New-York tribune., 1869-05-14
WASHINGTON.


BUREAU-RESIGNATIoN OF A LARGE NUM-
BER OF THE NEWLY-APPOINTED CONsOLs'
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THR TRBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Thursday, May l3' lSo'
Secretary Boutwell, to-day said that he lntehus -
stamp on all bonds purchased and returned 70 | 'ho
Department the statement that they are lnc ~
of tbe limited States held as a sinking tund uhuei
the law of 1862. oo,,,,,
Secretary Fish some time ago addressed oo'ni''.
ication IN the Consul at Havana, instrucuhg MN 10
,cortain from our consular agents in other parts oi
,be island and from any other trustworthy sources
tbc exact status and strength of the nSurgeht party
rd what are its chances of success yesterday VHe
cocretorv received volumnOus dispatches from Coh-
M pn,nb who states that it is almost impossible 10
,iye nj n correct estimate of the force under the
Cubon leaders The Consul incloscs letter from
nrominent American merchant residing IN the lhle-
rior who estimates the whole Cuban army at rom
15O0O TO 10000 men. This includes detached parties
acting as gueras as well as the regular force leV
fer inclosed by the Consul from another American
merchant states that the entire effective force u
Cubans does not amount to more than ItVO i'on'
REGARDING these two statements the Consul writes;
The truth probably lies between the two extremes,
Ido not think the Cuban army amounts 10 @o,Uo
men but il is certainly more than l4OO' In another
mart of his dispatch Mr. Plumb says: From all that
con he oscertained there is not Cuban ma woman
or child. on the Island who does not sympathlze
with the insurrectiOn. Some OF them do TINS more
onenly than others, but they are all animated with
hitter hate toward Spain" This is the most hopeful
sipn of the Cuban cause and if the insurgents are
able TO hold out six months longer Spain will be com
PEELED to abandon the attempt to subdue them.
Discriminating tunnage duties are laid against
American vessels in the Spanish West Indian ports
Under our legislation, the same discrimination is
fp hnnV
very lightly on them, while on our commerce the
tax is onerous, as the value of trade with Cuba
and Porto Rico more than equals that of all other
nations. By a royal decree, dated June 4,
1SCS, it was provided that the vessels
of all nations conceding equal privileges to Spanish
ships should be placed on the same footing as re-
CARDS tonnage dues. in her West Indian ports. Last
Winter, Mr.. Lynch Of Maine called the attention of
Congress to the subject, and the result the pas
sage Of law repeating prevlOns acts bearing the
subject and admitting Spanish vessels to equal privil
eges conditional upon the same being accorded
to US, and a circular was issued March 6,
by the Treasury Department. announcing the law.
The Spanish Government had removed the dscrim-
ination six months before. Great Britain, France,
and other nations had availed themselves of the
same. Our condition could not be complied WITH
according TO "red tape" because the thing was al
ready done. The Secretary of State tMr. Seward)
proposed to Minister Roberts, April Is, that
his Government be communicated with, and that on
a certain day telegraphic reply be arranged an
nouncing the removal Of tunnage determinations
from our commerce, upon the receipt of which the
President would, on the same day, issue proclama-
ton announcing the removal Of the same duties from
Spanish vessels No has been received to this
owing it is believed TO the delicate nature Of our
lations with that Government Mr.. Lynch
presented the subject to the Secretary of
the Treasury whose common at once
cut the diplomatic puzzle. 1t was decided
to immediately issue instructions TO Collectors of
Customs announcing that, in consideration Of the
decree of June last, relieving American vessels OF
the discriminating tax. and in accordance with the
late law hereafter such tax duty will be levied
on Spanish vessels entering ports Of the United
States Upon communicating this fact to tho Span
ish Minister there be no doubt that our shipping
will be placed in the Cuban and other ports upon
footing with those of the most favored nations. The
tax is 81 tun in gold and the loss to our merchants
is about 100000 annually.
plan is being matured at the War Department to
draw the supplies for the Indian Bureau from the
Commissary and Quartermasters Departments, using
the supplies now on hand in those Departments and
thus obviatIng the necessity of making purchases
in the open market except for such articles as are
not to be found in the Government stores. 1t will be
remembered that President Grant recommended the
transfer of the Indian Bureau TO the War Depart
ment but Congress declined TO accede TO his request
He has however, so manipulated the Bureau as vir-
tually to have accomplished his purpose, having
put an army officer at the head Of the Bureau and
secured the assignment of army officers as Indian
Agents.
Secretary Fish is in receipt of letters from persons
- IL al bo bots
their Instructions declining the places, because they
ascertain that they cannot travel abroad from place
to place When they applied for consulshps they
misapprehended their duties 1t is the opinion OF
the Secretary that at least onehaf Of the consulates
lately filed will be vacated in six months.
The following protest, signed by $50 mechanics,
aud other employees Of the Washington Nayy-faId'
was forwarded to the Secretary of the Navy yester
day. through the commandant:
We. the undersigned workngmen In the washington
& Especially Pfofs pr ' as at present
prescribed by the Secretary OF the Navy Tor egh hou5
labor and accept it with tho understanding that we
shall demand the balance (twotenths) due at the
hands Of Congress, or through the Court OF Claims
Similar protests have been or will be sent from all
the Nayy-Yards in the country.
Joseph H. Talt has been appointed postal clerk on
the route between Washington and New-1ork, vice
A. Richie removed.
Ex-senator Wade is made permanent Director OF
the Pacific Railroad, instead Of Commissioner.
A delegation Of colOred men and a committee from
the late Virginia Convention had interviews with
the President to-day Mr.. Howard, Minister to
China. and Col. Markbreit Minister to Bolivia, paid
their farewell visits to the President, previous TO
their departure for their duties
An order was issued to-day, from the Navy Depart
ment, instructing commandants Of Nayy-Yards not
to make any distinction account Of race OF color