The New York herald., 1873-11-24
w A S II IN G TO NJ.


WASHINGTON, Nov. %, 1873.
Commodore Belknap's Report on the
Surveys in the Pacific Ocean-Dis-
cOvcry OF a Submarine Mountain.
The Secretary OF the Navy has received full re-
port from Commander George E. BelKnap, of the
United States steamer Tuscarora, recently en-
gagged In making surveys in the Pacific ocean to
ascertain continental outline and the beginning
OF the ocean bed proper. He reports that he made
SO casts from Victoria TO San Francisco, some OF
them 200 miles on the coast. The deepest cast was
made In 2,443 tathoms water. On the 27th OF 0cto-
Der, when about l40 miles from land. a submarine
mountain was discovered, 4, 200 feet high, though
the highest point was 996 fathoms beneath the
surface. The mountain rises very abruptly on its
northern, eastern and western sides and slopes OF
to the southward. This survey will be continued
by the Tuscarora along the coast and thence
the Pacific.
Candidates for Oniccs In the House.
Colonel d. w. Mum, OF Illinois, prominent
candidate for Se.geant-at-Arms OF the House, is
now in Washington. He is at present Internal
Revenue Supervisor for The States OF Illinois,
Wisconsin and Michigan. Colonel A. II. Mark
land General Agent for the Post ONCE
Department for the Western States, Is
also here as candidate for Sergeant-atArms.
There are several others, including j. W. Dwyer,
and the present incumbent, Mr.. Ordway, all strv-
ing TO the same end. The candidates for Post
master of the House are equally numerous. There
seems to be no doubt Of the reelection OF the
Speaker, Clerk. and Doorkeeper without opposi-
ton; at least, no opposition candidates have yet
been named.
Arrival OF congressman.
Members of Congress continue to arrive; there
are probably 20 or 80 OF them now here. Prices for
A,,$
increase over those OF the former session.
Candidate for the Chief Justiceshfp.
The following letter has been received by the
President relative to the Chief Justiceship:-
To HIS ExCEILENoY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
Tne undersigned business men Of Chicago and
members OF the Chicago Bar, respectfully recon-
mend the Hon. Thomas Drummond for the position
OF Chief Justice or the United States. Judge
Drummond, as United States District and Circuit
Judge, mas devoted himself exclusively to the du-
ties of the Bench since ls4s, and in our opinion,
his long experience, sound Judgment, eminent
learning and acknowledged purity OF character,
render him especially fitted Tor this position.
similar letter has been received from the dis.
trict OF Indiana, extensively signed.
An Extra Force Working ON the Report
of the Comptroller of the Currency.
The report of the Comptroller OF the Currency
will not be ready till the meeting OF Congress- on
account Of the nonrecept OF the special reports OF
October l3 and November l. In order TO make abb
stracts OF these reports as fast as received the
clerical force OF the office has been ordered to
work after Office hours and in the evening.
Rights OF Pre-emptors--A Modification In
the Former Practice.
An erroneous impression Is prevalent in some
parts of the country that the late rulings Of
the Interior Department all inchoate pre-emption
rights are assignable. This is serious error.
Careful inquiry shows that the rulings and prac-
tice OF the department as follows: lin accord
ance with the decision OF the United States Su-
preme Court in the case OF Myers VS..
Croft il is held that in cases where
no inhibition or assignment is contained in
a statute giving special pre-emption rights tsuch
as the OF July 23 1856, authorizing pre.emption
entries by bona dde purchasers under rejected
Mexican grants the right Of pre-emption Is as
signable or inheritabe. But in cases arising un-
der the general pre-enption law, which does con-
tain such an inhibition, no right OF assignment
exists or can be recognized prior to entry. 1t is
desirable, however, that the public should under
stand (what seems 10 be little known) that the
practice OF the department under Commissioner
Wilson and his predecessors has been modified In
very important particular-namely, so as to
now hold that after an entry has been perfected
under the general pre-empton laws the duplicate
receipt may be assigned and patent will be is
sued to the assignee.
Exports from Great Britain to the United
States During the Past Ten Months.
The Chief OF the Bureau of Statistics furnishes
the following Information. The exports OF the fol-
lowing articles from Great Britain to the United
States in the 10 months ended October, 1879, as
compared with the same period In 1872, were:-
PRINCIPAL ARTICLES.
Ten Months, Ten Months,