New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-25

powder was going into the Treasury Depart
ment.
The long list of building improvements now
in progress in this city, given on our ninth
page, may set at rest some of tho cr0aklng
about dull times. People who have enterprise
enough to seize their advantage find these the
times when labor and materials arc cheapest,
and are pushing ahead the construction OF
many new buildings as well as the improve
ment of old ones.
Mr.. Disraeli's speech in the British House Of
Commons conveys the impression that his note
to Germany caused that power to adopts more
pacific attitude toward France. The truth is
that the voice of Great Britain has very little
influence on the Berlin Government. If there
really had been any warlike designs against
France, which is very improbable, it must
have been power much nearer to Germany
than Great Britain which turned the scales In
favor of peace.
| A new floating fire engine whose large ca
pacity is described in our local columns Is
likely to prove of efficient aid in cOnfagratiOns
on our river front. When the representatives
of the London Fire Brigade visited this cOun-
try and reported on the means for extinguish-
ing fires in our great cities, they noted the alb
sence of floating engines propelled by steam,
as one of the deficiencies of New-YOrk. In
London this class of machines has long done
good service on tho Thames, and from six to
eight of them are kept in constant readiness.
The decision in the Court of Claims Of the
suit of the State National Bank of Boston
against the United States terminates for the
present at all events suit of great interest TO
all bankers. The amount involved was large
nearly half q million of dOllars-and it was
fraudulently obtained from the bank to make
good the accounts of defaulter in the Sub
Treasury at Boston. The decision of the Court,
in favor of the bank, is supported by an addi-
tional feature in tho opinion as delivered by
Judge Mott, which strengthens the case against
possible appeal. But it seems evident Oh the
face of the story that the Sub-Treasury was in
receipt of stolen goods, and could not have
right to them.
In the near prospect of a legislative investi-
CATION into the system of imprisonment for
debt as practiced at Ludlow Street Jail, we
ing the process. The frequency of this
form of arrest has been much dimin-
ished since THE TRIBUNE's original expos
ures of the abuse, but the system still
remains and gives this power where
judges are not watchful; and it appears that
there are yet several prisoners remaining, whose
cases need to be looked into. But discOurag-
ing report comes from Albany that the rival
interests concerned in the legislative commit
tees are each unwilling that the other should
carry out their investigations, and that COM
promise between them is likely to result in
nothing being done by either.
Two letters published on our first and second
pages, give cheering information about the
grasshopper. The great danger, as is very
clearly set forth by Mr.. Grosvenor, has always
been from the mature insects that come from
the Rocky Mountain region. The second years
brood, which is now causing so much destruc-
ton, is neither so vigorous nor so permanent as
that of last year. Already this years brood seems
to be migrating from Nebraska toward the south,
and Lit is during its passage through Missouri that
the greatest damage is Inflicted But there are
many indications that its stay, at worst, Is
temporary. The grasshOpper is itself, too,
prey to parasite but it is probable that
against both it and the potatO-bug an album
dance of birds would prove mans most potent
ally; as means to this end both stringent
laws respecting the shooting of small birds and
the introduction of the English sparrow at the
West have been suggested.
The Sioux chiefs, Red Cloud and Spotted
TAIL have complied with the orders of the In
dian Department and returned to the hotel as
signed as their quarters in Washington. The
Indians say they did not intend to change
their quarters, but only to make short visit
to their old host at the Washington House.
Six of the band, however, persist in remaining
at the latter hotel, though the Department has
given the landlord notice that the Government
will not pay the bills. Possibly the landlord
hopes to reimburse himself 10y mortgage on
the Black Hills. 1t is now stated that the OBJ
ject of the Department in refusing them per-
mission to stop at the Washington House Is to
keep them from fire-water and other tempta-
tons. The philanthrOpic mind will rejoice to
hear that while so much care is exercised for
the moral welfare of the Red Man. his 8s-
thetic tastes and intellectual nature are not
neglected. Last night they were taken on a
river excursion and shown the beauties of the
Potomac, and it was the intention of the
projectors of the trip, after locking the cabin
doors so that nobody could escape by jumping
overheard, to have DR.. c. G. Cox read poem
to them. Doubtless malicious people will
undertake to excite sympathy for the Indians
on this account. They do not deserve it,
The only apprehension we have is that it will
give the savages a new idea of the refinement
of cruelty, and that hereafter, instead of