February 7, 1865

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R 0 3 S i o 5 e Ve e SRR AT Lo LR ee, i s FRR A A(e 3 TR P ‘~i§"f-\n: e Moy kg Pt e SRR/ s e S PRnes et AR LRT DA bSR 2 Ls »o- pes <4 SN e Ve S e P eEae SR iRSVi o 1B 4 Sty L-'a; '.é’_h,l LoV e e R e _f‘_ ’_":A‘_'v"';‘."' i LAt eTh S b S v‘g"};&; 3 LIRS PRy WS e R Y &5 RN g B 2 »,‘%f,»- S 7~ ¥y CX e Rt k) A Mg A o B 08T B s Vad e A 0 085 EF A NS Emra, 7 4 \"ffi: ESr g s R Dagt RS, LSRR 545 S g Py TYvc YRS 5 _i—.:,<3§~ R B R TEEY L Q‘{g_' P Mo BT SRS g s/ Bnd s S i|S AL i 2 it 88 YOGIYER: HANS HATCHETT. TRYKT I EREEN HARBIET HATOHRETT'S BOGTHYRERERT 21de Aarg.] The “AVIS” IS EDITED BY HANS HATCHETT; AND PUBLISHE®D EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY. for the Proprietress. T S T SSO SR YET bekjendtgjores herved at Gou- B vernemenitet har beordret de Ei- endomme realiserede, hvori Execution for Skatter for 1863 er ankyndt, naar Vedkomimende ikke rette for sig inden Iste Marts forstkommende. Frederiksteds Byfoged-Contoir den Ade Februar 1865. Ø. sarauw. T is hereby made known, that Go- l] vernment has ordered the sale of such properties in which levy for taxes for 1863 has been made, unless the amounts due are paid before the Ist March next. Sherift’s Office, Frederiksted Fe- braary 4th 1865. C. Sarauw. gy NOTICE., 5y =7 [-'?4 CPHE Burgher Council will sell ‘_r about 100 empty Cornmes! pun- cheons application to be made to the undersigned. Burgher Council’s Secretary’s of- fice, St. Croix 7th February 1865. JACOB MULLER. SPHE undersigned, having heard u—. that it is the intention of several persons to vote for him, 1n the com- ing Election of Members for the Co- lonial Council, as a member of that i Council begs respectfully to inform the public, that he regrets not being able to accept such an office. l R.J. ROBINSON. Frederiksted 6th February 1865. i NOTIC L, THE Copartnership hitherto existing l T in this place under the firm of is this day dissolved by mutual consent, Mg. Timorny NELSON PEARSON retiring therefrom. Mg. THOMAS PEesrsox having by mu tual consent assumed the assets and lia bilities of the concern will conduct the busiress for his sole account and under his own name. St. Thomas, 31st December 1864. (Signed) TIMOTHY N. PEARSON. (Signed) THOMAS PEARSON. With reference to the above, the un dersigned respectfully requests a settle ment of all overdue accounts with the least, possible delay. 'Those having claims will please render'them to THOS. PEARSON. CHRISTIANSTED, TIRSDAGEN den 7de FEBRUAR 1865. AUCTION. /ZXUCT[ONS-Directeuren bekjendt [Fl gjor herved, at ifslge Requisi tion as St. Thoma Skifteret behand lende Hr. Overkrigscommissair W. Hansens Fallitbo vil blive opraabt til Salg ved 3de offentlige Auctioner i Medtor as PL 22 April 1817 Boets faste Eiendom No. 38 Kongensgade med paastaaende BYGNINGER IR DR RS o Iste Auction Loverdagen den 4de Marts forstkommende Eftermid dag Kl. 2. 2den Auction Liverdagen den 18de Marts forstkommende Eftermid dag KI. 2. 3die Auction Onsdagen den ste April forstkommende Eftermiddag Kl 2, Iste og 2den Auction paa underteg nede Contoir, 3die Auction paa Aa stedet. Conditionerne. Vurderingsforret ning og Panteariest vitle blive frem lagte ved Auctionen rtil Lystha vende indbydes, Bt. Thomze Auctions Contoir den 3lte Januar 1865. hivscmstan i, Auctionsdirecteur. n—— lAUCTION. =<PHE Vendue Director hereby ,J makes known, that at the re quest os St. Thomas Dealing Court in administration os the bankrupt estate os Mr. W. Hansen, Cominis sary os war, is offered for sale by 3 Auctions in conformity with the Royal Ordinance dated the 22nd April 1817 THE PROPERTY belonging to the estate: No. 38 Kongensgade with buildings thereon. Ist Auction on Saturday the dih March next at 2 p.m. Ind Auction on Saturday the 18th March next at 2 p.m. 3rd Auction on Wednesday the Sth April next at 2 p.m., lst 2nd Auction at the undersign ed office, 3rd Auection at the pre mises. The terms ofsale, appraisement and extract os mortgage register to be seen-at the Vendue, to which' pur chasers are invited. St. Thomas Vendue Office, the 31st January 1863. Rosenstand, Vendue Director. AUCTION. /1 UCTIONS-Directeuren bekjendt _,-} gjor herved, at ifélge Requisi tion as St. "Thom:e Skifteret som be handlende Overkrigscommissair 'W. Hansens Fallitbo vil blive opraabt til Salg ved 3de offentlige Auctioner i Medfor as Placaten 22 April 1817 Boets faste Eiendom: No. 52 b, 53 51 Prindsensgade med paastaa ende BYGNINGER 3 (Militairhospital.) Iste Auction Loverdagen den 4de Marts forstkommende Middag Kl 12. 2den Auction Loverdagen den 18de Marts forstkommende Middag Kl 12. 3die Auction Onsdagen den ste April forstkommende Middag KI. 12, Iste og 2den Auction paa underteg nede Contoir, 3die Auction paa Aa stedet. Conditionerne, Vurderingsforret ping or Panteattest ville blive frem tagte ved Auctionen, hvortil Lystha vende indbvdes. i, Thom o Auctions Contoir, den 3lie Januar 1865. Rosenstand, Auctionsdirecteur. AUCTION. <PHE Vendue Director hereby !_r makes known, that at the re quest os NSt. Thomas Dealing Court in administration os the bankrupt estate os Mr. W. Hansen, Commis sary os war, is offered for sale by 3 Auctions in conformity with the Royal Ordinance dateéd the 22 April 1817 THE PROPERTY belonging to said estate: No. 32 53 and 54 Prindsensgade with build ings thereon (Military Ao pital.) Ist Auction Saturday the 4th March next ut 12 o'elock noon. 2nd Auction Saturday the IBth March next at 12 o'elock noon. 3rd Auction Wednesday the åth April next at 12 o'eløek ntoon, Ist and 2nd Auection at the under signed office, 3rd Auction at the pre mises. The terms os sale, appråisethents and extract os mortgage register to be secnat the Vendue, to whielr pør chasers are invited. 5 St: Fhotiias Vendue Office, the'3lst January z Rosenitåtid, Veadvue Director [Nr, 11,

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From the London Times, January 16, 1865.) The military ambition of monarchs and of people, foolish and misdirected though it may have been, has often been the means of liberal izing institutions and sweeping away abuses which no other remedy could reach. It seems ourious that States should thus profit by their weaknesses and follies, and that the very causes which naturally appear to lead to their deciine should often contain in themselves the very ele ments of revival. It was on the long and bloo dy wars waged by Edward 111. against France, struggles as fruitless, regarded from our modern point of view, and as impolitic as any which history records, that the power of the House of Commons is founded. The needy monarch when forced to come to his people for fresh sup plies was obliged to purchase subsidies by con tinual enlargement of the public liberties; aund the res)resentatives of the people, just as deep ly implicated as the monarch in the crimesand fol lies of the French invasion, never hesitated to sell their aid at a price so dear as if they bhad been unwillingly dragged into the struggle The same favourable result for liberty followed from the brilliant reign of Henry V. and the disastrous wars of Henry VI. The people were impoverished, but their liberties were es tablished and confirmed. The comparatively pacific reign of Eiizabeth, and the wise policy of the Princes of the House of Stuart in abstain ing from Continental quarrels, had an effect signally prejudicial to popular rights, and, by making the King independent of his Parlia ment, twice in the seventeenth century—at the breaking oat of the great Civil War, and in tho last years of Chbarles ll.—brought our free Con stitution to the very verge of destruction. Noth ing tended more to consolidate the settlement effected by the Revolution of 1688 than the wars undertaken to curb the ambition of Louis XIV., which perpetually reminded the King of his dependence on Parliament, and compelled him to administer his Government through Min isters in whom it had confidence. We beg to submit this brief historical retros pect to the Liberal party in Prussia. T'wo years ago that party enjoyed the hearty sympa thy and good will of all the friends of order and good government throughout Europe. It was felt to be struggling for the rights of its cousti tuents against the systematic encroachments of a weak King and an arbitrary Minister. The claim it set up to regulate the oxpenditure which it was to vote is one inseparably conect ed in the mind of every Englishman with the first principles of free goveroment. We view ed with keen interest a brave and cuitivated nation passing through a crisis of which our own history furnished so many examples, and our sympathy was entirely given to the popular side. Great, then, were our disapointment and regrot when we saw all this fair promise so signalfy marred by one of the stalest and poor ast devices to whichi popular assembiy ever surrendered its duties and its rights. For the sake of the liberties, as they are oalled, of Schleswig and Holstein, the Prussian Parlia ment made no difficulty of surrendering its own, and permitted the usurpation of its own func tions by the Government in consideration of its lending itself to the revolutionary passion for conquest which then agitated Germany. In justice and violence abroad were accepted in full satisfaction for arbitrary and illegal govern ment at home. That dream is now over, and with it, we hope, is past the outburst of military enthusiasm which has sought to elcvate a cheap acd essy victory over a few thousand ill-armed and over-matched Danes into a great military achevement. Things return to their former state. The expenses of the war have, no doubt, absorbed the economies of the Prussian Monar ohy, and the King, not having as yet wmade up his mind to dispense with bis Parliament alto gether, has sssembled it for the purpose of re conciliation, as well as with a view of gaining fresh sn;')fon for bis *firm and strong” Govern ment. The Bills to be submitted to Parliament are, we are told, to embrace the very elements of the old controversy which the episode of Schleswig- Holstein came just in time 80 oppor tupely to interrupt. The Prussian Parliament will be iovited to consider the question of the military organization,—that is, we suppose, the number of years for which a Prussian citizen is to serve in the army,—and the question of the K $Te CEOLX AV S Budget of 1865. Bills will also be submitted with reference to the military expenses, and to that favourite chimara of German Liberalism, the extension of the naval power of Prussia. There is to be also a canal to connect the Ger man Ocean with the Baltic, and a modification of the commercial treaty between Prussia and France. No really patriotic Prussian can, we think, possibly object to this project and measures They are the very things to which the atten tion of Parliament ought to be directed, the very ques'ions the settlement of which is, above all things, expedient and nccessary for the good of the State and the people. But in what sensc will they be settled—what answer is the Prus sian Pariiament prepared to give to the ques tions about to be proposed to it by M. Bisma k Ile bas suceeeded in bullying Germany all round he bas cajoled and outwitted Austiia, trampled on Saxony and Hanover, discarded Lis recent puppet the Duke of Augustenburg, and lent himself, unli ss he is much belied Ly the opinion of Germany, to the wildest schemes of Prussian ambition and aggrandiscment. 'T'ke question is, will the Prussian Parliament Le so blind as to surrender such relies and seraps of liberty as this Miuister has left it still to dis pose of 2 1f the Crown asks it for money, will it grant the rcquest without enforcing those conditions on which alcn» money ought to be granted 7 Will it allow its If to be told, in the same breath, that the Crown a-ks it to assist it in providing funds, and that wharever it does not chose to provide the Crown is prepared to raise by its own power avd the ivherent virtue of its prerogative Will it allow its King or his Minister to address it in the langunage of the sons of Eli, *“‘Give it me, or, if not, I will take it by force The Parliament is, it is said, not to be asked for a loan it is expected to impose new taxes on the industry, the commerce, and the property of the country—will it cusser itself to be cajoled and intimidated into giving away that money with which it is intrusted by its constituents, without securing in the most bind ing and authentic form that it shall be applied for such purposes and in such manuer only as it may direct it may he aud probably will be urged upon it that thie present peeds of the Pinssian Crywn are tho result of a policy in which the Parlia ment is just as decply implicated as the Crown itself. Whatever moy hiave been the case with regaid to the constitutional questions of two years ago, there is no deubt that in all his vio lence, all his wjustice, and all his aggression M. Bismark has been the faithful representative of the Prussian Parliament and peogle, just as in his unjust and eruel wars against Frauce our Edward 111. fully embodied the feelings and prejudices of his subjects. But that complicity did not prevent the Parliament of Edward Il] from turning to account the prodigality which it had itself stimulated, and selling to its King at the very highest price that could be got the subsidies which he raised in order to give effect to its own wishes. It is right that Sovereigns should be taught that when they consitute themselves revolutionary leaders they must ac cept all the burdensome as well as all the bril liant and attraotive incidents of the position, and that they cannot one minute give the reins to popular passion, and the nextintrench them selves within the traditions and prerogatives of Divine right and absolute and unfettered dis cretion. GREECE. (FROM THE TIMES’ CORRESPONDENT.) ATHENS, Jan. 5. I hear everybody round me saying that the Greeks are a most difficult -people to govern. I have lived a good deal among them since the year 1823, and my observations lead me to differ from this opioion. It may remain an opeu question. But I think this letter will furnish convinciog proof that, whether they be difficult er easy to govern, they are at this hour the/first governed people in Europe and it will explain how the Government, whether the King’s name be Otho or George, operates in impeding the improvement of the country. My attention has been accidentally drawn to an example which lays open the whole arcana of “the internal administration, and which will let your readers see in what manner the ocentral Government prevents the people from making roads, and forces them to maintain hosts of useless officials with the funds which ought to be expeunded on objects of public utility. An extensive rural commune in the fertile island of Eubce: contains about 3,500 inhabit ants dispersed in more than 20 villsges. Some of these viliages are four hours’ distant from the village that is the seat of the local admibis tration. The president of the communal coun- I cil is a prosperous farmer in the village of Achmetaga, situate on the only mule tract that forms a line of communication sot all these who travel southward trom,— Th’ Isteian fields for generous wino renowned i To fair Karystos and the Sturian ground,”’ I if I may borrow from Pop.’s Him: until Lord Derby’s ieaches Atheons, The approval of (he Nomareh or Prefeet of Bulee is required to give validi'y to the com munal bulget, and in the month of November i the budget of this rural eommune for the year 1865 was submitted to the Nomarch who re sides at Chaleis on luripus to obtain bis sane b tion. The revolution of 1862 emboldened the Greeks to make some efforts to reform the worst ahuses in their local administration. Tho d:bates in the Natioual Assembly on the value of sclf-government and the inereased liberties conferred by the muauicipid law huve also given the rural population conrage to reduce their locul taxation and prepare for dividing the large communes into more manageable parts. The commune in question, without in any way dimiuisbiog the eflicicney of the loeal administra tion or subtractins a ~insle peuny from zny ob jeet of pablic utiity, reduced the communal budget nearly one-third, and to k measures to have always a sum of nearly 2,500 drachmas in haud. Hitherto commuucs bave been gene rally invoived in di-bt, and by that means held in a state of subservieney to the contral govern ment. But the high price of cotton and resin has led the peusar.ry to think of obtaining money to expend on roads as a sure mecans of increasing their profits by diminishing the cx pense they now incur in carrying their produse to market. But when the Nomarch of Eubwea received the reformed budget he saw that centralization was in daoger, and the cry has already becn raised that republican priociples are spreading among the pea<antry. He refused to sancti.n economy, and sent back another budget model l.d on the strictest princip'es of centralization. The a-pirants of s-lf-goverament wero ordered to raise their local assessment 50 per cent., or to the amount of 22 drachmas on cuch family in a community that does not include a single Y village containing more than 100 families. The l salaries of the sceretary, the collestor, and the doctor were ail raised to render the places val uable and increase the patronage of the Minis- I ter of the laterior, as well as to enabla the Go i vernment to isfluence the coming elections. But not one farthing was allotted to road l making or any objeet of public utility. In this particular esse it is probable that the l necessary reforms will b: eff-cred, because the British Minister, who takes great interest in the institutional, as well as the political, go vernment of Greece, was informed of the facts by two Englishmen who possess large estates in the commune. Mr. liskive brought the case immedately to the knewledge of the Greek Government, and from him the Minister of the Imterior (whether to his own satisfaction or otherwise Ido not pretend to say) learnt what was going on in Eubea some six weeks sooner, and wili feel himself obliged to decide the ques tion some six mounths sooner than would havye happened in the ordinary course of business. Taking this commune as a fair average of the amount cf local taxation in the rural distriots, for in some the rate is 25 per cent. higher, it appears that about four willions of drachmas are raised annually, and that the central Go veroment is now striving to retain in its own hands the whole power and patronage which it can derive from the expenditure of this large sum, without allewing any portion of it to be devoted to public improvements. The direct expenditure of the Ministry of the Interior ex ceeds 5,000 000 so that with the control of this indirect expenditure of an additional 4,000,000 it disposes of a sum equai to one third of the revenues of the Hellenic kingdom sginea the annexation of tho lonian islands. Yat

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no part of ihis sum is spent on roads and other public works; but, as iu the time of King Otho, the greater part is wasted in direct opposition to the wishes of the taxpayers. There can be no doubt that an able and hon est administrator could easily find weens to make Greeco a model kingdom. The future prosperity, and I think the imwediate tranquil- ity of the country depends more on the suc cess of the rural communes in their present en deavours to escape from vassalage to centrali zation than on the existence of a Council of State "or on any change which can be made in the persons of the Ministerial phantasmagoria at Athens. The result of cooducting the lo- cal business of the rural communes by the cen- l tral authorities is this :—Thirty years’ taxation at the rate of 22 drachmas a fimily has becn il wasted io salaries to usceless officials. What wonld be the state of Canada or Au-tralin if a v gimilar system of government had been pur- sued in those countries Causes of irritation like those which I have mentioned exist in every raral commune in the H:lienic kingdom, and a spirit of opposition to the central ghvernment is growing up, which if f not soon assuaged can hardly fait oit this country in serivus troutles There hive been rumoursof Republican plotsand of attempts to propagate socialism. Sueh rumonrs must be countenauced by the supporters of central'zi tion, for, if any piots eXist, they are th: plots of Othonists and of the philortbodox, and not es l'lepublicnns. Those who se k }-:!!i'.if.'ul c},m‘,;‘ru can no longer trude on the “great idea,” so that a npew watchword must be invented. That politieal intriguers are actively at w. 1k is prov- ed by the rapid inerease of brigandage. This time last year there wis Lardly a case of bri- i gandage, in the Peloponnesus, but in the last two numbers of La Gréce we ave informed in- cidentally of the existevce or dispersal of seven independent banda of brigands in the Poeninsu- la. Kizs has remained unmolested in the 1; Attica for the who'e year, in spite of the horrid murder he eommitted and on Friday list he carried off an Athenian n-med Athana sins Va- i gianelles, and d. mands 30,000 drachmas, up- wards of 1,000 guinezs, tor his ransom. Under all their sufferings the feelings of the i people are decidedly Royalist. It is easy to sce why the Greeks desire to be governed by a King, and to understand in what way the Royal aathority offers to their minds the simplest and most effectual mearns of removing these abuses in the centrnkm“' suffer most severely and continunously. The Greeks gencrally ngree in asserting that their f King must govern as well as veigo; otherwise, they siy, why shouid we want a King? ‘Lley srgue that in a high]y-o:-mru‘.".ru»d, Government like that of Greece the people have little pro- tection agsinst the abuse of power by Ministers aud Nomarchsexeept—in-the direct-exercise of i, a controllitg authority by the Crown acting publicly and systematically. This may be il lustrated by application to the case of the com- munal admipistration which 1 bhave meutioned. ‘'he municipal law renders the authoiity of a l Nomarch absolute over the smaller commmunes in Greece. He can impose on them a budget and force them to carry their loeal taxation as high as 2 per cent. on their income, and against his decision they have not even a right of ap peal. So that the Nomarch of Eubeea has greater powers of oppression in all matters re- lating to local admimistration than his neigh- bour the Pasha of Larissa. His power is at tended with no benefit, for the roads in Eubcea ara worse than those in Thessaly. The Tmik ish communal system under the hatti-humayoun invest the Chrisiian subjects of the Sulian-with— more extensive powers of self-government than the sew muricipal law counfers on the citizers of the Helienie kirgdom. The consequence is that the Greeks look so their King for protection against the evils of centralization. It is idle to talk to them of Mioisterial responsibility. Their reply is that they do not want a republic, but a King to rule them. They feel that the true interests of the King are identified with their good go vernment, and 30 years’ experience has con vinced them that the intcrests of Ministers, Nomarchs, and otber officials in the central Ad ministration are generally hostile to all their schemes of improvomeat. Every body says that Greeco ought zokflcf—stronreovem-’i‘ ST CROLX AVIL S. ment; bnt a central Government without road- aud which places itself in opposition to vational progiess can never become strong. Tha Greeks are at this momeut seeking for a solution of the problem how a Kiog is to go vern personally aud at the same time to reign con stitutionally, and if King George and his ad visers do not discover some means of so'ving this problem to the national sati-faction I fear his Hellenic Maj sty will have a disturbed reign. Unfortunately, among the 80 lLving Greeks who have beld the office of Minister ot State, and who are walking the streets of Athens daily in search of portfolios, there is not one whom the Grecks thivk a fit adviser for l the Crown on this delicate subject.

FRANCE. i The Charivar: publishes a woodeut in which 1864 is giving instructions t» 1865, both repre i sented under the guise of young women. lln front of them is to be seen a tremendously fat Prussian soldier walking about with preat s li i complacency. ‘‘lf that customer,” suys 1864, “should cail for anything, be sure not to serve hiwy—forever since I have been here he done nothing bat help himselt.”

AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA. Vienna, Jan. 14. The Pressé of to-day says “We learn from a reliable source that the following is the purpoit of the Notes lately ex cianged between Count Mensdoiff and Herr von Bismark Austrin decisively repudistes the partici paticn proposed to her in forcible measures against the Mildle States, represented o 8 revo lationary by Herr von Bismaik., Au-tria will not abaudon the ground of Federal right, and rominds Herr von Bi-mark, in csse Pruyssia g should desive the annesation of the Dachies, of the suggestion former'y offered to King Wil liom through Count Karolyi. This was to the effect that Austria would only consent to an nexition upon being eompensated by enlarge ment of her German torriiory.”

i REPORT OF AGRICULTURAL .SOCIETY AND REID SCHOOL OF PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY FOR THE YEAR 1864. The General Agricultural Society has to con- W) hard times, extend l'—' g allover the world, that it has not participated in the general misfortunes, being in point of num Dbers and funds in a better position than at the eloso i of the previous agrieultural twelvemonth. The crop of the island was in consequence of the long continued drought a very short one being g only 26103 hhds. while that for the previous year numbered 42506 hhds. It was however hoped that its deficiency would have been in some measuro compensated by eonsiderablyincreased prices. A confidently predicted falling off in supply through out the world scemed to give certain promise that producers of sugar would at least have benefited to the extent of the reduction of duty on sugar ef fected by the late budget of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. But our just hopes for a good market have been disappointed to the great depression of the community. Sugar which stood in an anoma lous position” consequent on the then recent alte rations of the duties and the tightness of the money market suffered a greater reduction in value in the markets of England than any other article except cotton. The sugar erop of the world prov ed greater than wasexpected the Beet erop of the Continent also turned out more than was at first estimated, and an unusnal supply of refined sugar from the Continent to England served to place our staple at an unremunerative price. We see how ever for the fature gronnds for expecting gradually better prices; the monny market is resuming a healthy condition: the English-refiners begin to sce their way to renewed operations consequent on a convention between England and the continentat governments, which will relieve England of the late heavy supply of continental loaves. It is yet unsettled how far the late alteration of the sugar duties may alter the position in the English market of Barbados sugar. The refiners at present shew a preference for an inferior sugar to our own, while our best is still short of what s required by the English grocers. The ;girought to which the short erop of the pre sent year 1s entirely attributable, and which has resulted in so much ruin amongst land owners-—as evidenced by the number of estates advertised by the Masters in Chancery and the Provost Marshall, but in few instances flynding purchasers—has not failed also to bring suffering to the working clas ~—ges. The loss of the usual annual contribution of their allotments to their incomings, has fint it ous of their power tc purchase clothing for their chil dren, at the high rates which the cotton famine has introduced, and so much nakedness more especially of the young was never before witnessed in Barba dos. The evil most to be deplored in connexion with it is that it has halved the nsual attendance at the primary and infant schools, the bad results of which we shall probably reap at a future day. We are glad to find however that this and other marks of the prevalence of an unusual amount of poverty and suffering has attracted public atten tion, and will we trust in the long run shew the truts of the old saying that *“‘out of evil good may come. We are satisfied on the authority of the Attor ney-General that the saws now in force empower ing Vestries to make provision for the aged, in firm, and destitute. are ample for that purpose it is therefore to bo hoped that the Authorities will for the future do their duty, and see that funds sufficicnt are raised in the several parishes to meet the wants of the po Your committee has thought proper to ascertain if there was any, and what foundation for the statement which has been abroad that the priva tions to which some of the Agricultural labourers have been subject, have been in a measure owing to a deerease in the labour account on some Es tatcs, and the inability on the part of others to find means to carry on cultivation. Your Committee finds that the instances are few in which means have been wanting to carry on caltivation, and that in such instances valid rea sons can be assigned why such should be the case. Oun the other hand, there appears to have been an almost universal disposition on the part of plan ters to find work for the labourers, and on some Estates the ase of implements has been laid aside with the view of giving additional employment to labourers. It would seem therefore that there is little foundation for tho statement above alluded to, and that the sufforings of the labourers must have been still greater had not such facilties pre vailed for them to earn their usunal wages. Rome four or five thousand of our’ people have, it is thought, emigrated, although the public is kept inignorance of such statistics but there hag been no satisfactory report of their having better ed themselves in the several places to which they have resorted. Many have returned. and it is feared many more are suffering from dissease and want. and are without the means of returning. Barbados ean, and no doubt does, give as high or higher wages than any other free sugar growing country. From our status and position our provi sion market is always fully suppiied, which secures moderate prices, and when to this is added the greater salubrity of our lime stone country, it will he seen that we offer advantages which eannot bo outbid. Although our p(‘)*)ulutiml is greatly in ex cess of what is required for the cultivation and manafactories of the Island, were it ordinarily in dustrious, any considerable emigration, under ex isting circumstances, would without doubt greatly injure the community, and none more so than the labourer himself. With regard to provisions, it should always be remeimbered that our provision market is not, and never can, be supplied from tho lands of the island, but is uniformly taken from America. Barbados, being strictly speaking a sugar producing country, to feed its dens» p pu lation has to draw its food from foreign countries and as long as we can do go on the favourable terms we do at present the planting of provisions to any great extect on our lands would be both impolitic and unadvisable. To revert to matter more immediately connected with the Society, your Committee is glad to ob gerve that the journal in connexion with your So ciety continues to flourish and to advocate im provements of all sort, agricultural and social. It is to be regretted that more use is not made of its columns by practical planters in discussing mat ters of management about which men of equally high reputation often differ. If carried onina good spirit, as such controversies should be, much good to the cause of agriculture might fuirly be expected to accrue,

Your Committee is sorry to say that the meet ings of the Society are not made as useful as they might be by reading papers on, and the discussion of practical subjects. Your Committee ventures to suggest that an earlier hour of meeting than is now usual might operate favourable in producing better rosults in this respect. One great improve ment may be mentioned during the present year. Your Commmittee alludes to the revival of the keeping of rain gauges for which the Society is rincipally indebted to its old and valued member Y)r. Walcott.—Agricultural Reporter, Barbados. Lot e eo el SRT e S From the Mining Journal, January Tth, 1865 COLONIAL BANK. The fifty-fourth half-yearly general court of roprieto rs was held at the Londen Tavern, on

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Wednesday,—Mr. Charles Marryat in the chair. Mr. Calvert (the secretary) baving read the advertisement convening the meeting, submitted the directors’ report, as follows The directors submit to the proprietors, in accordance with the provisions of the charter, the following statement of the debts and asseis of the corporation on June 30, 1864, which com prises the nett profit of the half-year which end ed at that period:— Debts. Samnlation. ......0.c..... 207,691 8 4 Deposits, bills payable, and othberimbilities.......... 1,667964 9 2 Paidupeapital 500000 0 O S Tma 123000 0 0 Balance of profit from last 987 0 1 Nett profit for the half-year. 36,868 19 10 £2,486,061 17 5 Assets. 8.. 2301918 9 B Due to the bank in the colo nies on bills discounted and purchased, including those 97436 19 9 Due to the bank in the colo nies on current accounts. 16,206 12 2 Due to the bank in London on billsremitted, cash at bank L, 2aBOBYB 17 1 Bank premises and furniture in London and the colonies 10,220 18 3 £2,486,061 17 The business of the half-year now reported upon having had the bencfit of the rise in the prices of colonial produce alluded to in the last report, as well as of the high rates of interest prevailing here during that period, the direc tors find themselves on this occasion in a posi tion to again recommend the payment of an ex tra dividend. They are nappy to state that, according to the latest accounts in their posses sion, the business at the branches was going on satisfactorily, but proprietors must hear in mind that the prices of colonial produce have receded considerahly. The directors now propose that out of the nett profit which, atter providing for all bad and doubtful debts and for income tax, amounts, as per statement, to ........£36,868 19 10 ap ordinary dividerd be mwleof G per cent. for the half-year ending June 30, 1864, being at the rate of 12 per cent. per annum upon the paid-up capi tal of the corporation, which Wil vooniee. .00 30,000 O O and an extraordinary dividend of 1 per cent., which will re eao B 0 0 O £36,000 0 0 BRI i iiee e 400 18 00 To which add bilance brought “from last half-year.......... 531 0 1 TOHGINY 0000000 £2,400 19 11 From this amount the directors propouse to carry to the reserve 2000 0 0 Increasing it to 125,000 Z, and Bet 0f............ 405619 11 forward to the next half-year The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, stated that the facts contained therein were so very satisfactory that they required no explanation from him; and he could only con gratulate the proprietors upon the fact that the directors were abie to repeat upon the present occasion the additional amount of dividend given at the last meeting. As regards the business at the different branches since June, it had been progressing satisfactorily. He mentioned that the directors had received a proposal from the Bank of Jamaica for the transfer of its business, upon. certain conditions, to the Colonial Bank; and; the offer having heen a very fair one, ne gociations were entered into, and after a full in vestigation of the matter, had agreed to take over the business, and to pay for it the sum of 10,0002. He was glad to be in a position to state that by the last accounts the board re eeived the intelligence that'the Bank of Jamai ca ceased to trapsact business on Oct. 30, and that almost all the accounts had been transfer red to the Colorial Bank, The Bank of Jamai ¢a was as old as the Golonial Bank, between which hitherto all the business of the colony ST. CROLX AV] S had been shared, and he had no doubt the Co lonial Bank would derive considerable benefit by the transfer, inasmuch as the Bank of Ja maica was a local bank, and supported by local interests. He also mentioned that it was the intention of the board for the future to send the dividend warrants by post, which would save the proprietors the trouble of coming to the office, and at the same time save the time of the employees. He then moved the adoption of the report. Mr. Gurney Hoare seccnded the preposition, which was put and carried without discussion. It was resolved that the ordinary dividend of 6 per cent.(being at the rate of 12 per cent per annum i, and an extraordinary dividend of 1 per cent., be declared cn and after Jan, 12, fre of incoms tax ‘l'he retiving directors were unanimously re cloeted The Chairmun suid the board proposed to eleet Mr. E. ¢¢lvile (son of the late Chairman) to a seat at the board, in the room of Mr. Biuce, deceased. The propo:ition was put and carried unani mously. The Chairman sail that Mr. E Colvile hav ing retired from the office of aunditor, it was proposed to elect to that office Mr. James Scott, one of the largest proprietors. The propositivn was put and carried unani mously. A cordial vote of thanks was passed to the Chairman and directors for the eminently suc cessful manmner in which they continued to con duct the affairs of the bank., The proceedings then terminated. L LLOANS ON PERSONAL SECURITY. The system of granting Zoans on personal security, in connection with Life Assurance, has now hecome so common that many of the new Offices seem almost specially to fay themselves out for it and such announcements are nearly the first that catch the eye in many of ihe pros pectuses we have preased. 'We make no apolo gy for quoting the following remarks upon the money-lending system, and what it may lead to. We observe, indeed, recently that one, if not more, of the Assurance Offices has taken up the business of &l discounting, and probably will be more safe than dabbhing with patched-up personal security, as many Offices do. How far assurers may care to have thedr funds subjected to the hazard of bill discounting isx a point for them to determine, and not us. Here is the guotation referred to “It is more especially necessary to gnard the public against the money-lending Companies. It is a well-known fact among those conversant with these matters that while many of these Offices would find it impossible to obtain busi ness without some illegitimate efforts, they have changed their Companies from Insurance Offices into Loan Societies, lending money on securities which would be refused by all other capitalists, and ekeing them out by policies of insurance in their own Offices. These securities are very often, even with Companies who would be sorely angry were the facts made known to the publie, nothing more than personal securi ties, such as the bond of the assured or horrow er, and that of two of his friends, the policy he ing taken out for a much larger sum than would cover the loan. Os course the interest in such cases is high, and also the prospective interest, and hence some of the astonishing bonuses giv en by some of the new Offices to their small policy-holders. But how dangerous is the prin ciple! What, let me ask, would be the posi tion of such an Office if any great crisis should a'rive, such as that which followed the financi al measures of 1849, when in every quarter con fidence was shaken, and credit all but univer sally destroyed? And are we never to have such a season of distress I’#* The changes of the last few months have swept away a great many of these money lend ing Offices. Itis to be hoped those that still exist will speedily set their houses in order, and carry on the business of Life Assurance with due regard to those principles which have alrea dy stood the test of experience, and which alone seem destined to lead to ultimate success.—ln surance Guide and Hand Baok. Life Assurance—its Schemes, &c. Eommuniretioy, Oh, that mine adversary had written a Book. Jon,3l¢c 35v. Where is the Book? Echo answers where Public Curiosity. D 4 O-MNOTrrow o will be opened at P the Cash BEstak- E ‘:A "--‘i sah isament, an ag-s sortiment of New Goods as follows Childrens Suits,~—in Tweed, Jean, Mohair, Lustre, and Poplin,-Mohair Uresses with Jackets attached, Mo hair, Black Silk Mantles, Mohairs, pr. Yard, ix variery, Black Ribbed Cloth, Coburgs, W. C. Hose, Braids, in Colour’d Worsted, Black Silk, Gents Colour'd White Shirt Col lars, Neck Ties, Pearl, Jet Studds, Sleeve links, Thread, Kid Gloves, Gents Straw, Felt, Drab Oxonian Hats, Scoteh Caps, Ladies Cloth, Kid Boots, Ribhons, in Silk, Sa tin, Muil Trimmings, Shirting, Cali coes, Stripes, &e. &ec. Bassin, 31st January 1855. (Y I f}, 7 34 3 2" Q/e fii‘o l.fiE 5[&.5?‘. ZM::_» 'J‘.llt‘ "l\'(‘p:»rh-r ::!,(iA;\[::g Zim:" negas for January will not appoar this week, as the reports ot the suuar crops have not all come in, and the l.lst of the crops is intended for this suniber. Jan. 31, 1865. P.B.HATCHELT. N)EPAIRING TUNING OF PIANOFORTES. The under signed begs respectfully to inform the inhabitants of this town that he intends remaining here about two or three weeks for the purposeo frepair ing and tuning Pianofortes. Any one requiring his services,-in this re spect, will please give him an early call as it is not his intention to pro long his stay beyond the abovemen tioned time. Commercial Hotel, West End, 31st January 1865. Cc E- TAYIJOR! U 8 SALE FOR Sk A NEW BULL-CART. Apply 1o Lawyer HEILBUTH. W H. Krebs Pratorius, AGENTS OF THE NORTHERN FOR FIRE AND LIFE.