The Portland daily press., 1869-10-04
WASHINGTON.
THE ECLIPSE AT BHERINo's srp.1rs

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2.-Commodore Sands,
Superintendent of the Naval Observatory has
received letter from Prof. A Hall, who was
sent to Bhering's Straits to observe the eclipse
partially covered with low cumulous lclouds,
drifting rapidly to the East. The clouds were
entirely dissipated by the sunshine an hour
before the end of the eclipse. They were OBJ
served at three stations, Bald Head, the sand
pit in Plover Bay and on the ship Emma in
the harbor, where we got all the data together
think we shall make out pretty good OBJ
servation sof the last contact, and perhaps the
totality. The naked eye view of the total
eclipse from Bald Head was the grandest /
have ever seen. The like of it, set out with
such natural scenery l never expect to see
again. At tunes during the eclipse the sun
was distinctly visible through the openings in
the clouds and photographs of the eclipse
might have been taken with ease.s
OUR STATE AFFAIRS IN CUBA.
WASHINGTON, Oct "A letter from Cuba,
received here yesterday, confirms previons ac-
counts of insubordinatiOn and treachery in the
Cuban army. Gen. Cespedes and Gen. Que
sada are untiring in their efforts to harmoniZe
the conflicting elements, but without success.
The Americans are anxious to get away. They
report that every promise made to them before
leaving New York had been violated and the
representations of the state of affairs on the
island are equally false. The Americans who
have escaped describe the condition of their
to take the front in all contests, and receive no
quarter from the Spaniards. The wounded,
who in tho exgency of battle are left on the
field, ale invariably murdered. To this is to be
added the almost daily assassination of their
comrades by those whose independence and
liberty thoy were induced to volunteer to assist
in securing. Several engagements have taken
place, in all of which the Spaniards have been
defeated, and in each of which the Americans
have lost largely. These fights are stated to
have been unimpOrtant in THAR results as al
fecting the conclusion of the war.
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE GOLD PANIC
AS comments have been made in the New
York papers affecting the administration in
connection with the recent gold panic, and
much interest is felt on the the subject, the
Washington agent of the Associated Press
called on the President to ascertain whether
there was any foundation for the insinuations
or direct charges against the administration,
The President conversed with the utmost
frankness on the subject, and said he had not
thought proper to publicly contradict the
statement concerning himself, as he had done
nothing whatever to influence the money mar
ketand afford any advantage to private parties.
While in New York he had many volunteer
advisers, but he repeatedly said to them that
the administration always held itself in posi-
| ton to act as it seemed best, and free to make
any change of policy for the public interest,"
In course of the conversation he stated that
while on the eve of going to Newport, James
Il lsAc, JT., CdIut OIL DOsiru OI tD6 steamer at
New York and said to the President that
Gould, had seut dim down to ask that he,would
privately give them little intimation as to
what the administration was going to do on the
| financial question. The President replied that
| the giving of such information would not be
fair, and asked Fiske whether he did not
think SO himself. Fiske admitted it would not
/ be fair. The President then informed him that
whenever the administration was going to
change its action of policy the Secretary of the
| Treasury would give them notice through the
newspapers as usual, SO that everybody might
/ at the same time know what it was, thus eX-
| Guiding any possible charge of favoritism.-
| On the morning of the panic Friday week J
| Secretary Boutwell, communicated to the
| President the situation of affairs in New York,
when the President said, "sell five millions of
gold"
The Secretary replied that he had come for
the purpose of suggesting the sale of three
| millions; the idea Of selling gold thus appear
| ing TO be in the mind of each at the same time
A few minutes thereafter an order was tele-
graphed to New York to sell four millions of
gold. 1t may be repeated that the President
| had informed no one of the purpose of the adj
ministration on financial subjects, and the
same remark is true of the Secretary of the
Treasury.
TUE STEAMER EUTERPE.
The correspondence between G. ii. Malloy
| & Co., owners of the steamship Euterpe and
the Secretary OF State is furnished for publ
cation. The owners addressed Secretary Fish,
stating that the Euterpe had been chartered to
Jose Perant to load with artillery for Havana,
that they were informed by rumor that o pi-
rate is waitcng off Sandy Hook to intercept the
steamer, and asking in such an event what pro-
| lection they would have from the United States
government. Secretary Fish in reply states
| that while a convoy cannot be given to the
vessel, the United States WILL if vessel carry
| ing their flag is moested on the high sea, use
| all their power to punish the offenders and to
| prevent repetition of the offence.