New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-10

cotton and induced the ensign to defraud the other
officers and crew by not reporting the coSea to
prizes. 1t is now expected that the new eyidence ",
be taken will completely overthrow all p's'lo o
claims TO this cotton and that the officers ana olGm
participating in the capture OF portion VI " WIZ
be entered upon the proper hstB lor Prices
THE CENTENNIAL APPROPRIATION.
The House Committee on tho Centennial met On
Wednesday to consider the Kelley blu appropr,a'ins
100000 for this exhibition. The bill, as finally
drawn provides for the detail of military engineer
whose duty it shall be to keep advised of the progress
of the work, and whenever he shall report 10 the
Secretary of the Treasury that 100000 recei'eu
from other sources than the Treasury OF the Uniteu
States has been expended upon the work, tho Secre
tary of the Treasury shall pay over the sum oi
$4,000 and so for each 100000 expended from iuhus
received outside of the Government appropriation
The total amount to be paid by the Treasury duiins
the next fiscal year is not in any case 10 eSceeu
81 100000 and the remaining S1OoOOO0 is to DO pau
in the same way during the succeeding wear. rep,
resentatiye John l.. Smith and r.. d. Stahueiolu
opposed the scheme and other members of the Com
mittee were so far opposed to it as not 10 be wnt
to unite in q favorable report, flnally, WtnouII
testing the sense Of the Committee by any loiil.
vote il was agreed that.Mr Kelley should nave per
mission to report his BILL and ask for ITS references
to the Committee of the Whole, with tne uhuei
standing that this action should not be held 10 COIN
nit any member of the Committee TO the support
of any provisions of the bill The drlft OF dscusslo
indicated that a majority OF the COMMITTEE "eio
opposed to the appropriation
TUE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE METHOD OF ELECT
ING PRESIDENT AND yICE-PREsIDENT.
The Senate Committee on Privileges and Elecuons
viii hold a meeting tomorrow morning to discuss
the question of reform in the method OF electihR
President and Vice-President of the United States
This subject has been considered at one previous
meeting of the Committee, when all of the members
seemed to favor the plan proposed by Mr.. Morton
which was briefly to divide the States into districts
similar to the present Congressional districts, ana
allow the electors to vote directly for the candidates
for the Offices In canyassng the election, the vote In
each district would count As this plan would de-
prve the States of their direct representation IN the
matter Mr. Morton proposes that each State snail DO
entitled to two additional votes the political COM
plexon of which shall be the same as that OF the
majority of the districts Another important iea
ture in Mr. Mortons plan is to establish tribunals
for the settlement of disputes growing out or the
voting for President and Yce-President The United
States District Courts have been suggested as proper
tribunals for the reference OF these questions
THE CHINESE MISSION.
The President sent to the Senate to-day the name
of Benz p Avery of California to be Minister to
China. When it was known that the present Min
lister would resign Senator Sargent urged the Presi
dent to give the place to Mr.. Avery, but Secretary
Fish desired the appointment of Mr.. Geo. T. seward
Consul General at Shanghai, and Mr.. Sargent sup
posed he would be appointed. and so asked that MI
Avery be given the place that was to be made va
cant by Mr.. Stewards promotion, but the President
concluded that the office belonged to the Pacific
coast, and decided to appoint Avery. Mr. Avery
was editor of Ehe San Francisco Bulletin and is now
conducting The Overland Monthly He is also Secre-
tary of the Pacific Division of the Centennial Com
mission. Mr.. Avery is highly spoken OF by Leading
Californians, and his appointment IL SAID 10 DC "a
good one. - 49, $1,000,
John Roach the ship builder, has been here, at
tempting to secure the renewal of the Pacific Mail
Subsidy The matter is attended with some diff
Guilty This is the Company whose former subsidy was
procured under circumstances generally considered
so scandalous az to demand an investigation. That
investigation is still pending; and 1t is whispered
that the Committee has made such progress in 1t
to be very reluctant about going any farther Until
they are able to finish their examination of the
way the former subsidy was granted, and show
that the stories of corruption were unfounded it
would be pretty bold man or set OF men VINO
should report bill for new subsidy. Inc appnca-
ton must pass the Committee on Post Offices and
Post Roads, among whom are such men as Packer'
Stowell, Platt Williams. Page, Danford, aud CoDp'
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations at their
meeting to-day ostponed action on the House Cen
tennal bill for one week, on motion of member OF
the Committee friendly to the management. 1t is
understood that the Senate Committee is awaiting
the action of the House the bill to be reported
from the Select Committee the Centennial, rec
ommendng an appropriation of S3,Oo0,OOO to aid in
the Centennial celebration and exhibition. This
will simplify the whole business. 1t is stated that
q majority of the Senate Appropriation Committee
are of opinion that Congress s too far committed to
the international feature of this affair to abandon
it, 1t is the impression that in both Houses of Con-
gress there is majority in favor not only OF the
international feature but OF fair appropriation,