New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-18
CUSTOM HOUSE CHANGES.

THE NEW NAVAL OFFICER AT HIS DUTIES.
ONE PROMOTION THE ONLY CHANGE MADE BY
COLONEL BURT-THE NEW COLLECTOR TO TAKE
CHARGE SATURDAY AFTERNOON
Colonel Burt yesterday assumed formal con-
troll Of the Naval Office The entire staff Of deputies and
clerks has in the only change being the pro-
motion Of ]. NJ. Comstock 70 deputy Mr. Comstock
will DO placed in charge Of the Naval Department desk
in the rotunda Of the Custom House Colonel Burt occu
pied his old and desk yesterday saying that he
felt at home there and preferred 10 be at all times Access
sbe TO his friends without the intervention OF mes
sengers About probable changes OF employees,
he said: ~ have been in this department
about nine years, most OF the time as second
in command. and think that / know the capabilities
and conduct OF every empoye IN the Naval Office They
are all competent men and be relied upon to dis
charge faithfully their duties II at any time in the f-
turc any charges against the integrity or efficiency OF
one OF the clerks should sustained will remove MIN
instantly am no politician and shall not remove any
empoy6 In this department for purely personal reasons
have awas been in OF civil service REFORM aud
shall carry IL out 60 the letter"
Before the deputies and clerks began their work, Col
onel Burt called them before him ana told them that
they would be expected conduct their business pre-
csey as they would II in merchant employ and 10 bear
IN mind always that public business should be conducted
with strict regard to interests Of the Govern
ment and the people.
General Merritt remained in the Surveyors ONCE yes
terday transactng business until o'clock. when be
embarked on n revenue cutter for moonlight sail He
took WITH him several little girls nieces anf their
friends The of transferring the Office OF Collector
was changed yesterday until Saturday afternoon, nj 4
o'clock after the business hours are over II being
thought best by both General Merritt ana Collector Ar
thur that the official duties General Merritt should
begin with the week
The blank oaths Of Office have been prepared for the
deputy collectors The present deputies holding the
Office under the appointment OF General Arthur lose
their official identity upon the retirement OF their chief
and IN order TO transact public business In future they
must be sworn In by the new Collector. The present
force OF deputy collectors in order Of rank Is composed
Of John r. Lydecker, warehouse division Richard
WynRoop entry and clearance OF vessels division !;
William A. Morris entry and Liquidation division Ben
iamin T. Wyman invoice and order division; Dudley f.
Phelps, law divisions Samuel NJ. Blatchiord, public
store division Knox McAiee and John j. Osborn, mer
chant entries in rotunda.
The forf assuming control of the Collectors Office Is
thus described by a prominent Custom House official
"General Merritt will present the Official notice from
the United States Commissioner OF Customs Of the
proyal OF bis bond the time he VIII present
inrn over the Office OF Collector 10 the appomee
This done next step VIII be 20 swear In the deputy col
lect0rs, which can be done by swearing 10 an me present
officials bv designating such rs may lie retained In
nearly twenty years can only recoeet one Instance
where the old force was not sworn ~ lhat was Mnon
Thomas Murphy succeeded Mr. Gnnnel. Henry
Philips deputy collector, VINO hhd beth particularly
hostile Mr. Murphy before the appointment OF the
latter refused be sworn IN by him The mere fact OF
swearing ~ deputy collectors is no guarantee OF
penanrncy In Office, but Is merely done 70 insure an un
iuterruped transaction OF the public business General
Merritt car nom nate an entire set Of deputy col
leciors within five minutes after the present force u
sworn in al such selections being subject TO the ap-
pr0yal OF Secretary Sherman"
when asked yesterday whether he would make
immediate changes among the deputies, General Merritt
said: "Really am not prepared 90 say. Sufficient
INTO the ny IA the evil thereof As 20 what my future
pocy NAV be can only refer % my pact career. When
became Surveyor found an efficient force aud only
made a few changes. The Custom House Will be man
AGED by me on practical business principles and IN the
remOyal and appointment OF clerks, Capabiity aud in
fecrty Will be the standard by which shall be gov
ened1 II Il generally believed by his friends that Col
oDel Iydecker viii resign his position as deputy oolcc
tor before General Arthur retlrcs from Office Colonel
Iydecker declined TO deny affirm tho ort. There
were many yesterday Of probable designations
aud removals mono which could DO traced to any au
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