UNITED STATES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 122, 7 May 1853, Page 4

UNITED STATES.

Intelligence from New York to the 6th Jan. has been received at Sydney. The most interesting intelligence refers to the rapid progress towards completion of the Calorie ship " Ericsson/' An experimental trial has been made, and with the happiest results, according to the following report of the New York Herald of the 18th December. " The caloric ship " Ericsson/' whose beauty of model has, for some few months past, attracted the attention of passengers up and down the river, as she lay at her dock at VVilliamsburg, was the cause of increased attraction yesterday. Owing to rumours being spread around that unsuccessful endeavours had been made on board, for some ten days past, to start the machinery, the owners determined, in order to prove their falsity, to set the engines at work. Accordingly fire was applied to the furnaces for the first time yesterday afternoon, and resulted in the triumphal success of the experiment. At the start, the wheels madp three turns per minute, at which speed she continued working for several hours, and would be kept in motion the whole of the night. This is much more than the most ardent of the friends of the invention had reason to expect. As the experiment was made at the dock, with the vessel made fast, the opposition of the waters was naturally much greater than if she was under way. Five turns when stationary are said to be equal to eleven or twelve when under way, producing from ten to eleven miles an hour, a rate of speed very rarely exceeded by first-class steam-ships. We are informed by a gentleman who was on board that the machinery worked to admiration, the smoothness and regularity of its movements being unsurpassed by even well-tried engines. It is contemplated to keep the wheels in motion for two or three days, to satisfy by ocular demonstration the great curiosity in the minds of the public regarding the matter, although it was not contemplated to set her at work at present, as she is far from being considered in a complete state."

. From the following paragraph in a St. Francisco paper, it appears that diamonds are likely to be found: —" We have received a communication descriptive of the remarkable stone, which was found within two miles of Columbia, in Tuolumne county. It is to be exhibited iv Stockton and this city for a short time prior to the departure of the owner for New York. Our correspondent informs us that it has been carefully and scientifically tested by Dr. F. Banks, a graduate of the Medical University oi Louisiana, who pronounces it, beyond all doubt, to be a diamond of very rare purity. It is said to be larger than the Crown Diamond of England, ■which is valued at ten millions of dollars. We are informed by a gentleman who has seen it, that it is about the size of a pigeon's egg, but is of course still in the rough. Should this turn out to be true, its value will be enormous, and a new source of boundless wealth open to our miners ; for this of course cannot be the only stone of the kind in the country. Diamond mines are just as well deh'ued as gold mines."

There is, says the Weekly Herald, December 20, an "important movement on foot in Washington, in regard to our foreign relations and the lucent movements of France in Hayti and Mexico. The present Congress intends to assume the initiative in supporting the new administration in taking bold and high ground

in its relations with the strong powers of Europe, and in the protection of the weaker nations of the earth. It would not at all surprise us to see an appropriation of five or ten millions of dollars to be placed unreservedly in the hands of General Pierce, for the preservation of peace and the honour of the republic in the approaching crisis. We are entering upon an eventful period in our history."

General Pierce had narrowly escaped death from a serious accident which had occurred to a Boston and Maine railway train, by which the newly-elected President and his family were travelling. The life of one of the General's sons—>a boy ten years of age—was sacrificed ; and Mrs. Pierce, who was in delicate health, sustained a severe injury, and some doubts were expressed as to her recovery. The President himself escaped with only a slight injury-

The New York Spectator publishes the subjoined table, compiled from the books of the Commissioners of Emigration, showing the immigration at that port during the years 1850, 1851, and 1852 :— 1850. 1851. 1852. January 13,154 14,709 11,592 ; February 3,206 8,170 5,342 March 5,569 16,055 21,726 April 14,627 27,779 28,193 May 42,846 23,847 33,372 June 11,762 34,402 49,325 July 34,456 27,612 29,403 August 18,092 30,251 34,513 September ... 21,054 33,586 36,777 October 23,260 21,497 17,765 November ... 17,947 29,565 16,573 December ... 6,823 12,117 Total... 212,796 289,590 284,581 During- the first two weeks of December, the number of foreign immigrants arrived at New York was 11,24 L The New York Herald says . —" Among those who intend to leave this country for Australia, is Mr. Samuel W. M'Gowan, late chief operator in the Morse Buffalo telegraph line. He goes to the new El Dorado of the Pacific to introduce the magnetic telegraph in that distant region. It is the intention to build a line from Sydney to Melbourne, and afterwards to Adelaide, which will take the wires around the southern coast of that golden island, a distance of one thousand miles. We understand that two assistants accompany Mr. M'Gowan, and that he carries out a full supply of wires, batteries, &c, &c, for the lines.