The Washington union., 1857-05-27
DEPARTMENT NEws.
STATE DEPAnrxKsr.

DEPARrsksT
Al Interesting Letter from Londos.An intelligent
respondent London writes that the first feature which
attracts attention Ia the Trade and Navigation Report Of
Great Britain for the first quarter of 1851 the great in
crease, when compared with years which have been
sdercd the most prosperous
The exports for the month of March alone reach nearly
fI0 500 000 and for the quarter fraction under f2s,
900 600 Of which has been produced by artificial
stimulus During the greater part Of the quarter there
has been unusual strngency in the money market and
anrcnitng efforts have been made by the press to check
any and every tendency to dangerous foreign pccua
ton well investments In foreign stocks The dark
side Of the report is that which shows the immense inn
ports Of the necessares of life being 600 900 quar-
Of wheat independent of still larger quantity Of
aour meal and There has also been imported up
wards OF 1000 beef cattle. These items, with many
others you will find enumerated imported at the end Of
year OF good crops and fine prove the inability
of the country sustain its population for single year
II supplies from America should fail
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
School Lands-It has been decided by the department
ls that section l6 and SO in each township in Mime
Territory are by the act of Sd March, 1849 organic
ing said Territory, whether said sections surveyed
prior after the passage of said act of 1s49, reserved
for school purposes.
appropriate lands for the support of schools in
tain townships and fractional townships in sad Territory,
where sections ls and s6 shall be found fractional in
quantity other lands shall be reserved and appropriated
for school purposes to make up the deficiency.
DEPARTMENT.
Contracts for Gs Washington Aquedad The Secretary of
War yesterday morning approved of the following
mendations of Capt Meigs:
WAsHNGroS, May 10, 1857
s As directed in your letter of this date give be-
low of the lowest bidders according the adj
versemeat plans and specifications for the Washington
aqueduct.
The printed specifications and forms of proposals
template the letting Of the work in several contracts to
persons Of experience in their several departments though
they do exclude with single company, if
that should be thought most advantageous
There several specifications viz for graduation,
conduit receiving reservoir distributing reservoir bridge
clstiron pipes branches and bends, cut stone, bricks
| and sand.
The lowest bidders For graduation sections IA
| and Is, Myers, Jones' Pratt $s, sos.
Their guarantee is not signed and think they
would make a contract for small work falls to
their lot under the bidding STILL the work ought proba
bly, to be offered to them and the contract made II they
are willing to give the proper security
/ The next lowest bidder for this work is Henry Cady,
| sS, s62.
Conduit Lowest bidder in sections to IS, dnclusive)
/ Henry Cady 1929, ,252
On sections IA and I5 Carman, Dobbin & Co, s6s, !
/ 333.
Recerg Resgpoir. Lowest bidder, Daniel Stone s26,
/ 100.
Distributing Reservoir. Lowest bidders, Reilly Coch-
ran, sec, $50.
/ Bri5g No. 3.--Lowest bidders, Mcdonald s. Piper,
$12,662.
| Ct-Iroa Pipes Branches and Bends Lowest bidders,
| C. B. Cluskey & Co. S72, ,443.
| Ca Sone.--Lowest bidders, Myers Jones, and Pratt
/ SIG, 1856.
BricksLowest bidder, VIM. Douglass, at So 25 If de-
iyered boats at the brickyard with 81 cents addi
onal for transportation to other points the bank Of
| the ccnal
SaaI-Lowest bidders G.. w. Jackson, for part, at
cents per bushel r. I. Jackson cents per bushel
There informaites in of these bids,
ing the writer's being unleaed and literate but
nothing which, in my opinion should prevent contracts
being awarded to them under the advertisement, plans,
specifications and regulations provided they furnish the
/ proper security.
consider tna the above bids those which propose
to do the greatest amount of work for the least OF
money according the advertisement plans and speci
| ications "
They the bids assembled in the estimate marked L,
which accompanied my report of yesterday If the con-
tracts they offer be fulfilled they will complete the aque-
| duct at the least cost to the United States.
! l am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
| M G. MEIGS,
/ Captain of Engineers in Charge.
! Hon. j. B. FLoYD, Secretary Of War.