New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-07

FOIsrY TONS OF USELESS PLATES
The plates and dies IN the Treasury vaults,
which axe be destroyed announced IN the special
dispatches of TIE TRIBUNE recently Involve weight Of
metal al ogcthcr OF about forty Included among
these are tue die, rolls, etc. heretofore used by the
NcwIoIk bank companies IN printing the internal
revenue stamps and all the Old plates which the
per cent coupon bonds, the sevenhr;ies. aud other
early Issues of Goyernme obi cations printed.
great number these have not only become useless by
having passed out Of date and been substituted by
others uf different character and value bul are also
worthless by reason OF excessive use, which has worn
them out
NEW-ENGLAND sIFTED FOR WITNESSES.
Owing to the great quantity of work which is
accommodating with House Committee on Post Offices
and Post Roads, special meeting was called last night
for the prOsc of hearing witnesses for the defence in
the peudng invasligatohof Mr. Cheney, superintendent
Of the Railway Mail Service Of New England. Charles
Fold OF Boston. and W. III. Bigelow, of Augusta, Me-,
special agents j. f. Larkns postmaster at Concord. n.
H. Jas +. Briggs NJ. C., l.. G.. Pierce, postmaster at
Portsmouth. ~ H. and several others testified that
superintendent Cheney had greatly improved the ser
vice during his administration ana that his reputation
was excellent. To-day. testimony was taken from Miles
Conn Congressman Blair, of New-IIampshire. Frank
C. Emery aud Bushrod H. Camp, testified iavoraDIy to
Mr. ChoheS.
THE TEXT OF THE FORTIFICATIONS BILL.
Two only of the thirteen general apDropri-
otiou bills have passed House. namely, the West
point Academy and the Fertilization Bills Both are
now in the Senate. The latter bill is as follows:
BE il enacfed, etc. That the sum OF 100000 be and
tno same Is hereby appropriated out of any in
the Tre not otherwise appropriated FOR the prOtec
ton preservation aud repair Of IOrtcatons ana Other
WORKS OF defense, for the fiscal year ending
Juno 30. 1873; The same 10 be expended I'M
der the direction OF the secretary OF War. Also,
The following armament of Qualifications, namely I,
For the armament Of secoast fOrthcatVus, lhciudlng
heavy guns aud howitzers for flank defence cIriaet
prnectcs, fuses, powder ana Implements, thelr tf.al
and aud ali necessary expenses lheih.nt dnei o.
and Tor Calling ana othel lhachhe guns, TI-oooo'
toruedoe, Tor narDOr dcfences, ana preservation or
the same and fo torpedo experiments IN their appll-
cation TO harbOr and lama defence ana Tor
the instruction the engineer battalion IN their prep
araton and application, $4,000; provided that the
Innry herein aiuroprited torpedOcs shall only he
usrd i'm tne estaD shnent aud maintenance OF tOrpe-
does operated from shore stations Tor the desruc'
lion enemy vessel approaching the shore OF en-
terlug the channel and iair WAYS OF harOors
The LONGEST MAIL ROUTE IN AMERICA
Colonel D. T. Chichester, of Arkansas, was
to-day awarded the contract for carrying the mails
from Fort Worth, Texas, by way OF III PlsO, TO
Fort Yuma Arizona. The distance is 1900 miles, .ho
route being from the present terminus of the
Texas and Pacific Railroad to the Colorado klV-
err The service is to DO performed daily III
c,ncb. This Is tie longest tno Uuted states.
The contractor to receive $4,000 per annun Ths
cfuug saves fOrtycih hours over the tnc OF former
rttnes all northern and eastern points Colonel
CDldeser t. the last IOrty years been NAL con-
tractor the southwest and ms always rendered the
rculred service the satisfaction OF the department.
WHY THE HURON WAS LOST.
A communication from the Secretary of the
Navy accompanied by analysis of the evidence taken
at the Court OF Inquiry the loss of the Huron Oy sur
geon-icneril james G. Palmer wasssont 10 the senate
to-day. Is opinion OF the court that with due
caution aud carefully taken and plotted bearings OF Cnr
rituck Lsht the close proximity OF the huron " ue
coast would have been made manifest