The Portland daily press., 1869-05-05

Secretary Boutwell, has issued ukase for
bidding the clerks to smoke, chat, or receive
calls in the Treasury Department.
The total loss by fires in the United States
during the month Of April was So, $3.50, ,OO0 This
only embraces fires where the loss was greater
than $4,000.
The Postmaster General has appointed
Jacob D. Enos, colored man, postmaster at
Valadosta, Georgia. This is notorious rebel
town and will be remembered as the place
where the Ku Klux tried to blow up the Court
House with gunpowder while the republicans
were holding meeting in it. Enos was SER
geant in the Sd regiment.
An examination of the books in the United
States Treasurer's Office shows that the public
debt reached its maximum in August, 1865,
when it was $2757 ,689571.. At present it is
So, 529, ,157, 1886, decrease in three years and
eight months of $228, ,531, ,6S6. In August, 1866,
there were hut 81 ,258,0OO in Pacific Railroad
bonds out, while there are now 500 ,S52 600 issu-
Cd SO that the decrease of the debt, exclusive of
these railroad bonds, is 1924, ,125 1856, being at
the rate Of nearly $sOOOo,0OO year.
Rev. j. w. C. Sawyer preached his farewell
sermon at the Beacon Street church, Bath,
last Sunday
The Bath Times hopes the Governor will
appoint Gen. Murray of Pembroke to shcceed
Gen. Caldwell as Adjutant- General
Gen Lees call at the White House has been
entirely misrepresented. Mr.. Motley was
present during the entire interview, and no po-
litical topic was tonehed upon in conversation
The Herald's Washington special says dis
n;cfa 70
j. Ross Brown, are of the same character as
those of the British Minister to the Celestial
Empire, representing that the Chinese are
really opposed to progress and will not permit
the Improvement contemplated by Burling-
ame's mission.
The Cuban insurgent government have ne
gotiations in progress for the purchase of the
Peruvian Monitors now at st. Thomas
Capt. John Webster, an inmate of Sailors
Snug Harbor, Staten Island, is 104 years old
and was schoolmate of John and Charles
Wesley He has seen and conversed with
Washington and enjoyed the friendship of
Daniel Webster
Hon. Benjamin Eggleston, of the Cincin-
natl District, has closed the testimony in his
contested election. He has proved that he is
elected by over six hundred majority. In tive
Dem ocratic wards evidence of wholesale
frauds were SO plain that Democrats virtually
abandoned their case.
Prof Ccffin, Superintendent of the Nautical
Almanac, is perfecting his arrangements for
the observations of the total eclipse of the
sun, on the 18th of August next, in Alaska,
and observers will also be in readiness at other
points. The central line of this eclipse passes
from Cape Hatteras across North Carolina,
Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and several
of the Territories, to Alaska. Astronomers
say that such a>phenomenon, SO completely
within our own territory, has not occurred
since 1924, and it will be of great Importance
not only in its astronomical aspect, but for
the opportunity it will afford of studying the
peculiar luminous appearances observed in
solar eclipses and the character of solar light
With advantages afforded by recent improve
ments in photography and the spectroscope,
never before employed, English, French and
German astronomers and physicists were sent
to the East Indies and Australia to observe
the similar eclipse of last year, and those of
this country will be ready to devote their time
and labor to that of next August.
OtH 0tOrSo IuOHlaS Will leave 1Of Oall-
fornia ON Thursday.
The new Commissioner of Patents has made
several changes of examiners, and retains
James s. Grinnell as chief clerk. There be-
ing twenty-one different rooms, each with its
subchef the Commissioner is maturing plan
to secure more uniformity of working and to
dispense with some of the present useless
forms in order to facilitate the forwarding of
patents.
Gen. Lee, after dining with Corcoran the
banker in Washington, started for home.
Postmaster General Cresswell has, in compli-
ance with the wishes of Senator Sumner, ap-
pointed James NJ. Simms, colored man, as
postmaster at Savannah, Ga. Mr.. Simms is a
brother of Thomas Simms, whose removal from
Boston under the Fugitive Slave act will be
remembered.
Prince Alexander Sergewitch Merschikoff
Admiral of the Russian Navy, died Monday.