Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-08-01
TIE EVENING STAR.

THE EVENING STAR.
Washington News and Gossip.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMISSION has not
yet appointed any time and place for its first
meeting. 1t viii do SO though In day or two.
NAVAL ORDBRs.-Paymaster G. A. Lyon to
duty at the naval rendezvous, st. Louis, Mo
Master Hugo OSterhauS.f from the Norfolk navy
yard and ordered to duty on the coast survey.
THE PRESIDENT has appointed Oliver T.
Thompson notary public for this District, and
Frank G. Macdonald to be commissioner OF
deeds 10 the state OF Maryland for the District
OF Columbia.
CoNsOLIDATED.-TheA Army and Nar, Gazette
has been purchased by Messrs. w. C. and F. p.
Church, the prop1ietors Of the Army and Nary
journal o1 New York, and the two fapers will
PERsoNAL.-Madison Bell, comptroller gene
raj of Georgia under Gov. Bullock, and now
connected with one OF the executive depart
ments here, left last night for Atlanta, In con-
sequence OF sudden illness In his family. ..--
Commissioner of Customs Johnson has left the
city for his home In Pennsylvania on leave of
absence. =. DR.. j: B. Blake left the city TO-
Branch and Tuckerton, N j., In his route. He
Will be gone several weeks.
THE REPORTED SPANISH OUTRAGE.-The re-
port that Col. Miguel Barnette, an American
citizen, was recently arrested In his brothers
house at Matanzas, Cuba, hy the Spanish author
tiles, without warrant or form Of law, has not
officially reached the Department OF State The
report that the department had called on the
Spanish government for an explanation of the
affair Is therefore incorrect. No such action
M q n ffiaf0 vxynd
received bearing out the truthfulneSs OF the
reported outrage.
THB DEATH OF GENERAL ALEXANDER Cum
MINGs late commercial agent at ottawa, Cana
da, left vacant very pleasant position with
neat salary attached. Thfs Is evidently well
knOWn.tO the place hunters OF the country for
the Department OF State is overrun with multi
tudinOuS applications to fill the vacancy Per-
sOnal opportunities of the candidates them
selves and their friends are not wanting The
department is inclined to make the appoint.
ment a promotion from a lower rank OF the
consular service.
JAPANESE DUTIES ABoLIsHED.-The Treasury
department is in receipt Of Information from
the U. S. minister at Tokei that the japanese
government has abolished the export duties on
the following artlcles:-COttOn manufactures
silk manufactures, silk and cotton mixtures
made dresses, porcelain wares, heating stoves,
lacquer ware, brOpZeS manufactured bamboo,
manufactured copper, fans and umbrellas.
Should expert duties on the above articles be
again imposed, two months notice will be
given.
The NAVY MEDICAL AID ASSOCIATION met
last evening, when the following officers were
elected: Lieutenant r. D. Hitchcock, PRESIDENT
Commander E. P. Hall, first vice. president;
Chief Engineer r. L. Harris, second Vlce-presi-
dent, and Lieutenant T. d. Bolles, secretary
and treasurer; board of directOrs-Lieutenants
J. II. Moore, E. H. Taunt, T. d. BOlles, w 81.
Reehler and G: H. Judd, Master D. L. Wilson,
(etred,) Passed Assistant Engineer C. H.
Greenleaf Pay Inspector w. w. Williams and
Surgeon J. B. Parker. The board Of directors
will meet August 9th to consider applications
for admission to the association.
THE CUSTOM OF PosTMAsrERs OF guessing at
the destination Of misdirected letters, and for
warding them In accordance with their guesses
has caused in many instances annoyance to
correspondents and loss OF time in correSpOn-
dence. The subject has been under considera-
ton at the P. O. department. letter has been
prepared advising that postmasters be in-
that when the postmaster has knowledge which
makes him certain Of the true destination of the
letter he should forward it. In other cases o;
plain that they are intended to go to some other
city than the one reached, they should be sent
Immediately to the dead-letter Office, or II the
necessary Information Is upon the envelope be
returned to the sender.
THOSE SECOND LIEUTENANCIEs seem to cause
good deal of trouble all around Although
the Secretary OF War has designated all the
young men who are to appear for examination,
A large number OF communications are daily
received at the War department from candi-
dates who were not designated or from their
friends, protesting against some one of the
twenty-five appointees. They recommend the
withdrawal OF this or that name and the sub
st1tut1on OF some other. The communications
frequently make charges against some one of
the fortunate few. Altogether 1t Is q sorry
exhibition OF petty spite and Jealousy. The
ODJect OF the writer's Is 50 plain that their efforts
almost invariably ind place In the waste
basket.
THE VELOCITY OF LIGHT.-Prof S.snon New.
comb, superintendent OF the Nautical Alma
nac," left the city this morning for Boston to
confer with Alvan Clark and other scientists In
measurement OF the velocity OF light. II this
measurement can be effected it will enable SCI
entists to determine the distance OF the planets
an appropriation OF 5000 was made to enable
the Secretary OF the Navy to make certain ex-
pendltures In experimenting, with view to OBJ
tanning correct knowledge of the velocity Of
light. Under this appropriation the work OF
Pro1. Newcomb viii be conducted.
GOyERNNRRT FINANCKs-During the past
bonds $S7, SIS 450, OF 52Os 1885, 45o In all s123
$50 soO Of the proceeds OF which ss7, ,s3s $40 was
paid out by check and $3S, 500 900 was credited
TO the banks In their bond account. There are
now outstanding about SIS, 900 OF bonds of
all descriptions. The Assistant Treasurer at
New York writes to the department that dur
Ing the past month the Increase of clearing
house certificates issued has amounted to over
$1,000 600, corresponding pretty nearly to the
increase OF legal tenders IN the banks and rep
resenting so much money that could not be
profitabIy employed and therefore exchanged
for the certificates as being more convenient
and safer TO hold. He also writes that the bal
ances paid during the month at the New York
Clearing house aggregate more than S5O, 900, ,OOO
representing total settlements OF $780, ,579
also, that In the operations OF the month the
collaterais deposited with him by the banks as
security for subscriptions to the per cent.
loan have decreased from sos, 900 900 at
the beginning Of July to less than
s5G,OC0,Go0 at the close, which indicates the
rapid closing OF bond accounts with the banks
He also says-''To have accomplished so much
In SO short time, and that, too, with so little
disturbance to the money market that the rates
on call loans have not been sensibly affected,
reflects the highest credit On the Secretary and
the department over which he preSides IL Is an