The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-12-18
WASHINGTON.
Army and Navy Matters.

WAsHINGfoy, December H-lhe
United States steamer Omaha, Captain
F. B. Briggs, arrived at Fsnchsl. Ma.
deria, on the 18th OF November, and
would leave on the 2lst for Rio Janeiro.
The officers and crew were ell well.
The Navy Department this morning
announced the death of Assistant Sur
geon James NJ. Simmons, of Missis-
sippi, at ths Naval Hospital at Phila-
delphia, on the 10th inst
Commander K. r. Breeze has been
ordered to special duty as inspector OF
ordnance.
First Assistant Engineer D. W. Graf
flv has been ordered to the Wabash, on
the European station.
Lieut. Commander John McFadden
has been detached from the California
and placed on waiting orders.
Military Storekeeper John F. Rogers
has been relieved from duty at Jeffer-
sonville depot, Indiana, and ordered to
relieve Storekeeper Alligood, at Schuyl.
kill Arsenal, Pennsylvania. Store
keeper Alligood will proceed to Colum'
bia, South Carolina, and relieve Store
keeper Martin. The latter reports to
the Commanding General of the Mill
tary District OF the Pacific for assign.
ment to duty.
A Board, to consist Of Lieutenant
Colonel w. Ii. French, Second Artil-
lerv; Lieutenant Colonel H.G. Wright,
Corps Of Engineers; Major j. c. Tidd-
balls, Second Artillery; Captain Flag
Ter, Ordnance Department, and Captain
n. Benjamin, Second Artillery, is ap-
pointed 10 meet in New York, en- the
10th Of January, or as soon thereafter
as practica Die, to examine the report on
plans and models of such depressing
and other carriages as they may deen
worthy of trust. The Chief OF En-
gineers and Ordinance will lay be'o-e
the Board all papers bearing on the
subject.
Congress.
The Ways and Means Committee to-
day heard the arguments Of Jaw Cooke
and Secretary Boutwell, on increased
commissions for negotiating the new
loan. The committee, before taking
any action. will invite prominent hank"
ers from Philadelphia and New York
to appear and e We their views as 10
whether increased comm sslons are
necessary to secure further ne.oia'ions
As matters now stand the committee Is
not disposed to grant any increase.
Secretary Boutwell, this morning for
warded to Speaker Blame his reply to
the resolution OF inquiry as 10 the sn.
thori.y tor increas ng the issue OF legal
tender notes. The Secretary saws:
The object Of the issue was to relieve
The business Of the country, then SUI
fering from a large demand Tor curren.
cy, which WAS employed IN moving the
crops from the Southwest The 'ssue
oas authorized by the acts oi February
q 1862; July 7. 1862. and March 8 ;
1868, and in the decision Of the Supreme
Court At the December term. 1868, and
at the December Term, 1869 ln both
cases the decision was rendered by
Chief Justice Chase
Previous to the 4lh Of March, 1869,
lar. e sums Of United States notes were
held in the Treasury Office at Wash
ing on AZ surplus fund, in excess OF
the 1865, ,000,000 reported in the clrcu'
lar, for the purpose of meeting any
sudden demand upon the Treasury.
That practice has ever since been con
,nued. On the lst of March, 1869,
there were standing out more than ST.
90 1000 of the 3 per cent ceTuhcates,
rsvahe. in legal lef1ers on demand
The surplus in reserve was only at the
command of the Government ior meet
ing any call on account OF this liability.
From this surplus the issue OF October
last was made and all the new notes
out in circulation are drawn from tue
same source.
The Committee on Appropriation
hold a meeting tonight, Tor the pur-
pose ofconsidering the postal telegraph.
William Orton, J. w. Brown and John
Duff, Presidents of the various tele-
graph companies, will make arguments.
The Postmaster General and other gen
tlemen will be present.
TIE Credit Mobilier Investigating
Committee met to-day and examined
Cakes Ames.