The Portland daily press., 1881-01-31
WASHINGTON.
The Nicaragua Canal,

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29.-The promoters of the
Nicaragua canal state that they will have
unanimous report from the House committee
in favor of granting them charter. They
they say, is the demand on the part of some
Senators that clause shall be inserted in the
bill giving the United States government con-
troll of the canal when built.
Serious Illness of Fernando " ood.
Fernando Wood has left for the Hot Springs
He was so weak that he had to be carried from
his carriage to the cars. Many of his frieuus
fear that he never will be able to take his seat
in the House again. He is tronbled with acute
rheumatism and is advanced in years.
Gov. Foster and the Cabinet.
Ohio men with whom Gov Foster talked
when here say that he has fully decided that
he will not himself seek a place in the Cabi-
sired to be Attorney General. He finds that
there is serious opposition among Republican
leaders to the appointment of any Ohio man to
the Cabinet.
Our Exports and Imports.
The chief of the bureau of statistics, in his
sixth monthly statement for the current fiscal
year of the imports and exports of the United
States, reports that the excess of exports of
merchandise, stated in special values, was as
follows:
Month ending Dec. 81, 1880 :. ..... S51, ASS, ,844
Menth ending Dec. 81, 1878. .....:... 2I,277,04
Twelve months ending Dec. 81, 1879. ..251 ,557.O2
The excess of imports of gold and silver coin
and bullion was as follows:
Month ending Dec 81, 1880. SIS 764, ,154
Month ending Dec 81, 1879; 5,877,322
Twelve months ending Dec. 81, 1879. 67,375, 800
Caucus Of Democratic Senators.
The Democratic Senators held caucus this
morning for the purpose of exchanging views
upon the various pending matters of legisla-
tion. No formal caucus action was taken, but it
was virtually determined that ingalls, resolution
concerning the electoral count should be re-
ferred to select committee. 1t seemed to be
the general impression that mode of proceed
ure for the count may yet be fixed by the
House of Representatives adopting the Nor
sional re-apportionment was discussed, and it
was generally argued that some bill for that
purpose ought to be passed.
The Eads Ship Railway Bill.
The action of the interoceanic canal COM
mittee today is regarded by Capt. Eads as in
dicative of its intention to act favorably upon
his bill. Last Saturday. after stormy meet
ing, six of the eleven members voted to re-
commit the Eads bill to the subcommittee
from which it emanated, with instructions to
that subcommittee to strike out the clause
providing for guarantee by the United States
Of per cent. dividend upon $4,000, 900
worth of bonds, to be issued by the Tehaunte-
pee ship railroad. This eviecerating action
was considered by the friends of Eads ON the
committee Waterloo for the plucky captain
Not so tn Jught Eads He said at once that
the prize then SO nearly in his grasp would be
won at last, and redoubled his efforts to secure
it. What he aimed at was what he secured to-
day-reconsideration for his BILL That secur-
ed, he felt sure of success. To-day the sub
committee reported back, not the original bill
with the guaranty stricken out, but substi-
tute not varying materially from the original,
and including the guaranty. Thereupon en-
sued hot discussion, during which Mr.. Sim
gleton of Illinois, an Eads man and chairman
OF the subcommittee, proposed an amend
ment to the subcommittee, providing that the
rights and privileges granted, and the pledges
made by the United States, should not rest
until such time as they were accepted by the
Tehauntepec Ship Railroad Company, and re-
cognized by the Mexican government. The
debate over the substitute was lively one
There are warm advocates of the Nicaragua as
well as of the Eads scheme in the committee,
and they discussed the projects in all their
bearings. The discussion lasted until II o'clock
at which hour the committee adjourned to
meet on Wednesday next, to take final action.
At that time it seems almost certain the SUBJ
stitute for the Eads bill will be adopted, and
probably reported to the House. On Wednes-
day j. Floyd King, chairman of the commit
tee, will endeavor to call up the resolution
reported by him last session, re-enunciacing
the Monroe doctrine.
The Appropriation Bills.
All the regular appropriation bills have been
reported to the House by the committee on ap
preparations except three-the legislative, ex-
ecutive and judicial the sundry civil and the
general deficiency bill.
Confusion in the Rank Of Army officers.
There has been good deal of excitement
at the War Department this week, consequent
upon the discovery that through a clerical
error at the executive mansion, the ranking
dates of the recent promotions were greatly
confused. 1t appears that the nomination of
Gen. Hazen as chief signal officer was sent in
on Dec. 6, 1880, without date. The nomina-
ton of Gen. Miles as brigadier general sent
in the next day, named Dec. 7 as the date of
Dec. Is, and, under the rule of the Senate,
the appointment should have borne that date,
Hazen having precedence Of Miles as previous
to the promotions, but the insertion of the
date of Dec. z in the nomination of Miles led
to his confirmation as of that date, and the re-
suit was that all the promotions to fill the va
cances below were thrown into confusion. If
Miles was appointed before Hazen then Col
McCook should have been nominated as colo
mel OF the 9TH infantry, and Col. Lugenbeel Of
the 9th infantry; but being confirmed as colo
nels OF the 9th and 5th respectively, Lugen
beefs commission would have antedated that
place on the lists. The whole matter was
settled by Adit Gen. Drum going personally
to the Senate committee on military affairs
and arranging that the confirmation of Miles
and Hazen should be reconsidred in the Sem
ate, and that they should both be confirmed as
of the date of Dec. 15, which will extricate
the adiutant generals department from the
difficulties it found in issuing the new COM
missions.