UNITED STATES. [From the Sydney Morning Herald.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 760, 13 November 1852, Page 3

UNITED STATES. [From the Sydney Morning Herald.]

By the Dazzlcr from San Francisco we have papers from the Eastern States to July 20th. The papers are filled with notices of the career and death of Henry Clay, one of the most dis» tinguished of American statesmen, who died on the 29th June, in the 76th year of his age. General Scott bad been named by the Whigs as their candidate for the Piesidentship. Mr. Webster had also been named, but it was understood that he wished to be sent as Ambassador to England, and would not become a candidate. The contest therefore will be between Generals Scott and Pierce and Mr. Fillmore. Kossuthhad previously departed for England. It was admitted by his most ardent admirers that his mis3ion to America was a total failure. He had not raised more money than he would require for his expenses. A difficulty of a serious character had arisen between the American and British fishermen on the Northern coast. Therje had been a disturbance brewing for some time, and matters are at ! length coming to a crisis. The Americana were ordered off the fishing-grounds, and as they did not leave, some of their craft were taken and the captains imprisoned. The Americans did not and will not yield except to superior force. The British Government has now ordered three war steamers, the Janus t the Buzzard and

Mohauk, to proceed to the neighbourhood of Newfoundland, for the purpose of protecting the fishing- grounds. A diplomatic correspondence of an important character has passed between Mr. Webster and Mr. Crampton, the British Minister. A destructive fire occurred in Boston. It was first discovered in an unoccupied stable in the rear of the large building known as the Sailors' Home, in Purchase- street. Owing to some misapprehension in sounding the alarm, the fire had made considerable headway before the fire department could be brought to the scene and into action. From this fact, coupled with two other adverse circumstances' the excessive heat of the day and exceeding dryness of the buildings, the fire at first got the master, and afterwards raged with uncontrollable fierceness. The damage is estimated at from 200,000 to 250,000 dollars. Montreal was in ashes. A fire broke out in that city on the Bth of July, and spread with awful rapidity, until nearly a mile square was burned, over twelve hundred houses laid in ruins and four or five thousand persons left without shelter. The suffering was extreme. The loss was variously estimated. The fire raged for upwards of forty-eight hours. Subscriptions were being taken up in all the American cities. Several committees of relief had been formed in New York, and sums varying from 1000 dollars to 6000 dollars had been sent by different parties, who clubbed together and made ap purses in advance of the action of the regular committee.