New-York tribune., 1874-05-19
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE GENEVA AWARD.

WASHINGTON, Monday, May IL, 1874.
The bill reported from the Judiciary COMMITTEES
by Gen. Butler for the distribution Of the Geneva
award, purporting TO be an amendment to Senate
BILL is practically the original bill introduced by
Butler, with amendments made in Committee.
These amendments are as follows Ia the hrst Sec
ton the Committee strike out the provisO that
the amount paid TO any mutual insurance
company for losses 80 sustained shall be APP
portoned by the company among the members
thereof at the time of the losses paid by them le-
spectiyely in proportion to the interest then owne
by each member thereof. Another proyiso IN tho
same section is an amendment to read that tho mn-
tual insurance companies who have paid loss shaIs
be indemnifed for the same, such 'hdem-
nifty to be divided among Its members WI"
contributed to pay such loss NJ the
time but no member of any mutual insurance com
pany shall be Unidentified for any war premium pa"k
in such company. Section II is amended 70 az 10
read that i'm estimating the compensation to CLAIMS
ants interest shall be allowed at the rate Of per-
cenum per annum upon the amount OF the actual loss
or damage which shall be adjudicated in each case
to have been sustained from the date of the award
of the arbrators Geneva. Section l3 IL amended
to read as follows: THAT the President may desig-
nate q CONSIDERABLY admitted to practice IN
the Supreme Court of the United states to appear
as counsel behalf of the United States and repre-
sent the interests of the Government IN said suit,
and In all claims filed for indemnity for losses, az.
provided by this act. subject to the supervision aD
control of the Attorney General, such COUNSEL
shall receive for his services and expenses such Te
sonable allowance on each claim as may be ap-'
proved By the court, TO be appointed IN each clam
adjudicated, and paid from said award upon the
certificate of the Judge" Beside the above, thcre
are few verbal amendments TO Mr.. Buffers bill.
THE NATIONAL CURRENCY BILL
The bill to redistribute S25,O00,OO0 of NATIONAL
bank currency. which was pending last Monday
.uI,.n
when the House adjourned, came up to-day az
the first thing in order after the morning hour. 1t
was plainly the policy Of its friends to hold ii
in reserve as a last resort in case all plans foe
increasing the volume Of the currency should fail !
and Mr.. Kasson, as part Of this programme, moved
that the bill be allowed to 60 over for one weeo
without losing its rights. No one objected to tins z
Mr. Maynard following with motion to refer tho
Senate Currency bill to the Banking and Currency
Committee with leave to report II back at any tme,
and after promising that whatever the Committee
reported should be open TO amendment IN tha
House, all opposition to the motion was
withdrawn 1t is uncertain what action the
Committee will take but II is regarded az certain
that they will not report favOrably upon the Senate
bill The whole question seems to be about az fan
from solution as ever. II the House. refusing to-
accept the conclusions OF the Committee. should
pass the BILL veto will be sure to destroy It, and
remand the question back to the chaos from which
il has already emerged and taken legislative FORM.
IT. the other hand, the bil Is inend.d OF = suo1
and will probably in the end be thrown into con
ference committee, from which mysterious and
pOtential body there is no predicting III what shapo'
Il wonld come out A number Of members favor.
sending il at to conference, TO save time, be-
lieying that il must IN the end have such dsposA~
tion made OF IT,
BILL ABoLIsHING COMPULSORY PILorAGE.
ii IL. ts,..H
their occupation gone, if Senator Hamln's bill TO
relieve vessels engaged in the coastlng trade from
compulsory pilotage passed by the Senate to-day,
becomes a law 1t asserted in the debate tbae
preceded the passage OF the bill that there now
engaged at He'll Gate 43 pilots, who earn on an
average $4,000 each year. They have only one
pilot boat and row about Hell Gate in their yaws,
and board passing vessels which in
tow of steam-tugs and collect from them
the legal fees without rendering any
service. 1t was also asserted that half dozen
pilots could perform all the legitimate service
needed and that the present fees an unJnso
and unnecessary tax on New England commerce.
The text of the bill as il passed is rs follows
copscuee Of sny shin or vessel hen trading between
district aud district, between different pss n .m"
by virtue Of the laws Of any STATE be eompehed 70
take, employ or pay pilot no' v ror. ~ s,phny or
on y, bprnush or leaving any channel, pas
sage or strait WITHIN the waters OF the United States
ONE OF THE GREAT APPROPRIATION BILLS.
The Senate Caucus this afternoon is understood to
have agreed to pass a resolution fixing the day Of
aJionpment on June p, and az if Anticipating this
action. and conscious that no time was to be lost
nearly completed the Legislative. Executive, and
Judicial Appropriation BILL covering moro
than IS pages, to-day. This bill, as passed
,,
less than was appropriated in the corresponding bill