The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-13 00:00:00

Miscellaneous American News.

It is suggested in the United States that Great
Britain should cede to the Government at Washing-
ton her strip of the Pacific c,sst, in satisfaction of
the Alabama claims. By this means the United
States would obtain an uninterrupted right of way
to its new territory in the Arctic regions, and
Great Britain, at a small cost, would finally get
rid of an ugly claim,
which may yet be a fruit
ful source of disaster. The territory is worth-
less to England, and worth little more to the
United States, but Uncle Sam,has bought his moun-
tain of ice at the North Pole, and wants a carriage
drive to his Winter Palace. He is in a mood to
pay for a bauble and to appreciate a concession,
and we can see no reason why he should not be
gratified.

The President is about to pay a visit to Raleigh
in North Carolina, and he has been invited to extend
his journey to. South Carolina. He will be accom-
panied by Mr. Seward. All classes of the country
combine in hoping that the President will not repeat
the incidents of last summer's celebrated tour. The
Nation suggests that " the speeches male on the
road should be chiefly devoted to the history of fo-
reign countries and questions of political economy,
as these subjects are not exciting ; and Mr. John-
son can acquit himself very fairly upon them. In the
discussions of questions of home politics he is
neither so clear nor so able. Mr. Seward must be
aware that some of the oratorical efforts of the tour
of last summer were wanting in perspicuity,
although not in force ; and perspicuity is the first
requisite in a popular oration."
It is rumoured that a combined military and
naval expedition will shortly be despatched by the
United States to Russian America for the purpose
of taking formal possession of the various settle-
ments, and also acquiring accurate information re-
lative to the topography, climate, and resources of
that country. The extension of limits to the western
extremity of the continent gives the United States
four hours and thirty-nine minutes more sunlight
than it had before.
On the 231 ultimo the election of delegates to t
Constitutional Convention of New York passed off
quietly. The proceedings do not appear to have
excited much interest, and the votes were light.
The elections for the cities of New York and
Brooklyn went in favour of Democratic delegates,
while the Republicans succeeded in nearly all the
other parts of the State. Henry Ward Beecher
was defeated in Brooklyn. The delegates returned
appear to have given satisfaction, and seem, on the
whole, to be an.able and honest body.
The Senate adjourned on the 20th April, leaving
among a few other vacancies the Austrian mission
to be filled. It is now said that General Roscraus
will be nominated, though it was hoped that Mr.
Motley would be left undisturbed, if he elected to
remain. With respect to Mr. Raymond's appoint-
ment, the Springfield Republican remarks as follows :
....." Mr. Raymond intimates that he does not want
and will not take the Austrian mission, even if the
Senate confirm the nomination. If there should be
any doubt of his declination, we hope the Senate
will reject his name. It is of very little consequence
whois banished to Austria; but it is of consequence
to the profession of journalism, and to his own re-
putation, that Mr. Raymond shall stay at home and
conduct the New York Times. That paper's dis-
tinguished improvement since Mr. Raymond left
Congress, its rapid advancement to the very first
rank in the art of journalism, prove that his exclu-
sion hereafter from public office is a thing greatly
to be desired. Let all the readers of the New York
Times vote persistently against him, whenever hs
forgers himself so much as to run for office again."
Tb
eini'l which have lately been opened at
Guilford, Maine, are said to be very rich, and assay
in silver and lead $175 per ton, or more than four
times as much as the average yield of the great
Comstock lead in Washoe.
The Mississippi has sufficiently proved that it is a
great power, and, like all powerful forces in nature,
by
is capable of working most destructive results. The
embankments by which the river has been confined
to its bed had never been restored from the decay
had fallen
valley en. noefgl
theec t duringrissi
ssi
Mississippi.
into
fierc
fierce
whichwar
o theyat
r h a
vaed the
Great powers often work through insignificant
means, and produce mighty • results. It appears
that the levees have been honeycombed by a small
animal which penetrates in such numbers into the
bank as in time to undermine the defence. The
water has burst through, the inundations each year
becoming more and more formidable. lt is now said
16,000,000 of the most fertile acres are inundated.
The following extract from a circular of the great
commercial house of Iv c Watts - W. C. and Co. brings
home to trade the results,—the losses ramifying
from the cotton and
sugar fields submerged, to the
counting houses of Liverpool, and the homes of
those who never saw, and know nothing of, cotton
plantations and sugar estates.
" Brown's-buildings, Liverpool, May B.—Gentle-
men,—We regret to state that we have been in-
formed by telegram by Messrs. Watts, Crane, and
Co., New York, that •
m consequence of a lock up of
capital caused b th
Y. e recent inundations of a large
portion of the sugar and cotton lands of Louisiana
and Mississippi, they, as also Messrs. Given, Watts,
and Co., of New Orleans have been compelled to
suspend payment." General Humphrey, of the
U.S. Engineer Corps, has elaborated a full and ex-
tensive plan for dealing with this subject. This not
only embraces larger and stronger embankments,
but fresh outlets to the lakes of the delta, and en-
larged channels for the river to debouch into the
gulf. The general Government is alone competent
to deal with so extensive a plan ; but in time the
proprietors of the lands rescued will he able to re-
imburse the Government.
Hostilities have commenced in Nebraska, and the

Indian war has been inaugurated
killed and scalped on
of a sergeant and 12 men of the 2d Cavalry, who
inaugurated by the massacre
Tuesday, the 16th April,
while escorting the mail from Fort Philip Kearney
to Fort LArarnie. The place of carnage was 18
miles east of Fort Reno, and the plans of the Indians
appear to have been so well laid, that none of the
party escaped. It is feared that the Crows will join
the hostile Sioux, in which event Fort C. F. Smith will
be in great danger. General Hancock must be on the
scene of action, and the Sioux will find the war
carried into their own villages and wigwams. When
the two columns now in the field are brought to bear,
the Indians will have something more to do than

to waylay detached escorts and to scalp defenceless
travellers. It will puzzle these savages to secure
the safety of their own broods, and all the
cunning of the warriors must be brought into
play to counteract the operations of the United
States troops now fairly on the war-path.
For a lengthened period this war has hung over the
Union, the Red Men each day working themselves
into a more hostile attitude. They have fairly
roused the country, and will now find they have
undertaken no light task in thus banding the tribes
to withstand the long threatened blow which their
ferocious acts have provoked. Uncle Sam has been
slow to strike in anger, but it is probable that when
the blow is levelled it will be one remeinbered by
the tribes for many a long year to come.
The New York and Bremen Company's steamer
Baltic, Captain A. G. Jones, from New York, 20th
April. arrived at Southampton last Saturday. The
Royal Mail steamship Asia arrived at Queenstown
on Sunday with 6 passengers. The North German
Lloyd's steamer Deutschland arrived at Southampton
with 191 passengers, having left New York on the
25th ult. She had on Loard $181,923 in specie for
England, and $l,OOO in specie for Bremen. The
City of Baltimore was at Queenstown on Tuesday,
having left New York on the 27th ult. She carried
106 passengers, and $309,500 in specie. The Ham-
burg and American Company's steamer Borussia
arrived at Southampton yesterday. She brought
117 passengers for that port, Hamburg, and
Havre, and $75,000 in specie, for England. She
left New York on the 27th ult.

On Sunday the Union and the City of Paris
reached New York. On Tuesday the City of
Limerick arrived at New York, and the China at
Halifax. The Canaclian steamer Nestorian was at
Father Point on that day. The Cunard extra
steamer Tarifa and the National Steam Naviga-
tion Co.'s steamer Denmark had arrived at New
York on Monday. The Mississippi arrived at Fal-
mouth on Thursday evening, landed twelve passen-
gers, and proceeded at ten o'clock, with fifty
passengers and full freight, for Havre.
If the advices brought by the Inzperatrice Eugenie,
which arrived at St. Nazaire on Thursday, be true,
General Marquez had left the city of Mexico with
6,000 Imperial troops to retake Puebla. Vera
Cruz was still besieged by the Liberals under Bena-
vides. This vessel brought the Prince Iturbide.
But intelligence received from New York on
Mexican affairs is reliable. Republican accounts
always represent the Emperor at his last gasp,
while Imperial accounts describe him as ruling in
the capital, and able to maintain his own against
his opponents. Mr. Seward's messenger had deli-
vered his despatches to Juarez. In a country of
such sudden changes, our next news may be that
the Emperor has captured Juarez and his despatches,
and it might have been advisable to send a similar
despatch to Maximilian pleading for the life of the
Liberal leader.
There is positively no news from America by the
Cable this week, except that the anticipated, strike
had occurred at Chicago, and that the Public Debt
had been decreased in the month of April by 2i
million dollars. The Virginia District Court has
granted the Habeas Corpus to produce Mr. Davis
on the 13th inst.
News from Constantinople, April 28th, announces
that the intention of establishing a Turkish legation
at Washington has been' abandoned.

COMMERCIAL.
NEW Yonx, April 27.

There has boon a hot dispute between the Jews and tho
fire insurance offices of Now York, which has extended
over the country. The Hebrews have decided on placing
a ban on a list of 31 companies, and have notified their
resolution to all the tribes, which has, I imagine, much
the same force as an Order for a strike. Mr. James L.
M'Lean and Mr. W. W. Honshaw have been elected Presi-
dent and Vice-President of the Board of New York Fire
Insurance Companies. The investigation into the affairs
of the Pacific Mail Ship Company has proved favourable,
and the stock is again rising from the recent severe depres-
sion. The Hamburg-A.merican Steam Packet Company
are extending their operations, and will soon have
another line running between Hamburg and New
Orleans. The company has declared a dividend of 20
per cent.; and are likely to do still better this year.
We have had great fluctuations in the price of gold.
The cable despatches received in New York, have
been warlike enough, but private reports have mag-
nified the rumours. Speculators eagerly seize on such
chances:of producing great fluctuations. Government Se-
curities maintain their quotations in the face of lower prices
from Europe. Indeed, the effect of war news is almost con-
fined to gold. The general impression is, apart from bears
and bulls, that a European war would have a beneficial
effect on our country. The demand for breadstuffs
and the Mauritius we could supply would increase, immi-
gration would continue on an enlarged scale, and our
securities would be enhanced when Europeans saw that
we were the only great Power that could not be involved
in the vortex. Money is very easy, varying from 4to 6
per cent. on call. Best business paper at 6} to 7. Busi-
ness is increasing as the season advances, but not on a
sufficient scale to absorb the capital accumulating.
The following are yesterday's quotations : —Gold, 138
to 1381. 5-20's 1862, 110 to 1101; 1861, 1081 to 101;
1865. 1081-to 109. Tennessee 6's, 84 to 85; North Caro-
lina 6's, 63 to 65; Virginia 6's, 61 to 63 ; Missouri 6's, 931
to 94. New York Central, 971 to 971; Erie, 58; to 58} ;
Philadelphia and Healing, 1021 to 1024; Illinois Central
1131 to 113}.

(From Messrs. Bowles and Drevel's Circular.)

We have witnessed but comparatively trifling variation
in values at our Bourse since date of our last circular.
The attitude of the market is undetermined and ex-
pectant, and in spite of the Conference now actually in
session iu London, apprehensions of eventful war continuo
to influence many.

The Bente is higher, partly owing to the short interest
and partly to discounts, the latter now reaching daily a
sum of 7,000 to B,ooofr. of Rente, but the doubtful future
combined with the rumour of an early new issue by the
Government, prevents any large advance.
Transactions in United States' Bonds continue nume-
rous, and to a.largo and increasing extent; purchases are
being made for permanent investments. We quote
changes in price during the week :
May 3, 801811 81; large purchasers for Germany. •
May 4, 814 soi 81, though higher gold rates are reported
from New York, purchases have been made for
London.
May 6, scri 801. 801.
May 7, 804 801 801.
may 8, 801 801 801.
may 9,80 i 811, closing very strong.
The Rente closes at 68 70.
The Italian closes at 50 70.
The market closes active with a strong advancing
tendency.
Exchange on London, 25 14.

(From E. F. Satterthwaite and Co.'s IVe,ekly Circular.)

The advicea from Now York, por the Asia, are to the
23rd April. During the week that elapsed since our last,
There had been increasing ease in the market for loans on
first-rate collaterals, and money was freely offered at five
per cent. on Government Stocks. For commercial paper,
however, from 7 to 9 per cent. was demanded for first-rate
names. The Banks' return showed considerable alteration
in the deposits and the loans, the former exhibiting an in-
crease of $1,230,000, and the latter a decrease of
$2,500,000. •
The public funds and R►ilroad Stocks were without any
noticeable alteration, but State Stocks were easier, with
the exception of Louisiana, which had' advanced ten per
cent.
Gold had advanced, and was last quoted at 38 premium.
PHILADELPHIA AND READING RAILROAD