The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-19
WASHINGTON.
A Circular to shipbuilderI

WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE Secretary Of
the Navy mailed to-day to all prominent ship
builders OF the country copies of the report and
circular of the naval advisory board heretofore
published, and in calling attention to that the
secretary said the department. desires from
shipbuilders, who would be likely to make pro-
posais Tor the construction of these vessels, in
case they should be built by contract advice
and suggestions concerning their design, with
views OF reaching such final plans and specih
cations as will give the best and most effective
ships which can be built. "Will YOU oblige the
Department by giving this subject your atten-
ton, and furnish such suggestions as you think
may be useful or important to be considered
by the Advisory Board and Department.
Oversight Ia an Appropriation Bill.
The attention of the war department officials
has been called to peculiar feature of the
legislative, executive and judicial appropria-
tion bill passed by the last Congress. The act
for the current fiscal year contained provisions
for an assistant secretary of war and an assis-
tant OF the navy, and appropriated $500 for
the pay of each. No appointments were made
and it was believed that Congress at the last
session intended to repeal the previous law as
to both. The legislative bill, however, con-
tains In a paragraph making an appropriation
for compensation of the secretary of war and
the clerical force of his Office this proviso:
Provided, that the provisions of the act
which authorized the appointment of an assis-
tant secretary of the navy be and the same are
hereby repealed.
No reference is made to the assistant secre-
tary OF war and some questions have been
raised in the war department as to the admin
lstration of the law. The general opinion
seems however that the provision of the former
act was not distinctly repealed as to the assis-
tant secretary of war, and as an appropriation
is made for the fiscal year ending June 3D.
1855, the appointment could be made and the
salary be available TO that date, bat it is un-
derstood that the secretary will not ask the APP
,ASr ntaA -
failure OF Congress to continue the appropria-
ton will after june Sd remove any doubts on
the subject.
Assessment of Duties
In response to inquiries from collectors of
customs at various ports, the acting secretary
OF the treasury has instructed them that du-
ties should be assessed upon the full invoice
value OF merchandise covered by invoice, stat
ing the value of the goods free on board at the
foreign port of shipment-that is, the value
including charges, costs and commission
without regard to the provisions of sec. Z of the
new tariff act, which abolishes the duties on
such charges. He suggests that importers pay
the duties under protest, so as to protect any
rights they may have in the premises. The
question whether an estimate may properly be
made in such cases by the appraising officers
to cover the charges and commissions, and
whether the amount of such estimate may
thefeupon be deducted from the invoice value,
is reserved by the acting secretary for future
consideration, and until after he shall have re-
ceived reports in regard to the matter from the
proper officers.
An Important Telegraphic Invention
A Washington inventor has patented new
telephone traDsmitter, which it is expected
will tend still further to revoutionize the
methods of electrical communication. The
capitalists who propose to introduce the in
vention have great hopes that it will entirely
supersede the present system of telegraphing.
They claim that the voice can be audibly
heard in a whisper at seven hundred and fifty
miles distance. The electricians OF the Wes-
tern Union Telegraph Company are said to be
we'll satisfied with the experiments which have
been made.
Anticipated Reduction of the Treasury
Surplus.
According to estimates made at the Treas
ury, the operation of the new tax and tariff
law must reduce the Treasury surplus during
the remainder of the curront fiscal year from
10 to 10 million dollars. This, taken in con-
junction with the demands upon the Treasury
on account of appropriations which become
immediately available, seem to make it impos-
sible for another bond call during the present
fiscal year.
Alarm of Pottery Manufacturers.
The representatives of the pottery interests
are much concerned at the ruling of the Treas
ury Department that sections seven and ten of
the new tariff law as to packages and inland
transportation go into immediate effect. Fears
are expressed that foreign manufacturers will
flood the country with their wares under the
new tariff, and kilograms have been received
from Representative Mckinley of Ohio and
Brewer OF New Jersey, in whose districts there
are large potteries protesting against such an
Interpretation. Mr.. Mckinley, who was a
member of the Ways and Means Committee
states that his understanding of the meaning
of the law which he helped TO frame is very
different from that of the Treasury Depart
ment.
The Case of Judge Hoover.
The charges against Judge Hoover of the
United States Court of Arizona declare that
poor suitors before his court cannot obtain JUS
tice on account of his friendship for railroads
The charges also refer to his connection with
Bowen i'll the star route matter. The state
ment is also made that Judge Hoover bor-
rowed large sum of money of a bank against
which the Government had brought a suit,
and that he Indefinitely postponed the trial Of
the case and upon being questioned as to the
case answered the department in an imperti-
nent manner.