The New York herald., 1873-10-27

ossin"sos 'oi oil the departments and bureaus,
win tne exception OF the public printer. are now
! in possession OF the Treasury Department. Thev
will aggregate about the same as last year-narnely
about $lel ooo 600, irrespective OF the permanent
appropriation OF STAT $685. eAa mot now to be acted
on for the payment OF the interest on the public
| debt
Preparations for Legislative Work.
Senator Ferry, OF Michigan, ls In the city to-day,
| and, as chairman OF the Joint Committee on Rules
| Ia here on business connected with that subject
| The revision and classification OF the rules have
! been completed. The limitation OF debate and
| the time occupied, especially on amendments to
pending bills, are left TO the determination Of
Senators by resolution Another rule provides
that whenever the question OF relevancy arises 1t
must be left to the Senate to decide It.
There are at least a dozen members OF Congress
now here. Some OF them have been at the
Treasury obtaining financial Information. with
view to legislation on the subject OF the currency
during the coming session. There Is no doubt that
numerous schemes will be proposed, including one
Tor the conversion Of currency into bonds bearing
an interest OF IS 65.
During the year notes OF national banks failed
or otherwise passed into Liquidation, were re-
deemed and destroyed TO the amount OF So, 24l.soa
Work I'm tho Mexican Claims Commfs-
sion.
The attorneys having business with the United
States and Mexican Claims Commission express
themselves as much pleased with the selection OF
Sir Edward Thornton as umpire. The work OF the
Commission has now been actively resumed.
Many cases at present under the consideration
OF the Commissioners, and the decisions viii soon
be formally announced
Military Department. Reports
| Reports OF the several commanders OF depart
| ments have been received by the General OF the
wh n tai N Of M afaria
interest not already made known through the
press The report OF Major General schofeld is
elaborate on the Modoc troubles, and gives all the
| particulars attending them.
Congressional OMcials.
| 1t is generally admitted that there will be no
| contest Of Importance for the Speakership Clerk
and Doorkeeper OF the next House OF Representa-
tives. and that Blaine, Mcpherson and Buxton
| will be reelected to those positions Some oppo
sition will be made In caucus to Mr.. Ordway, but
not to the extent 1t is supposed OF preventing his
nomination and election. The most formidable
opponent will be Joseph w. Dwyer OF Ohio,
one or the secretaries of the National Re-
! publican Committee during the last cam
palgn. Mr.. King, Postmaster OF the House,
will not be candidate for re-elec-
tion. This is the only actual vacancy
to fill, for which there are numerous applicants
already at work among republicans for their votes.
i AcRTdHu w. feTCc, CualImuQ OI Tie COlUmlttee on
Education and Labor in the late House. fromMissis
sppi, is the most prominent candidate. He and
his friends claim that the South should receive
such recognition at the hands Of their uplican
| associates,
! The officers OF the two houses are now putting in
| place the furniture OF the chambers Of the two
houses. The reporters gallery OF the Senate has
been reconstructed, the arrangements adding
much to the comfort and privacy Of those who
occupy It.
| Naval officers now here take offence at the pub
| lication given, without due explanation, to the
| fact of a general unwngness on their part to
| go to sea when ordered by the department, and
their resort TO influential means Of getting their
| orders for sea service revoked. The explanation
offered is that even the better vessels OF the navy
are unseaworthy that it is an undue risk OF life
to embark in them for an extended voyage or term
| OF service, and that owing to the surpusage OF
| officers, the vessels that Go go out are over
| crowded with wardroom and steerage officers as
TO make it exceedingly inconvenient and uncom-
Portable for such officers cruises of long dura-
tion These two objections, with the minor objec-
| tion OF firing OF stations to which they are or
| dered for three years at time, are urged par
| tcularly strongly against the Asiatic station,
| the largest and most important naval
| vice pertaining to the American navy, and
conditions imperatively require strong and roomy
vessels to resist storms and disease for three
years together Among that class OF officers forti-
fed by substantial service record its equiva-
lent in influence with the naval powers, there is
decided feeling towards a reduction OF the number
OF officers to something approximating the needs
OF the servtce the reduction being effected in sub
stantialy the same manner as the reduction OF the
army In 1s70-by the appointment Of boards to
weed out incompetent, Incorporate and inefficient
officers, and coupling this with liberal provisions OF
retirement, under which old and disabled officers
may go or the active list generous pensions, and
the residue, who may be compelled to go SER
vice altogether, may receive at least years. full
pay and allowances But this or any other plan OF
duction naturally encounters the united resistance
of the whole body of officers liable to be unfavor-
ably affected by it, and these latter suggest that,
before turning out into the world a body OF men
who, on the whole, have strong claims on the gov.
ernment, the plan should be tried OF utilizing their
recognized character and attalnments in branches
OF employment extensively filed by naval officers
in other countries aud indifferently performed
here by civilians. The revenue marine service, the
survey OF the coasts, the supervision Of light
house districts and the inspection OF steam
vessels are among the services that
naval officers think be performed by the navy
with considerable saving In the amounts paid
for salaries and decided increase OF efficiency in
some OF the branches. Already the medical corps
OF the navy have plan to obtain control OF the
administration OF the marine hospital service, and
those well acquainted With the subject alege that
this service, which is maintained by an enforced
contribution OF forty cents month from the pay
OF all persons in the commercial marine, would be
managed much better by naval surgeons than by
an army Of civilians supported out of a trust fund
intended by Congress for the relief and benefit OF
sick and disabled merchant seamen.
Washington Items.
The delegation Of the Ute Indians will soon leave
Washington for Philadelphia and New York, on
the way to their Western home. The Indian Bu-
reau wants to impress them with the power and