The Portland daily press., 1873-09-02

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-The great equatorial
telescope now being constructed at Cambridge
Mass, 70 the naval observatory here, will be
finished in the latter part of this month or ear
ly next month, and shipped to Washington
The new building in which it is to be mounted
is nearly completed and the new instrument
will be ready for work about the middle of No.
vember
The Kentucky Eu-Kiux.
The United States Attorney for Kentucky has
forwarded to the Attorney General report OF
the recent Ku-Klux outrages in that State, as
published in the journals there, and suggests
what steps shoad betaken to arrest the often
ders. 1t is understood that it is impossible for
the civil authorities to arrest them, and the aid
of the military will be asked. No action will
be taken till the return of the Attorney Gener-
al tomorrow or next day.
Report of the Wawassett Disaster.
The official report of the Wawasset investi-
cation was made public to-day by the Secretary
OF the Treasury. The inspectors, after stating
that the investigation was continued seven days
recite briefly the history of the Wawasset,
aud state that she was considered seaworthy in
all respects, ami alo ed to carry thirty cabin
aud twenty deck passengers. They review the
testimony as to the fittings of the vessel and
eer appliances TO eXtingush fire, etc., and
say:
We are constrained to believe that the fire
ragged with fearful rapidity, that from the posi-
ton of the passengers they were exposed to
imminent perils; do not believe the statement
of the officers that they did all that could posi-
bly, have been done under the circumstances TO
save the lives of the passengers, which opinion
is fully and clearly borne out by the evidence
taken i'll the case.
Referring to testimony of Capt Woods, they
say yr,
The saving of the boat seemed to be upper
most in his mind to the exclusion at that time
of the preservation of the lives of his passeu-
ypa bal
children: accordingly he says he ordered the
pilot to head the vessel for the shore then yery
near,
James j. Lonery, inspector of bulls, testified
positively to preparing the original certificate
of the steamers SO as to admit of the carriage
of but fifty passengers and fifteen officers and
crew, making a total of sixty-five and this
evidence was fully confirmed by the subsequent
production of the original certificate itself
from the files of the Georgetown Custom House.
We therefore have no hesitation in declaring
the Potomac Ferry Company was running the
steamer Wawasset on the Sth of August, 1873
IN open violation of law, not only as regards
the carriage of an excessive number of passen-
gers. but in employing unlicensed officers, and
we earnestly recommend that steps be promptly
taken by the proper officers of the Government
to impose upon said Company the extreme pen
atty OF the law for snch violations, as also upon
John II. Wood, master. and Robert W. Gravatt
mate, of the Wawasset for plying their re-
SpectlNe V0catlOnS without United States
license, in defiance of law
The report has been referred to the Solicitor
General for such action as he may take in the
premises.
Notice 10 EnvaIid Pensioners.
Invalid pensioners are notified by the Commits
sloner OF Pensions that they can apply in all
cases to the most convenient examining sur
geon accessible to their homes, regardless of
any circulars that certain examining surgeons
have issued without authority.