The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-02-09

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The Spanish Minis
ter has informed the Secretary of State that he
has received a t. legram announcing the block
ade by his government of the coast of Canla-
bria from Cape Peitas to Fuenterrabia except
the ports of Gijon, Santander and San Sebas-
team.
Retrenchment.
The Committees before which have been ex-
amined the heads of departments and chiefs of
the bureaus, have almost entirely failed to OBJ
tain Information in the direction of economy
and will therefore act upon their own judgment
with the ascertaiIed facts concerning the work
of the public service.
Although but little retrenchment is expected
in the civil list, it is believed Congress will to
some extent provide more definite means than
now exist for expenditures.
Time Wasted.
The sesslo of the House to-day was for de-
bate only. Mr.. Ford of Illinois in the chair
SDeeches were made by Mr. Crittepden IN Tho
wealth and wants of the West; by Mr.. Clark
on cheap transportation; by Mr.. Vance on dis.
position of claims for quartermaSters' stores: bv
Mr.. Sayles against patent monopolles; by Mr.
Beck against tariff monopoies; by Mr. Hawley
of Connecticut declaring the readiness of New
England to dispense with tariff protection; by
Mr.. Cox on revenue tariff; and Mr.. Ranser on
canal rights
Treasury Balances.
The following are the Treasury balances to-
day~Currency, 1876, SS6; special deposit of
legal tenders for redemption of certificates of
deposit, S47 ,235000; coin, $S4, 565 1885, including
coin certificates $44, 852 400; outstanding legal
tenders, 1881, 696,899.
The House Committee on Patents will proba
bly, at the next meeting adopt rules to govern
their consideration of business, which will give
a patentee, who has not realized money on ase-
full inventions and whose rights have been in
fringed upon, an opportunity to have fair
hearing before the patent office in behalf of an
extension of his patent, and where it is shown
that an inventor or parties have been largely or
reasonably compensated and not presenting
sufficient reasons for an extension. thew will of
course report adversely.
The Tariff
Many gentlemen are DESTROYS of beino heard
before the Committee on WAYS and Means on
the subject of the tariff and internal revenue
but the Committee has necessarily to restrict
such hearings for want of time. The bill for
the correction OF errors in the present tariff act
and embodying the amendments to conform the
Judicial decisions, is still pending.
West Point.
board Of visitors to the Military Academy
has been appointed as follows Gen, Chas S.
hamilton of Wisconsin, Commodore c. r.
Rodgers of the .. S. Navy, j. D. Cameron of
Pennsylvania, Rev. A B. Kendig of Iowa.
necticut, Hon, A. P. Tape of Tennessee and
Hon, Richard T. Hammond of California.
The Gaines-Cnshing Suits.
The Gaines-Cushing suit assumes trpuar-
tte form by the Intervention of Jules Janin,
who files his bill against Gushing and Mrs.
Gaines in reference to the same estates that
form the subject matter of the suits already re-
ported. .Janin claims that he had contract
for one-third of the land scrip to be recovered
in the suits, in which he was counsel with
Gushing and Praiss; that Gushing be required
to transfer to him, and that Mr.. Gaines will be
restrained from interference
Indian Affairs.
The House Committee on Indian Affairs are
maturing measures which look to a change in
the management of Indian affairs, dispensing
with the present board of Indian Commission
eTs and restoring the management to the War
Department. A bill will also be reported to
more etfectually carry into effect the Indian in
tercourse act, by rigidly excluding spirtuous
liquors.
Various Matters.
The subcommittee recently appointed by the
Committee on Pensions to consider the claims
of the survivors of the Mexican war for pen