The national Republican., 1866-12-29
THE DEPARTM ENTS.

THE COMMISSIONERS or fax GksEaAL LAxr
OFFICE has issued quite lengthy instruetionI
70 the newly-appointed Surveyor deneral O
Idaho, who has just entered upon his oincia
duties at Boise city, in that territory. The
Commissioner informs him that the duSei
under bis commission, as well ss power ant
authority, are the same as those Of the Sur
veyor General OF Oregon. After having OBJ
tanned the necessary information from relia
BILE sources and from his personal observa
tions in the Territory, he is directed to es
tablish the initial point Of surveys therein
either on conspicuous mountain or at q
confluence Of streams, which point will be
the intersection Of the principal meridian
with the base line governing those surveys
He is directed to commemorate the initial
point by conspicuous and enduring monu.
ment, signalling the spot with appropriate
inscriptions thereon, taking precaution to
witness the point Of intersection by as many
permanent natural objects surrounding the
same, by courses and distances to those OBJ.
jects and describing the same in the field
notes, SO that should the initial point be de.
stroyed by accident or design in future the
record Of its establishment may serve as the
means whereby to identify and fix the spot
with certainty. His attention is also called
to the fact that the value Of surveying oper.
ations depends solely upon the endurance Of
boundary corners, placed in proper places,
as prescribed by law, and the strict require.
ments with these laws and regulations Is to
be exacted from his deputies.
The newly appointed Surveyor General Is
cnjoined by the Commissioner to employ no
man in the surveying service unless he pos
sesses high professional abilities as a practi.
cal surveyor in the public land system OF
surveys, and shall satisfy him by unques-
tionable evidence that his professional an.
tecedents establish his entire fidelity and 10y
atty to the Government. 49,.
CAPTURE OF A DANGEROUS FRry DOLLAR
CouNTERYEIr PLArE.--The officials Of the
Treasury Department have just succeeded in
effecting the capture Of the plate Of one Of the
most dangerous and successful counterfeits
that has been pslmed upon the public since
the first issue Of the National Paper Cur.
rency. The note is very fine imitation of
the $50 legal tender note, bearing the Wig
nette Of Alexander Hamilton, and with the
exception Of one or two very slight errors
made by the engraver, is an exact fac simile
Of the original. The general execution
and coloring Of the note is also very good,
far surprising that Of any counterfeit that
has been issued. Persons receiving notes OF
this denomination would do we'll to carefully
scrutinize before accepting them. The easi-
est, quickest, and we might say almost the
only way to detect the counterfeit from the
genuine is by observing the marginal line Of
figures running around the back Of the note
In the lower lefthand corner will be discov-
cred the figures $3.50" instead Of $50" as in
the genuine. The mark is quite plain, and
will insure the ready detection of the coun-
terfeit, the capture Of the original plate pre-.
venting any alteration. 1t is believed that
there are large number Of these notes in
circulation, and merchants and others should
be on their guard against them. Trusting to
the general appearance Of the note will not
avail, rs the most skillful in these matters
have been deceived by it. The capture of
this plate, (which has been the source Of great
trouble to the Treasury officials, certainly
reflects great credit upon the detectives un-
der the control OF Captain Woods, whose
efforts in this case have been so successfully
rewarded