The Portland daily press., 1872-03-30

War, Senator Conkling, Gen. Spinner, and
others, which in the trial made Remington
appear in a new dress. tt '-'
In answer to question whether the endorse
inents were used in the trial, the Marquis ans
Wered that he so understood, but it would Occu-
Ply too much time to state in what manner.
MIR. Hamlin asked the Marquis whether he
knew any official who had improperly received
dollar or cent in the sale of arms.
The Marquis replied, not of his own knowl-
edge.
MI. Hamlin asked whether he had any such
suspicious. af
The Marquis replied that he had told the
committee all he knew. What was called the
ring always )ntrolled matters outside, rath-
er than in, and he had not taken the trouble to
wade In the mire and mud to find them. He
ne was further Intercepted on the point, but
nothing definite was ELECTED.
The Committee adjourned till Monday.
THE FINANCES OF TWO NATIONS
Ihe following is a comparative statement of
the estimated receipts and expenditures of
Great Britain and the United States for 1873,
prepared at the Treasury Department:
ID keceipts Of Great Britain, 1862 $780, 900; Unit
ed States, $359,00O,O00. Expenditures of Great
d brltaln, $S45, 34, 900; of the United States,
2S,532, 1884, Public debt of Great Brita in,
,O4l 600; United States, So, 102, $3.50, 997.
Amount OF 1862 bonds redeemed to date, first
%oA,ooo,OOU, StCOuu Cdll, plU,ttU,@CU, tnlIu
call, Sl1, SS7, 900. Custom house receipts last
week amounted to So, 145, 1882.
THE NAVY INVESTIGATION.
The committee to investigate the alleged ir-
reguiarlties of the Navy Department met at
noon, all the members being present. Secre-
tary hobeson produced and read his original
order directing the payment of the Secor in ac-
coroance with the report of the Board of Ex-
alhlnation thereon, which report was also put
in evidence
Mr. Bartlett, counsel for Mr.. Dana exam
lned John Lenthall the witness who testified
VINO testlned last night. He recognized the
order Just read as the one on which he acted
ne was not surprised when he received it, as
such orders were not uncommon during his
term OF office. He suggested to the Secretary
vi tne navy the advisablity of purchasing GER
tain lots of live oak timber, for which Congress-
maze an appropriation. Proposals were invited
and bids received after due advertisements BY
the direction of the Secretary of the Navy he
nothed Swift and firm named Brown of the
acceptance of their bids by Secretary Robson
Inc Dlds were made as usual and the contract
awarded to the lowest bidder. In reply to a
question by Mr. Archer, he said that according
to the usage of the Department the charge for
patents rights must be paid by contractors and
not by the Government. The item of this kind
i'll the second bill however was paid to Errick-
son, who had peculiar rights in regard to the
monitors first constructed, and the allowance of
this item was properly made.
charles ID. Baker was sworn. As Chief En-
glneer OF the Navy Department was on duty on
the steamship Worcester on her cruise in March
OF last year on her voyage from Boston to Ply
mouth, Eng. The quality of her coal was bad
1t left a refuse OF from thirty to forty per cent
The usual amount of refuse is sixteen to twenty
per cent. In his quarterly report, or what is
called the steam log, he gave the percentage of
refuse left by this coal. Such percentages are
given in engineers reports as part of the regu-
lar information. The coal was taken on board
OF o ri Nna =.
nished it. A part of it was as bad anthracite
as witness ever saw, but the coal from the
bunkers was good He did not know whether
this was part of the same lot or whether the
vender had put in his best coal first. Bad coal
tends to clog the fues but did not injure ths
machinery. as t
j. w. king testified that he had been Chief
of Bureau of Steam Engineering since March
10th, 1862 and was prepared to produce a state
ment showing the purchases for the Bureau
last report, if so ordered by the Committee.
The purchases OF iron, ETC., referred to, were
made by the commanders of navy yards under
his orders, based on acquisitions. The pur-
chases were made sometimes in the open mar
ket and sometimes by means of advertisements
and proposals. Know of law of March 3D.
1861, which requires contracts to be made by
advertisement. This applies to witnesses de-
partment as well as Others but it makes excep-
tons in regard to personal services and to exeg-
is about to sail and requires supplies immedi-
ately. Purchases always had been made to a
greater or lesser extent without advertising, not
only for,ships about to sail, but also for require
ments of navy yards. Very small apprOpria-
tions were made for his Bureau the two years
referred to, and purchases were CORRESPONDENCE
small. The government saved money by omit
ting the annual advertisement by means of
schedules. Purchases exceeding 100000 in
amount however, are always proceeded by adj
vertisement, not only by the annual advertise
ment by schedule, but by special advertisement
by the paymasters who make the purchases;
this is required by the regulations on the De-
partment even in exigences The total amount
of coal purchased by the witnesses Bureau for
the past three years is 4,309 tons, costing $685.
712. 1t was all bought by local paymasters,
part of it in California for the use of the navy
yard there.
The witness has never received an order or
intimation from Secretary Robson, instructing
him, or having tendency to influence him to
favor any person whatever,Or to omit any adver
Using by schedule or otherwise. Witness is
solely responsible for all acts of his Bureau
On the records of the Bureau, Mr.. CatelPs
name does not appear as buyer or seller of
any coal. Cattel has never been made pur-
chasing agent for anything whatever in wit
nesses Bureau.
VIM. p Wood was sworn and testified. He
knew the late Simeon johnson of Washington.
Mr. Bartlett, in response to an enquiry, stated
that he proposed to show that johnson was
agent of Secors for the collection of the claims
paid by the Navy Department., and that john
son employed and paid Wood money to go to
New York, and with the Secors devise means
to prevent the disclosure of the true character
of this claim which johnson admitted to Wood
was fraudulent.
Mr.. Sargent opposed tine introduction of
mere heresay testimony, as contrary to all rules
OF evidence, unprecedented and unjust
MIR. Archer suggested that the Investigating
Committee of the House had extended the linn
tfnn kACk. IL
whether evidence like this had ever been ad-
mitted in regard to an alleged statement of
man now dead.
Mr.. Peters thought that the testimony offered
was plainly inadmissable, the object of the in
vestigation was to ascertain the facts. More
ever it appeared that if Mr. johnson made the
statement at all, 1t was after the claim had
been paid and it was well known rule of evil
dence that declaration of that kind could not
be received as evidence if made after the
agents functions ceased.
| Mr.. Peters believed also that if johnson were
living he would repel such statement as to-
| tally false.
Mr.. Blair suggested that proof was wanting
OF the fact that johnson was really Secor's
attorney.
Mr., Bartlett replied that he could adduce
documentary proof on that point by Monday
evening
Mr.. Sargent said the theory on which the ev-
| idence was offered was that the declaration of
scoundrel employed by another scoundrel since
dead to do corrupt thing, while third scoun-
drel was to be received as evidence of the guilt
OF the party having no connection with either.
! Secretary Robson denounced the admission
| of such testimony as infamous, and asked Mr..
Bartlett if he expected to show that johnson
| was his (Robeson's) agent.
Mr.. Bartlett replied that he wished to prove
by Wood that the claim was admitted by John
son to be fraudulent.
After further discussion, no other witnesses
being present and no decision being reached on
the question of admitting Woods testimony,
the committee adjourned till Monday evening.
HEARING OF THE MAINE DELEGATION ON THE
SHIPBUILDING INTEREST.
| At the instance of Speaker Blaine hearing
was had to-day before the Ways and Means
Committee, ON the subject of incorporating in
the tariff bill some relief for the shipbuildng
interest. The Speaker and his colleagues, Rep
resentatives Lynch and Hale, were present, and
each presented his views on the subject at length
The merits Of the Lynch bill pending before
the Ways and Means Committee were fully dis
cussed, and it was finally agreed that Messrs
Blaine, Lynch and Hale should embody their
views in single section, for insertion in the
tariff bill The Committee on Ways and Means
did not of course give any indication of their
own views on the question, but it is believed
that provision in the tariff bill affords the
most promising mode of relief to the shipping
| interest.
| FOR JUDGE DAVIS BENEFIT.
The statement recently telegraphed from this
city that at the consultation here of prominent
Democrats with Mr.. Belmont, opposition was