New-York tribune., 1873-01-07
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.

THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND THE GENEVA
AwARD-HIGH BLACKSMITH BILLS IN THE
TREASURY DEPARTMENr-AP0LOGY OF THE
RAwLINs STATUE COMMISSION.
IRON THB REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, Monday, jan. 6. 1879.
The insurance companies win not give up their claim
TO the lions share Of the Alabama award without hard
struggle. They Will have able advocates In both Houses
OF Congress and their great resources will enable them
10 bring powerful pressure to II will be argued
in their behalf that municipal law gives to an under
writer whatever saved Of wrecked vessel the vessel
becoming the property the insurer after the
has received his Insurance. The cannot set up
claim 10 the vessel the ground that the insurance
company fuzzy reimbursed for the sum paid him by
the Insurance rates for their risks According
to this argument the money received from Great Britain
on insured vessels destroyed by the Rebel
cruisers Is Of analogous character with money derived
the sale OF suDken vessel that has been raised or
OF cargo washed ashore from wreck, and equally be-
longs to the underwriters. On the other hand t Will be
argued that the insurance companies nave no rght 10
any part OF the award because 1t was not recovered
through any efforts OF theirs aud further that the cOln
panies in claiming that the Government should pay the
losses out the award virtually admit that 1t and not
they the insurer against war risks and that they
therefore had no right to charge and receive the extra
war premiums There Is much money at stake in the
decision Of this question that lively contest may DO ex
pected over 1t.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing OF the Treas
ury Department has special appropriation from which
to pay its expenses and out OF which 1t carries It's
operations. Among other departments OF the bureau
there is blseksmths shop the capacity for work Of
which is considerably greater than tho demand made
upon it by the bureau. Formerly it was the custom,
whenever any backmiIhiDg required by any other
bureau OF the Treasury Department to have IL done at
the shop of the bureau OF Engraving and Printing and
TO pay TO that bureau the value OF the work but for
some time past this work has been given to private
shops outside Of the Department Inquiry as to the
for this proves tDat the charges of the Printing
Bureau for work OF this kind done for other bureaus
eXOrbtant that IL much cheaper to have 1t
done outside. This is, Of course, very small matter
hut AZ
agement OF the Printing Bureau II that Bureau charged
than cost for this work. such charges
raned, there IA reason why bureau OF the De-
parmen should mako money at the expense OF another
II the prices charged only represented tho Of the
work. then all such work should, matter OF encon
omy be done outside of the Department.
Members OF the Commission TO select model for the
Rawns statue say in reply to criticisms that have been
made upon their action, that they obliged by the
law under which they acted 70 make the seec ton from
the models presented The Csi0,O00) appropriated
for the statue large enough to tempt rstclass
lists send la models and tine commission obliged
toelect Lne bos presented by second and third class