Connecticut western news., 1883-01-17

I
 The Senate Post Office Committee will report favorably on the Postal Note bill passed by the House during the last session.
 l The Senate Military Committee has ordered reported favorably bill to in- crease the efficiency of the army.
 The Senate took up the Fitz John Porter bill and passed it by vote of 33 yeas to 27 nays. Messrs Sewel of New Jersey, Cameron of Pennsylvania and Hoar of Massachusetts being the only Republicans voting in the affirmative. The bill as passed authorizes the Presi- dent to nominate, and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint Fitz John Porter, late a major general of the United States Volunteers and brevet brigadier general and colonel in the army, to the position of colonel of the army of the United States of the same grade and rank held by him at the time of his dis missal, and in his discretion to place him on the retired list of the army as of that grade, the retired list being thereby in- creased in number to that extent, pro- vided that said Fitz John Porter shall receive no pay, compensation or allow ance whatsoever prior to his appointment under this act.
 The Presidential Succession bill was amended in the Senate, and then passed. The amendment repeals section 146 of the Revised Statutes which provides that the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House shall fill the vacancy, which motion was adopted. The repeal of this statute has the effect of leaving Congress l at full liberty to act in the matter. | The House Committee on Commerce have decided to proceed to the formation of River and Harbor bill.
 The President has approved the act to reimburse the States of Oregon and California for moneys paid by those States in the suppression of Indian hos tilities during the Modoc war in the years 1872-73.
 | General Longstreet has written letter to General Grant explaining his own position and defending the action of Fitz John Porter at the second Bull Run. Returns from eighty-nine of the principal post-ofices in the United States show an increase in business of 1O.4 per cent. for the six months ended December 31, 1882, over the corresponding period of 1881. The increase at New York was a little less than 6.3 per cent. | Representative Robinson, of New York, introduced a bill in the House providing that the postage upon all first class mail matter shall be one cent per half ounce instead of three cents, as at present, and reducing other matter in proportion.
 | MT. Miller, of New York, introduced bill in the Senate authorizing the Sec retary of War to erect monument to | the late General Warren. l The House Committee on Appropri- | ations completed the Notifications Bill. | It appropriates $175,OOO Of this $1O0,- l 900 is for improvements of harbor forti. fications and $50, GOO for torpedoes aud J harbor defenses. The Pensions Appro- priations Bill was also reported to the full committee. It appropriates $91,- O00,000.
 | The examination of General Con- stock, President of the Mississippi River Commission, was continued. He made further statements as to expendi- lures, and, in reply to questions, ex- pressed his belief that until the work is put entirely beyond the experimental stage it ought to be confined to one reach instead of divided up, as at pres l 0uUs 1O d1oO Ul1C4 CARAdAAOu LIB reasons for believing that levees are not desirable in connection with the work of improving navigation.
 FOREIGN ITEMS. Through economy Russia hopes to get along without deficit. | A boat has been found off the har- bor of Cette containing the dead bodies | of four persons.
 | The British ship Pride of the Ocean is believed to have been lost.
 A verdict of "found drowned has been rendered in the case of one of the victims of the City of Brussels disaster. Captain Edwards has been presented with silver vase on behalf of the United States, for the rescue of the crew of the ship Isaac Webb.
 A parcel containing dynamite was posted in Limerick.
 The crops in Ireland last year fell off in value over $25, ,O00,O as compared with 1861
 MT. Tuke's committee has begun to assist emigration from the distressed dis tricts of Ireland.
 Great Britain withdraws from the Egyptian control It is expected that the Khedive will abolish the control. Italy has demanded redress from Turkey for an affront to consul.
 Heavy sentences have been passed in Ireland in the case of persons shooting witt intent to murder.
 The floods on the Danube have suddenly inundated the town of Raab.
 The inhabitants were awakened by alarm
 bells and fled to the higher parts of the town, but many lives were lost. They
 finally abandoned the town.
 Germany will avoid everything likely to excite French public opinion. The body of John Howard Payne is on its way from Tunis to America.
 Neither the passengers nor the crew
 of the steamer City of Brussels were able to save anything. The passengers have drawn up memorial thanking the off. |, cers of the vessel for their courage an6 promptitude. The steamer will prove :, total loss. She had cargo of cotton
 and grain, and the loss is fully $1 ,5OO, ,OO(
 on vessel and cargo.
 The Liverpool Post says that one o the boats of the steamer City of Brussels was about to return to the scene of the disaster in response to some cries fol assistance, but was prevented by pas senger drawing 8 revolver and threat ening to shoot the first man attempting
 to turn back, and that the passenger ex ] plained that he acted thus because ht | feared the boat would be sucked under by the sinking of the steamer. The British ship British Empire
 Captain Rickers, from Shields, bound for Bombay, has been burned at sea : Ten persons are known to have beel } saved, but two boats, containing tn, | oontaiD 1oota on1 fo,1r+ooD l,opJc, ,r,