The Demerara Gazette of the 16th October contains the particulars
of the Slavery act ; and the proclamation of the King ordering it into force. The Governor, Sir J. C. Smyth, had received a circular from
Mr Stanley, dated Downing Street, September 5th, in which it is said, that
" to prevent all difficulties, the Assemblies of the Colonies will be fur- nished with a model, not, of course, for servile imitation, but developing gene- ral principles, on which it is expected that the supplementary enactments will be trained. The commission for distributing the compensation-fund will be constituted with all practicable expedition; and the Governor will be placed at the head of the subordinate commission in Demerara."
A very singular correspondence, headed " St. Helena Politics," ap- pears in the South African Advertiser. It appears that in a criminal
trial before the Magistrates of that island, the jurors found a verdict of Not Guilty ;' on which the Bench told them they had violated their oaths, and acted contrary to law, evidence, justice, and reason." The jirrors remonstrated by letter, and requested this language should be re- tracted. This the Bench refused, avowing that they still retained the opinion that the jurors had acted "contrary to law, evidence, justice, and reason," and pas\iug over in silence the former charge of having violated their oaths, they admit that the jurors had acted only from "mistaken, tlicugh conscientious motives or feelings of lenity." The jurors again remind the Bench, that this is inconsistent with the accu- sation publicly advanced, of having violated their oaths ; and the Bench answer, that they have nothing more to say on the subject.
There are accounts in town from Sydney, NewSouth Wales, to the 2d of June ; and the letters communicate some interesting particulars relative
to the state of the colony, particularly as regards the production of the staple article of wool, which has now become so important an article of exportation to the mother country. The sheep, in nearly all parts of Australia, were in a much more healthy state than formerly ; and it is estimated that in the next year there will be a vast increase in the pro- duce of wools. The entries of wool from the colony this week have already been pretty large, having amounted to above 500 bales. From Van Diemen's Land we learn that the shipments of wool and other produce for England were carried on with activity, and the accounts or
the state of the flocks of sheep in that colony are also more favourable. News had just arrived of the loss of the Hibernia, with convicts on board, in number exceeding two hundred and seventy, of whom but seventy-nine souls were saved.—Correspondent of Leeds Mercury. The great drawback to the whaling trade being the great length of time the animal takes to die after being struck, it had been determined on at Sydney to try the novel experiment of dipping the lances into prussic acid, or to have a cavity in the harpoon in which should be lodged a certain quantity of the acid, which would flow into the wound of the animal by the opening of a valve, which it was supposed would accelerate the death of the whale without injuring the carcass. The ship Betsey, Captain Petrie, which was about to commence operations, was provided with the necessary materials, and was to be the first to make the trial, which, if successfid, would, it was considered, be of in- finite importance to the whaling trade.— Tinies. It appears by the communications received from Canada yesterday, that, during the present season, 21,945 emigrants have arrived out by the way of the river, which amount is less by 3,000 than the half of that of last year. It is calculated that about 15,000 went by the way of the United States to Upper Canada. The James Watt steamer, from Lisbon, arrived on Monday at Black- wall, with upwards of seventy men, who lately went out as recruits in the service of Donna Maria. They state that they left London under the promise of :2/. 5s. per month ; but on their arrival at Lisbon, they found they would have only 10s. per month. They left their ranks ; upon Which they were marched to the citadel, and confined there, till, by the intercession of Sir John Doyle and Admiral Parker, they were conveyed on board the James Watt. They Were in a very distressed condition. On leaving the vessel, they were presented with 10s. each. Eighteen invalids arrived with them, who received 41. each; and were told that, on the war being over, and Don Pedro succeeding, they might return to Portugal, where they would be taken care of.
The Polonais gives the following extract of a letter from Warsaw, dated the 5th instant. " Three of the confederates of Dziewicki, who has poisoned himself, have been shot at 'Warsaw, in the public place of execration, without the walls. They all died with a display of courage and firmness, hoping that their deaths might be useful to their unhappy country. Olkowski in particular showed great self-command. While on his way to execution, he gathered up a handful of the soil, and ex- claimed—' For this we have fought, and for this we are willing to die !' The tombs of these young heroes have become objects of veneration to the people, who strew flowers and garlands upon them. Many women have compromised themselves. A young lady, named Helen Nowa- kowska, has received two hundred stripes, for having sent provisions to some unfortunate insurgents who were dying of hunger in the woods. The horrible punishment was inflicted in one of the barracks at Lublin, to the sound of military music ; and to render it more severe, they af- terwards shaved her head, and confined her in a convent ; and no one can tell when she will he released. The wife of Orlowska has been condemned to receive five hundred stripes for having sheltered one of her relations. She entreated that her punishment might be inflicted publicly at Warsaw, in order that it might inflame the courage of the Patriots. This favour, however, being denied her, on the (lay her sen- tence was to have been executed, she was found -dead in her prison, having forced pins into her bosom."
The Baden Chamber of Deputies has come to a resolution that the accession of the Government to the Prussian system of customs is in- compatible with the interests of.the country.!
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