New-York tribune., 1874-04-22
thcm as coateras at and per cent interest to con-
tractors.
The counsel for the memoriahsts stated that they
woud be able TO close their side of the tomorrow
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
THE MISSISSIPPI LEvEEs.
WARRINGTON, Tuesday, April u, 1877

WASHINGTON, Tuesday, April II, 1874.
For over three years there has been Select Com
mttee on the Levees of the Mississippi River, under
the Craftsmanship of Mr. Morey of Louisiana This
committee recognizing probably the hopelessness of
efforts TO secure appropriation for an object 80
local in its character the protection of the farm
ing lands lying along the Lower Mississippi from over
flow, have never until to-day attempted to get any
measure through the House. The sufferin0s aud
loss occasoned in several parishes of Louisiana by
the recent freshet made this an excellent oppor-
tunity for the committee to obtain favorable hear
ing for their project of committing Congress to the
theory that the Government ought to construct
system of levees and keep them in repair Fortu-
nately the committee was called to-day, aud Mr..
Morey reported bill for the appointment of
mixed military and civil commission, TO make sur
veys and report on the best method of permanently
recaiming the aluvial basin of the river subject to
inundation This prefaced by long pre-
ambe in the nature of argument to prove it to be
the duty of the United States to undertake the work
of levee building Seeing that the preamble was
dead weight upon the bill Mr. Morey abandoned ii,
thus leaving the measure in such shape that it could
DO supported by members who, like Mr.. Kasson.
were willing that the Government should obtain
the information about the overflow of the river ana
devise system for preventing II, but who belleved
that the States interested should construct work
After an hours debate the bill went over IL Is OPP
posed on the ground that 1T Is evidently designed 10
open the way for future appropriations. The land
to be reclaimed 10y the proposed eyee system or I'M
proved by protection against the danger OF future
overflow, is private property and the people VINO
would be benefited are all citizens OF one OF three OF
four States. As Mr. Willard said In his speech
against the bill, it is difficult TO see any justice or
constitutional authority for approprlatng money
collected from the Taxpayers IN all parts OF the
country for purpose 50 purely local.
REDUCTION IN THE PAY OF GAUGERs
Members of the House who do not live in the dis
trict where whisky is made were surprised to-day to
learn how important position the office of gauger
is. Over two hours were spent to-day in very ami
mated discussion about the pay Of these officials.
They are now limited to 81 day, and the Appropll-
atoms Committee in looking about for opportunities
to reduce the expenses of the revenue service con-
cluded to cut them down to s.. As there are about
500 of them this would save nearly 100000 year
The gaugers were not without friends, however
From the earnest and persistent opposition made by
a large number Of members to the proposed reduc-
ton, it would appear that to assist in the nomna-
ton and election of his member is as much part
of the gauger's duty as to measure spirits. 1t was
amusing to hear members who have a score OF so OF
friends and political supporters drawing pay as
gaugers tell Of the aborious duties of these deserv
ing public servants, and their extraordinary ability
and incorruptible integrity. Finally the Committee
was sustained and the reduction clause LETT IN the
Appropriation bill by the votes OF the RepubHcans
who had no gaugeTs because there is whisky pro-
duced in their districts and the Democrats, who,
being "Out in the cold, are always on the sue OF
economy when IT affects otfice-holders only.
| UNPoPULARTTY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
Notwithstanding the urgent plea OF the civil Ser
vice Commission to be continued in Office, and the
special message of the President indorsing their
recommendations, it is by means certain that
the House will vote the appropriation to keep the
machinery of the Board In motion. The rules and
examinations are very annoying to the new men,
bers, who supposed when they came here that they
would be able to pick up few clsrkships for their
friends and the opinion among them is very gem
orally in favor of sweeping them away and return
ing to the old system. Many old members, who are
warm friends of genuine Civil Service reform, look
upon the present system. as enforced by the Admin
traton, as only net designed TO catch small fish
and let the big ones slip through They say that to
continue to maintain it is to indOrse a humbug
that no longer deceives anybody, and that it is
obstacle in the way of real reform. If the appro-
priation is made to continue the Board it Will be
because the % b1pJeI 10 OPPOSE the Ps
dents wishes III the matter and not because they
think it is possible to make any party capital
out of the reports OF MessrS Eaton ana Shelapager
and their five associates.
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE.
The annual meeting of the National Academy of
Science began to-day in the hall of the west wing of
the Smithsonian Institution Among those present
were Walcott Gibbs of Harvard Prof Benz. Sill
man. c. f. Chandler of Columbia College, New-loIk;
A. s. Packard of Salem, Mass; Profs. Newcomb, Hill
gard Henry, Baird, aud Gill; Prof. j. H. c. Coffin,
Prof Hayden Gen. Meigs Prof. j. d. Whitney, c.
A. Scott Major Powell Prof. Leconte, aud Others
At IL o'clock the Academy was called to order by
Prof. Henry, President. The following papers were
read this afternoon: On the classification of the
Rhynchophorous series of Coleoptera, by DR.. j. l..
LecOnte of Philadelphia; results of experiments on
set residual detection by transverse stress ap
piled to pine wood, by Prof. w. A. Norton of Yale
College; the functions and mechanism of the
ear the duration of the sensation of sound, and
experiments showing that flames and heated gases
can reflect sonOTous vibrations by Prof A. NJ. Mayer
of the Stevens Institute of Technology: cOmbina-
tions Of mechanism initiating mental processes, by
Prof. FairInan Rogers of Philadephia on the tides
of Tahiti, by VIM Ferre of the United States Coast
Survey,
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI.
The Eads plan for improving the mouth Of the
Mississippi, by the construction of jettes to deepen
the channel al Of the passes does not appear to
be strong enough in the House or in the committee
which reported in its favor to resist the opposition
of the united Louisiana delegates. To-day the
bill authorizing contract to be made with Col.
Eads for the work was recommitted TO the Commit
zee OF railways anu Canals Oh mollon Oh Tue Cnar-
man, Mr.. McCrary. No objection is made by the
Louisiana members to Col Eads having the money
to try his experiment. but they first want the Fort
st. Philip Canal begun, believing that the canal
project is the only practicable method of obtaining
uninterrupted communication between New-Orleans
and the sea, through channel Of uniform depth,
capable of floating vessels of deep draft The re-
coInmittal of the Eads bill will probably result in
it's abandonment.
PROPOSED NEW OFFICE
The House Committee on Public Lands has dis