The Portland daily press., 1878-01-11
THE PRESS.
History of Seven Days.
The News for the week ending Wednes-
day Night, january.
NATIONAL CAPITAL.


United States shall have free and easy oppor-
tunity to subscribe to the bonds of any amount
authorized by law, through national banks and
bankers of established credit and to give every
facility allowed by law to convert postal orders,
certificates of deposits and o. s. notes into
coin for payment of the bonds, and where nee
essary to sell coin to facilitate subscriptions and
to favor any legislation that Congress might
see fit to adopt to promote deposit of savings
for the funding of the public debt.
The Cabinet also discussed the report of the
board of engineers appointed by the Secretary
of War to examine the Eads improvement of
the Mississippi river, and approved of the same,
whereupon it WAS decided that Eads shall re-
ceive the amount of money appropriated by
Congress for his payment upon compliance by
him with the provisions of the law.
The destruction of the greater number of the
models in the Patent Office fire has started
movement among inventors for radical
change in the patent laws. 1t Is claimed that
the present cost Of patent is excessive and
greatly detrimental to invention and national
progress. 1t is proposed to abolish models and
examinations, granting patent to all who ap-
pays dc III Gu&ld l00blHk buC Alhhbo " eAO
invention to be contested in the courts. The
inventor is to pay the Patent Office for draw
ings, for printed specification and for che pat
ent, which on an average cost about five dol
lars. 1t is claimed that this reduction would
not only greatly encourage invention, but will
cause introduction ofinventions in even great
or ratio, as the national progress is dependent
upon the number of useful inventions intro
duced.
A Sunday paper has report that Senator
Matthews on retiring from the Senate is to
have the mission to Berlin which is to be kept
open for him.
The Herald's Washington despatch says that
the President has concluded, as the New York
custom house nominations have degenerated in
to squabble, not to send any more nominal
tions, but let the matter rest and leave room for
other more important questions.
The board of inquiry appointed last Inc by
the Secretary of the Interior has sustained none
of the charges made against Chief CLERK Gal
pin OF the Indian office except two specifica-
tons, both charging unjust and improper treat
ment of subordinate. The Secretary, howev-
er, declares that certain derelictions of duty on
the part of Galpin are presented, and he &C.
cordingly dispenses with his services as chief
clerk of the Indian Bureau from the 9TH inst.
The allegation on which the dismissal was
based was the Withholding from the responsible
head of the department of certain papers con-
tanning charges against certain contractors and
agents.
1t is stated that the Secretary of the Interior
is rapidly maturing vigorous measures, based
on the report Of his board Of inquiry, Tor the
publication of the Indian service. The dismiss
sal of a number of officials now connected with
1t is certain and it is intimated that the light
ming may strike in another form in an unex-
pected quarter.
Hon. Montgomery Blair introduced a
memorial in the Maryland House of Rep
resentatives Tuesday urging Congressman
to use all needful legislation to ascer-
tain judicially who was elected President
at the recent election and to give effect to the
will of the people. Referred to the committee
on federal relations.
The New York Herald has a special despatch
from Washington in which 1t is stated that Mr..
Oonkling,or some Senator at his instigation, will
introduce resolution of inquiry into the aview
title by which the President holds his seat, with
of opening up to investigation the allegations
made in Mr.. Chandler's letter. Thurman, Da-
Wis and Mcdonald are expected to support it,,
Southern Senators. Congressman Springer
thinks the Democrats in the House would vote
for an investigation of this kind.
CRIMES AND CASUALTIES.
A Lima letter says the steamer Atacamo, be-
longing to the Pacific Steam Navigation Com
pany, went to pieces on the rocks known as
Rompe Clas, short distance south of Cslders,
on the Gillian coast, on the night of the Both
ult. The captain and all the officers and many
of the crew and passengers were lost. In all 1t
is estimated that one hundred and one persons
were drowned, and twenty-nine saved. The
ship was on voyage from Valparaiso to CAL
lao, commanded by Capt. Lambert. The acct
dent occurred at p. M, when the passengers
were well below, and SO instantaneous was the
breaking Of the ship that no time was given to
gain the deck. The cargo lost was not of great
value, and the passengers, mostly Chiians,
journeying between the ports. The bodies of
Capt. Lambert and the Purser were recovered.
No explanation of satisfactory character is Of
fered regarding the cause of the disaster The
rock was well known. Darkness had just come
on, and at such an early hour when everyone
was astir, it seems almost incomprehensible.
Schooner Martha lines, Vineyard Haven for
Boston was wrecked on Nanset Point, Cape
Cod, Thursday night and all on board drowned.
The ship John o. Baker of Savannah, Capt.
Pencil, from Bremen for the United States, is
reported in London despatch Of January 8,
to be ashore off Ostend and would probably be
a total loss. The J. o. Baker was lilo tons
register, built at Brunswick, Me. in 1860, and
hailed from Savannah. She Yves owned by
Messrs. Pennell.
Monday evening a fire broke out In the dry
inging room on the fourth. floor of the large
brick building on Blackstone Square, Cam
bridge, owned by Houghton s. Co., and known
as the Riverside Press. The room was filled
with sheets just from the press, including
10000 Of portion Of Webstsr's dictionary, a
large quantity Of sheets of the February num-
Der of the Atlantic Monthly and an immense
quantity of sheets of other works. all of which
were destroyed, entailing loss of about $4,000
and 10000 to the building.
TURoo-RUssIAN WAR.
AhO AsuooAaAo aAU otOouHy PAcooAhS VII euiOuSA
the Balkan passes, and 10000 of them are said
to be deployed on the plains of Roumelia.
Sophia has been captured and the Turks are
everywhere falling back on Adrianople. The
Porte gives out that the Notifications of Con-
stantinople are completed and are impregna-
BILE. The Danube is now thoroughly frozen
and the Russian communications re.estab-
lished. The Servians have suffered several
slight repulses. There seems to be no i'm
mediate prospect of an armistice. The London
Post tbelieves Great Britain has suggested to
the Porte the desirablity of complying with
Russia's request flor direct communication
between the commanders of theforces.
The Times Vienna correspondent telegraphs
that despite the pressure from the palace and
threats of dissolution, the Turkish House of
Representatives has been assail;ng the govern
ment with great freedom and bitterness. They
probably have the population of Stamboul on
their side and it is doubtful if they would obey
decree of dissolution even if the government
ventured to take such step.
A cable special says an unsuccessful sortie
hu fha