The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-10-18
w A SHIN ON.
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.
WASHINGTON, Oct. II, 1878.


THE PURCHASE OF SILVER BULLION.
An ordor issued by tho Secretary Of the Treas
ury this morning providing tho mode OF purchas-
ing silver bullion hcrcator 1t is found by export.
cncc that the London quotations not a sale guido
The transactions there tar less in than in
New York, and the quotations are frequently In
luenced by speculative movements and not by gen.
uino sales. The new mode requires bids Wcdnes.
day of each week Tor delivery NJ Philadelphia San
Francisco to 10 delivered as proposed by the bid.
Tho pricc of lots undor TO- 900 will be 1xod by
rulo dependent upon the market vaiuo ascorsained
by public bids
CONDITION or THE NAVY AS SHOWN IN THE
ANNUAL REPORT OF NAVAL BUREAUS AND
OFFICERS
The various bureaus and officers In tho Navy De-
partmont are preparing their annual reports and
OF have already been submitted to the Secrc
tary. brief abstracts Of which being made for his
annual report These reports show that thorc arc
now about twonty naval vessels on foreign stations
and eight moro In tho course OF preparation
to be sent abroad. Thcrc arc mono on tho Gulf
those that there having been sent North,
usual during tho summer months, on account Of
the health Of the officers and and because thcrc
were special reason Tor thcm 10 remain there Tho
navy has about thirty vessels OF various casses
scaworthy condition. apart from eight or nine NOM.
tors, which intended moro particularly for homo
defence. The OPINION expressed that there should
DO at least hundred seagong vessels in order to
meet all requirements
The personnel OF the navy is represented to be In
admirable condition. There arc 1850 mon; 100 In
reserve. These leave for thrco months. Liable
to called into service any timo. Besides, tho ap-
prentice sy stem affords gradual supply OF educated
Tor the navy, and hence there Is necessity
Tor many new enlistmcnts.
Tho policy Of the Navy Department Is not to repair
vessels which would cost forty per ovor their
original value. Tho OF vessels is estimated to
average ton por cent per annum. Tho work in adj
vance Is principally confined 10 rinng smooth boro
guns, tho Rdoman and Dahlgrccn seemingly going
out Of use. Experiments with torpedoes show their
practicabiiiy, and efforts made TO perfect these
means warfare Tho fact is established aud admit
tod by foreign military and naval officers that Tho
gunpowdcr used In our army ana navy superior to
any Of their own in propusivo iorcG
AMERICAN STEAM MAIINE-yEssELs INSPECTED
IN THE SECOND SUPERVISING DISTRICT.
Tho annual report OF General James A. Dumont,
Supervising Inspector General OF steam vessels, now
bong prepared, will snow that Ia tho Second SUPER
vsiEg district. which embraces the subdistricts Of
Now York, Albany, Boston, Now London, Portland,
Philadelphia, Baltimore aud all tho Atlantic coast
from tho eastern portion OF Maine 10 Capo Charles,
there 135 steamers inspected during The nscal
year cnuing 80 1878. Tho tonnage OF these
sells 400 2i7; number OF officers licensed, 900
number OF inspectors employed, 20; total number Of
lives lost by various casualties during the year, H.
| This statement, compared with tho Same work in
1871 shows OF 70 In tho number OF vessels
Inspected decrease OF 45o0 in tho tonnage OF
soils, caused by large plumber OF steamers going out
OF service; an increase OF ~ in the number Of lives
lost AZ the figures maze up to tho 30th OF June
last tho loss Of fc occasoncd by tho explosion Of
tho Adcphi tow weeks ago is not included.
ouAnTggMAsTEa GENERAL MEros' ANNUAL ne
| PORT.
| Qnartermas,cr General Meigs has completed bis
annual report to the Secretary Of War. II contains
! largo amount OF statistical information and makes
| several recommendations OF Importance.
| Tho total regulations IRON hts Office during the
| fiscal year ending Juno 80 last amounted "a
s12 1902 COS. the department moved during the year
1920 passengers, 400 beasts aud los, 2Gl tons Of
| military material.
Tho Indian disturbances and labor riots mado tho
presence OF considerable bodies OF troops necessary
In May In different piaces ana tho smalinoss OF tho
| army ncccssitated extensive and expensive move
mcnts IN order to sufficient force ut tho threat
cncd points. Marches Of 500 10 1000 miles were
common and several OF 500 miles, two Of 5000 ant
| one OF g. 800 miles wcre made. Tho largest move
ncnts wefo made by Pacific railroads, and the ap
preparation for transportation was not large enough
TO quidaio their accounts General Meiss therefor,
recommends that Congress should make a deficiency
appropriation OF ss25Ooo settle the accounts io
the past years service.
lie says that tho operations for the department arr
embarrassed by tho action OF Congress relative u
land grant railroads. to mono Of which can money b.