The Portland daily press., 1871-01-24
in their war loans was referred to the Finapc

Committee
Mr.. TrumbulPs bill to relieve Cougressmen
from Importantly and to preserve the indie
pendence of the departments of the Govern
ment was taken up and Mr.. Morton submitted
and had read q CON municatiOu from the heads
OF departments setting forth that there is no ex-
cess OF clerical force in any of the departments;
tnat IN some Instances there was an increased
demand, and as rule clerks were attentive
and competent The subject was debated at
length, but without dspOsng OF the matter the
senate went into executive session and soon
after adjourned
- resolution was adopted, instructing The
Committee on Public Lands to inquire into the
expediency of giving to each State all the pub
Tic lands therein that have been subject to sale
or entry for more than twenty years
william w. Paine, member elect from
georgia, took the oath of office.
mr.. Stevens of New Hampshire reported
Dii 70 regulate rank in the navy. 1t fixes the
medical corps on The active list as follows: Fit
Teen medical directors with the rauk of cap
Jam 10 medical inspectors with the rank of
commander; 80 surgeons with The rank of
lieut.. commander; all to have their present
pay and the emOluments of surgeons in the
navy; l00 assistant surgeons with the rank of
master and with their present pay aud the
emoiuments of assistant surgeons 1t fixes
the pay corps on the active list as follows: 10
pay directors with the rank OF captain; 13 paw
inspectors with the rank of commander; 80
pay masters with the rank of lieut.. commander;
all to have their present pay and the em0lu-
meDts OF pavmasters; 80 passed assistant pay
masters with the rank of lieutenant; 30 assist
ant paymasters with the rank of master. 1t
fixes the engineer corps on the active list as
follows: 10 chief englGeers with the rank of
captain; Is chief engineers with the rank of
commander; 25 chief engineers with the rank
OF lieut.. commander; all to have their present
pay and the em0luments of chief engineers;
1OO first assistant engineers with the rank OF
lieutenant; 100 second assistant engineers with
raak Vt master; naval constructors with
the rank Of captain. naval constructors with
the rank OF commander; 3 naval constructors
Win the rank of lieut.. commander; 4 naval
constructors with the rank of lieutenant;
chapialns with the rank of commander;
chapiains with the rank of lieut.. commander;
professors of mathematics with the rank of
captain, 4 with the rank of commander, with
the rank OF lieut.. commander; 2 civil en-
gineers with the rank of commander: 4 with
the rank OF lieut. commander. The secretary
10 the admiral to rank as captain; to the vice
admiral rank as comma nder, and secretaries to
rear admirals and commanders commanding
squadrons to rank as lieut.. commanders.
Mr.. Stevens explained and advocated the
bill, claiming that the reduction made under it
would save the government from $4,000 to
500, 600 year.
Mr.. scoGeld of Pennsylvania opposed the bill
and argued against -.
Mr.. Hall also argued against the bill which
alter further discussion was passed.
Bills were introduced and referred as fol-
lows: By Mr.. Stark weather of Connecticut, Tor
commission to determine the claims for dam
ages to American commerce by confederate
cruisers; by Mr. Niblack Of Indiana, resolu-
tions of the Indiana legislature on the subject
OF the annexation OF San Domingo by Mr..
Palmer of Iowa, to reduce the rates OF cores
pondence by telegraph and connect the teie-
graph with the postal service. The bill incor-
porates Gardner G. Hubbard and others as
postal telegraph company for the performance
of the postal telegraph service under contract
with the Postmaster General.
The bill for a military and postal railroad be.
tween New York and Washington came up as
the next business in the morning hour, and
DR.. Kelley of New York moved the previous
question on its engrossment and third reading.
Fillibustering followed, and the bill went
over until next Monday morning.
Mr.. Dawes of Massachusetts introduced a
joint resolution for the appointment OF a Com
missioner of Fish and Fisheries on the coasts
and lakes, which was passed, 127 to 49,
A motion to suspend the rules and pass the
bill to extend to all the States lately in rebel
lion the provisions of the act of July 4th, 1854
limiting the jurisdiction of the Court of Claims
failed, 125 to 67, and the House adjourned.