New-York tribune., 1876-01-24
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
A SINGULAR CLAIM FOR DAMAGES.

WASHINGTON, Jan % 1876.
The Senate Committee on Claims has recently
reported adversely a singular petition, sent to
the senate by tho firm OF Laban. Heath & Co Of Bos
This firm engaged, in 1869 aud 1870, III pub
fishing books, illustrated by Of bank notes and
United States bonds &c. and undertook to ISSUE large
and extensive work entitled, "Tho American Bond
Detector and Complete History OF the United states
Securities" To illustrate this work they obtained from
the Treasury Department authority to have prepared In
the Engraving and Printing Bureau steel plates copies
&c. OF bonds and Government securities and under this
authority 20 large plates cut, and $4,000 impress
sons printed upon plate paper and sent TO tho firm For
this engraving and printing the Company paid $4,000.
The petitioners affirm that after the book was nearly
ready for ISSUE when the plates were unpacked to
bound with the ettcrpross they discovered that tho
copies printed at tho Treasury Department worc mpor-
feet that whole sets unsuitable for illustrating
their work They Immediately informed tho Department
Of the defects and thn other plates be furnished
in their stead but OWING 10 ,le fact that law bad IA
the mean time been passed fOrbiddng TIC Department
to perform work for private firms or ndivldual- the
new plates cOud not bo supplied. The firm now asks
Congress TO reimburse them Tor their loss or to allow
them to bring suit to recover damages In the Court OF
THE RESTORATION OF FORESTS.
The House Committee on Public Lands have
before them bill Of Representative Dunne for the
appointment OF n commissioner for inquiry into the de-
tructon OF forests and tho for the
preservation OF timber The ia made that the
supply of timber within the United States IA rapidly
diminishing, and that great public injury must result
from its continued waste unless adequate means are
taken for Its preservation and production IL Is
proposed to appoint Commissioner OF Forestry man
approved attainnens who is practically acquainted
with methods aud statistical inquiry, and who has
eyInccd an intimate acquaintance with questions
relating 10 the national wants In regard to timber and
with the that may bo best calculated TO meet
these wants they arise 1t is nado the duty OF
Commissioner. under tho direction Of the Secretary OF
The Interior to prosecute Investigations with the view 0f
ascertaining the annual consumption Importation and
expectation OF timber and forest products, the
probable supply for future wants. tho means best
adapted for their preservation and renewal the influences
Of forests upon climate ani the measures that have
successfully applied IN for'ign countries. or that
pOn The 30 tr secretary OF the Interior To DC by
hiIu Transmitted To Congress.
MR. NEwMAN's TRIP AROUND THE WORLD.
The House Committee on Expenditures OF
the State Department. at It's meeting Saturday morning.
listened to Interesting address by tho Rev Dr. j. T.
Newman his recent Journey around the world IN the
capacity of Inspector Of Con5u'atcs He told the Com
mittce that hs mission the result OF conference
b,twcen the President Mr. Bontws, thon Secretary of
the Treasury and himself Before he had completed his
Journey tho time dutn. wlich tho inspections might
lawfully Do made expired and he resigned his 0lcc at
ST Petersburg and continued h1 journey at his own e1
pense. The cost Of the mission Vas ABOUT SOODO DIT
Newman gave tho Committee sOm) interesting anu ih-
portan information ia gard 10 the organization Of the
Consular service and suggested that considerable saving
might possibly be mads by appointing as comn'rcial
agents nt port. where tho receipts OF consular fees
amount o tnan II 900 business mon, either cltzes
of the United Sttrs ohcr counties. Such agents. Mr
Newmlm said would perform satisfactorily IN dates re-
luir,d ~ them for the frs collected, While ~ present
fle salaries OF OF those cun-ns amount 10 con
sid .raby more tHan The receipts OF their Oinces
ARMY OFFICERS SUGGESTIONS.
Members of the House Military Committee
have received many letters from officers OF the army sus
70 ting plans for the cost Of the military esab
smeut without interi"rn; with 1t. eic ncy Some OF
these letters will be laid before tho Commiteo ami proper
attention given to suggestions which they contain II
j. believed that plan Of retrenchment which may M
applied 10 army exp ltures by the Committee On MIL
tary Affairs viii not extend 10 the oces of drefal AM
Lieutenant % the Army ~ long ~ they arc hiled
by Gems sherman and sheridan. The Southern members
Of the Committee recognize tho fact thatt undoubtedly
the will Of the people that these two Officers sha be
eminent services thc
war and athu Of them served on the other size
they have desire degrade either by cutting down
their salaries allowance AT tie ranr time II Il quite
probable that bill may be reported to abolish these
Offices whichever thuy become vacant