The New York herald., 1874-12-08


amount shows an excess over that or the preced-
ing year OF 73479 tons. From July to Novem-
to 6Sl vessels whose carrying capacity amounts
to 169, ,654 tons. or these 2l3 were new seagolng
vessels, varying from 100 TO 5000 tons, with an
20 vessels measured over 1000 tons over 1000
tons, while were iron steamships OF 5,Oos tons
each.
The expenses OF the Revenue Marine for the
fiscal years are given as follows:-
june june g. g. iss june june s. s.
june june sssSa june june s. s. ss7s SSi s
During the fiscal years 1s72-1s74 the marine have
assisted 5S2 vessels IN DISTRESS seized reported
boarded and examined. s2,223 and saved 100
lives There are 80 steamers and sailing vessels
LIFE-sAvING STATIONS.
There g. have o: been in operation during the past
ircts designated as the Cape @ Cod district, Rhode
Island and Long Island district, and the New Jer-
sey district, which embrace the most DANGEROUS
superintendents show that during the season OF
lS7s-'N 4s vessels valued, with their
persons we're driven p upon these shores. shores In In
70 sta instances zee the liie.saving apparatus
into n n s were
required. but assistance OF some sort, IN admins
tering to the comfort OF the shipwrecked or in
iorce OF the service. or the amount OF property
jeoparded, only s4572ss was lost, and the number
Of ds sSser was aea Tns Rumss psr
sons az the stations was 494 The lfe-savng SER
vice has now been IN operation under the present
system three years on the coast OF Long Island
and New Jersey and two years on the coast OF
Cape Cod. The statistics OF disasters upon these
Number of wrecks, lo2; number OF lives imperied,
l.607; number OF lives saved, 1904; number OF
lives lost; 8; number Of snlpwrscked persons snel.
days. shelter Afforded 57l; total value OF property
imperiled, $S,685.936; total value OF property
ssssSi ssss' 'sss ''''A' '0'A A'' % properly '0S'
THE LIGHTHOUSE SERVICE.
Within the past year 25 lighthouses, 2 nRhtships,
tablshed. The total number OF such aids to navi-
cation now In use In the United States Is $40 light
& bSS
only for introducing the improvements which
nave been made 10 ioseign countries 5ns aiso by
the system. In the latter the Board has recently
been successful In the Introduction OF new mate
rails Of illumination and OF greatly improved fog
signals.
The operations OF the coast survey within the
present year again illustrate the special utility OF
that work. Near several Of the sailing courses on
the Atlantic coast ana on the Pacific dangers that
would elude ordinary care in hydrograpnic re-
search have been developed and made known to
navigators The data. scientific and practical,
gathered In all branches OF this important service,
and on record for future uses and the experience
OF the oficers employed, are now sought BY the
mining questions committed to them, whether In
regard to boundaries, measures ior the preserva-
Of aes and or for
local facilities in navigation: several routes sug
gesed for an interoceanc ship canal have been
traversed by officers OF the survey, ana one OF
them now acts as q member OF the commission
Tor devising means to improve the outlet OF the
DEMAND FOR PAYMENT OF THE FIVE PER CENT
EARNINGS OF PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANIES.
n
Union, central Branch OF the Union. Sioux city
road companies are required from the date OF the
completion ot their several roads to pay the
earnings Congress At its last session. an
approved June - 1874. directed the Secretary OF
the Treasury to demand OF the Treasurer OF each
OF said companies all sums due to the United
states, and IN default OF payment for sixty days
thereafter, TO certify that fact 10 the Attorney
General, who Is required thereupon to institute
such legal proceedings may be found necessary
to obtain payment thereof The law In the opinion
shall be made Tor SPECIFIC sums based upon the net
earnings Of each road from its completion, and
tor rhis purpose he has assumed tnat the compile
tion In each case, In the absence OF more definite
information, dates from the issue OF the last in
stalment OF bonds by the United States, under the
due from all the companies upon the best data at
hand closely apprOximates $3,000,000 Should
Ter viii be repcrted to the Attorney General in
conformity to the requirement OF the act OF June
%, 1874.
BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING.
The secretary believes that the work OF pre-
pairing the bonds, notes and stamps can be more
satisfactorily ana safely done In the Treasury De-
partment than elsewhere. He therefore recon-
mends that provision be made by law for prepar-
ing al ~ securities, ecu stamps Checss @ drafts &C.
craving and Printing and that the cost be regu
lated by law from time TO time.
CLAIMS FOR PROCEEDS OF COTTON.
The fifth section OF the act of May IS, 1872,
directs the Secretary OF the Treasury 20 pay to the
net proceeds, actually paid into the Treasury, OF
all cotton seized after the 30th day OF june 1865,
by the agents OF the government unlawfully and
in violation OF their Instructions. The number OF
bales OF cotton seized alter that date, the proceeds
of which reached the Treasury, was about So 600,
and the net proceeds thereof, averaging the same
at 500 per bale, was $5,000,000. The number OF
claims nled under this act was ], 1886; the whole
Of which, at 500 per bale, would be slses7, 700.
1t is well known that large number OF persons
from whom cotton was seized nave made no
claim whatever. Under these. circumstances the
magnitude OF the aggregate OF claims pre-
sented is worthy OF attention.. or the claims pre-
sented to the department $50 have been submitted
for decision and acted on as Iollows:-ReJected,
437; continued Tor further evidence and stall un-
der examination 1885, allowed 25 Or the aggre.
yet iully prepared or submitted for nnal decision,
oss Tne claims allowed as aforesaid were Tor the
on sucn claim Is $133,ols The following Is sum-
mary The proceeds OF aptured and abandoned
INTO TO s S Court wes U
Claims under the act OF March H. ls63 $9 $685. $50
paid to claimants by the secretary OF the
Treasury under the act or May Is, 1872 $l33, OILS;
paid on Judgments against Treasury agents
under the act OF July 81 1885, $780, 1885, paid under
various renef acts OF Congress- SloS, 900; dis.
Marcn 80, 1858, $4,000; total, $l0,44s22 leaving
balance OF Sl0,495 1888.
Against which the following claims have been
presented
Amount claimed In suits brought in the Court
OF Claims prior to August 90 1853. sic, SIT, 703 I;
amount Claimed IN cases IN the COurt Claims
brought subsequent to August 90 1865 SO, 1866 374;
amount claimed In cases presented 10 the Treas
ury Department. under the act OF May Is, 1872
S26 AZ. OH. deductinu from MS M