New-York tribune., 1875-01-15
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
A NEW FIELD FOR THE SIGNAL SERVICE

WAsHrNGroN, Thursday, jan ~ lso'
The House Committee on Military Affairs to-day
reported with favorable recommendation, the bill
authorizing the Secretary of War TO provide such an
extension Of the Signal Service as will permit of
such observations as may be necessary TO be taken
at different stations throughout the United states
as will be of benefit to the public health and max
ing an Appropriation of 5000 for that purpose. The
report of tho Committee accompanying the bill is
quite interesting 1t sets FORTH first. that the intu-
of atmOf pheric forces upon human helatn
has been long recognized second, the association or
epidemics with peculiar aerial changes ~ estab-
lished by evidence; third, rainfall IL known TO
exercise an influential force on public health, ana
that such and similar facts abundantly attest the
importance of supplying health boards and phy-
sicans generally with Authentic information which
may enable them to f0rewar1 aud forearm COM
munities against impending epIdemlcS aud danger
GUS diseases.
OBJECTIONS TO THE ADMISSION OF LARGE
PACKAGES INTO THE MAILS.
Mr.. Dinsmore, President and Messrs. HOey, Pome-
roy, Plant, Sandford and Babcock Of the Adams Ex-
press Company, are here to obtain amendments to
the Postal Code. Under the present laws packages
under four pounds may go into the mails, and IL
is affirmed clog the more important matter
and delay the delivery of letters. &c. IL Is also
urged as an objection that packages VIII soon oe-
come so numerous that the post-oi1ces tnro9guoue
the country, particularly in large cities, viii be 100
small to contain them, and that stOrehollses VIII
have to be erected. The principal objection adj
yanced is that the present system iulures tho eX-
press business. The gentlemen Will be heard Wy the
House Committee tomorrow.
DISCHARGED GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES SEEK
ING RELIEF.
A delegation of five, representing some 800 men
DISCHARGED from the Washington Navy-Yard during
the past year. appeared before the House Committee
on Appropriations this morning and said they could
indicate public work upon which all the meu they
represented might be usefuly employed. They
asserted that these discharged mechanics and la
borers were now in state of desituton, and argued
that the interests of both good government and OF
charity demanded liberal appropriations for the
Nayy-Yards throughout the country Inc Com
mittee referred the delegation 10 the Secretary OF
the Navy, and said they would give careful consd-
Grafton to such estimates as he might deem pr)per
upon these representations. TO submit.
TIE PROPOSED BUREAU OF COMMERCE.
The Senate Will take up the Legislative Appro-
priation bill on Monday. 1t passed through the
Committee, and reported back 10 the Senate
to-day An important amendment was inserted by
the Committee, which provides for the estab-
lishment of q new bureau, to be called the
Bureau of Commerce and Statistics the head OF 1t
to be known as the Commissioners of Commerce, and
the object being to collect statistics OF tranSpoIa
ton aud of the railroad systems of this and other
countries together with general supervision anu
presentation of all facts relating to transportation
by canals, MYERS, lakes, lDe present VI
Statistics is to be merged IN the new one.
THE TELEGRAPH BILL.
1t begins to be believed that the bill requiring
telegraph companies to interchange business and
pro-rate charges on the same, is likely to pass Men,
bers have an intense and often entirely unreason-
able prejudice against the Western Union
Telegraph Company on account of what they
consider its Identification with the Asso-
ciated Press, They claim that there is no
reason Why it should not Interchange and pro-rate
with other telegraph companies, excepting that TO
do SO would impair its monopoly, and argyle that
Congress can have no reason for defeating the bill
save to maintain the monopoly. The Western Union
is generally pretty prompt in meeting it's enemies
here but on this point it seems to be caught nap
ping. aud has as yet developed defensive policy.