The New York herald., 1873-09-08
w a 8 HIN TON.
WASHINGTON, Sept. I. 1873.
The Payment OF the Geneva Award
Secretary Rich ards0n's Plans.


The exact amount Of exchange sold by the
British government to the bankers entrusted
with the payment OF the Geneva award was
$s,191, 4l96s, and the amount OF government Sc
curites purchased and transferred on gold GER
tfcates was $73Os,5so42, making the total OF
s15,50O000. The object in calling in the 2O,O0o,OOO
five twenties on June 6, was to anticipate the
three months notice required by law for retiring
bonds bearing six per cent, so that the Geneva
award could be promptly invested when the
sum was paid into the Treasury instead Of giving
notice three months from the date OF payment.
Secretary Richardson was certain the payment
would be promptly made, and the call Of June be-
longs solely to the Treasury Department and has
nothing to do with the business OF the Syndicate.
or the fve-twentles, interest on which ceased yes
terday, four millions were registered bonds held
entirely in this country principally by national
banks ana insurance companies, and OF the remain
der sixteen millions OF coupon bonds) one-half at
least were held in the United States. The agents
OF the British government would, had it been pos
sble, have paid the full amount OF the award in
the bonds OF the United States, and every
EFFORT was made to secure the called bonds Ger
many was searched and yet Of the June call only
two millions could be found in that country. The
object OF the call was not however to help the parties
engaged in making the necessary transfer Of gold
government loss Of interest on the award when
paid in. Many plans were proposed by the syndi-
cate by which the business was to be consummated
and the simple plan of the Secretary of the
Treasury was the only one which met the approval
OF those consulted He made the call OF
bonds large enough to cover the full amount
and said to the bankers, ''here are called
bonds worth their face valne in gold. Get them
wherever you can find them, for they will be paid
on the 9th OF September, and the gold certificates
will be Obligations on the part Of this government
to pay whenever presented"
The result has been satisfactory to all concerned,
and while no advantage whatever was given the
bankers, our government reaps double benefit.
The calling out of the market $2O 0OO, 900 of five
twenties has already been followed by subscrip-
tions to nearly that amount OF the newve per cent
bonds which, with the five per cents IN which the
award Is to be invested. and the $685. 900 already
subscribed by the syndicate, will now make total Of
$500, ,O00 600 five per cent bonds bearing interest,"
and leave but $780, 900 of this part OF the new
funded loan to be placed.
The Work Of the American and Spanish
Claims Commission.
The American and Spanish Commission has,
thus far disposed OF about ten OF the claims before
it. The number pending is 11S, some OF which
have been filed since May last. Several are now
before the umpire for hs decision 1t is said at the
office Of the Commission that the business would
have been closed eighteen months ago but for the
difficulty of obtaining Information outside OF the
limits OF Havana. II the existing rules with regard
to the fling of printed memorials and exhibits, In
both English and Spanish, shall not be complied
with before the 1st OF November the to which
they relate will be dismissed
The RcsignatiOn OF Governor Cooke.
The resignation of Governor Henry d. Cooke Is
in abeyance, and will be accepted in a short time.
Mr. Cooke leaves here the latter part OF this week
for New York; whence he will sail on the 18th Tor
Europe to join his family in Switzerland, at Berne
From that place he will it Is said, send the neces-
sary document to the President, and the office will
be rendered to A. X. Shepherd, the present Vice
President OF the Board OF Public Works, though
the announcement win not be promulgated for at
least six weeks. In this connection it is also
stated that Mr.. Cooke will remain abroad two
years, ana will, after his travelling season. be at
tached to the London firm, exchanging places in
the banking house with Mr. McCulloch, who is ex-
pected here the latter part Of this month.
The VexatiOus Delay in the Delivery
OF the New York Mails.
The continued irregularty of the New York mail
for Washington Is becoming intolerable Inquiry
at the Post ONCE Department shows tnat the de-
tention is entirely north OF Baltimore, and that the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, instead Of being at
fault, is the only company-barring unavoidable
detentions by accdent-that has promptly fulfilled
its part OF the contract. 1t is stated by the Post
Onice officials that frequently the mail has been
brought from Baltimore to this city by special
engine, when delivered behind time to the
Baltimore and ohio Company, and is
never on their road over sixty minutes
1t is also said In defence of the postal
arrangements, that these delays we're very seldom
known until. the Pennsylvania Central Railroad,
which controls and owns the route from Philade
phia to New York and the Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad from Baltimore to Washington, ten days
ago begun Its pr0scrptive action against the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. The OBJ
ject, 1t is said, is undoubtedly TO compel the Post
master General to annul the contract with the
Baltimore and Ohio Company and give It to the
Baltimore and Potomac, or else make the public
endure the detention of the postal car north OF
Baltimore. Since the order forbldding the cars OF
the Baltimore and Ohio road to proceed north
beyond Grays ferry, near Philadelphia, there has
hardly been mail from Washington that has not
been i've or six hours behind, The greatest
privation to the public is the absence of news
papers, and as the sale OF the HERALD in Washing
ton is larger than all the other daily papers put
together, the rights and interests OF the pubic will
be ignored while this prescription is continued.
Night after night the news stands have been bar
rem OF the New York dallies, and to the repeated
inquiries. "Have you the HEIALDW the answer
has been, "The HERALD didn't come tonight
How long this is to continue depends upon the
Pennsylvania Central Railroad, which, through It's
representatives, preached antimonopoly to Con-
gress until it secured franchises OF inestimable
value TO the Baltimore and Potomac road,
and now Is the first to embarrass the
government in forwarding the mails be-
tween New York and Washington. The people
should not be made to surfer account Of rivalry
and contention between railroad companies.
Contracts for Headstones for the Ma
tiOnal Cemeteries.
Bids were opened at the Quartermaster- Generals
Office yesterday to furnish headstones for the Ma
tional Military cemeteries. There we're quite
large number OF bids received, nearly all OF them
accompanied by samples of stone proposed to be
furnished. II is estimated that stOnes will