Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-02-27
NUMBER TH1RTY-FIVE.

SUPPORT OF GovERNNENT.-The bill to
provide Wavs and Aleaus for the support of
the Government which passed the House on
Tuesday of last week and has been returned to
theScnatc. the House non-eoncurring in ccr-
ainamendments, provides, first that the Sccrc-
tary may borrow from time to time ON the
credit Of the United States sum not cx-
ceedins $500 100000 for the current fiscal
wear. and 5000, 600 900 for the next f,cal
year, and shall issue therefor coupon or reg
istered bonds, payable in not less than ten
nor more than forty years from date sec
Ond, it authorizes the Treasurer to issue
S400 900 900 of Treasury notes, payable at
the pleasure Of the United States at any time
after three years from date, bearing interest
at rate not exceeding six per cent. PER an
mum which interest on all notes less than
800, shall be payable at the maturity there
Of on all notes for 500 or upward, at times
expressed on their face third, it provides
that the Secretary Of the Treasury, if re
Quired by the exigencies Of the public service
for the payment Of the Army and Navy, may
issue $500 100000 of United States
notes in such form as he may
deem expedient, not bearing interest; fourth,
that in lieu Of postage and revenue stamps
for fractional currency and Of the postage
currency, the Secretary Of the Treasury may
issue fractional notes Of such form as he may
deem exredient.
The bill further provides that on and after
the first day of March 1868. the coupons on
all bonds and Treasury notes of the United
States heretofore issued and which may be
issued under virtue Of this act, slIsll at any
time within thirty DAYS before they become
respectively due, and at any time after they
become due be receivable for customs a. coin
under snch regulations as the Secretary shall
prescribe There il also provision made that
all bank associations, corporations, or indi-
yiduals issuing notea OF bills for circulation
as currency, shall he subject o. and pay n
duty Of ono PER cent each half yer from and
after April /. 1868 upon the average amount
Of the circulation of notes or bills as currcn-
cv issued hcvond the amount hereinafter
named that is 10 sav banks, associations,
corporations, or individuals. having a capital
of not over 100000, ninety per ccntum
thereof over SlOO, 900, and not over 5000
NNNrfAENAN III NfuAtlu AAfltJA NNfA s--N's-
600, and not over $500 900 seventy pcr CEN
tum thereof over $500 200 and not over
$500 600. sixty per ccntum thereof over
500, 900 and not over : ,ooO,uob hIit Ter
ccntum thereof over II 900 600 and not
over 81 500, 900 forty per ccntum thereof;
over : 800 000 and not over S2,0Oo,OOO
thirty Per ccntum thereof over S2,O0o,00
twenty-five per centum thereof In the ease
Of banks with branches, the duty herein pro-
yided for shall be- imposed upon the clrcula-
tion of the notes or bills Of such branches
-cyerallv, and not upon the aggregate circu-
lation of all and the amount VI capital Of
each branch shall be considered to be- the
amount allotted % or used bv such branch.
THr Fouc,ssF EvrEENTNTs.-rhc Wash
inston Chronicle gives a description Of some
experiments last week with field mines which
were exploded near the forts on the Virginia
-idc Of the Potomac bv mean, OF electricity
Arriving on the ground, We learned that Ills
EXcellcncy the President was there, accompanied
by the Sccrcisry Of War, Gen. ileintzclmln,
Gen Barnard, Gen. Ahcrcrombic, and many
other officers Of less note. soon after there was
a great explosion Immediately in our front the
earth openel and vCmitcl forth stones, shot and
shell vertically. horizontally, AMI, IN fact in all
directions.
Immediately around Us were a number ot the
officers Of the signal corps. busly cngn-ri IN
connecting the wires Of a feld-tcegraph 60 its
support, and among them VIC saw Prof Boards
lee, the inventor Of the telegraph apparatus now
used in our armies. From him We learned that
he was exhibiting the APPLICATION Of his new
electro magnetic machine TO tho explosion Of
mines, a11 that he was now really To FIRE an
other
Quick as lie wine, could carry the spark there
was another explosion even greater than the
first, and tie air was again filed with earth and
smoke, stones and exploding shells some Of the
latter falling IN uncomfortable proximity to our
person
\ third mine was exploded in the same man
ner. In fact, We should judge from appearances
that the ground in front Of our forts hal been
extensively mined, and II Is only necessary for
Professor Bcarlslcc to connect his apparatus
with them. pass the word. and they viii be ez-
plolcl
An prler was nov passed. from Colonel Alex
ander. Of the ensinecrs, who appeared 10 have
charge Of the Operations. for the crowd 10 f,l
hack to q greater distance, as fougassc vls
about 70 he frel
Taking NJ our position close 90 the President,
VIC watched for the fopqassc We heard deep,
heavy. and angry explosion, a. if some Of the
internal fires Of the earth were escaping, breath
ing forth earth and smoke, stones and exploding,
shells even more iearfully than before.
What the fGugrsse is, the engineers and the
electricians must explain We can only say that
it was a successful application Of science to the
means Of auxiliary defence Il rainel stones for
miles around andin front Of il, and must have
saFripl aupfh hfiati4u IN nv azgamlffnr c,,luIuu
in the ncighborhood. Immediately after this cx-
plosion there was a rush Of the soldiers to see
the tougasse, buta heap Of ruins only showed
vrIgre - E,1 lion, ,.14esT