New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-12
YORK or CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE Senate Com
mttee on Civil Service and Retrenchment to-day heard
Naval officer Burt aud E. p. Wheeler, OF NewYork, and
f. GRAY, OF the Treasury Department In regard 10
the practical workings of the Civil Service Commissions
with which they connected and also concerning the
respective merits Of the various bills pending before
the Committee
The House Select Committee Reform In the Civil
Service to-day heard Judges Drake and Richardson OF
the Court Of Claims, and n committee Of Washington
lawyers practising before the Court in regard to the bill
introduced by Representative Orth, which provides for
devolying upon II alone the adjudication Of all claims,
except claims against the United States and prohib
its the consideration of private claims by Congress until
after they shall have been examined and reported by the
Court of Claims. Action deferred.
The subcommittee of the House Committee on Agri-
culture had under consideration to-day the several bills
proposing TO make the Department OF Agriculture
ecutive Department and its head Cabinet officer. The
general features of substitute for the pending bills
were agreed upon and Representative Anderson was in
etrrced frame bill embodyinG the views OF the sub
committee and report to the full committee.
David Dudley Field appeared by invitation to-day be-
fore the select committee Of the House on the law re-
specng the election OF President and VicePresdent
and gave the committee at some length his views to
the legislation which should be had upon this
subject. He fully approved the features Of the
bills introduced in the House by Representative Hewitt
Courts under quo warrantO with the right OF appeal to
the Supreme Court OF the United States of all questions
affecting the title to the Offices OF President and Vice.
President arising under election for those Offices. No
ion has yet been taken by the committee upon the
pending bill
Joint conference of subcommittee Of the House
Committees Commerce. Naval Affairs and Post Offices
and Post Roads was held to-day upon the subject OF
mail service and resolution was adopted 10 the
effect that it was the sense of the joint COM
mittce that it is advisable to promote
the postal and commercial interests OF the
United states by providing sufficient compensation Tor
the carriage of ocean mails from the United states TO
foreign ports by American ships The resolution will be
reported to the respective full committee II is believed
measure will shortly be reported TO the House
favOring liberal compensation TO an American line OF
fast mail steamships for carrying the mails between TINS
country and European ports.
The House Committee on Elections today agreed 10
dismiss the without prejudice in the case OF Nab
son against oates, lid District of Alabama.
The Subj Committee of the House Committee on Terri
tOr has agreed report the full Committee on Ter
rtories Tues lay next In favor Of the proposition TO
admit as all of that portion Of Dakota lying south
of the for ysxth parallel OF latitude the northern pOr
ton to constitute, now the Territory OF Dakota. The
SUBJ Committee will prepare substitute for the pending
bill providing Tor the necessary machinery OF govern
ment etc.
The Commerce Committees of both the House and
Senate have been engaged in the consideration OF blu
which proposes amend the laws regulating fog signals
The statute prohibits the Of any signals other
than the simple flash, which affords no indication OF the
course vessel and is therefore, simply danger sig
nal The bill under considera ion provides tnat the
power ad pt auxiliary signals TO prevent collisions az
sea- which will by the code Of Admiral Beaumont Uni
ted Navy give the OF the vessel bearing the
signals shall be conferred on the Board or supervising
Inspectors of steam Vessels. In connection with this
bill memorial has been addressed TO the state Depart
ment asking the appointment by the President of an IN
ternatOna commission. with view To procuring the
cooperation of En- gland in this movement