New-York tribune., 1877-08-06
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.


WASHINGTON Aug. :. 1877.
The POstmaSter-General wrote recently to
tine Wheeler and Wilson Sewing Machine Conf
pany, asking them il the :. b. Kirby of
Little Rock, whose ol,r sell SewuSm1chnos az re-
dUced prices to country postmasers and receive pos
tage stamps in payment, which noticed in dispatch
to THE TRIBUNE authorized agcn, OF theirs Tho
reply that they had no knowledge OF lim. He IL
doubtedy simply q sub-agent, and is engaged in busi-
winch t is believed numerous other people through
out the country also find prof able. The temptation for
posmastrrs al small places TO pay for articles IN stamps
o. the sale OF which they receive commission Of nom
fifty 10 sixty per cent Is great, and will contnu
until Congress changes the law and makes the numnerof
compute posnasters salary instead oi the number of
stamps sold
PHmADELPHTA's COMMERCIAL PRIyLEGEs.
The President has signed an Executive
order declaring Philadelphia to be port OF entry for
goods to be shipped in bond the territory OF tho
United states Canada. This privilege has ong been
enjoyed by the cities Of NewYork, Boston aud Portland,
and Phadclpl' business men think that with the same
prvlfgcHccOruc 10 them they VIII be able 10 SECURE
much larger proportion OF the foreign trade of canada,
which Is done through ports OF the United states.
INCREASED ACTIVITY IN THE NAVY YARD.
There has been more activity at the Wash
ngton Navy Yard during the past month than Tor many
years. except during tho Cuban excitement eighteen
months This Of the BEST II not he very best
manufacturing naval stations in the United States snd
work, which long ago discontinued, has been re-
sumed. The official day has been increased 10 ten
hours and tho OF naval material turned Oltmust
be very great. At the time, Secretary Thompson
says that he shall keep all tho expenses Of his depart
ment within the appropriations, and shall have DO
hcencles The several hundred sailors now on the ves-
sells ~ lying AT the Washington Inyy Yard aud Ar
sena trained daily IN battalion dT aud SAID 10
be becoming quite efficient soldiers well sailors.
suERMAN'S PREDICTION As TO OHIO.
A Senator now in Washington who has re-
Gently cOyeIsed with Secretary Sherman, reports him
as saying the Republicans VIII certainly carry Ohio by
10000 majority Other Ohio Republicans now IN Wash
in -tOn also expectation OF carrying tho
state. but do not place the majority at So high re.
THE CAP1TALAS A PLACE FOR CAPITALISTS.
One-Of the Washington Sunday newspapers
suggests that capitalists should now turn their ntoa
this city favorable place for the establishment Of
large manufacturing interests nasmucb a., in addition
to an almost ueXhaustible water power IN the Upper
Potomac the experience with strikers has dem0n-
srated that capital may be easily protected under
jurisdiction OF the National Government than under
that OF the states
UNDERsELLING THE SYNDICATE IN BONDS.
Information has been received at the Treas
ury Department that OF the per cent funding
bonds have been offered in New-York at premium of
onehaf OF per cent less than the Syndicate price
II is not believed that large quantity OF these bonds
for sale at this price, that these quotations viii
interfere with the sales by the Syndicate.