New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-05
WASHINGTON.

TUE uousE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
-, ,srrx.rps REDUCED Sl,0OO,oOO BY THE
IN" r.,r,py OF WAR AND Si000,OO0 BY THE
oo,,,,rrrr-THE FORCE OF ENLISTED MIN RE
nrcrn FIVE Observation-Disclosures OF HE
MEANING OF THE LAW COVERING UNfAftNphi
BALANCES INTO THE TREAsuRi-A WAX CLAIMS
COMMISSION PROVIDED FOR.
Ipy TELEGRAPH TO THE rRIBUNk1
,y.s,,.crox Ian. 4-Highly important action
80, nv the House Appropriations COMMITTEE
'. - neeting Yesterday. The estimates for army
-.r;a+ions which the Secretary OF war had re-
Dr. a. 400 600 were further cut down to the ex-
90. of S4OO0OOO bringing them down 10 aoou'
500 noOO 0O This was accomplished Nv proNioine
,hot tho force Of enlisted men shall be oo isUeau
- so0oo "a az present. The Committee wouiu
,o,a reported provision for consoIuatlhg
,ocuents so as 10 give the organization
L. If a skeleton character, but they consldereo
ucb action TO be in the line OF military leglslalon'
and 70 belong properly to the Committee on Mihtaiy
.s,irs Such a consolidation would effect the I'M
portant additional saving, because II woulu
Nth tbe services of large number of officers VINO
Id ho mustered ont of the service under the
precedent established by the army reduction act Oh
,sn The rroposed reduction of the force OF en-
,ta mon Will no doubt be strongly objected 10 by
en- sherman. who has often maintained that lne
oomnapie, are already too small to be eihclen''
VIII tbe unavoidable absence of men occasioned oy
sickness ana details 1t is frequently dlihcuu " ge'
acorporal's squad in line OF duty
Tho Committee agreed To change IN the law Gov
erp0 unexpended balances into the treasury, VI
,otber \ declaration of the meaning by 'n0 80
Of the law, appropriations for any nscai s'"i
available only for the payment OF Haoiil'o'
Sn that wear for which they can Dc uSeu ioi WV
- -, a,v balance not expended must be COW
- h;ck inf, the Treasury. BY decisloh Vi Vue
Coptroller the two years run from the date OF
;,cnrrng the expenditure and moi from the da'e VI
the appropriation, as was intended Inc COMMIT
.as nurpose is 10 declare the meaning OF the law W
DE that the appropriation shall lapse two years AFTER
The passage of the bill making them. by thls con-
etrnction about S3OO00O0 in the hands OF the guar
;eInasers Department, and nearly Si'ooVOoV III Tue
Subsistence Department, must be returned 10 inc
Treasury
Another important step taken by the COMMITTEE Is
the adoption of section in the Army bill, taking
from the War Department all power OF setting
claims growing out of the Rebellion, and putting
the whole business in the hands of the Southern
Claims Commission. which is to have its term OF
office prolonged and TO be styled the War Claims
Commission. A statute Of limitation is provided, so
that ali claims not filed before Nov. l, 1874 shall be
forever barred. The Commission has exhibited
commendable discretion in dealing with Southern
claims and has been in sort judicial tribunal
and II ia believed that the interest of the Govern
ment will be subserved by giving it power to DIS
pose also of the cases of claimants in the loyal States
and fixing limit to the work. The judgments of
the Commission have to be ratified by Congress
before any money can be paid upon them.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPArCHI
The House Committee on Appropriations have had
four meetings during the and considered the
Army. Indian Fertilization. and Navy Appropria-
ton bills though none of them have vet been per-
fected every item has been cut down to the lowest
possible figure, in accordance with the expressed
wish of the House. to make the appropriations COM
paratvely small.