The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-24
WASHING ToN.
Tremendous Frauds Upon the Pension
Bureau Unearthed.
Report Of the Inspectors on the Wcstfield Ex-
plOsiOn To Be Published.
Great Increase of the Chinese
American Tea Trade.
WASHINGTON, August %, 1871.
FrauduIent Pensions Uncovered.

WASHINGTON, August o. 1871.
fraudulent Pensions Discovered.
1t has been the opinion OF Treasury officials for
some time past that the rapid and continued
increase OF claimants on the pension lists after the
war mad so long terminated was somewhat irrexu-
lar. Investigations have been made from time to
time, but these have only developed isolated cases
Of fraud, In most Of which the Offenders have been
brought to justice. Detectives In the service OF the
Treasury Department now profess to have
got on the track OF Information which,
when thoroughly sifted. win open up q
wide field OF fraud In this branch OF
the public service. 1t is asserted that
combinations exist, extending throughout the large
cities especially In the Southern States which have
made regular business OF working up fraudulent
lists OF colored claimants who never had an exist.
ence except in the imaginations Of the swindlers.
The Wcstneld Disaster.
The manuscript of the investigation into the
cause Of the WestHed disaster, consisting OF over
one thousand pages, together with diagrams ana
drawings OF the boiler and boat, received to-
day at the Treasury Department, and Secretary
Boutwell, will tomorrow give the necessary order
for the printing Of the same. The drawings will be
Autographed, SO that whatever Of general interest
was brought out by the examination will be pre-
served in print.
Chinese Tea Trade with the United States.
An official report concerning the tea trade, from
the United States Consul at Annoy, China, says the
market opened on the 2Sd Of December in Annoy,
and the crop OF 1s71-72, OF OoOng. Is fully up to
that of last season in quality and not likely to fall
short Ia quantity. The market for the United States
opened at prices certainly One-fourth above the
opening rates last year, and in three days the pur
chaseS amounted to 10000 packages above tho
actual arrivals-part of the crop only IN many
cases having come down from the country. Prices
are so irregular it is difficult to give exact quota
tons. Teas grading from fine upward are eagerly
bought as they arrive
The Government Securities.
The recent heavy demands for the new five per
cent bonds has developed a very great increase in
the cali for bonds of the lower denominations Of
$50 and $780, which Is understood to De due TO in
vestmens In these securities by the working classes.
The clerks Of the loan branch of the Treasury are
now kept very busy packing and preparing for
transmission abroad the large numOer OF bonds for
which subscriptions have recently been made. AT
the close OF business at the Treasury Department
to-day the subscriptions to the five per cent loan,
reported by Jay Cooke Co., amounted to
s5,o42, 600
Absurd Regulations OF the Navy Department.
BY the last Naval Register 1t seems some remark
ships quite puzzling 10 the uninitiated to under
stand. Before this the lowest rate was the fourth.
now fifth rate is established. and beside which
vessels which seemingly belong elsewhere are
placed under it, For instance, the register says
third rates are between eight hundred and fifteen
hundred tons, vet the Portsmouth, $40
tons, and Jamestown, $50 tons, are placed
among the fifth rates; so are the Mo-
nocacy, Ashueot and others which, by their
tonnage would seem to belong to fourth rates. Then
again, all the licte tugs in the navy, some not much
larger than the jamestown or Monocacy's cutters,
are classed as fourth rate. Why Is a little tug Of
thirty tons carrying only three or four men, occu-
pied In harbor work, made fourth class, while ships
Of eight hundred tons, with two or three hundred
men, are put fifth rate' Before this, the rating OF
ship furnished idea of her size and capacity,
but this is the case no longer among naval men.
Some OF the changes create not only SURPRISE but
uncertainty as change OF rate sometimes necessi-
tates other changes
Lighthouses and BeacOns ON the China COnst.
The Secretary Of the Treasury, in returning to the
Secretary Of State communication IN reference to
keeping in repair lighthouses and beacons on the
coast Of China under the terms Of the treaty of that
country with the United States, says
The Department has very carefully read and con.
sidered The papers submitted by the Secretary OF
state. l am OF opinion that the Chinese govern.
ment has, under the circumstances shown o very
credtabe activity. 1t can hardly be expected
a that with such a people and so intricate
coast operations can proceed quickly and
especially as the need OF foreign assistance
admitted. do not think 1t wise TO press foreign
intervention In this matter far as to leave the
Chinese nothing to do. They seem willing to do all
they can, and TO have secured the full confidence OF
Mr. Hart the Inspector General OF the Chinese Ma
rhine Customs, both as to their integrity and
intendence. II allowed to carry out their
own views IN their own way, with such foreign
assistance as they may need duly afforded.
1t WILL perhaps, better for commerce and own
interests IN the end by preparing the Chinese them
selves for the assumption OF the responsibility Of
lighting their coasts and OF otherwise performing
their duties as a commercial nation.
The plymouth Rock Scare.
Secretary Belknap has ordered General Brannon,
in command OF Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, not
to experiment with the depressing gun carriage
during the passage OF steamers up ana down New
York harbor
Launch Of New Revenue Steamer.
The new revenue steamer Grant was launched to-
day from the yard OF Pussy. Jones Il Co., Whining
ton, and will be fitted out Immediately for duty In
New York harbor.