The New York herald., 1878-07-12
w WASHINGTON. A
FROM OUR R=eu AR CORRESPOND EnT.

wAsniSGTox, July IL, 1878.
RELATIVE RANK OF ASSISTANT SURGEONS IN
THE ARMY-DEcIsIoN or THE ATTORNEY
GESFRAL.
Tho Attorney General has just given an opinion
the question OF relative rank OF assistant surgeons
army who hold the rank OF captain, SO the
list OF sixty officers Of that grade the Army
Register, but eight retain their number the list
now published. The sw OF July, 1866. largely IN
creased assistant surgeons 10 the army
and provided that tho persons selected TO I'LL tho
vacancies should have previously served at loast two
years medical officers of volunteers. The law also
changed the existing aw, which provided that assistant
surgeons who nrs. leuiensnis when appointed
should bccome captains IN the medical stan whom
they had completed ave years service by providing
that they should be promoted TO captains serving
three years, aud further provided that any and all
service medical officers OF volunteers should bc
counted part ol the three necessary TO OBJ
tain promotion captain. Under these laws several
officers In tho service became captains immcdi-
atsiy on appointment, becsuss OF having already
served over thrce years In tho volunteers
Tho assistant surgeons provided Tor under tho law
were appontedat various dates ranging from May IL.
1867, to November lG, 1865 Tho Adju,nnt General,
who much opposed to the law, held that these
officers should rank relatively on tho list IN tho data
Of thor appointments as ASSISTANT surgeons. Tho
officers who had served the volunteers hsvo always
held that under the law OF 1857 they showed rnuk
according TO the date OF their commissions cap
tain but unable to obtain thoir rights through
the resistance OF Adjutant General Townsend. About
years ago the taken up by Assistant Sur
geon A. b. Campbell and Is decided 10 favor Of
the ground taken by tho Interested officers
THE NEW CUSTOM HOUSE BARGE OFFICE TO
BE ERECTED ON THE DATrEEY-PL,N or
THE EDrIcE.
Congressman Muller, OF Now York city. who came
back TO Washington recently TO look alter tho appro-
priaton made by Congress Tor building the Gus
tom House barge oce at tho Bacry, has returned to
Now York satisfied that the money viii DO withheld
by the authorities hero until The United States Is given
clear and satisfactory title TO the land. Meanims
tho plans had been prepared and preliminary sketches
OF tho building designed by Mr. Hill, tho
| Supervising Architect. Tho barge office Is In.
tended face tho open space the
Staten Island forry, and will bc two stories high, and
constructed OF stone aud brick in something OF the
French chateau style Of architecture. Tho sky line
will be handsomely broken By threo small towcrs the
most southcry being elongated to contain a BEL
fry and clock and at night igni. The passengers
waiting and searchcrs' Offices will bs the main
floor, and tho Offices OF the various officials
second floor. Tho space between the building
and tho pier and wharf will be covered with shed 10
protect tho baggage whilo stored aud awaiting idsnti
| ncstion.
OvERCRowDED EXCURSION STEAMERS.
Exception has beon taken by some OF tho ofhcials
OF tho Treasury department tho editorials OF the
HERALD calling upon tho steamboat inspectors TO
watch for iniractious OF tho law against tho
crowding OF excursion steamers. They claim that the
duties OF those officials entirely Judicial and no,
detective. Tho penalties csn DO enforced only when
| iniractions OF the law are made known TO them.
These infractions may be reported by any body pas
ssngers othors who may wish TO discover them .c
the Inspectors As tho lnc varios from 500 to $780,
aud is payable one half TO the inormer, u nns
chance offered In these hard times to impscunious
persons 10 turn an houost penny and do society
commcndabis service by watching for and reporting
cases Of overcrowded excursion steamers o,hes
violations OF tho steamboat laws.