The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-10-18
WASHINGTON.


WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE duties collected
are larger in the aggregate than anticipated un-
ger the circumstances, they being 30 per cent.
more than they were in the earlier days of the
panic, and thus far in abe present week 25 per
cent, above last week.
Ihe receipts from customs this month are in
excess of what is required to pay the interest on
the public debt for that period. There has been
some difficulty collecting internal revenue, but
lately there has been much Improvement, and
1t is believed at the department that the aggre-
gate receipts at the end of the year will scarce
~ oe diminished at all from the estimates here
eoIore made. 1t is authoritatively said that the
Sovernment finances are in good condition. Ise
~. expenditures are always made during
She nrst quarter of the fiscal year commencing
July LIST, and during the last three months the
receipts exceeded the expenditures by nine mil
hons, to which amount the public debt was re-
uuced within that period Accordingly more
than pro rata of thesexpense of the succeeding
quarters of the present fiscal year has been paid
The prospect is accordingly, to those best ac-
quainted with the subject, that the aggregate
receipts will be sufficient to pay all obligations
OF the year With regard to apprehend deficen-
cles no estimates from any of the depart
ments have been furnished to the treasury de.
partment
Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury balances to-
day: Currency So, 1896, 8l4 special deposits of le-
gal tenders for redemption of certificates of de-
post S11, 100000; coin $S2,0995S2, including
$751; 400 in coin certificates; outstanding legal
tenders $780, ,4SS.
Indian Visitors.
Nine Crow Indian chiefs and squaws arrived
from Montana to-day.
Condition of the Cotton Crop.
The average condition of cotton for the past
week in October, as compared with the October
reports of 1871 ard 1872, stands so much high
er than that of the former year as it falls below
the record of the latter standard, the crop being
a good normal growth. The yearly losses from
record below 100, and the grestest reduction u.s.
uahy occurs in September. The average this
year has fallen off from SO to ISL since the first
week in September, larger reduction than u.s.
ual occurSt
The areas of the present year was increased
about 10 per cent, but portion of the enlarge
ment was abandoned, land the October status of
the crop is materially reduced. The season
must be of average length and comparatively
favorable for picking to eusure crop equal to
that of last year.
Third Audiior's Report.
The annual report of the Third Auditor has
been completed. 1t shows that the number of
acquisitions drawn on the Secretary of the
Treasury by the Secretaries of War and the III
terror, during the year was 1864, amounting to
SOL, 693, 1902.
The claims paid during the year amounted to
81, 1903, 400.95. The number of accounts settled
were 5547, involving $685. There are yet
unsettled 953 accounts involving So, $50, $40.
There were 3467 quarter masters accounts, in
volving 9,065, 626, and 81 signal officers ac-
counts, involving 1927, 229, settled during the
year; las subsistence accounts involving 81 :
372,779, were settled, and IA refugees, freedmen
and abandoned lands accounts involving $11S,-
1914. The engineer accounts settled were ZIG,
involving $S,826 443 81, eight original State war
claims, involving ST, 701 41S28, were settled, to
gether with % suspended accounts of a similar
nature, involving $84, 1884.
The pension account shows that the number
| of pensioners at present are as follows:
Revolutionary half pay 1857; invalid, 99S04
| widows and others, not including children, 112,
08S; war of 1872, 1885, $40. Total, 235, 76S. l417
pensioners received artificial limbs and 9497 re-
| ceived Communication n'lieu thereof
The amount to pay army pensions for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1873 was $50, 600, 600
amount paid for pensioners during the year
| $2S, 95S, 1925 leaving a balance on hand OF
| 81, 036, 592.74 which will be covered into the
| treasury. The largest amount to any single
| agent was to Phelps at Boston and the smallest
| to S. w. Brown at Vancouver, Washington
| Territory, who received $5,86402,
Blockade.
The Department Of State has received intel
ligence of blockade by British force of the
| gold coast of Africa from Cape Coast Castle
| to the river ASSUME. The blockade went into
| effect on the LIST of last mouth.