The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-13 00:00:00

AMERICAN NEWS.

[A summary of the following appeared in our paper of
yes c-,rday :—]
SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY.—The United States'
mail steam-ship Humboldt, Gqtain J. D. Lines, ar-
rived off Cowes this morning, and having landed the
English wails and passengers, proceeded on her voyage
to Havre.
The Humboldt brought 127 passengers, a few of
whom landed at Southampton, and on freight specie
value 350,000 dolls. for Havre, and 100,000 dolls. in
gold for London. She sailed from New York on the
31st ult., and brings three days' later news than re-
ceived by the Asia, at Liverpool, on Saturday.
The Europa arrived out on the 29th ult.
A horrible catastrophe had occurred on the Hud-
son river. The steam. boat Henry Clay, after racing
a considerable distance with another steamer (the
Armenia) belonging to a rival line, caught fire amid-
ships, and was run ashore; and there being 300 or
400 passengers on board, a frightful scene of terror
Ponied. From 50 to 60 persons were either drowned
or burnt, and the remainder saved their lives with the
greatest difficulty. This calamity had excited the
greatest sensation in New York, and the details of
the occurrence exhibit a fearful disregard of human
life on the part of the American steam-boat proprie-
tors. Some " indignation " meetings of the survivors
and their friends had been held at New York.

The folloaiug, extracted from the :New York
Herald, gives the latest intelligence regarding the
fisheries dispute :
" One of our correspondents at Washington informs
us that the steamer Mississiupi, which was disigto,ted
as the flag-sill') of Commodore Perry in the Japan ex•
p, dicier], and is now lying at anchor in the East River,
opposite this city, has been Ord, red to repair forthwith
to the fishing-grounds, to protect our rights under the
treaty of 1818. She has all her coal on board, and
Commodore Perry will no doubt be prompt in obeying
the order. All other vessels, it is said, which can be got
ready in time, will be dispatched to the banks, under
command of the Commodore. By recent arrival./ from
the Bay of St. Lawrence, we learn that an anchorage
duty of 61. per ton has been demanded upon all United
States' vessels in the provinces. On the 23d inst., two of
our fishing-vessels were seen in tow of a British steamer,
off Gaspe Head. At last accounts there were fourteen
English men•of war on the ground, and four more were
fitting out at St. John's. All this looks as though our pro-
vincial neighbours, backed by their mother-country, were
really determined to give us considerable trouble. Our.
Washington correspondent states that nothing serious is
apprehended by those who are best informed in that
city. Indeed, it is intimated that President Fillmore is
nut exactly pleased with Secretary 'Webster's recent
course on the subject. It is anticipated that the matter
will soon be amicably arranged by negotiation, but in
the mean time Commodore Perry will proceed to the
eastward in the steamer Mississippi, with the view of
protecting, if necessary, the rights of our own citizens.
The operations now going on at the Brooklyn and other
navy yards throughout the country denote that the
Government is actively preparing for any emergency
that may arise."
A telegraphic dispatch, dated Boston, July 21,
appears in the New York papers, to the following
effect :
bi no
d, the
of bay,the
" Captain Whalen, of the fishing schooner, Flying
Cloud, arrived at Gloucester, from the Bay of Sc. Law-
rence,
mackerel
is
ratherabut 36
coaor
ce Americanc apta
inand informed a
n vesselsiyn
Cap-
tbariingawnthinaeleHn Halifax, xhiswoarsdienrs were to a
to seize all vessels
found fishing within the line laid down by the British
Government. This line cuts off our vessels from fishing
on all the grounds except in the neighbourhoud of
Gaspe and Magdalen Island. The district from
this line to the snore, in some places, is 50
or 60 miles. Another restriction has been placed on
our vessels, in the shape of an anchorage duty of 6d. per
ton in all the provinces. The fishing vessels have been
obliged heretofore to pay a like duty at Canso, and now
they are obliged to pay this anchorage duty at the
other provinces in addition, which is something never
required before. The schooner General Cushing, from
the Bay of Sr. Lawrence, arrived at Newburyport yes-
terday. She makes the following repurt Left the
Gulf of Canso on Saturday, the 24+h inst., and spoke on
that day schooner Freeman, of Wellfleet, who reported
chat on the previous day they saw a British steam-tr igate
with two American fishing vessels in tow, taken elf Gaspe
1111 d—bow far from laud not stated. There were 14
British vessels of war on the fishing grounds, and four
others fictii,g out at St. Jobe s. By the steamer Ad-
miral we have St. John's, New Brunswick, papers of
the 28th. The Times says —• In this city, on Saturday
last, a Court of the Vice-Admiralty wus held for the
hearing of the cases of the American fishing schooners
of
fetYlethr fehi7 voaitliaictg the Hyades,
. of Lub, c, seizA by the
fish, ry treaty between
::.;ourrt
rl ,
Ntl
Euglaud and the United buttes. No deieece was made
by the owners. Judgment on the cases was not given,
and he Court adjourned until to-day, when, of course,
the vrs:els w,ll be cendrraned.'

The New York Herald bas the subjoined articles
in reference to the British naval force in the waters
of the Sr. Lawrence, and the means of defence pos-
sessed by the Americans ag.inst the aggressive and
threatening attitude of the British fl,et

" Ine assemblage In the Bay of St. Lawrence of a
British fl-et ot 19 armed vessels, ivitheut the slighteet
flotificaion, to eeterce N new CODS‘rUC ii)11 of a treaty,
oith,rent tram what has prevailed fur 30 years and
I 4 ger, is a new feeture in the intercourse of Great
Bi itein with a fyienaly and powerful neighbour. Still
more unexpected and unjustifiable were the seizure and
eeefixation of an American vessel engaged, us was sup.
f.. 06, d, in the undisputed right of fishing in said waters.
This is regarded throughout the length and breadth of
he land as a deliberate and gratuitous insult to our na-
ortu-
tional flag—an Outrage that diplemetic explanation
cannot be permitted to satisfy. In diplomatic circles, it
is considered as an unfortunate mintage on the part of the
Ministry of the Earl of Derby, attributable to the inex-
perience of that chief, and of the Secretary net
nately intrusted with that department of the public
business, which will cost them both their places, and be
ultimately settled by humble and ample apologies and
concessions on the part of their successors iu the Go-
vernment. Be that as it may, the present position
of affairs is an unusual one, and requires all the
wi
•sa 4om and vigour of action of which our Government
is capable. It is known that certain ships of war are
already ordered, and some, probably, on their way to
the disputed fishing-grounds, and that others ate to
follow as soon as they can be got ready for sea—all with
distinct and positive orders (which their commanders
will not be backward in executing to the last letter) to
protect the undoubted rights of our commerce and
fisheries in that quarter in the most emphatic manner,
and without reference to future consequences. It is
the event
aide
ex-
tremely probable—nay, almost inevitable—that the exe-
cution of the orders understood to have been given to the
will clear
commanders of the naval forces on both sides will bring
portions of their commands into collision. From what
we know of the temper and firmness of both John Bull
and Brother Jonathan—when either thinks his rights
failed.
of invaded—we may
for-
cible measures, the affair will not end very seen
expect that, in
are ordered
othrevecroyastquoifettlyh.e
yaEsainttbkheeerye haererMo fishermen,radj:rs
et Majesty's 'est
o theysdhoi p. s
In
tither
to do, or our naval vessels will prevent that high-
gestidoens—th(ein ()Ter, to suc-
ceed outrage,
case, force will be employed, and force against force;
and the success of either party will render
to
rein-
forcementsinainteintheneac4suair7doandvaboottha
ceed in a second e ffort should the first have
this inevitable necessity for reinforcements the expe-
rienced heads of the British navy have doubtless fore-
seen, and there are probably on their way by this
time
many vessels from various quarters to the scene of
action. That this call for reinforcement is also foreseen
by our Government is evidenced by the extraordinary
activity of operations in repairs and fitting of vessels in
our navy yards. The arrival of these two reinforcing
squadrons—perhaps fleets—at the point of dispute, sad
e ash eneeavourieg to sustain their antecedents, must • •
they arrive separately, produce rsprisels and separate
conflicts, and if together, or whenever they come toge-
ther, must result in a naval general action. Should
such
occur—which Heaven forbid—it whl be our first
naval
general action with England; but it will nut be the l
Qtarrels for supremacy between brothers are id "et;
tearfully in earnest. In this case, the dominion Cti;,-;
:ea* will be the object of contention, and nothingshort---
of that will suffice either party's ambition. The-eoo
and mackerel eispute will be forgotten. The parties
belligerent will have other and bigger fish to fry, 7
this view of the case, it becomes us to examine
our own resources, to know what we can d-nee
pend upon to meet present and future -emer-
gencies. Accordingly, as we have heretofore
stated, Mr. Gavin has moved in the Senate e
information of the present disposable force and condition
of the navy, and in course of time perhaps some informa-
tion will be given; perhaps a copy of the N
--avy Register
may be submitte in reply. But the readers ot the
_Herald are not accustomed to depend upon the slow
action or the meagre reports of the authorities at Wash-
ington for information on important subjects of general
interest. We have, therefore, condensed, from a variety
of authentic sources, for the information of our readers
—who are the mass of the people—a particular report of
the present state of the navy, so tar as the present
matter calls for information; and shall, as soon as it can
be prepared for the press, present full information of the
state of the entire naval service, both personnel and
materiel, in all their ranks, divisions, and departments.
These reports will be more full, more accurate, and more
reliable, and produced with greater dispatch than what
the old fogi's at Washington can produce in this hot
weather. They will show:--
"1. What naval force we have immediately availab'e
for service in the fisheries.
" 2. What nava! force for a reinforcement, if necessary.
"3. What naval and national resources we can rsly
"Pm for the possible exigency of a long and bloody
naval war with the first naval power on earth.
"4. Whet sltereeions and additions to our present
system aro required to enable us successfully to compete
With the misty, as of the sees—perhaps with the world
in
arms ; for it is impossible to foresee the events of a
war bet,. eon two leading Powers—what train of conse-
quences may
ensue. or how far other Powers and inte-
rests may be eta b roiled and stirred into the matter before
its completion and termination.
"For immediate
service in the fisheries, the following
ordered, can arrive o
vessels, if so fl Halifax as here
giver, :
" The steam ship Mississippi 10 ping, Captain W. J.
Nl'Cateey (detached from Japan: expo:Wien for the pre-
. senLßelvio ). iti I} intin b - N" York, fully ready
i - t e port of New
tor sea, with officers, men, provisions, oval, and scam-