ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 494, 27 April 1850, Page 3

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

The tbock of an earthquake was felt at the city of Mexico on the 28th of September; a seveie shock was also rxperienced at Cordova on the 25th. The insurrection of the Sierra Gorda was at an end. A terrible disease called the "bobo" bad appeared at Vera Cruz. It is represented as being more fatal tban cholera. From the Mexican papers it appears that the company to whom the Mexican Govern-

ment bad granted tbe right of completing ft railroad across the Isthmus of Tjetinantepec were proceeding as rapidly as possible with the preliminary arrangements. Before fire years, the probability is there will be tbjreii connexions between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, viz., the Panama railroad, the Ter huantepec railroad, and the Ship Canal, on the route. f ! ! j : ' I i !

Nicaragua Thk N«w Penal Colony.—As Guiana has been gazetted a penal colony, the chosen receptacle of the poverty-born crime of tb* British Isles, a few partuulars of the convict system in the penal settlement there may interest our readers. In a paragraph now going the round of the papers, it is stated that transportation to Guiana would, from the nature of the climate, be equivalent to sentence of death. This statement would be correct if the unfortunates were to be employed in cane cultivation on the estates, but it is not likely that the assignment system will be tried in any form in Guiaua; nor is there any reason why it should, as the settlement above mentioned can furnish subsistence ai;d healthy.employmerit for a large number of convicts, without in any way interfering with the colonists. } It was established soon after the emancipation in 1837. Among the mauy good and evil effects of that measure was a great increase of crime among the newly enfranchised labourers; the old prisons were no longer adequate to contain the additional number of convicted criminals, and tbe devising of a new system of secondary punishments was forced on the attention of Government. An able inspector was despatched up tbe, several rivers, to report as to their capabilities to furnish subsistence and the materials for industry, and the result was the founding of the penal settlement. It is situated on the left bank of the Massarooney, a tributary of the Cuyuni, which in its turn serves to swell tbe stream of tbe Essequibo. Tbe site was well chosen, an extensive tract of moderately wooded fertile country sloping from the water's edge, shut in by low hills, offering convenient spots for the erection of watch towers ; while the opposite bank of the river, steep and rocky, offered few facilities for escape in that direction. The building in which the convicts are lodged is built in a radiated form, with a circular tower commanding a view of the whole; but in practice very little watchiug is necessary ; an old slave brig is anchored off the landing place to prevent the escape by the fiver, and in every other direction the settlement is surrounded by thick forests matted with prickly shrubs and vines, rendering progression difficult and painful; a few escapes had been attempted, but they had all been recaptured; one returned of his own accord. The Indiana (Bucks they are called in tbe colony) are useful in preventing escape, as a reward is given on the capture of a runaway. The whole affair has cost the colony very little, it is nearly self-supporting. - The convicts are employed, first, in cultivating provisions and rearing stock for their own use, the surplus, when any, being sent to Georgetown for sale; second, in breaking stone for toadmetal, the greater part being supplied by contract to the town council of Georgetown ; third, in cutting firewood aud large timber for ship and housebuilding! and in making shingles from tbe wallada, a heavy, indestructible wood : tradesmen, as shoemakers, tailors, &c, supply the wants of their fellow bondmen in their respective callings. The timber and stone are carried to Gtorgetown in sloops and schooners of ten to sixty tons ; vessels of heavier burthen can sail up, but the shifting banks of theEnequibo render the task of piloting difficult; small vessels, being able to sail over most of the banks, are preferable. The climate is for a tropical country remarkably salubrious and congenial to the European constitution ; from the nature of their occupation the prisoner's have plenty of exercite ; this combined with the .plain bard fare of a prison, and compulsory abstinence from spirits, makes the duties of tbe resident surgeon very light indeed. . How the Demerarians may lik« the convict dose retrains to be setn ; they are needy, and therefore likely to be more manageable than the White Hottentots ; if well gilded they may swallow the pill; they are in that state in which the expenditure of a little money would be exceedingly convenient, and the colony would be benefited by the convicts' labour as long as they remain at the settlement. What is to become of them afterwards is another and more serious question; in lieu of answer, we are afraid they, will have to adopt a very notable expedient which has lately been pursued in difficult cases, vi*, to, tru^t to " the colony and the future."

An Emigrant Ship on Fire.—Tbe Toy with the West India mail, ■ bripgs an recount of the total loss of the emigrant ship Caleb Grimshaw, Captain Hoxie, by fire, 16 miles S. r E. of tbe island of Flores, one of the Aaoi.es, The emigrants,

890 in number, with the crew, were providentially saved from destruction. The cry of "fire" was raised about 8 o'clock onthe night of the 12th ult. The decks were immediately flooded. On raising one of the fore hatches, the fire was discovered abreast the chain locker. The heat was so intense that no one could live below, and the immense quantity of water poured into the ship by the crew and passengers generated ad&mj and the heat at length became insufferable. But this was the only means by which the ship was kept from being rapidly consumed. The boats were towed astern of the burning vessel for five days and nights, filled with poor cmi- * grants bewailing their fate, while about 60 were on a raft, when a ship was setn bearing towards them, and which proved to be the barque Sarah, Captain Cook, bound from London to New Brunswick, in ballast. As soon as the captain of the Sarah saw the signal of distress, he immediately approached the Caleb Grimshaw, but was only able to get on board, during the night of the 17th, three boatsful of passengers owing to the wind blowing hard. The next day, the 18th, he got on board about 150 passengers. Night approaching, and the wind still increasing, he was obliged to lay to. On the 19th there was a heavy sea and no more could be got off. On the 20th about 10 persons who had escaped from the burning ship volunteered to return and relieve those who were- on board at work, as by this time there was no more water or provisions to be got without raising the hatches. The mainmast was now settling down, and the upper deck was working each way. On this day the ship floated to the leeward of Flores into smooth water, and during the night all the passengers that remained on board were got off. Before the last of the crew left they lifted the hatches, and immediately the ship burst into a terrific blaze. The escape of all the persons, 399 in number, was most miraculous. Consider a ship, filled with nearly 400 persons, on fire for eight days and nights, and not a single person losthis life ! Nothing but the continual flooding the ship prevented her from beingburnt to the water's edge, and every soul on board perishing before relief could be had. The men and crew worked like heroes. The conduct of the master of the Sarah was beyond all praise. For three days and nights did he hover about , the burning ship amidst the most tempestuous u eather, taking every opportunity to lower his boats to save some of the passengers. Nothing could exceed bis heroism and humanity. To him, under Divine Providence, the unhappy emigrants owe their preservation. Although perpetually obliged by the tempestuous wind and heavy sea to leave them apparently to a dreadful fate, he always endeavoured to keep in sight, and cheer their aching hearts with a prospect of escape. The Sarah arrived at Fayal with the «rew and passengers of the Caleb Grimshaw in safety. The passengers had lotteverything on board, and were perfectly destitute, for they had the greatest difficulty to get food from the burning ship to keep them alive. Captain Hoxie chartered the Sarah to take on the passengers to New York. The Caleb Grimshaw belonged to Messrs. Grimshaw, of Liverpool. The origin of the fire was not known. — Daily News, Dec. 3.