The New York herald., 1879-07-14
w AS HIN GTON.
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON. July 49, 1879.
PASSING ROUND THE HAT FOR THE OHIO CAM
PAIGN
The republican members of the House having
smothered. pro tenpo,e the bill prohibiting political
assessments. the eleemosynary hat has begun to cir
cuiate in the departments in order that the Republ
Congressional Committee may be provided with
the sinews of for the Ohio campaign 1t is
noticeable however. that voluntary contributions
solicited with much less assurance than for
mery. aud that there is a kind Of sub air about
the proceedings Of those who have undertaken to
make collections that suggests conscious
their part OF the questionable legit-
macy of their undertaking. The responses. SO far
do not appear to be- very encouraging. Where one
contributes per cent of his yearly salary
will give less than onethird OF that proper
ton, excusing themselves the ground that they
are voters in other States. Indeed many stalwart
Northern republicans object to contribute anything
They cannot see, they say, why they should be
called upon to pay the piper while the Ohio fellows
dancing into so many good offices. Others again
are loud in their denunciaton OF the lukcwarm and
the stingy, and protest that every ocehoder should
be forced to render material support to the party in
power or make way for others who would be only
too glad to take the emoluments Of office minus
liberal discount for political expenses.
STEAMBOAT INsPEcrIoN-NoTABLE REDUCTION
IN THE NUMBER OF AcCIDENTs-A STRICT
ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.
General Dumont. Supervising Inspector General
of the Steamboat Service has recently returned from
tour of inspection in seven of the ten steamboat
districts of the United States including New York,
and will leave on Sunday to complete the inspection
of the other three proceeding first to Philadelphia.
whore. in company with Mr.. Kirby, the new Super
visng Inspector, he will make thorough examina-
ton of every portion of that district The object Of
these visits has been to make himself more gener-
ally acquainted with the steamboat service. and.
as far possible to form the acquaintance
of the leading steamboat and manu-
facturers OF boiler iron. The statistics and
facts gained in his tour of inspection will be ncor
porated in General Dumont's third annual report
for the fiscal year ended June so. Among the salts
factory evidences of a more earnest desire on the
part OF manufacturers of boiler iron to comply with
the law, General Dumont says that they are most
ready and anxious even to fulfil now to the very
letter the requirements Of the Board of Supervising
Inspectors, ana that they combining with the
tensile strength requisite for steamboat boilers
ductility. which gives additional security
to all boilers used vessels propelled in
whole or part by steam. The inspection service
has been greatly improved year since General
bureau of the Treasury Department. until steam
boat owners have been compelled to recognize the
practical wisdom and economy of the service it is
administered. Where they formerly re-
luctant to carry out the suggestions made by in
spectors. they cheerfuly comply with the rules,
and the reports of the inspectors show unusual
demand upon their time to attend to the inspection
calls made by the owners of large steamboats,.
Since the explosion of the boilers of the Adephi at
Norwalk there has been less complaint made
by the inspectors Of attempts to evade the rules of
the Board Of Supervising Inspectors and it is stated
fact that S25 would have repaired the boilers of
that boat at the time of the explosion, but that the
owners were not willing to lose the time which it
would have required. aud for this they have had to
pay nearly $4,000. The objection hitherto made to
hydrostatc pressure in testing boilers because of
the strain upon the boilers tested is also fast dis
appearing. An instance is given Of one of the
North River boats, supposed to be the safest
the river the boilers of which. hav-
ing been repaired, were subjected to this
test not long ago, when the fues collapsed be-
fore the pressure was anywhere that which the
owners claimed the boat was entitled to have under
steam. These and other instances General Dumont
says have directed the attention of steamboat
to the importance of cooperating with the govern
ment officers in Carrying out the provisions OF laws
maze TO protect Ire anu properly on steanooats.
The reason given for these changes in the conduct
steamboat is that the rules of the service
enforced by the Supervising Inspector General and
his subordinates as they never have been before.
Formerly inspector who attempted to do his duty
was threatened with removal for much oficious-
ness. Now the rules are so vigoro usly carried out
that there is licensed officer in the steamboat
service who does not fear suspension or that his
license will be revoked for failing in his duty. These
r-formations have had salutary effect upon the
service everywhere. and the statistics which will
accompany the report show that the number of lives
lost by accident during the ended June 3o 1872
105. whereas during the preceding fiscal year the
number was 2l2 and the number of accidents was
reduced during the last year to 81 while the preced
ing year the number was At. Every report made to
the Treasury Department of nfractions Of the law is
promptly stigaed, and it is the hope of the head
of the steamboat service that the statistics of the
ensuing fiscal year will show greater decrease
in the number Of accidents and the number of lives
lost.