Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-06-10
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

his morning denies the assertion made by
Of the New York Herald in that |
paper of the Sth instant, that " recent investi-
CATIONS in the Post Office Department lead to
the belief that that Department loses one mil |
lion of dollars year by the use Of counterfeit |
and washed postage stamps" 1t states that, |
on inquiry at the Department, they find that |
no investigation has been had which would
tend to create the slightest suspicion that any
such startling and wholesale frauds had been
But, on the contrary, from the
careful investigations which have been made
by that Department, it is proved, conclusively,
that though occasional attempts are made to
use cancelled and washed stamps, such attempts
are rarely successful, and no considerable loss
to the revenue Of the Government has resulted
from this abuse. The Department have had no
cause to believe that the counterfciting process
spoken of by the Herald has ever been attempt
ed. On the other hand, the sale of postage
stamps has been continually increasing from
year to year, which could not be so if the state
ments contained in the HeTaid were correct.
1t would be impossible for any considerable
number Of these stamps to be counterfeited
without exciting suspicion, except it were
even in this case it could not be done without
assistance in all parts of the Union, And again.
rs the sale of a great number Of spurious stamps
would necessarily diminish the sale of the le-
ultimate ones, the attention of postmasters
would be Immediately arrested, and the fraud
thereby discovered.
DANGERS AND DEFENcEs" OF WASHINGTON
Il II L..
said in the New York papers as to the "dan-
gers" and "defences'' of that city. The SUBJ
ject is very ably treated in a pamphlet lately
published by the Chamber of Commerce of
New York. This pamphlet, written by Major
Barnard, of the U. S. Corps of Engineers, is
addressed to the Hon. Secretary of War, and
was called for by resolution of the Senate ut
its late session, but was not furnished in time
to be printed before the adjournment Of Con
gress. Major Barnard speaks very impress
sively OF The dangers to which New York is
exposed from the attacks Of powerful maritime
nations like England and France, either singly
or in alliance; and in view of the use of steam
ships, of the greatly increased power and
efficiency of the appliances of war, and consid
erlng the great interests concentrated at New
York, which indeed are the interests of no
single city or State, or of the group of adjacent
States, but Of the whole Union, whose CONNER
cial metropolis it certainly is, he is of the
opinion that several important works Of fOrtif-
cation are needed there in addition to those
already completed, now progressing, or pro-
jected, but not begun. In this opinion every
candid and enlightened citizen will coincide
with the Major.
These remarks are made by way Of introduce
ton to the question which propose to address
through your columns, not only of Washington,
but to the citizens of the whole country of
wi. IL no NJ
ton is as to the adequacy of the dcfenccs which
have been provided for Washington. What are
Washington S dangers" and what arc her ode
fences Let our thoughts revert to the incl
dents which occurred at and near this city in
the last with England. We will not recount
them here. They are familiar to the minds of
all. Suffice 1t to say, that the page of history
which is their record, is a record honorable to
neither to America nor to England. They
were all due to the want of proper defensive
arrangements upon the Potomac and Patuxent
rivers, the avenues OF approach by water. Are
we not always liable to INVASION Have not
clouds of war been often so threatening that
| the storm seemed ready to burst at once upon
II! Would not W ashington be again an object
OF attack in the event of war; Its importance
has undoubtedly increased in proportion to the
growth in power and importance of the great
nation OF which 1T Is the seat of government
Upon the Patuxent nothing has been done by
way OF defence since 1872. Upon the Potomac
Fort Washington has been erected. Is nothing
more to be done! Is nothing moro necessary
L have my opinions on this subject, but
prefer, and should be glad to hear those of
ADLER men. Perhaps an answer may be drawn
from Major Bowman and from Captain Meigs
the distinguished officers who are the architects
of several noble Government works hereabouts.
lnaSmuch as they are members of the CORDS of
engineers to which belongs the duty of design
ing and constructing the Notifications of all our
cities. Perhaps 1t. Maury will speak from OBJ
servatOry Hill, whence he would be the first to
descry an approaching enemy. Perhaps Capt
Dahlgren will speak from the navy-yard
whence came the design Of those terrible guns
bearing his name which have already made il
famous, and will make it more so i'm the event
OF war This Is an important subject and in
formation in relation to it would be acceptable.
/ doubt not, to the whole country | trust
Mr.. Editor, you may find it sufficiently so to
permit these few hastily written lines to see
the light through the columns of your valuable
paper ENQUIRER
A CHANGE The clerical force connected
with the agricultural division of the U. S.
Patent Office have changed their apartment,
from the basement story of the west wing,
where they have been for some time, to the
southwest corner of the third story, same wing
considering an ascent, we suppofe, to be more
agreeable than descent
The ALABAMA AND TENNESSEE RAiLRoAD.-
The General Land Office has received the GER
tihcate Of the Governor of Alabama of the
completion of one hundred miles Of the Alabama
and Tennessee railroad-from Selma north.
This certificate is made in accordance with an