The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-07 00:00:00

Miscellaneous American News.

(From the Anylo-American Times.)
Cholera is hanging about some of the cities of
the Union. Several cases are reported from New
York, and at Elizabeth, New Jersey, 11 have
proved fatal out of 40 attacks. The epidemic ap-
pears as yet to have little of that virulence which'
on former visitations have proved so wide-spread
and disastrous.

The Evening Gold Exchange has been re-opened
in New York. The gold speculating fever has re-
turned, and the fluctuations become as violent as
during the war. From 147 k it rose to 1531, on the
intelligence received by the City of Paris, closing at
night at 160—an advance of nearly 13 per cent. in 24
hours. The range continued between 160 and 170
during the next two days, when the China arrived
with intelligence that sent gold down at once to
last price
isakinl.
breaking several reckless speculators. The
The commissioners for inquiring into the work-
ing of the Freedmen's Bureau have recommended
that the Sea Islands, given by General Sherman to
the negroes, shall be returned to the original owners,
provided they pay the negroes for their improve..
ments. General Steedman and Fullerton's report
extends to South Carolina and Florida. They speak
highly of the working of the Bureau under General
Scott in South Carolina, but condemn Florida, and
recommend the exclusion of civilians from the
Bureau, and that it be placed exclusively under
military control.
Professor Goldwin Smith, in a letter to the Daily
News, suggests that, considering the admirable way
in which the Americans have behaved about the
Fenian invasion of Canada, the present would be
a proper time to consent to an inquiry on the Ala-
bama question. What the Americans demand (says
Mr. Smith) is a fair inquiry into- a case in which
they believe themselves to have suffered wrong--
such an inquiry as honour need not refuse, as the
most punctilious honour on the contrary would
court for its own vindication.
Mr. Bigelow, Minister at Paris, Writes to Mr.
Seward under date of June 4, that in a recent con-
versation M. Drouyn de l'Huys had assured him of
the entire goQd faith of France in respect to the
promised withdrawal of troops from Mexico ; that
uanwfoauynded, and
small de-
ttaheehrmepenortst oefnlaynfoinrttehnetiopnrestoenbtrinisg
that no troops have been sent from France to
Mexico since the announcement of the withdrawal,
except 916 to fill vacancies in the existing corps.
As for the sending of Austrian troops, that is a
matter with which France has nothing to do, and
for which no contract has been made.

Captain James Kennedy, commanding the Inman
screw steamer, City of Paris, has crossed the At-
lantic, from New York to Ireland, in eight days.
It has been the good fortune of this gallant gentle-
man not only to distinguish himself by making one
of the most rapid runs on record, but by being in-
strumental in saving the crew of the American ship
Meridian on New-year's day. The President has
acknowledged Captain Kennedy's service by the
gift of a splendid gold chronometer, and by a letter
addressed to the Lords of the Admiralty from the
American Minister in London, appropriately de-
scribing the manner in which the rescue of the crew
of the sinking ship was effected
in a heavy sea-
way, by this sailor and his picked boat's crew. The
runs of the City of Paris are worth recording. On
June 24th she made 290 miles ; 25th, 302 ; 26th,
334 ; 27th, 322 ; 28th, 328 ; 29th, 327 ; 30th, 324 ;
July Ist, 344 miles. _

_
A correspondent of the New York Times relates
how the Messrs. Moss worked their tobacco estates
in Virginia into a more productive state by means
of free African labour than these estates had ever
attained to under the old system of slavery. When
emancipation came, their former slaves, following
the universal African practice, went off to seek
labour elsewhere ; but as their own
negroes de-
parted,those from other plantations came to seek
work. From these they selected good men, con-
tracted to give each hand $l5 a month, furnish to
each family a house, fuel, and rations, and to each
house ground sufficient for a kitchen garden. To
work this ground each hand was allowed half the
Saturday to • himself. Not only were these terms
observed, but means were furnished to enable the
negro children to attend school. A site was given
for a church, and Mr. J. A. Moss subscribed $lOO
for the erection. People settled on the estates,
which were never before under better cultivation,
and the labour bestowed on them has never been
more reliable and productive.
Perry's life-saving raft was tried on Friday, 29th
June, on the Mersey, under the superintendence of
Captain Cornish, who for many years commanded
a packet between Liverpool and New York. Cap-