The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-07 00:00:00

Miscellaneous American News.

On the 13th December, Mr. Morgan, New York,
introduced a bill to amend section nine of the act
entitled an act to amend the act entitled an act
further to provide for the safety of the lives of
passengers on vessels propelled by steam, to regu-
late salaries of steamboat inspectors, and for other
purposes, approved July 25, 1866, so that all vessels
navigating the bays, inlets, rivers, harbours, and
other waters of the United States, except vessels
subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign power and
engaged in foreign trade, and not owned in whole
or in part by a citizen of the United States, shall
be subject to the navigation laws of the United
States ; and all vessels propelled in whole or in part
by steam, and navigating as ;}foresail, shall also be
subject to all rules and regulations consistent there-
with, established for the government of vessels
in passing, as provided in the 29th section
of an act relating to steam vessels, approved the
30th day of August, 1852, and every sea-going
steam vessel now subject, or hereby made sub-
ject, to the navigation laws of the United States,
and to the rules and regulations aforesaid, shall,
when under way, except on the high sgas, be under',
the control and direction of pilots licensed by the
inspectors of steam vessels, vessels of other coun-
tries and public vessels of the United States only
excepted. Provided, however, that nothing in this
act, or in the act of which it is amendatory, shall
be construed to annul or affect any regulations esta-
blished by the existing law of any State requiring
vessels entering or leaving a port in such State to
be in charge of a pilot duly licensed or authorised
by the laws of such State, or of a State situate upon
the waters of the same port. Referred to the Com-
mittee on Commerce.

Among the most important items in the new
Tariff Bill is that of railroad iron, which is put
down at the old rate of $l3 per ton, while iron
masters want $2O, but would be willing to compro-
mise on $l7. Bituminous coal and ship timber are
placed on the free list.

The American Government has disapproved a
settlement by compromise made by the American
Consul in London with Messrs. Fraser, Trenholm,
and Co., in the suit for Confederate property alleged
to be held by them, and the cases will be continued.

Efforts are being made in Chicago to establish a
Union club house, after the models of those in New
York and Philadelphia. One hundred and seven-
teen signatures have already been obtained to the
subscription list, and negotiations are in progress
for the lease of a house where the club will be for-
mally organised.
Mr. Kasson (Iowa) has introduced a bill into the
House of Representatives to authorise the purchase
or construction of a military or postal telegraph,
under the direction of the Post-office department.
(Referred to the Post-office Committee, and ordered
to be printed.) The bill authorises the construction
of a line of telegraph from Washington to Boston
via Baltimore, Philadelpha, New York, New Haven,
and Springfield, with necessary intermediate stations.
The second section provides for advertising for pro-
posals for materials and construction, and prescribes
thatall shall be of the first-clas3 and quality. Bids to
be received and opened as contracts for mails' let-
tings now at the Post Office. The third provides
receiving also proposals from existing lines for the
sale of the same to the United States, at a reduc-
tion of not less than per cent. on the best pro-
posals for the construction of new lines. Fourth.
In case such a proposal of sale shall not be accepted,
then a new line to be put under contract and com-
pleted in six months after notice to contractors.
The fifth provides for its use by the public at
rates to be greatly reduced on the present tariff,
and makes the system part of the postal manage-
ment, using post-offices and their employes.
Mr. Washburnc (Illinois) introduced a bill for the
construction of a Government telegraph from Wash-
ington to New York city. Also referred to the
Post Office Committee, and ordered to be printed.
Mr. Washburne's bill is as follows:—" Section 1.
Be it enacted, &c., That the Postmaster
is hereby authorised and directed to construct a
telegraph line from the city of Washing-
ton to the city of New York, and the
said telegraph line is hereby declared to be
a mail route, subject to all existing laws in
relation to mail routes in the United States, so
far as the same may be applicable, and the said
Postmaster-General shall have power and authority
to establish the necessary offices for the use of said
line, and shall have authority and power to procure
all necessary room for offices, and to procure a,

sufficient number of agents and operators to operate

said line of telegraph. Section 2. That no message

shall be sent over the said line unless it shall be

stamped with a three cent postage stamp, and there

shall be a uniform rate for the transmission of mes-

sages, without regard to distance, of one-half a cent
for each word, except for the odd word of any mes-

sage there shall be no charge ; but no message shall
be sent for a sum less than ten cents, and there shall
be charged two cents for the delivery of each and
every message, provided that the Government shall
be entitled to send and receive all its messages over
said line free of charge, and shall have priority in
sending all messages. Section 3. That the sum of
$50,000 is hereby appropriated, for the purpose of
carrying out the provisions of this act."
According to intelligence from Vera Cruz, the
Emperor Maximilian issued a proclamation, dated
Orizaba, Dec. 1, announcing that the National
Mexican Congress was about to be convoked to
decide whether the Empire was to continue, and if
so, to frame laws.

The recent Union Pacific Railway excursion from
Philadelphia to Fort Riley, Kansas, and back, was
accomplished in a single car, by means of broad-
flange wheels, covering the different gauges which
occur on the intermediate roads. The distance is
nearly 1,500 miles each way.

President Johnson has transmitted to Congress a
letter from the Czar, expressing his Majesty's thanks
for the Congressional congratulations addressed to
him upon his escape from assassination. The Czar
hopes that cordial relations will continue to subsist
between America and Russia, who have no injuries
to remember, and that America will grow in
strength and prosperity.

From New Orleans a contemporary writes as fol-
lows :—" The report that many Senators and Repre-
sentatives propose to spend the holidays in New
Orleans and other Southern cities is received with
much satisfaction, and it is hoped they will mingle
with men of all classes of opinion, and look and
listen without prejudice.
The bill introduced by Representative Donnelly,
of Minnesota, on Dec. 13, to reorganise the Agri-
cultural Department, provides that the chief execu-
tive officer, to be called the Commissioner, shall he
appointed for four years, unless sooner removed by
the President, by and with the advice and consent
of the Senate, and so also of the Assistant Com-
missioner. The former is to receive $3,000 and the
latter $2,500 per annum. One-third of the seed
cuttings and roots purchased are to be sent to agri-
cultural and pomological societies of the United
States. The jurisdiction of the Department is to
be extended so as to embrace a mining bureau.
Nearly all the gold mining companies up the
Potomac river are reported as doing well. One
company has a tract of 500 acres adjoining the
great falls, on the Maryland side, from which fine
specimens of gold-bearing quartz have lately been
sent to Washington. Some of them, on assay,
yielded $2,400 to the ton. Several of the companies
are erecting machinery, while others are in full
operation.

The Niagara Ship Canal Convention at Chicago
was attended by delegates from Detroit, Oswego,
Toledo, Cleveland, and Milwaukee. It met Dec.
12, and elected George F. Bagley, of Detroit, Pre-
sident, and J. F. Beatty, of Chicago, as Secretary.
A committee, consisting of General.T. J. Cram, of
Detroit ; J. 11. Clarke, of Cleveland ; A. J. Hall,
Milwaukee ; W. F. Walker, of Toledo, and Charles
Randolph, of Chicago, were appointed to proceed to
Washington, and urge the passage of the bill before
Cungress. On the 13th December the Convention
adopted the resolutions reported by General Cram,
approving of the bill passed by the house last ses-
sion, and now pending in the Senate, and recom-
mending its early passage. Tho Convention then
adjourned.
The New York Tribune says :—" A persistent
effort is making to commit the house against the
policy of contraction, thus far without success. On

the 17th of December a resolution for a bill to pre-
vent the further withdrawal of legal-tender currency
was laid on the table— that is, killed—by 88 to 58.
Will the pork-speculators and gold-gamblers take
notice ?
The emigration of coloured people has been en-
couraged by various persons desirous of making
money by a system of exportation as bad, perhaps,
as the Coolie traffic. Mr. Sumner yesterday intro-
duced a bill in the Senate to prevent this mischief,
providing a penalty for frauds on emigrants.
If the intelligence from Mexico, received by way
of Cincinnati, is to be credited, the mission of Mr.
Campbell and General Sherman is likely to be at-
tended with no small difficulty and much unplea-
santness. Maximilian's determination to remain in
Mexico seems to have inspired the Imperialists with
fresh hopes.
The Secretary of the Treasury, in reply to a direc-
tion of the Senate, has furnished a letter from the
Controller of the Currency, to the effect that the
National Banks comply strictly with the law requir-
ing them to make quarterly exhibits of their condi-
tion. The Controller suggests that the managers
of the Clearing-Houses should be required to report
weekly all banks that are deficient in their reserve
of lawful money, and that the returns should be
made monthly instead of quarterly. We believe
that the change would be a benefit.
The qua!ity of the Lake Superior iron is conceded
to be superior to any iron in the world, as is shown
by the following analysis giving the strength per
pound :—Ladsbury, Connecticut, iron, 58,000;
Swedish (best), 58,134 ; English, cable, 59,105 ;
Centre Co., Pennsylvania, 50,400 ; Essex Co.,
New York, 59,960 ; Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania,
76,969 ; Common English and American, 50,000 ;
Lake Superior, 80,582.
A lot of 150 of the new revolving battery guns
is now being made at Hartford for the Government.
The weapon discharges balls at the rate of 200 per
minute, and as there is no recoil thousands of shots
can be made without re-adjustment. Two sizes of
the gun are made, one of which weighs 225 pounds,
and with a bore 58-100 of an inch in diameter, and
another about twice the size and weight of metal
thrown. The smaller one has the range of a mile,
and the latter one of two miles.
The accepted plan for the new Yale college
chapel contemplates the erection of a building of
Gothic architecture, at an expense of $150,000, of
which $40,000 is already raised. It will probably
be situated on College-street, midway between
Chapel and Elm. The edifice will have a double
transept, and the front one, the larger of the two,
will constitute the memorial hall to the Yale stu-
dents who fell in the war.
Wonderful as has been the progress and develop-
ment of the northern boundary of the United States,
says the Erie Gazette, the commerce of the great
lakes is not the least important item. Sixty years
ago there was scarcely a craft on these waters larger
than an Indian canoe. Now the tonnage of side wheel
steamers alone is 100,000 tons. In 1821 the gross
amount of the lake trade, independent of the pro-
perty constantly changing hands, cost of vessels and
profits of passenger trade, amounted to $65,000,000.
In 1851 it had increased to $300,000,000, and in
1861 to $500,000,000. At the present rate of in-
crease the lake commerce of 1871 will amount to
the enormous sum of $1,000,000,000. In 1859 the
north-western lakes were navigated by 1,600 ves-
sels, whose aggregate burthen was 400,000 tons.
They were manned by over 13,000 seamen, navi-
gating over 5,000 miles of lake and river coast, and
transporting over $600,000,000 of exports and
imports.

A correspondent of the Pillsbury Mining Journal
writing from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, says:—" We
have quarries of both white and coloured marble,
susceptible of a high degree of polish, and inexhaust-
ible mines of iron, lead, copper, coal, with hills of
chalk and large deposits of kaolin, from which
much beautiful porcelain ware may be made. All
these lie within two days' riding on horseback of our
most beautiful city, Cape Girardeau, or, more pro-
perly, Marble City."
_ . _

A company ha 3 been organised in Milwaukee,
with a capital of $lOO,OOO, for the purpose of start-
ing a cotton mill. Several Massachusetts capitalists
are interested in the enterprise. A monster woollen
factory is also contemplated there.
From Connecticut we hear that the Colt Patent
Fire-arms Manufacturing Company, of Hartford,
received an order from the Russian Government for
100,000 of the Laidley breech-loading guns. The

Plants Manufacturing Company's buildings, at New
Haven, were destroyed by fire on the 7th ult.
Seventy hands thrown out of employment. Loss,
$200,000 ; insurance, $lOO,OOO. Origin of the fire
accidental.
Colorado is not to be famous alone for its gold
mines, as both salt and coal have been discovered
in the Territory. Both those articles are quite as
valuable to the people of Colorado as their gold.
The assistant superintendency of the Western
railroad, lately made vacant by the promotion of
Charles 0. Russell, has been filled by the appoint-
ment of Mr. J. B. Chapin, the veteran conductor,
to the position.
A new steamer of twenty-five tons, the " Aaron
Kimball," has just been completed at Brookfield, to
ply on the upper Chicopee river between the mills
near the depot and the pond at the south part of the
town, for the transportation of wood and lumber.
She made her trial trip, of about twelve miles, to
the satisfaction of a party of a hundred or more
passengers. The engine, of seven horse power,
worked better than a good many larger ones, and
the enterprise commences very auspiciously. The
project of a steamer for this purpose was originated
by Aaron Kimball, whose name the boat bears, and
since his death has been resumed and carried for-
ward to completion by Messrs. Hyde, Brewster, and
Twichell.
Charles P. Bosson, who died suddenly at New
York on Sunday, December 9, of heart disease, was
the president of the Boston Reporters' Association,
and for many years connected with the press of
that city, first on the Herald, and more recently
with the Evening Commercial. Ile had travelled
extensively in Europe, and writing from his obser-
and experience at home, had con-
vations abroad,
tributed extensively to agricultural papers. For
three years past he had been engaged in the pre-
paration of a statistical volume relative to the
United States, which was nearly ready for publica-
tion. He was about fifty years of age.
Charles Minot, the former superintendent of the
Boston and Maine Railroad, and later of the New
York and Erie, who died December 10, at his resi-
dence at Somerville, left a fortune of half a million
as the result of his diligence and energy in business.
He was a graduate of Harvard College in the class
of 1828, and leaves no family.
The Bartlett, James, and Ocean mills at New-
buryport arc to have new machinery from England,
as it can be imported cheaper than it can be made
in America.
The people of Fall River are moving to secure a
public library and reading room, and have $16,000
already subscribed. They took half a million of
manufacturing stock in that city in a couple of
days some time since.
Gilmore and Co. of Boston have just completed a
$5OO silvercornet, with gold keys and mouth-piece,
which is intended as a present for A. D. Harlow,
leader of the Bangor (Maine) band.
Col. John Prescott of Candia, New Hampshire,
committed suicide December 10, by a dose of
strychnine. He was 50 years old, and one of the
wealthiest and most prominent citizens of the town,
having filled several official positions of public
trust and responsibility.
A. and P. Coburn of Skowhegan (Maine) own four
townships of woodland, comprising 400,000 acres on
the Kennebec river, in which they will employ this
winter 860 men, and intend to cut 25,000,000 feet
of lumber.
Miss Ida Lewis, whose father keeps the Lime
Rock Lighthouse at Newport, rescued three men in
her lifeboat on Tuesday, December 11, from a peril-
ous position during a high sea, in which they would
have certainly gone down. had it not been for the
brave girl who saved them.
Henry Betts of Norwalk (Connecticut) in 1810
proposed the railroad across the continent, and was
thought mad. He lives to see his idea fast being
realised and the great work of the century.
Lieut. Governor Winchester, one of the United
States commissioners to the Paris Exposition, left
Dec. 11 for Europe. He will go first to Switzer-
land to close a contract for furnishing the Swiss
army with the new Winchester rifle.
PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S HOUSEHOLD.--President
Johnson's household is thus organised under a law
passed by Congress in its last Session :—Private
Secretary, Robert Johnson ; Assistant-Secretary,
Robert Morrow ; Secretary to Sign Land Patents,
Edward D. Neill ; Aide-de-camps, Colonel W. G.
Moore, Lieutenant-Colonel Wright Rives, Colonel
Andrew K. Long.
A generation has not passed away since the
first bale of cotton was sent from America to
England.

A mining company in Louisiana has struck a
solid block of pure lead, estimated to weigh thirty-
three tons.
Washington is just now thrown into a condition
of violent excitement by the dismissal of all the
female employes of the Department of the Interior,
and the rumour, doubtless correct, is that the Trea-
sury Department contemplates a similar move.
About half of the employes in the Treasury are
women.

It is stated that the despatches sent across the
Mexico and Suratt have cost
Government $20,000.
EXPLODE ?—Pure petroleum
theA t
ll avlnvl tLai
Les
hpchoEl nt cti
toe
on:
EiGnuog3
vi
will not. Crude may. The explosive quality in
petroleum is benzole. In some of the lighter quali-
ties it reaches 25 per cent. of the crude bulk, and
ng. exists
Tinhaellrgermaovvitail of esofbcenruzodiee is the first act in theoil' except lubricat-
i
refining process. The best refineries do not retain
it in any quantity in their oils. They consider it
too dangerous to be tampered with. Unscrupulous
refiners, however, do retain it. Its presence can be
ascertained by applying a lighted match to a portion
of the oil. Pure oil will extinguish it as quickly as
water, and such oil only should be sold. If it does
or manufacturers
rapacitynot, t he oil should
unscrupulous
dealers
should not be allowed to endanger the lives and
property of others.—Pittsburg Mining Journal.

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.
NEw YORE, Dec. 18, 1866.
There is a slight improvement, but little real improve-
ment is looked for till the new year has fairly opened ; and
some think that there will not be a permanent revival in
trade till the spring. Freights are, however, more active.
Gold has been stronger. Yesterday it opened at 1.87/, and
closed at 1381. Ido not think the price can be held up
against the Government sales, although many consider
that by stated sales, fixing by law both the time
and the quantity, the ring may control the issue.
Government Bonds have fractionally improved both
in demand and in price, and the Railway Share list
has been favourably influenced under the Bank Statement
which shows a large increase of legal tenders. An im-
provement has taken place in all departments, except
specie, in which there is a decline of $590,850. All Rail-
way Shares were in active demand. Michigan Southern,
the North. Western Share; and Fort Wayne were most
heavily dealt in, but there was an improvement in the
whole list of to 1 per cent. There was also quite large
purchases of Erie, and the stock closed quite firm at quo-
tations. After the three o'clock call there was a reaction
in the market of to f per cent., but at the close prices
wore steady at quotations. New York Central Railroad,
111 k to 112 ; Erie,
Michigan Southern, 82i to 821; Cleveland and Pitts-
burgh, 91. to 911 ; Rack Island, 105 to MI ; North-
Western, 54} to 55; Preferred, 701 to 791; Fort Wayne,
106/ to 107. 731 to 73f ; Reading, 111 f to 111 i ;

Foreign exchange is firm. Bills at GO days on London
are quoted at 1081 to 1091 for commercial ; 109; to 109
for bankers', do, at short sight, 1101 to 110 - ; Paris at
60 days,- 5.171 to 5.134 ; do. at short sight, 5.131 to 5.11 k ;
Antwerp, 5.18 k to 5.15; Swiss, 5.171 to 5.15; Hamburg,
3GI to HI ; Amsterdam, 41 to 41k ; Frankfort, 41k to 411
Bremen, 784 to 791 ;
Prussian thalers, 72 to 72k.
Money is quite easy, and at 6 per cont. first-class bor-
rowers are supplied, with some business done at 5 per
cent. on Governments, but a largo business is done at 7
per cent. by houses in poorer credit.

(From E. F. Satterthwaite and Co.'s Weekly Circular,

January 2.)
By the Asia we have advicos from New York to the
18th ult. The Stock Markets generally
had been dull and
inactive up to that date, but the weekly return of the Now
York banks showing a large increase in the amount of
legal tenders on hand brought forward some buyers, and
both Government and Railroad Stocks showed a slight ad-
vance on the lowest quotations of the week, with a tend-
ency to further improvement. Money was certainly easier,
and gold steady.
During the past week there has been a fair amount of
business in the London Market for American securities,
with a steadily rising tendency for Goverment securities ;
5.20's of 1862 issue closing 72k to 731, and the 1865 issue
71i to 72f. Illinois Central Shares bave also been in

request, and show an advance of more than threeper cent.,
being last quoted 82 to I. Eries have been neglected and
dull, and show little alteration from last week. The dis-
position to invest in Mortgage Bonds of first-class Ameri-
can railways continues, and all offering are readily taken.
Atlantic and Great Western Consolidated Bonds and
Certificates of Debenture have been more offered, and
close at lower rates.

The annual report of the New York Central Railroad
Company for 1866 shows the continuous prosperous course
of this great railroad—its doings as a commercial under-
taking showing very different results from our English
railways.

Taking a period of the last ton years, it appears not only
that the line has been worked with a closed capital ac-
count, but that large additions have boen made from re-
venue to the permanent way, and equipment of the road,
besides providing and applying the sinking fund, paying
the interest on its debt, and handsome dividends to its
stockholders.

The capital and funded debt now is $38,896,804
against $38,946,297 in 1856, thus showing a diminu-
tion of $49,493 in the ten years, Whilst during the
same period the surplus or undivided income has in-
creased from $1,301,036 to $4,407,928, an addition of
$3,106,892. The amount paid in dividends during the
time has been $16,968,256, being an average of seven
per cent.

These few and simple figures speak volumes, and need
no comment; they may be accepted as an evidence of the
system on which American railroads are managed.
In building railroads in America the primary business
is to complete the communication between one point and
another as speedily as possible, leaving substantial addi-
tions to be afterwards made, and while not straining divi-
dends on the stock to the point they readily might be, yet
punctually to provide the interest on the debt, and make
large appropriations out of revenue to permanent improve-
ments in the property.

Surely as regards actual security for money invested,
the bonds of this company are beyond any doubt whatever.
The latest quotations from New York give the Six•per
Cent. Bonds at 95, and the Seven per Cent. Bonds at 105,
the ordinary stock commanding 112.