Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-09-22
THE EVENING STAR.
Washington News and Gossip.
GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS STO-DAY.-Internal rev.
enue, S5s5. .s93. IS: customs, s467. 1925.

washington news anu dOSS1p'
GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS sTo-DAY-Internalr rev.
enue, s5s5, rs; customs, s467, 1925.
Mr.. PHIL D. SAYRE, one of the doorkeepers
of the House of Representatives, died at Mont
gomery, Alabama, on the 18th.
JAMES w. NIGHTINGALE, until recently legls-
lative clerk Of the Senate, has been appointed a
special agent Of the War department to tnveSti-
gate war claims. He has been detailed for duty
in West Virginia.
A CoRRECTION.-The national bank notes re
ceived at the Treasury for redemption during
the week ended Saturday last amounted te
SLOTS, 900. not sS,01s,G00, as Typographical
error made THE STAR say.
COMMODORE r. L. LAW, Chief of the bureauo
yards and docks, Navy department., left the
city yesterday for Terre Haute, Indiana. hav-
ing received dispatch announcing the illness
of his mother. A dispatch received this morn
ing announces her death last night.
MOVEMENT OF U. s. vEssELs-The Essex
sailed from Rio de Janeiro, August 25th, for
Philadelphia. She will be repaired at the
League Island navy yard. THE training
ship Saratoga arrived at Hampton Roads last
Saturday.
A NEW PLANET.-The Smithsonian institu-
ton has received Information of the discovery
by Prof. Peters, of Clinton, of a planet of the
eleventh magnitude, In % hours II minutes
right ascension, 10 degrees minutes south
declinatiOn, with daily motion of seven min-
uteS south.
Secretary of the Treasury Hawley said to-day
that his attention had been called to the fire.
quent references made in the newspaper press
Of late to the subject OF collections for pOliti :a
purposes In the Treasury department., and that
so far as he knew, or believed, all moneys con-
trthufp6 in the 6pnlrtmpnt for Snch
have gone into the funds of the republican
congressional committee, and have been, or are
being, used ard expended entirely at the dis
crettOn Of that committee.
THE CROPS IN GREAT BRIrA1N-Mr Donnan,
the o. s. consul at Belfast, Ireland, in dis
patch to the Department of State, confirms the
reports Of other consuls as to the alarming
deficiency OF the crops in the United Kingdom.
When the great famine occurred in Ireland, in
1s45, the crops Of England and Scotland were
fair. Very different Is the case now. DisaJ-
trOuS reports come from even the most cele-
brated OF England'S agricultural countries. In
the first week OF September, when the sickle,
the scythe and the ieaper are usually in active
operation, the grain is hardly colOred. Not only
the potato crop is deficient, but the almost
equally important r0Ots turnips and mangoes,
are this year failure.
LETTERS MUST BE PROPERLY ADDRESSED
The new postal regulations require all mall
not addressed to any post Office, shall be rH-
turned to the sender, II known, or to the Dead
Letter Office. The custom heretofore has been
to permit postal employees to change the ad-
dress upon misdirected letters but this has
been found a hindrance, the authorities say,
rather than help in forwarding mail matter to
1900 post offices, and fully three times that
number Of places that have local names, but
are not post OFFICES. Many thousands of letters
the custom to allow postal employees to re- direct
them to the post Office nearest the locality a1-
dressed; but this Is now forbidden and persons
exists before addressing their letters to place.
1t has been decided that none but letters pro-
perly addressed shall hereafter be admitted to
the mails The Post Office department has d.
rected division departments to call upon pub
fishers OF newspaper and ask them to revise
and correct their subsclIp books so as to
give the proper post Office address OF every SUBJ
scriber.
PROMOTIONS IN THE SIGNAL SERv1CE.-Lively
times were noticed this morning at the Office OF
the chief signal officer, where the signal corps
army board is now In session examining SER
geants OF the signal corps for promotion. Con-
gress, IN order to stimulate the weather ob-
servers to study, and to become proficient in
bic duties provided by law that each each st year two
of the most worthy and best qualified sergeants
should be appointed to the rank of second lieu
the 1Se Of
Vice, Informed the men that this year the Sc
lection should be made after competitive ex-
animation Of those non.commissioned officers
whose conduct entitled them to such prefer
ence. Some twenty sergeants were cited to
appear before an examining board OF acting
signal officers, csmposed OF Lieuts. J. p Story,
RObt Craig and C. E. Kilbcurne, but so far only
eight have appeared, the remainder having
declined examination. The candidates now
before the board are sergeants Buell., Of To-
| penhaus, OF Detroit; Walton of Washington;
Powell, Of the Soldiers Home; Wright, Of the
chief office; Glassford, of New Haven, and
among the sergeants for these places,
and there is no doubt high percentages
will be required to obtain the prize
braces the following subjects: First. Knowl-
edge of English grammar and ability to read
and write with facility and correctness. Second
&c 81 s IIea a M ana a9 In the ap
knowledge Of the use of logarithms and ability
TO apply them to questions OF practice; knowl-
tons, and knowledge Of plane geometry and
the elements Of surveying. Third. Knowledge
OF geography, PARTICULARLY In reference to the
northern continent OF America, and ability to
globe; knowledge OF what is usually denomina-
ted popular astronomy. Fourth. knowledge OF
history, particularly In reference 10 the United
States. Fifth knowledge Of the Constitution
of the United States, and the organization OF
the government under 1t, and the general prin-
ciples which regulate international intercourse
to possess good knowledge. The examination
goes into the mental and moral qualifications
OF the candidates, and covers the history of the
person examined, and must establish, for sue
cessful candidate, a continuously sound ment ii
condition, excellent moral character, good
character for sObriety and fidelity as well IS an
Intelligent, energetic, judiciOus and faithful
performance OF such duties as may have de-
volved upon him In the army. All Of the SER
having been In the signal corps as weather
observers for the past eight years. and the
board they have to pass is composed OF strict
disciplinalians all being graduates from West
Point. Gen. Myers policy Of letting the boys
AL have chance Is highly cOmmendable, and
will stimulate other young men to enter the
corps as privates, when they know there Is
some show for them to be promoted after years
OF faithful service: Not only will promotion
based upon competitive examination improve
the character OF men seeking admission Into the
COZ ps, but will give the service an esprit de corps
which 1t otherwise would not obtain.
THE CATTLE TRADE WITH CANADA CUT OFF
An official order has been promulgated by the
Governor General Of Canada, prohibiting the
importation into the provinces of ontario,
quebec, New brunswick, Nova Scotia AMI
Prince Edward Island, OF cattle from the Unite