Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-07


spect to Ecuador, which is likely within the near
future to play important part among the nations
of the south Pacific.
At the last extra session attention was called to
the text of the Geneva Convention for the relief OF
the wounded in war trust this action foreshadows
such interest in the subject as will result in the ad-
hesion of the United States to that humane aud
commendable arrangement.
call your attention to the propriety OF adopting
new code Of international rules for the prevention
of collisions on the high seas and OF conforming the
domestic legislation of the United States thereto,
that no confusion may arise from the application
of these rules by vessels Of different rationale
ties meeting in tidal waters. These international
rules differ but slightly from our osn- They have
been adopted by the Navy Department for the gov
ernance of the ships of the United States the
high seas and in foreign waters, and through the
action OF the State Department in disseminating the
rules, and in acquainting the shipmasters with the
option OF conforming to them without the jurisdic
ton of the waters OF the United States, they are
now very generally known and obeyed
The State Department continues to publish to the
country the trade and manufacturing reports re-
course warrants its continuance and such appropri
alton as may be required to meet the rapidly in
ereasing demand for those publications. With
special reference to the Atlanta Cotton Exposition,
the October number OF the reports was devoted to
valuable collection of papers on the cotton goods
trade of the world.
INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONFERENCE.
The international Sanitary Conference, for
which in 1879 Congress made provision, assembled
in this city early in January last and its sessions
were prolonged until March. Although it reached
no specific conclusion affectingathe future actions
of the participating powers, the interchange OF
views proved to be most valuable The full proto-
coils of the sessions have been already presented to
the State Department. As pointing to this general
subject, call your attention to the operations of
the National Board of Health, established by Act OF
Congress. approved March g. 1879. Its sphere of
duty was enlarged by the Acts of June I'd, of the
same year. By the last named Act the Board was
required to institute such measures as might be
deemed necessary for preventing the introduction Of
contagious or infectious diseases from foreign
other. The execution OF the rules and regulations
cessor has done much to arrest the progress Of cpl
demic disease, and has thus rendered substantial
service to the nation. The international Sanitary
Conference to which have referred adopted form
of bill OF health to be used by all vessels seeking to
enter the ports of the countries where representa-
tives participated i'll its deliberations This form
has since been prescribed by the National Board of
Health, and Incorporated with its rules and regula
tons, which have been approved by rue in pursu
of the law. The health OF the people is of su
preme Importance. All measures looking to their
and the increase of sanitary knowledge for such
purposes, deserve the attention OF Congress.
FINANCIAL-coINAGE
The report of the Secretary OF the Treasury repre-
sents in detail highly satisfactory exhibit of the
state OF the finances and the condition OF the various
branches OF the publ service administered by thst
Department. The ordinary revenues from all
sources tor the fiscal year ending June 10, 1881,
were From customs, slS5, 26i,SS5 50 from public
lands s., 22l s6S AZ; from tax on circulation and
deposits of national banks, S. 1161l3 72 from the
repayment of interest by Pacific Railway companies
500, 1888 80 from the sinking fund of the four Pa
cific Railroad Companies 1906, $50 "a from custom
fees, fines, penalties etc, ST. 225,5l4 So from fees
of consular letters patent and lands 1854 90 ;
from the proceeds of sales Of Government property,
q, 621 740 from profits coinage So, 46s, 4s5 CT ;
from the revenue of the District Of Columbia ST.
DIG, 199 % from miscellaneous sources, s6,s06,-
$50 10. Total ordinary receipts 500, 49,, 297. Ex
penditures for the same period were For civil ex.
penses, 79, III 10 for foreign intercourse, slO,
9a9, $40 OF for the Indians, s6574,l6 90 for pen
sions, s5050 279 g. for the military establishments
including river and harbor improvements and
arsenals, $40 1855, AGO 81 for the naval establish
ment, including vessels, machinery and improve
ments at the navy yards. SIS, 6S6671 &C. for mscel
laneous expenditures, including public buildings,
lighthouses and collecting the revenue si1,SS7,.
$50 81 for expenditures for account of the District
of Columbia, 81, ,932 o3 for interest the pub
lie debt, So, 5oS741 IS; for premium on bonds pur
chased 81 062 24S 90. Total ordinary expenditures,
$500, 712 ST 59-leaving as surplus of revenue.
500, 0S9 404 9S, which was applied as follows To
the redemption of bonds for the sinking fund, s74
81 200 fractional currency for the sinking fluid,
81 600, 0l0 05; loan of February, 1851, S74l, 500;
tenforties of 1854 s2016l $780, five twenties of 1865,
So $50 consols of 1865 143, 1885, consols OF 1867,
1850 us; consols OF 1865, 1881, AGO. leans and
$4,000; old demands, compound in
terest and other notes. $780, and to the increase
of cash in the Treasury, s14,637, 023 SO. Total,
s1o0 0S9, 404 9s. The requirements of the sinking
fund for the year amounted to 500 oe5 o., which
sum includes balance OF $40, SIT, 12s rs net. Dur
ing the previous fiscal year the sum Of S74, 49,,
POI 95 was applied to this fund.- which left deficit
of SIG. so5, s73 AZ. The increase of the rev
enues for 1881 over those of the previous
year was s2e,S52, 901 10. 1t is estimated that
the receipts during the present fiscal year
will reach s40o,o01,e00, and the expenditures
$40 Co., GOO, leaving surplus of $4,000 o0o APP
plcable to the sinking fund and the redemption OF
the public debt. approve of the recommendations
OF the Secretary of the Treasury that provision be
made for the early retirement Of silver GER
tiiicates and that the Act requiring their
issue be repealed. They were issued III
pursuance of the policy of the Government to main
tain silver at near the col standard, and were
accordingly made receivable for all customs taxes
and public dues. About s6G,O00,OOO of them arc
now outstanding. They formed an unnecessary
addition to the paper currency, sufficient amount
OF WHICH may De TeauHy suPpiieu oy tue HaticnUu
banks In accordance with the Act OF February IS
1873 the Treasury Department has monthly caused
at least 100000 in value OF silver bullion
to be coined into standard silver dollars
One hundred and two millions of these
dollars have already been coined, while only
about thirty.four millions are in circulation.
For reasons which he specifies, concur in the secrc
Sarys recommendation that the provision for coinage
of fixed amount each month be repealed, and that
hereafter only SO much be coined shall be neces-
sary to supply the demand. The Secretary advises
that the issue Of gold certificates should not for the
present be resumed, and suggests that the nationa
banks may properly be forbidden by law to retire
their currency except reasonable notice OF their
intention so TO do. Such legislation would seem TO
be justified by the recent action Of the banks the
occasion referred to in the Secretarys report. OF
the sl5 COO of fractional currency still outstand
ing only about $50, 900 has been redeemed the cur
rant ,ear The suggestion that this amount may
properly be dropped from the future statements Of
the public debt seems worthy of approval So, al.o
does the suggestion Of the Secretary as to the ad
visibility OF relieving the calendar OF the United
States Courts in the Southern District of New York.
by their transfer to another tribunal, OF numerous
suits there pending against Collectors.
REVENUE FROM CUSTOMS.
The revenue from the customs Of the past fiscal
year wa5 sl9l, 500, $50 02-an increase Of &c.
6S7, 6ll AZ over that of the preceding year
Sl5s OBS 562 50 of this amount collected at the
tba