New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-07

VOICES Vi merchandise snpDed Hon tue cJuDlll5s ot
their residence andm sde out In deprecated cure ncy,
or In currency the value OF which IS not hxed oy our
laws the value OF such currency IN spanish or In u
silver dollars Ii is obvious however SO tar As the
foreign currency consists OF CON- that the most accu-
rate and reliable method Of ascertalntng its value,
as compared with our own, Is by an actual assay
at the Mint. While the results OF such annual as
says Will place within the power OF the President
the best means OF performing the duty Of est4b-
llshlng nj ana proper regulations on the suo;ec
they will also enable Congress TO and correct,
from time to time, By future legislation, the values
IN Custom House receipts and computations OF the
foreign CONS already fixed and regulated oy our
laws II IS to be observed that the proceeds OF the
coins thus procured will after assay De returned to
the Treasury and carried - the credit OF SAID appro-
prlation for subsequent disbursement In like man
ner 1t Will therefore be reduced OILY by the ex-
pense OF transmitting the coins from abroad and the
loss consequent upon their assay.
MISCELLANEOUS.
BY the second section Of the act OF the l0,h OF Au-
gust 1916, the money received from the property OF
John smiinson, amounting to $3l5,l69, was lent to
the Treasury az per cent interest And IN addition
TO the interest which had accumulated on this fund
al the time of the passage of said act amounting to
$242, l29 the Treasury has continued to pay under
the PROVISIONS of said law an annual interest OF up
ward OF thirty thousand dollars. During the whole
OF this later period, large surplus, including OF
course this fund has been lying unproductlve Ia the
Treasury, the above annual payment has been an
extra charge upon the Treasury, and will so con-
tlnue to be unless Congress should think proper 70
Otherwise order. AS there is at present every pros
pect OF a continued large surplus IN the Treasury
would respectfully suggest IN order 10 save this an-
nual pay ment, that the Department should be au-
thoriIed to make the above fund actually productive,
by investing the full amount III stocks OF the United
States, on terms which VIII render the result equally
advantageous to the Smithsonian Institute as 1t now
IS uncer the present annual payments direct from the
Treasury
The Board OF General Appraisers, established In
pursuance Of the third section of the act Of Sd March
1851, entitled " An Act to amend the Acts regulating
the Apprasement of Merchandise, and for other Pur-
pGes promptly entered upon their general duties as
contemplated BY that act During the past season one
OF the Board under instructions of this Department,
vat the several posts upon our Northern frontier,
and from the information communicated BY hun, and
the satisfactory IN which he executed his IN.
ssIlctons, the most beneficial results must follow.
Another OF the Board Is about 10 proceed TO Cdior-
I and II is not doubted by the Department That the
acton of the General Appraisers Will tend very ma
terally to establish that uniformity in appralse
so desirable and by which both the revenue and the
honest importer will be greatly bendLted
Ey the act of the 3D. March, 1915, no revenue cut
ter steamer can be purchased or built unless an
appropriation therefor shall be made. The several
lroh steamers then IN progress OF construction nave
been condemned as unit for revenue purposes some
OF The sailing cutters have become unseaworthy and
the number Of vessels apDerainlng to this branch OF
the service has been therefore eSarlly reduced
to an extent injurious to the interests OF the reve-
nue.. The brig Lawrence, now on the W esten Coast,
IS found to be unSulted TO this service III conse-
Quence OF the great expense attendant upon keeping
d vessel OF ner size In commission and the want OF
proper sailing qualities. /, therefore, recommend
that the authority be given for her disposal and the
building OF additional vessels when are required
for our greatly extended coast Should authority be
given as sueeesed to sell the Lawrence, and appro-
pirate the pr0ce eds toward the building and equip
ping Of the six vessels, there will be required IN
addition, to accomplish that Object the sum OF seven-
ty-fye thousand dollars. | would respectfully re-
commend TO Congress considerable In ;rease OF the
paw Of the officers OF the Revenue Marine employed
on the Pacific, where their present compensation is
eItiFelv InaipQuatn consequence OF the very
heavy expenses TO which they are unavolda0ly SUB.
ject in that quarter. While the Army there has had
Its pay greatly augmented and all the civil officers
ected with the collection OF the revenue, re.
double salaries to what are paid at the Allan
tic ports the officers of the Revenue Marine alone
are left without an addition to their pay.
Atths time the seamen on board the revenue cutters
there receiving nearly the same pay as the CON-
missioLed officers, and at an earlier date instances
occurred where the former nave actually received
higher rates than the latter would further re-
commend that any increase OF pay, which Congress
may think proper TO grant TO that BODY OF meritO-
nous officers, be not only for the future but also
have retrospective effect
Numerous appropriations were made during the
last session OF Congress for additional marine hos
pltals and Lighthouses and also for the continuation
OF similar works previously commenced. Some Of
these structures have been finished and occupied
SINCE the adjournment of Congress, and several
so neatly completed as TO warrant the expectation
that they may be occupied within the ensuing sixty
days.
The Marine Hospitals at Pittsburgh, Cleveland
Louisville, Paducan and Chicago. are among ih)se
trisbed and occupied, or expected 10 be occupied
within the period taied. Those IN process OF erec
ton at Natchez. Napoleon and 81. Louis are In
such state OF iorwarGness as 10 JUS III the belief
that they Will be finished early IN next year. Inc
reports from the officers and agents employed IN
the superintendent of these works are herewith
transmitted marked -. site for a Marine Hospi-
tai al Evansville, lnd has been selected but no con-
veyance OF the land has yet reached the Depart.
meIt, and all further steps are necessarily lmpeded
until the title is perfected.
design for the Marine Hospital at San Francisco
adopted soon after the appropriation Tor this oo-
ject was made, and Commissioner appointed ana
dispatched to that city IN March last with view to
II e commencement OF this work on site which was
then understood, and is still believed to be the pro-
peIty OF the United states. Difficulties, however,
presented themselves in connection Win the titles
thereto sufficient, in the opinion OF the Commission
en- to authorize a suspension OF the work. Recent
adyices however, lead to the belief that they will
soon be removed, when the erection of the build
rg will be Immediately commenced
All or nearly all OF the Light House structures LOT
which appropriations were made by act OF 81 Marcn,
1851 have teen delayed because OF the preliminary
examinations enjOned by the second and third sec
tons OF that act and several authorized by pre- nous
acts on account of the requirements OF the Joint
resolution OF Congress- dated lth september, 1871,
as will be seen from the Report OF the 5uperntend-
ept of the Light II louise establishment.
The Department has no. yet succeeded In making
a definite contract for the erection OF the Light
Houses On the Pacific Coast which nave been
accomplishing that object, IN consequence OF what Is
COZ sicered the inadequate appropriation In the opln,
ion OF those best capable OF judging OF the facs anu
circumstances connected with their construction IN
that portion ofthe Mon. The Department will prob.
ably have TO the further action OF Congress- and
If additional appropriations are made at an early day.
the whole OF the structures could De commenced III
the soring. SO soon the rainy season has termi-
mated in Nhch case II is believed, they can be COM
peled and put into operation previous 70 the enSu'
ing winter.
In puTsr.nce of the authority given to the De,
paItlnent bv the eighth section OF the act OF 50
March, 1881, entitled an Act making appropriations
for Light Houses, Light Boats, Buoys, &c, Board
OF Ocers constituted as directed by the provisions
of that art, was organized soon after its passage
The Board is composed Of the following ot1cers,
viz Gen Totten and Col. Kearney, of the Army
Com Shubrlck and Com'r Dupont, OF the Navy
Prof Bache, Superintendent OF the Coast survey,
ard Lieut. jenkins, of the Navy, as Secretary.
The attention Of the Board has been directed TO
the subjects contemplated by Congress. The result
Of their labors Will be transmitted IN separate re-