The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1859-02-16

The FRENCH SPoLIATIoN BILL.-The senate
passed the French spoliation bill by vote 9t
yeas 26, nays co. This bill, which has 9sse1
either house of congress in some shape, Several
times provides that satisfaction shall be naaa
to an amount not exceeding S 900, 900 to such
citizens of the United States, or to then legal
representatives. as had valid claims to iudem
nifty upon the French government, arisirE oa.
of illegal captures detentons, forcible cures.
Illegal condemnations and contiscation, com
mitted prior to the ratification of the conveu-
ton between the United States and the French
republic, concluded on the 30th day o. Sep
tember, 1900, the ratifcations of which were
exchanged in the following July.
These claims are to be investigated aud SEES
tied by a board Of commissioners, WHO viii
meet to adjudiate them in Washington.
The bill has been before congress nearly ffeT
years. It passed both houses in 1916, bg-wss
vetoed by president Polk, on the grourd thai
the bill had been long time before congress
and that twice during forty years there vas
surplus in the treasury, and yet the goyere
mert had not paid the claims.
The second ground OF Mr. Polk's objection
was that the bill contained a section proyidiHg
for the payment Of the claims in public lands
Before the year 1895, fifteen different Is had
been presented to congress in behal. lae
claimants The first memorial was eyer pra-
sented in 1909; but the documentary evidence
sustaining the claims, and this memorial lag lg
the state department until the year 1895, and
had been comparatively unnotieed. During
the fifty years it has been before congrass this
bill has been supported By some Of cur mos.
eminent men, Webster. Clay, Lowudes lay
ton, Crawford, and others may be numbered
among them. General Washington aud Chief
Justice Marshal! admitted the justice of The
claims AT this session Mr.. CrittendcH has
been the jealous advocate Of the bill, and NJ
Davis its opponent.
A CAVALRY School 1T will be remember.
ed that, in accordance with the advice Of gen
eral Scott, the elegant property formerly knovg
as the Harrodsburg springs, in Mercer county
Kentucky, was purchased by the wa depau
ment and converted into military asylum 81
aged, sick, or disabled soldiers. Il vas no.
found to answer the expectation and was abaH-
doned, and offered for sale The principal
building was destroyed by fire, and the proper
ty remaining was offered for sale in vain Il
would not bring forth Of the onginal cost
Secretary Floyd after alluding in bis annaal
report to the need of1ragoon discipline, there
fore makes the foIowing recommendahon:
These and great many other evils, result
ing from sending unframed men to The mount
ed service, can all be avoided by augaorjsiar
the public property at Harrodsburg, Eentqe
ky, to be converted into cavalry depot. aud
school for the mounted service. 1t UL ent5a
no additional expense. The houses arc satH
cient now for every purpose, and the sla9las
are ample for such horses as would ae aacaz
sary for drill and other purposes II oaaa
attached to the establishment, b fe
admirably adapted to caivary drill, eiFs p
tensive and vel sitrated
+ II this measure Is aaclioned, it wi 10. q
fll the regiment wish men skillful and ei5z
aut in the management of their horses and t1e
use Of their arms, but it will be a measure
/ economy, and prove great saving n money
/ 10 the public service.
Harrodsburg has s.riking adyau.ag5s 1s-
sides those enumerated; it is situated in Elale
& tity, grain producing country, aefe ieE'
+ a. alwars be purchased in a5Ia5aaeas
and az fair prices; ana the horses ol THAI r.
+ gioa are of the very best sort 1t is very ar
eessibIe and sufficiently near the frontiers ~
the west for the Tecgni.s to reach speedily oE
railroads and steamboats,, any of tie posts
which the mounted regiments woulI probably
be stationed.
The frontier service requires that every pos
sible means should be resorted to make our
little army thoroughly efficient, and no mea-
sure am confident, would contribute more lo
it than the one now proposed.
/ THE BATrER1Nq RAM,-The steam battery
at Hoboken, which has been about siE year
in process of construction is now nearly haltdo-
ished. The work upon it will soon be brousa.
/ to close for the present, owing to .49 wan 9.
appropriations. The structure is some $50 tee.
! long, with beam breadth of about 2Q feet and
depth of hold from 90 to 25 feet Il. Is very
sharp at the bow, and vel Proportoa d. 4ne
ribs are about three feet apart, the outside b5
ing covered with heavy sheet iron, r1Feild oa
in squares about three feet long an two f
wide and with the exception Of The centre tFo