The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-05-13
WASHINGTON.
Navy Department Clerks to be Dis
charged.

| WASHINGTON, May 12.-Secretary Chandler
has notified all clerks of the navy department
ON the temporary rolls, about so in number,
| that their services will have to be dispensed
with on or before the 1st of June, because of
want of funds to pay them, unless deficiency
appropriation for their benefit is made by Con-
| gress.
The Star Route Cases.
John f. Foote Of Rawlins, Wyoming terri
tory; f. 7. Hinman of Nixon, Washington
territory; W. j. Edgarton of Lake City, Col
orado; B. f. Allen of Barnum, COL; and ID. ID.
Ayers of Salida, COL, were before the
grand jury in to-day, giving testimony
in relation to the Star route service in Colora-
do since July, 1878, and the connection with it
of ex-senator S. W. Dorsey, j. w. Dorsey M
G. Rerdell, j. M. Peck and John r. Miner.
Naval Academy Examining Board.
The President has appointed the following
board to attend the annual examination at the
naval academy the first of June: Commodore
franklin and Capt. johnson, United States
Navy; N. M. Hubbard of Cedar Rapids, Iowa;
VIM, A. Courteny OF Charleston, South Caro- r
lima; Gen. aaron f. Stevens OF Nashua, N. Ii. ;
Charles Waldrons of New York. The Presi-
dent Of the Senate has appointed Messrs.
Dawes of Massachusetts and Jones OF Florida
to represent the Senate. No one has been
selected from the House.
Spirits in Bond.
The Senate finance committee this morning
r61errbu tu6 SpiEltS W 4lOocio. 3'loi-
rill and Bayard as subcommittee to prepaIe a
substitute which will not permit the indefinite
retention of spirits in bond, but maximum
bonded period of about five years; also to pro-
vide that bonds shall be given for the full
amount of tax, and will extend the proposed
benefits to spirits made from proof, such as APP
Piles or grape brandies.
Senator Hill Very Low
Mrs. Thompson, daughter of Senator Hill Of
Georgia has left this city to join her father at
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where he has been
for weeks with Mrs. Hill and their other chill
dren. Senator Hill has no hope of recovery
and desires to have his family with him. Mrs.
Thompson has therefore given up the house
occupied with her parents during the early
part of the season, and placed her four little
children in charge of a nurse and left them
with friend in Georgetown. A letter receiv-
ed from her mother the day before her de-
parture stated that her father was weak and
more exhausted since the operation performed
in Philadelphia, but that no sign of the disease
or its progress is visible. He is very much de-
pressed, and it is hoped that the presence of
Mrs. Thompson, who is a faverite daughter,
may have cheering influence upon him.
A New Indian Policy.
1t is reported the Secretary of the Interior
has decided to adopt a policy of disarming all
Indians In Western States and Territories
subject to effective control.of the government.
What Congress has Done.
The XLVnth Congress has now been in
session about five months and its record of
work accomplished is, on the whole, very
creditable one Up to and including yester-
day $3.50 bills had been introduced in the
House, 381 of which had passed that body. OF
these eight had passed the Senate with amend
ments which the House had not yet acted up
on, two had passed both branches of Congress
but had not yet been approved, and 10I hae
become laws. In the Senate 1915 bills had
been introduced, 297 of which had passed that
body; of these GA had become laws. 1t appears,
therefore, that 165 separate bills have become
laws within the last five months. OF course,
the great majority are private acts, but in the
total are included some very important public
measures, besides several of the general appro-
priation bills.
The Wheat Crop
The Nav report of the condition of winter
wheat by the statistI clan of the department of
agriculture makes the average for entire
breadth 100. The standard of undminished
vitality and medium growth average condition
in April was 102, which is the highest reported
for many yea,s In April of last year it was
S6 Only States of the North Atlantic coast
and those at head of the Ohio Valley, Texas
and those of the Pacific coast fail to reach 100,
while the extraordinary vigor of the crop in
other sections fully compensate for these local
deficiencies.
Counterfeiters Arrested.
The grand jury found indictments against
VIM Broekway alias Edward w. Spencer and
Chas. Smyth for stealing from the Treasury
Department. about two years ago plate, dies,
etc., from which were printed spurious bo nds
and shortly afterward thrown by them upon
the market
The Cabinet Meeting.
At the cabinet meeting to-day the case of Ser
geant Mason was considered with view to his
pardon, bpt 10 conclusion was reached. The
tariff COR sslon' bill was also discussed and
laid over blil next meeting when it is expected
the composition of the commission will be de-
termined upon. The business before the Span
ish American claims commission was also in
formally discussed.
Appropriations for Pensions.
The House Committee on appropriations to-
day completed the annual pension appropri-
alton bill, and directed representative O'Neil
to report it to the house. The aggregate
amount appropriatedis 100000, GOO.
Miscellaneous.
The rechartered national banks will soon be
furnished with new notes, engraved from part
ly new designs, and differing in appearance
from the notes now in circulation.
The name of Henry W. Oliver, Jr., OF Pitts
burg. is prominently mentioned for place on
the Tariff Commission as representative OF
the iron interest. The entire Pennsylvania
delegation, irrespective of party, signed petit
tion to President Arthur this forenoon and as
there is no opposition it is expected Mr.. Oliver
will receive the appointment