The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-04-03
WASHINGTON.
The Geneva Award,

WASHINGTON.
The Geneva Award,
WASHINGTON, April 2.
House committee on judiciary to-day agreed
upon bill for the payment of the unexpended
balance of the Geneva award. 1T proposes to
refer to the court of claims for adjudication
claims of those parties only who are actual
sufferers by Confederate cruisers, but without
reference to any exclusion by the law of 1874,
or the decisions of the late court of commits
sioners of the Alabama claims Claims are
to be determined under the treaty by equity,
Justice and the law of nations. The above was
agreed to by one majority in the committee.
The IN inority consisting of five members
agree to pay the first, exculpated cruisers,
second, extra interest of per cent on all pre-
whalers in lieu of freight and third, war
premiums.
Wood Thinks the Tariff Bill will Pass.
Representative Wood having understood
that some New York merchants and merchants
elsewhere have doubts about the passage of the
tariff bill said to-day it was increasing in
strength. The day it was reported 1t received
on preliminary questions 108 votes on a rising
vote, 1913 by tellers, 1874 by yeas and nays with
II Democrats absent Wood says he has no
doubt of the passage of the bill in the House
by the LIST of May, and in the Senate before
the close of the present session.
House committee on commerce agreed to
appropriate $4,000 toward improvements to
the Harlem river.
American Merchantmen i'm the Coolie
Trade.
The Secretary of the Navy has received
communication from the commanding officer
of the South Pacific station to the effect that
American merchantmen are engaged ia the
Coolie trade that is in the transportation of
Chinese from China, and the Navy depart
ment is now considering the question of neces.
sary instruction to our fleet to have the laws
executed by the seizures of all such ships. 1t
is probable that such instructions will be
speedily issued. The department is advised
that a vessel wrecked on one of the South
Pacific islands was found to contain 80 Chinese
over and above the number certified to by the
United States consul at the port of embarka-
ton. 1t is also represented to the Secretary of
the Navy that Coolies had been taken to
Honolulu, where they are forced to enter into
contracts for labor in order to procure their
liberty. and the trade is supposed to be carried
on 10 utter defiance of the laws of the United
States. This subject was under consideration
at the cabinet meeting to-day.
The Loss of the Metropolis.
The official report upon the loss of the steam
er Metropolis shows that when rebuilt her
new timbers were not properly built on to the
old, and the latter gave way in the strain of
the storm, causing the leak which led her cap
tain to beach her. and that the same weakness
caused her rapid demolition by the waves.
The Japanese indemnify Fund.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
have virtually decided to report to their re-
spective bodies similar bills restoring to the
Japanese government the remainder Of the
Japanese indemnity fund amounting originally
to $786, 125, but which has increased to nearly a
million and half by investment in United
States bonds. The bills, however, reserve
$125,0O0 to pay the claims of the officers and
seamen of the United States vessels Wyoming
and Takiang.
senator Hows's Speech.
Senator Howe states to the Tribune that he
has hundreds of letters from Wisconsin and
other parts of the country, commencing his
speech against the administration. He says
the great mistake of the President is that in all
his actions in regard to all his measures, he
thinks be is acting as the representative of the
Republican party. If not disabused of this
idea, he will go on in the same course and in
the name of the Republican party. The Dem
ocrats, he says, are putting bad measures
through Congress, and by the aid of President
Hayes they become laws just the same as if
nation.
Various Matters.
House committee on banking to-day ap-
pointed subcommittee to consider and report
upon stephens financial bill introduced
yesterday.
Final action is to be taken Friday next on
Potter's bill for the distribution of work now
done by the Bureau of Engraving to bank note
companies.
House committee to-day agreed to reduce the
APPROPRIATION for the East river and He'll gate.
New York to $350,000.
DR.. Charles +. Stansbury, a prominent
Mason. who was last week incorrectly reported
dead is recovering from his Illness
The House Naval Committee have agreed to
report favorably Representative Whitthorne's
bill authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to
appoint apothecaries as warrant officers in the
navy.
In the executive session of the Senate the
pending motion to reconsider the rejection of
Lewis r. Parsons as U. s. Attorney for Ala
bama was withdrawn. The motion to reconsid.
er the rejection of Robert M. Reynolds as first
auditor of the Treasury, which was withdrawn
yesterday, was to- day renewed.
House naval committee to-day agreed to
proposition authorizing the Secretary of the
Navy to appoint his chief clerk assistant
secretary, and while acting in that capacity he
is to receive $500 per annum.
Montgomery BIair's Resolutions.
New YORK, April 2-The Herald says there
the main topic Of discussion in Saturdays |
caucus was Montgomery Blair's bill in the |
Maryland legislature about the President, the |
question being what course the Senators as |
by passing both Houses of the Legislature. |
should take practical shape. The rumor adds |
that the general determination of the Senators |
was not to oppose any movement having for its |
object to GUST President Hayes but that nothing |
was actually decided Oh.
Montgomery Blair is reported to have said |
last night that Congress will mako the Mary /
land resolutions effective by pronoupcng |
President Hayes not entitled to his position,
and that bill which has been prepared. will |
soon be offered.
The River and Harbor Bill.
kha Oh &c
harbor bill are the following: Bath. (the Gut
Belfast harbor, ST., O00 Richmond Isle, $4,000;
Cocheco river, 81, 400; Merrimac river, $4,000;
Boston harbor, $4,000; Plymouth, $4,000:
$1,000; Hyannis. $4,000; Taun-
.on river, 1000; Providence river, (removng
! rocky $4,000; Little Narrangansett Bay
100; Stonington harbor, $4,000; Thames river,
$4,000; Milford harbor, $4,000; Housatonic
'iver 81, 1000; Bridgeport harbor $4,000, Nor.
walk river, $4,000; Burlington river. $4,000,
s40O, 900 for Hell Gate, which will probably be
reduced to 100000.
scharz's Crookedness in the Freedmen's
Hospital Matter.
The investigation of the Freedmen's hospital
q Washington by the Senate committee, has
developed the TACT that two previous nvestiga-
lons mad been made, and the reports, entirely |
X,cuIpatlng the surgeons and physicians from
all charges whatever, had been made to Secre-
iary Schurz, but he had not made them public. |
The New York Tribune says that Secretary
ochurz was about to make an investiga alton of |
lis own 10 person, when ths Senate investjga-
ion began.
The report of the Senste committee ia
unanimous in favor Of the physicians mauag.
ng the hospital, and as to the eficencv.
idelity and economy of the management.
Butler Explains,