The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-19
Fire Beneath the Office of the Southern
Claims Commission.
THE TREATIES OF A CENTURY.
United States Diplomacy with the
Old World.
Personnel of the Civil Service
Advisory Board.

erty JeOpardixed by Fire.
fire broke out this morning in the cellar OF the
large building on street, occupied in part by the
Southern Claims Commission and the Civil Service
Examining Board but was eXtinguished with
slight damage from fire. but considerable damage
by water. This Is the third or fourth fire in the
same building each occurrence putting in jeopardy
the proofs filed In support OF several thousand
claims against the government collected at an ex-
penditure of many thousands OF dollars by the
claimants and the loss OF which IN numerous cases
could not be repaired, and in others would subject
the government to extOrtiOn. FireprOOf depOsitO-
rles Tor the public archives are much
needed as the greater part OF those
most valuable to the government, in q practical
sense, are exposed to destruction by fire. The
Executive Mansion IS not freprO0f; the State
Department must continue to occupy for several
more years it's present quarters in an ordinary
| brick building, remote IRON the fire apparatus;
the War Department building, where the muster
rolls of the great armies OF the civil service are
I Kept, has been several times on fire. the Navy
department building Is no more secure than the
war once, and most OF the pension records being
crowded out OF the lreDroof ediice OF the Interior
Department, the ofiicials have made the best de-
| fence possible by provision OF hose, buckets and
fire extinguishers, and only lately the gasometers
OF the Executive Mansion, the State Department
outside quarters.
The Treaties with the United States
During Century.
volume OF 900 pages has just been issued from
the Government Printing ONCE, containing the
treaties and conventions concluded between the
United States and other Powers since July 4, 1915,
| down to and including the Treaty of Washington,
May 8, 1871, with notes showing what treaties. or
parts OF treaties, have been abroga;ed, and the
| decisions thereon. From this volume 1t appears
the total number OF treaties Is $780, postal conven-
| lions excepted There are nineteen extradit,on
treaties, including those with Austria. Bavaria,
Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, Prussia and other
| German States and Wurtemburg, and six natural
| ization treaties namely With Baden, Bavaria,
Belgium, Great Britain, North Germany, and Sweden
and Norway The treaties given In this volume are
with seventy-two States or Powers. The first
| treaty was with France, being one OF alliance, and
ratified In ITS. The next was with the Neither
lands, In October, 1882; then followed the treaty
with Great Britain preliminary to peace), Novem-
Der 80, 1882; and with Sweden-of commerce and
navigation-April, 17S3 The number of treaties
with Great Britain is thirty-three, with France
eighteen and with Mexico thirteen. Only five
treaties have been made with Spain, one in 1895
OF friendship, limits and navigation; another in
| 1902 oil indemnify; another 1919, ceding East and
/ West Florida In February. 1884 OF indemnity, and
last the treaty OF February r. 1871, In relation to
certain claims for wrongs in Cuba against Ameri-
can citizens In the treaty with Algiers, in 1895,
| article II reads as folIows-
| No citizen of the United States or North America
| shall be obliged to redeem any slave against his
will, even though he be his brother; neither shall
the owner OF slave be forced to sell him against
| his Will, but all such agreements must be made by
consent OF the parties Should any American citi-
zens be taken on board an enemys ship by the
cruisers OF this Regency having regular passports
specifying they are citizens of the United States,
they shall be Immediately set at liberty. On the
contrary, they having no passport, they and their
property shall be considered Lawful prize as this
Regency know their friends by their passports.
Article KILL Of the treaty with Tuns, 1897, reads
as follows:-
II among the crews OF merchant vessels OF the
United States there shall be found subjects OF our
enemies they shall not be made slaves, con-.
dion that they do not exceed third of the crew.
and when thew do exceed a third Of The crew thew
shall be made slaves. The present article only
concerns the sailors and not the passengers, who
shall not be In any manner mOlested.
The previous treaty with Tripoli 1896, declares-
AS the government OF the United States OF Amer.
lea Is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian
religion as 1t has in itself no character of enmity
against the laws religion or tranquility Of Mussui-
men; and as the said States have never entered
into any war or act OF hostility against any No
hamedan nation, 1t Is declared by the parties that
no pretext arising from religious opinions shall
ever produce an interruption of the harmony exist
ing between the two countries.
The Japan Mission.
The President has not concluded to appoint
successor to Mr.. De Long, and therefore he may
continue to hold the mission to japan.
The Civil Service Advisory Board.
The Advisory Board OF the Civil Service viii
meet in Washington on Wednesday next and re-
main In session several days. All the members
will be present with the exception OF Mr.. Catteil
who Is now in Europe. The newly appointed men,
bers Of the Board are Dorman b. Eaton, OF New
York city, in place OF George william Curtis,
n..x
place OF Joseph Medill resigned, and the other
members are Alexander G. Cattell, New Jersey;
Dawson A. Walker. Georgia; Il. B. Elliott, OF the
Treasury Department; Joseph II. Blackfan, OF the
Post ONCE Department. and David c. Cox, formerly
of the Interior Department, now pension agent.
The last meeting of the Board took place February
"a owing to the protracted illness and
subsequent resignation OF the chairman, Mr..
Curtis and the delay consequent on the appoint
inent and issuing OF commissions to the two newly
appointed MEMBERS the meetings OF the Board
have unavoidaby been postponed till next wednes
day. As the Board will be a working one, strong
confidence is expressed that its deliberations will
result in the improved efficiency Of the civil SER
vice.
The European Mail Service.
owing to the loss OF the Atlantic and the tenn
porary disabling OF two Other steamers the White
Star line has failed several times recently to COM
ply with the terms OF its contract for carrying the
Saturday European malls from New York, and the
Inman Steamship Company having applied to the
Post once Department for the privilege OF perform
ing this mall service as formerly Postmaster General
Creswell has notified the agents Of the White Star
line to appear In Washington and show cause why |
their contract should not be revoked account OF
the inadequacy OF their present service.
Internal Revenue Laws.
Under law Of Congress the SecIctory OF the |
Treasury has caused to be prepared digest OF the
Internal Revenue laws, with full index giving the
laws as at present in force. Ten thousand copies
OF the work were ordered to be printed. The
printing Is not yet completed.
Premiums for Reginental Saddles.