The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-29 00:00:00

SUMMARY OF AMERICAN NEWS.

(From the New York American, of the 15th instant.)
Public opinion has been much agitated for some days
past on the subject of the negotiation vvAh Lord Ash-
burton. It was confidently announced the week before
last on the authority of a gentleman connected with one
of the foreign legations (not the British) at Washington,
that all points in dispute were arranged, and that
on the 4th of July the treaty would be signed.
As the mode in which this statement was made,
and the person making it, could not very
well be distrusted, great confidence was expressed that
the intelligence was true, even although it was semi-
officially contradicted from Washington. There seems,
however, no reason now to doubt that there was some:
mistake in the matter, and possibly propositions made
in the expectation and belief that they would be acceded
to, have been mistaken for actual results. At any rate,
the impression now is, not only that no arrangement
has been completed, but that, upon the subject of the
North-Eastern Boundary, which was said to have re-
ceived a complete and satisfactory settlement, new and
unforeseen difficulties have arisen on the part of the
Commissioners from the States interested, Massachusetts
and Maine.
Nevertheless, as on this point it is known, that if the
Plenipotentiaries cannot agree, a reference is to be made
to a friendly Sovereign, whose award is to be final—
little solicitude is felt as to the continuation of amicable
relations between the two countries.
Our money market has experienced no change since
the Ist inst. The same doubt and uncertainty as re-
gards the future course of the Government as then
noted, prevent any action on the part of capitalists,
and all the stocks of our States, even of the
soundest description, have materially declined. Until
the passage of a Tariff Bill that will secure a revenue
adequate to the current expenditure of the country, no
improvement can be hoped for, as from the acknow-
ledged poverty of the National Treasury, recourse must
inevitably be had :o a new issue of Government stock,
which without some provision for ultimate redemption,
cannot be expected to meet a favourable reception in
!'oreign markets, and consequently must be forced off
here at comparatively low rates.
Our advices from Pennsylvania destroy every hope
that might have been entertained of the State meeting
the interest due next month. The Senate have rejected
the Tax Bill, and the Bill which has lately passed the
Hothe, authorising the Governor to borrow 870,000 dols.,
even if passed by the Senate, cannot be carried into
effect. By the following statement'of its provisions'our
readers will be able to judge what probability there is' of
the credit of the State being sustained.
It authorises the Governor to borrow at 6 per cent.
for seven years, the sum of 1870,000 dollars, to pay in..
terest falling due in August ; but should he not be able

to borrow the money, then the Auditor-General is autho-
rised to issue certificates of State Stock to be given to
p rsons entitled to interest, to the amount thereof. The
Governor i 5 further authorised to sell stocks owned by
the Commonwealth, if they bring a sum which at five per
cent interest would equal the dividends on the same for
1841, and if they cannot be sold within GO days at par,
then the Governor is authorised to exchange any of the
Bank, Bridge, or Turnpike Stocks at par, for certificates
of State Stock at par.
Nothing has been done on the part of any of the hitherto
defaulting States, nor can any provision be made until
next wintry, when the various Legislatures meet.
It is almost too early to form an Opinion as to the re-
sult of our crops, but our advices lead us to anticipate
large products, far exceeding what can be disposed of at
profitable rates to the producers ; thus affording little
prospect of a renewed demand for manufactures, either
domestic or foreign. The supply of both descriptions is
abundant, and sales cannot be effected except at enor-
mous sacrifices.
Most of our manufacturers have already stopped their
mills, and the rest will praahly soon follow their
example. Great numbers of our labouring population
have been thrown out of employ, and were it not for the
eninstant demands in this country for agricultural labour,
great want and distress must have been experienced. '

DREADFUL STEAM-BOAT EXPLOSION AT
MONTREAL-FIFTY-EIGHT LIVES LOST.

The following account we find in the Montreal Courier
of Monday last :
"It becomes our painful duty to record one of the
most distressing casualties which has occurred in this
province since the introduction of steam on the St.
Lawrence. The high-pressure steamer Shamrock,
while between Lachine and Point Claire, on her way
to Kingston, about ten o'clock on Saturday morning,
burst her boiler, and her bows being blown out by
the explosion, she went down head foremost. There
were on board of her at the time about 120 persons, of
whom 48 were taken up unhurt by three barges in
tow, and 18 were conveyed to the Montreal General
Hospital wounded ; 54 remain to be accounted for.
Of the 18 conveyed to the Hospital, one has died un-
der the amputation of both legs. The passengers
were composed of English, Irish, and Scotch ; of
whom the English are supposed to have suffered
most, from being in the tore part of the boat. The first
engineer, who was saved, declares that he has no other
consciousness of the transaction than that the ex-
plosion took place, and that he afterwards found himself
tin board one of the barges, the interval between those
events being to his mind a perfect blank. Much money
is said to have been lost, the emigrants being of a supe
rior description. Mr. Jones, the Coroner, repaired to
the spot and proceeded to the wreck, which he found
with the hind part of the stern alone above water.
Suspecting that some bodies might be in the cabin, he
caused it to be burst open, when the corpse of a female
was drawn out.

Of twenty-five families of emigrants on board, num-
bering in all 80 persons, 58 remain to be accounted for
The Captain was the last person who left the boat, and
at the risk of his life swam out a considerable distance
and succeeded in saving one of the passengers from
drowning. The Shamrock belonged to Messrs. At-
kinson, Matthie, and Co., of Montreal.
The Shamrock carried no cargo except the baggage
of the passengers, who amounted in all to 120 souls,
Who were English, Irish, and Scotch emigrants, but prin-
cipally English.
The accident was heard from Lachine ; at least a
number of persons remarked a vast irruption of
smoke, and in a few seconds the disappearance of the
vessel. The steamer Dolphin was at the time about
half a mile in the rear of the Shamrock. The ex-
plosion was heard, by those on board, and its effects
perceived. ,The Captain dropped two barges which
he had in tow and made all haste to carry succour.
When the Dolphin reached the scene of disaster, the
sight was appalling ; the unfortunate steamer had
the
of
disap-
peared, and the surface of the water was covered with
living and dead bodies, the living clingingaster
and to
o crew fragments
mofaitnhed
ewi;ienimp
ck,aanidretdo, theßysidtehseofm. two barges, which re-
Dolphin, about sixty persons of different ages and sexes
were picked up. Of these about thirty are more or. less
injured, and about thirty, principally Irish, escaped un-
hurt.
One old lady was found alive, floating on, a feather-
bed, but hor husband and seven children had perished.
A Man named Coverdale, from Danby,'Yorkelurei- sank