Slavery in the West Indies.

Several numbers of the "Anti-Slavery Monthly Reporter" have reached us. They contain statements calculated to barrow up the soul, being, like Ezekiel's roll, written within and without with lamentations, and mourning, and wo. What indeed but cruelty is to be expected in the prosecution of a system founded on injustice, supported by tyranny, and enforced by stripes? Its footsteps are often stained with blood; its name is associated with the groans of agonized humanity, and in all its branches and bearings it may be justly considered as the greatest curse that ever afflicted the world. The powers of language have long since been exhausted in attempts to delineate its features, and so uniform has been the voice of humanity in describing its enormities, that the advocates of slavery meet accumulating accusations with these remarks: "This is an old tale; we have heard enough of inhumanity: cannot you produce something new?" Alas! the negro's friends have heard enough of inhumanity, as well as those who would stifle the cries of nature, which the whips and brutality of their agents extort. Gladly would they produce something new; but, doomed as they are to wade through varieties of misery, lacerations, sufferings, shrieks, and anguish, cover the field over which they travel, and circumscribe their views. Unhappily, slavery furnishes no new aspect, and its regular features appear most frightful when represented without distortion. The following horrid tale, taken from the Fiscal's official report in the island of Berbice, will confirm the preceding observations:

Roosje states, she was sent to pick coffee in the logies, by order of the manager; she represented to him she was too big (too far advanced in pregnancy) to stoop. Manager directed her to comply with the order; she went and picked coffee on her knees. At eleven o'clock our work was examined, and the manager directed the driver, Sondag, to flog us; it was done with the whip doubled. When Sondag, the driver, came to me, he said to the manager, This woman is rather big with child; the manager replied, Give it to her till the blood flies out. I was flogged with the carracarras. This happened on Friday: I went to the field on Saturday. I told the driver I could not work, as I had a pain in my loins: he directed me to go to the manager. I did go, and was sent to the hospital; remained there a day; the doctor examined me, and said there was nothing the matter with me, and that sitting down was not good. I went to the field, was put upon a row with another to help me; on Sunday evening I miscarried; I was five months gone with child; the labour was heavy; the midwife had to force the child from me; the child was dead, one eye was out, the arm broken, and a stripe visible over the head, which must have been done by the whip doubled. The doctor came to attend me on Monday morning; the child was not seen by him, it was buried; he prescribed for me; the child was seen by Ariaantje, Claartje, and Mary Anne; I was assisted by sister Claartje; the regular midwife, Mary Anne, did not attend me, as I was taken suddenly; she was sent for, however, and saw the child."

Hydrogen Gas.-Report says that there has lately been discovered at the salt mine of Szlatina, in Hungary; a natural stream of hydrogen gas, which, conducted in pipes to different departments, enlightens the whole.

Lithography.-A new and valuable mode of drawing on stone has been invented by M. P. Lauretz, of the Polytechnic school at Paris.

Growth of Wood.-It has been ascertained that wood increases in the following proportion: the first year as 1, the second as 4, the third as 9, the fourth as 15, the fifth as 22, the sixth as 30, the seventh as 40, the eighth as 54, the ninth as 70, and the tenth as 92. From this it is concluded, that wood ought never to be cut till in the tenth year of its growth.

Simple Experiment on reflected Light.-Exclude all the light from a room, except a small ray of sunshine admitted through a hole in the window-shutter. The ray will only be visible at the bright spot, or reflection, on the floor or opposite wall, and by the reflection of the light on the innumerable particles of various substances and shapes, with which the atmosphere of the clearest and stillest room will then prove to be loaded, and which will shew like so many little luminaries, whose course may be decided by the slightest breath. Upon approaching any object, a book for instance, to the vicinity of the ray, it will still be in darkness; but place a bit of any opaque substance-a ball, a marble, or a bullet-within the ray, and, assuming the appearance of a little planet or satellite, it will reflect you sufficient light to read distinctly.

Optical Illusion.-The footpath on the north side of Fleet-street, on the evening of Friday, Sept. 15th, was for some time rendered nearly impassable by the collected crowds, attracted by the appearance of a curious phenomenon in the atmosphere, the spire of St. Bride's church, when viewed at an angle of about 45 degrees, being seen clearly defined in a reflection in the air. This phenomenon is explained by English philosophers, who have treated on horizontal reflection. A similar phenomenon took place during the French invasion of Egypt. The French called it mirage. In the course of their march through the desert, the villages seen at a distance seemed to be built on an island in the middle of a lake. In proportion as they approached, the apparent surface of the water became narrower; when they were only at a small distance, it disappeared, and the same illusion began in regard to the next village. It often happens at sea, that a ship seen at a distance appears as if painted in the sky, and not to be supported by the water.

To Mothers. The painful operation of drawing milk from the breast, in the absence of infantine action, may be obviated by the following process:-Take a thick and heavy pint decanter, fill it with hot water; as soon as the glass becomes hot, pour off the water, and apply the mouth of the decanter, as warm as it can be borne, close to the nipple, exposing the body of the decanter to the atmosphere. As it cools, the air within becomes condensed, and the milk is extracted to fill up the vacuum with facility.

Paper. It is said that two brothers, papermakers, of Turin, have discovered a mode of manufacturing that article from the bark of the poplar, willow, and other kinds of wood.