New-York tribune., 1878-03-15
CURRENT TOPICS AT THE CAPITAL.
LIFE INSURANCE FOR NAVY OFFICERS.

| WASHINGTON. Thursday, March II, 1873.
The following is the substance of the bill to
establish system OF life insurance for officers OF the
Navy and Marine Corps, introduced In the House on
Monday by Mr.. GOode Of Virginia, member OF the Ma
val Committee Any officer passing medical examina-
ton take policy Of life insurance, signed by
the Secretary OF the Navy, for such sum as he DESIRES
not exceeding $25 OOO-and upon tis policy he pays
tax computed a rate corresponding TO his age and the
risk assumed granting his policy The amount OF this
and the aggregate amount OF taxes on all policies Issued
Is, at the end Of every quarter, covered into the
ellicer, the amount Of his policy is paid to
The T principle %nderyng the Whole system that It
shall be sef-suppOrting. by properly calculating the
made to eSaa AZ nearly as possible the total sum paid
ont TO meet policies falling due 1t is In brief, strictly
the government furnishing the whole Inachn.
cry by which the business is carried on. In
lures the secretary OF the Navy is authorized, aths
discretion 20 increase or decrease the rate OF taxes at
any time The advantages of the plan to Navy officers
obvious. Prominent friends OF this measure say that
the Secretary o. lhe Navy ny 1doGes m rs s a ana
cable They also declare that 1t will no. render neces-
present maehincry OF the Treasury Department being
amply sufficient for putting the plan into successful OPP
! Grafton.
THE NEW STYLE OF APPROPRIATION BILL.
There are several new features in the Navy
Appropriation Bill recently reported TO the House from
| the Committee Appropriations, by Representative
Cymer The number OF officers Of every grade stated,
and the exact amount appropriated for each. The pay
being that received under the act OF last
Formerly appropriation in gross FOR the officers
Provision made for the payment OF any officers may
be In service either upon the active retired list during
the year ending June 30 1873 In OF tue numbers
for each class provided for in tins bill and for any in,
crease pay arising from different duty the needs OF
the service may require. IL Is provided that IN future
there shall be appointment made from civil life or
clerks to commanders Of squadous, nor OF
| clerks 10 commanders OF vessels ana line officer
/ ~1a.4 tl.. nf
ad o, above He Grade of master 10 perform the duties
OF clerk to q rear-admIa or commander, and one not
above the grade of eDsign to perform the duues OF
when nfoat Throughout the hin the specified objects
of appropriation are stated Only Sl5OOocO ia apPro-
ordinary purchase OF materials and stores Of all
kinds abor yards and on foreign stations preeer
repair Of vessels ahoa and for the general care and
protection OF the Navy IN the line of strucon and
repair incidental expenses, namely, advertising and
foreign postage. The total sum recommended by the
| bill is Sl404s,6si.
HOwARDs VERDICT VICTORY.
The report of the trials against General
Howard published yesterday, Inaccurate In one or
tw particulars Judge wyIe's remark In regard TO the
liability Of General Towards bondsmcn that Gen
cra Howard responsible under the bond for dis
bufsemons made prior 10 It's date, aud only for those
lie also said that il General IIowards dsbursc-
not correct suit upon the bond Tor re-
because the transactions involved the disbursc
| ments of Others aud not General Howard and were
no probability tnai the United states will bring
suit against General HowHrds bondsmen
AN AWARD OF CONTRACT DISPUTED.
| A lively discussion concerning tho proper
award Of All important mail contract was heard by The
Postmaster General to-day An Iowa bidder anda Utah
bidder offered carry the mail route In California
for precisely the sum- this SUN being the lowest
bid In conformity with practice OF the department,
which gives the contract 10 the bidder living
the route the Of tie the Utah man was awarded
the contract But there Is another custom m oi the De
previous eontractor and the Iowa bidder claims that
| ihe firm OF which he Is member was the preceding
contractor on part OF te route anu thi the cOnihct
should therefore be awarded to INN OF TO ihe hfn which
he represents Several members oi Congress paftci-
pated In the discussion.
BAD PLACE FOR YANKEE woRKMEN.
| The Consul at st. John writes to the Depart
mcnt of State that there Is much distress among
canics ard laborcrs who went thi;ier from the United
States last year. under inducements OF high and
steady employment in railway and other enterprises.
Constant applications are made for relief and transpor
at,on home The lumber aud shppin: Interests of New
R1ps wick continue much depressed; this rctards the
rebuilding Of the burnt district Of - John Wages have
fallen greatly MasOns who as year received from ~
10 90 80 day be hired now NJ II 70 to ~ and car
peners who last year got ~ 5O this receive II %.
No advance in wages Is likely, ahd many "0iIMcn ale
out Of employment.
RAILWAYS WANT TO BE HEARD.
The managers of several of the trunk rail-
way lines from Chicago to New-York have teeGaphed
for pcrmisson 10 reply the assertions made by Mr.
RusIng the other day, In his examination before the
House COmutce Agriculture In regard 10 the alleged
| ring OF "cvcncrs" Among the companies that desire
10 present their side OF the story - the l0rk Cen
fr The committee decided last Monday that the hear
ing should closed to-day bnt, a the request of the
raj road manager two additional hours wifi be given TO
argument Monday next.
A COMPROMISE on TIE PATENT LAWS.
The House Committee on Patents will prob
ably agree to the bill reported by the Senate committee
for revising the patent laws. This bin is compromise
between the owners Of patents and the Changers and
railroad interests all OF which have had attorneys before
| the committees for some time past.
NEVER MADE THE ILI~NATUKED REMARK.
II is now denied at the White House that
President Hayes said lately In conversation, that lie
| found the Republican party dead when lie came into
| office.
WASJJINET0N NOTES