The Sun.
London, England, 1851-08-18 00:00:00

AI►IERICAN NEWS.

ARRIVAL OF THE ATLANTIC.
LIVERPOOL, SUNDAY.—This morning, at three
o'clock, the United States steam-ship Atlantic, Capt.
West, arrived in the Mersey from New York direct,
with the usual mails from the United States and the
British provinces, and having on board 52 passengers
(among whom are Signor Belletti and M. Benedict),
and 110,000 dollars in specie on freight. On her
outward passage the Atlantic arrived at her wharf in
New York about six o'clock on Sunday morning,
August 3, making the passage_ from Liverpool in 10
days and 18 hours.
The British steamer Niagara arrived at New
York on Thursday, July 31, at half-past four
o'clock, P.M, after a passage of over 12 days.
The steamer Europa arrived at Halifax at a quarter-
past eight o'clock on Monday morning, August 4, and
at Boston on Tuesday afternoon, August 5, between
five and six o'clock.
At the same hour that the Atlantic left the port of
New York the British steam-ship America, Captain
Shannon, was to leave Boston. It was anticipated
that the Atlantic would arrive first, as the result has
proved.
The news by this arrival is of greater importance
than we have lately received, not only on account of
the excitement relative to the Cuban insurrection,
but also intelligence from California, via Chagres and
Jamaica, that the city of San Francisco had, for the
sixth time in its short history, been the scene of a
terrible conflagration, some particulars of which will
be found below ; the property destroyed is said to have
been worth three millions of dollars, and several lives
were lost. It is believed to have beon caused by in-
cendiaries.

From British America we learn that no progress
had been made in the Canadian Legislature toward
the settlement of the reciprocity question. The Go-
vernment still refuses to concede the navigation of the
St. Lawrence to foreign vessels, until it obtains an
equivalent from the Uaited States. A proposal was
made in the Assembly last week to open the St. Law-
rence to the vessels of all nations, but it was opposed
by the Government. A motion against removing the
seat of government to Quebec until after the expira-
tion of four years from the time of its removal to
Toronto, has been negatived in the llouse, by a vote
of 48 to 12. It is considered certain that the removal
will take place during the present season. Mac-
kenzie's Bill for the election of sheriffs, and Ross's
Bill for disqualifying persons from sitting in the Le-
gislative Assembly who may hereafter bo guilty of
treason, have both been thrown out.
The accounts from the southern states report that
great excitement prevails on account of the Cuban
insurrection. Several volunteers were said to have
left Savannah for Cardenas. One thousand men had
sailed from New Orleans for the same destination.
Two steamers have been purchased by the Cubans
and their friends in New Orleans, where it is cur-
rently believed they will obtain possession of the
island in the present struggle. A large number of
persons in Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and other
southern states, are preparing to give their personal
aid to the Cuban revolutionists. We learn from Cin-
cinnati that large bodies of young men in that
vicinity are waiting for an opportunity to join the
same standard. The President exerts the utmost
vigilance for the prevention of any overt acts on the
part of the Americans against the Government of
Spain ; but the zeal of private adventurers cannot be
repressed by the action of public authorities.
The news of the insurrection at Puerto Principe
arrived at St. Jago de Cuba on the 9th of July, but
the accounts were vague and unsatisfactory. An ex-
press arrived on the morning of the 11th, with dis-
patches to the Governor, stating that Las Tunas was
threatened with an attack from the insurgents,
and that they bad seized upon the funds of the
Treasury. In the afternoon of the same day the
Governor, General Manzano, started for Las Tunas
with a body of troops. The revolutionists at St. Jago
number, at least, 500 men, well armed with muskets
and other weapons, and supplied with ammunition.
The feeling in favour of freedom was general, and the
young men of the first families were on the side of

the Patriots.
Our last advices from Havannab, by telegraph from
New Orleans, state that Trinidad and Villa Clara had
taken side with the insurgents against the Govern-
ment.
The Virginia State Convention for the revision of
the constitution have reported an amended form of
that instrument, which is to be submitted to the de-
cision of the people on the 23d of October next. The
new constitution is highly democratic in its cha-
racter, surpassing in that respect any previous funda-
mental law of the ancient commonwealth. Every
free white male citizen of the age of 21 years is to
enjoy the right of suffrage, without regard to property
qualifications. The judges of the several courts are
to be elected by the people, and may be removed for
cause by the Legislature. At the same time the pro-
visions of the new constitution for the maintenance
of slavery are of quite a stringent character.
On the outward passage of the Atlantic, when only
two days from Liverpool, one of the passengers, for-
merly a merchant of high renown in Boston, com-
mitted suicide by shooting himself. It is stated that
the unfortunate man was labouring under delirium
tremens, brought on by excessive drinking.
Captain Hovey, of the packet-ship Devonshire,
which arrived in New York on the 3d instant, re-
ports that there was no sickness among his passengers
(emigrants) on the voyage out, except one man, who,
it appears, came on board affected with the small-
pox. As soon as this circumstance became known to
the captain, the patient was placed in the stern-boat,
hanging at the davits, several feet from the ship.
Over the boat a tent was erected covered with tar-
paulins. Here the patient was nursed, and attended
by the physician and officers of the ship. He is now
quite well, and he never left his romantic domicile
during the whole course of the passage. This timely
precaution taken by Captain Hovey prevented the
disease from affecting any of the other passengers.

CALIFORNIA.
The United States' steam-ship Empire City, from
Chagres, July 25, and Kingston, Jamaica, July 30,
with over a million and a half in gold dust, and be-
tween 300 and 400 Californians as passengers, arrived
in New York on the morning of the Gth inst.
The Empire City left at Chagres the steam-ships
Georgia and Prometheus, awaiting the arrival of the
steamers Isthmus and Union, neither of which had
reached Panama on the morning of the 23d ult., but
were hourly expected.
From the files of California papers we extract the
following details of the sixth terrible fire in San
Francisco :
Another great conflagration has laid in ruins a large
portion of our city.
At about the hour of eleven o'clock on the morning
of June 22, just as the church bells were announcing the
hour for the assemblage of the various religious
congregations, the citizens were alarmed by the
teartul alarm of fire pealing from the fire bells. At
first little apprehension seemed to be felt, and it
appeared but the effort of a moment to extin-
guish the flames; but on account of the perfectly dry
state of the buildings of which our city is composed, and
the high winds that prevail at this season, the commu-
nication of the destructive element was rapid, and soon
became uncontrollable.
The extent of the burnt district includes thirteen
squares and parts of five other squares, situated between
Powell and Sansome, and Broadway and Clay.

THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The faets, so far as they are known and we could
gather them, are substantially these:—The fire origi-
nated in a two-story framehouse, near the corner of
Powell and Pacific-streets, occupied by Mr. De Lessert,
as a residence, in which there was neither fireplace,
chimney, or stove. No person was in the house at the
time of the alarm, except the servant of Mr. Do Lessen,
who was not aware of the fire until apprised by the
alarm outside. The only house adjacent was a low
wooden house on the eastern side of it, which is believed
to have been unoccupied.
Charles S. Lyons was found burned to death on
Jackson-street, between Dupont and Kearney streets.
No particulars could be ascertained concerning the man-
ner of his death. The Coroner will hold an inquest
upon the body to. day.
Mr. Bach, of the firm of Bacb, Bennett, and Co., was
burned to death in the effort to save his store-room.
George Hubbard, a native of Scotland, about 40 years
of age, who had been confined to his bed in a house in
Jackson-street for eight days past, expired while being
emoved to the Piazza.

EVENTS SINCE THE
EA ME R.IN
SAILG OF THE LAST
ST
(From the Alta California, July 1.)
In the city of Sonora a worthy citizen, Captain Snow,
having been brutally murdered, and two of the assassins
having been taken a few days afterwards, were tried and
and buried in the grave which
A terrible row occurred at a new town called Moloney,
thhuenyg hadby tdhneg Pf
no
Pr lit
ihaenie; victim.
near Carson's diggings, about twe abandoned women, in
which one or two Americans and three or four Mexicans
wero

A marauding party of twelve men, commanded by a
Captain Irving, were all killed by the Indians of the
I Gunnlia tribe, near Los Angeles. They deserved their
' fate.
A great many Mormons, from the Salt Lake Valley,
had arrived in the Los Angeles
The division of the Indian commission, under Colonel
Barbour, has come to a standstill at Los Angeles for
want of funds. Dr. Wozencroft is progressing with his
division at his own expense.
The two men, Watkins and Brier, have been tried on
the charge of burglary—robbing Colonel Stevenson'a
safe—and found guilty; the first sentenced to ten, and
the other to five years' imprisonment.
A party of nine men, under Captain Fitzpatrick, have
been cut off by the Indians, and, as is supposed, all mur-
dered, at Rogue River. The details will be found in our
columns.
There is a prospect that Mr. Hottaling's proposition
for supplying the city with salt water will soon be com-
menced.
A party which left Trinidad to explore the Shasta
country had arrived at Trinidad.
A shocking affair occurred in this city on the night of
the great fire. Lewis Pollock was shot dead by Samue
Gallagher, having teen provoked from his bed and killed
while undressed. _ _ _

Our city is being built up again very fast—some 200
buildings having been erected and many of them finished
during the past week.
A horrible murder was perpetrated at Sonora last
Friday, by persons who took offinee at an article pub-
lished in the Sonora Herald. They repaired to the
editor, Dr. Gunu's room, dragged him from his bed,
shot him through the head, killed two other persons con-
nected with the office, and wounded or killed three or
four other persons who went to their assistance.
There has been a quartz mining convention held in
Mariposa country, at which some very important reso-
lutions were adopted.

FURTHER FROM CALIFORNIA—GREAT FIRE—
INCENDIARIES ARRESTED—LWS OF LIFE.
NEW ORLEANS, Aua. 2.—The recent conflagration in
San Francisco laid the heart of the city in ashes. The
blocks bounded by Montgomery-street, Dupont-street,
Washington-street, and Merchant-street, are a heap of
ruins. The loss is variously estimated at from 2,000,000
to 5,000,000, but it is impossible to tell with any degree
of certainty what the amount of the loss really is. The
fire was the work of incendiaries, who have been arrested
by the vigilance committee. Their fate may easily be
surmised.
Many lives are said to have been lost by this terrible
fire, which, coming so closely on the heels of that from
which the city had not yet recovered, inflicts a severe
blow on the prosperity of the inhabitants.
Active preparations are going on for rebuilding the
new burnt district, and several substantial structures aro
already in process of erection.
Lynch law continues to prevail.
The agricultural prospects in California are favourable.
The report from the mine are conflicting, but gene-
rally they are favourable. The quartz diggings yield well.
The Indian troubles continue.

In the San Francisco market flour was quiet and
steady. Coffee dull. In cement and bricks a fair busi-
ness doing. Sugars were lower. Provisions were quiet.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

NEW YORK, AUG. s.—The stock market has been
very much depressed during the past week in conse-
quence of the stringency in the money market, but ap-
peared to rally a little to-day. Government Securities
and State Stocks have remained quiet.
There has been a much better feeling exhibited in all
moneyed transactions to-day, and confidence in promi-
nent securities appear to be somewhat restored. Sales
of mercantile paper have been more freely made than
for several days past, although the rates are higher than
have been known for some years. The demand fur
specio for export has ceased. Nothing has yet been en-
gaged to go by the steamers of any consequence. The
low rates of foreign exchange dispel all tear of renewal
of the drain upon the banks for the precious metals ;
and a few arrivals from California will soon replenish
their vaults, as a great many have overrated the ship-
ments of specie as compared with the receipts.
The demand for foreign exchange has not been ac-
tive, owing probably to the scarcity of money. We
quote :—London, 109 to 110 ; Paris, 5.11 i to 5.124 ;
Amsterdam, 41-1 to 41i ; Hamburgh, 36 to 36i ; Bre-
men, 78+ to 7Eq.
FRElGHTS.—Shippers were St 11 inclined to wait for
private advices due by the Europa. For flour, Is. was
offered and 131 demanded. 5,000 bushels of grain were
taken at 4d. in bulk. Cotton ranged from 4s to 4s. 6d.
per bale. There was no change to London or Havre.
The barque Vernon was sold for the whaling business
at 10,000 dollars, and the ship Sea for 20,000 dollars for
the same business. Shippers to California were disposed
to wait later news, due by the Chagres steamers, before
doing much.