The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-06
NEW YORK HERALD TUESDAY DECEMBER g. ls7orRPIE SHEET

December 10, 1862 consisting OF Captain @ T. Pat
tes0n. Of the coast survey; Captain Douglas Ottin-
marine, and Instructed them to consider and report
upon the character OF the vessels best adapted TO
the service. FINAL action IN reference 10 The con-
sruction Of the vessels authorized was delayed for
the report OF the commission. That re.
Ma w so esaeuys 90 oo Se s' DAY
Senate, second session OF the present Congress).
Upon the completion OF the work OF the commission
proposals were AGAIN Issued for the construction OF
the four vessels authorized by law Satisfactory BIDS
were received and on the 22d OF July and the I'D OF
August last contracts were made. The construction
given oy the Comptroller TO the nfth secos OF 1.-THE
ACT making appropriations for the legislative exc
ment' for the year ending the 30th Of June, 1871,
rendered the appropriation unavailable, and II
therefore became necessary to notify the parties 10
the con racts that they must be considered null
and VOID. Ono Of the parties has asked TO have his
contract formally annued, which mas been done. !
recommend a renewal OF the Appropriation or
$500 900 for the construction OF steam revenue cut
ters, without mliat to the number or speclfca-
the size the vessels TO oe built rbe report
OF the commission shows thar thirteen OF vessels
now IN use are either old or not adapted TO the SER
vice. The opinion entertained by me that the YES
bes III use are larger than Tue nature OF the service
required ~ confirmed by the report OF the commis-
sion. Tney recommend that the numbei be reduced
from 20S tons TO l75 tons They also state that ID
VIII be practicable, upon the proposed basis 10 reduce
tue 'otal nuinoep o. oncers pilots, petly officers
LOCI, and Inc actual expense or maintaining the
SYSTEM not Including appropriations Ter the con-
struction oil new vessels, from 81 400 10 $943
making saving OF mere than half million or dol
lars year. me report OF the commission IL the
result or careful and comprehensive examination
OF the subject by competent men, and while it Is the
present purpose o. the department TO :.ct upon IL
am Of the opnion mat At should receive legislative
sanction.
OFFICERS OF THE REVENUE MARINE
On the 9th Of july 1859, convened board OF
Examiners, who were charged, among other things,
win the examination OF the officers Of the revenue
marine me Board IL composed Of Captains Faunce
aud slicer oil the revenue marine and Captain Pat
ters0n, OF the coast survey The examination has
not yet been completed, as only n small number OF
officers could be detailed for examination ut the
same time. One hundred and ten lieutenants have
been examined. Ten first leutenants, nine second
lieutenants and SIX thrs lieutenants were reported
for removal and have been removed Ihe vacancies
thus created In the first and second grades were
filed by promotions and the vacancies III The lowest
grade VIII be hlled oy quaihed persons selected at
large. The examination or the remaining officers
VIII be continued.
THE MARINE HOSPITALS.
The condition of the marine hospitals hes been i'm
proved during the past year. This result Is largely
due to DR.. J. s. Belngs OF the Surgeon Generals
through whose advice many Important changes
have been made No appointment has yet been
made OF superintendent under the Act Of the last
session. The authority therein granted 10 appoint
superintendent Is desirable, although the 81 AIRY
does not appear TO he sufficient. |, however,
as VIII permit the President to detail
surgeon OF The army OF navy to perform the duty
other than his necessary travelling expenses. WITH
such authority the department could have the bene-
fit Of the services OF Or. Billings, or some other
competent surgeon, with less expense than would
be involved in regular appointments even with
the present salary. Five OF the principal ports OF
CISCO baltimore and PhilAdelphia-are without
hospital accommodations, and provision Is made
for the patients by contract with hospital private
parties The War Department Is In possession
Of very desirable hospital at New Orleans, known
as the Sedgwlck Hospital, and earnestly recon-
mend the passage OF an act by which the building
may be transferred 10 the Treasury Department for
q marine hospital, and an appropriation made for
the purchase 81 me land on which It stands Al the
the subject or transferring David 8 Island, at New
York, from the War Department 10 the Treasury De.
partment, for the establishment OF marine nOspi-
tai. This recommendation ID now respectfully re-
newed.
THE ALASKA SEAL FISHERIES
In compliance with the act oil July /, 1870, 10 ref
erence TO the seal fisheries, proposals were issued
and bids received for the exclusive right to the fish
eries for the term OF twenty years The phraseoo2Y
employed IN the act warranted the Interpretation
that the contract should be awarded to the Alaska
Commercial Company, II their proposition was as
favorable to the government as that Of any other
party, and upon That basis the contract award
w be e Io
Congress- About 'elghty-six Thousand seal skins
have arrived At sn Francisco as the product Of the
| SALARIES or TREASURY OFFICERS.
] considered II my duty 70 call the attention of
| Congress to the madequacy aud inequality Of the
salaries Of the officers IN the Treasury Department
supported by proper salaries, but the salaries at
tached to many OF those creaed at the organization
means of aeViaainr the aumrfea ey, rsr
gress has, from time TO time, and for many
yesrs' annually o made appropriations e be
for additions to salaries OF officers the depart
ment. In the nature OF the this is disaGresa
BILE duty Tor the Secretary to PERFORM Is usually
satisfactory 10 the parties Interested the result
has not the saction and support incident system
or specified salaries established by law. At the pre-
sent time the sum Of s2l,5 500 Is distributed by the
Secretary In his discretion After careful exam-
nation OF the subject ind that an additional appro
cent to provide adequate salaries for the officers Of
the Treasury Department
EXAMINATION OF TREASURY CLERKS AND EMPLOYEES.
The act OF 1858 in regard TO the examination OF
clerks has been observed by this department. and
with beneficial results II Is worthy Of censidera-
vide by law for an examining beard the majority or
whose members should not be officers OF the depart
ment to which the clerk Is To be assigned Of
appointment and approval. This system
should also be extended TO the principal
custom houses and revenue offices Of the country
BY sueh an arrangement definite security would
be taken for the character and qualifications OF
clerks, as far as they can be ascertalnsd tested
without actual service In the discharge OF siicial
DUTY II Is well understood, however, that no sx-
animation can furnish security that the person
examined VIII prove satisfactory upon trlal, and
there should always be a speedy ana easy method OF
removing such persons from once. do not there
fore, accept the idea that the tenure OF office
Tor the CLERKS and employees In this department
should be changed Indeed, believe that the pres
ent tenure OF Office furnishes the security when
the people OF the country have that the business
or the government Will be efficiently and properly
performed. The work OF the Treasury Department
does not differ essentially from the business In
the banking houses and merchants counting
rooms, and there Is no reason why the tenure
OF ONCE should be permanent in one case
that does not Apply with equal force in the Others
II does happen practically that there are In The
Treasury department, and IN every bureau and
ONCE OF II, mon who have been connected with the
service for several years, and who possess all the
knowledge, derived from experience and tradition,
that Is essential TO the performance OF their duties
Excluding the employees or the Bureau OF En-
craving and Printing, and the messen-
gers and laborers there were 2l43 officers
ana clerks connected with the Treasury
Department at Washington on the LIST day OF Noyeni-
ber 1870 and Of these l4so were In office the 4th
day OF March, 1862 leaving 654 AZ the total number
OF appointments made Stree that time Previous to
the war the business OF the department was SO
small that on the LIST OF March, 1884, only 433 persons
were employed, ana OF these 6fty seven now In
the service. One has been in sffice ever fifty
years, two others over forty years, one over
thlrty-fiye years, seven ever thirty years.
enc over twenty I'VE years, ten over twenty years,