The New York herald., 1868-10-30
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 90, 1868.

WASHINGTON, Oct. %, loos.
Distinguished Foreigners In Washington.
Hseems that Washington has been graced for over
week by the presence of two iacog foreign gen.
temen with distinguished titles but their existence
among us has scarcely been known, SO retired is
their manner OF lie. The gentlemen alluded TO are
frince Weg!e:..517g vi ausirs, nua ,,oe.s. . ws,.
tenberg, OF the Prussian army, who partcIpated in
'ic pa''e OF sadowa. prominent diplomat who
'as every facility for knowing whereof he speaks,
says NAV both Of the llustrlous visitors are entitled
to the apnnellation Of Royal Highness. They are
lodging at the Metropolitan Hotel, and have been
very little seen although they have exchanged nu-
merous visits with the di6srent foreign legations
here. Those who know anything about the
character or the distinguished guests INDUCED IN
many conjecures as TO the real object OF their visit
to this country and think II sufficiently singular to
be worthy Of remark that a Prussian and an Aus
tran, occupying such exalted positions In their re-
spectve countries, should be travelling so amicably
together on foreign tour. The only explanation
vet given Of their object In visiting this country that
bears any seInbance Of probability Is that they are
In search OF new ideas In military science as de-
veloped In our late .'ttle unpleasantness" and for
that purpose they intend to visit several OF the
important battle fields of the rebellion.
Trade With Eastern Russia.
At recent interview with the Director OF the
Moscow Custom House, our Consul at that city asked
for Information relative to the tariff for Asatc trade
and was informed that In the east OF siberia the
customs frontier line runs north and sonfl just east
OF Jokutsk and Lake Balkal, and that duties are
levied only on tea and goods OF European produc-
tions. East OF that If free territory. That to the
south OF Siberia and Turkistan the customs line ran
until very recently close to Orenburg ana the Ural
river; but this has been abolished. No duties are
now collected on goods coming from Central Asia
Such goods are principally cotton, silk and fruits,
silk goods and carpets OF kind which cannot be
made In Russia.
Rehabilitation of yhiskey-Dccislon Of MIR.
Evnfts.
The vexed question concerning distl,lation rectih
cation and double AVIATION In the whskey seems
TO have reached solution al last 1t will be reDlem
beTcd that the Commissioner OF lnternsl Revenue
ana the Kentucky dist!llers materially disagreed as
to the construction that should be given to clause
of The rcceng Internal Revenue law, which the Com.
missioner construed as fOrbiddng Redistribution with
III certain distance OF the still which whiskey
was first produced as singlings, unless an addi
iional tax was paid as rectiiers. Strong influences,
among which were the assurances of the Speaker OF
the House of Representatives. and the member or
the committee who framed the bill were brought to
bear upon Mr.. Rollins to convince him TINT
the Commissioner failed to be convinced, and the
matter referred to the Attorney General for his
opinion. That opinion has been given, and the
structiOn OF the law given by the Internal Revenue
Bureau has been set aside. Mr.. Evar's holds that
no separate tax accrues upon what Is known among
distillers as singlings, doublngs and backings
singlings being the whiskey after dstillation,
which becomes donbngs by redistiati0n. The
tax ne thinks, should attach when the distilled
spirits go to the receiving for sale. The effect
OF this decision Will be to start multudes Of stills
that had ceased operations under tine unustly severe
pressure Of the law which subjected manufacturers
to double tax. Very few stills have been working
since the effect OF the law experienced, and one
OF the consequences Of such sagnation Is that the
public revenue from this hitherto prolific has
been diminished to q remarkable extent The &C
tvty that will be created by the publication OF the
Attorney Generals decision will bring welcome In
crease Of the receipts from distliatlon.
Going Home to Vote.
number Of government clerks and others have
already left for various States to vote next Tuesday
Reduced fare IL allowed only to those who furnish
certificates from the political clubs.
Weekly Report Of Customs Receipts.
The customs receipts rom October 10 to "a incu-
sve arc as follows;-