The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-13
WASHINGTON.
News Gathered About the Capital
Ei{r

CITY.
! WASHINGTON, Dec, S-The prince of Vale,
ana members of the executive committee of the
late international fisheries exhibition at Lon.
don nave convened TO send the American GOV
| eminent special expression of gratitude for the
admirable manner that the United States effee.
lively reSpondedto the appeal of cooperation
IN the exhibition.
Condition of the treasury: Geld coin bullion
y2l6. 370,I!6; silver dollars bullion SIP SIG 1872;
fractional silver S2I0, 50; United States notes
S5bS2 s96; total ti22, 131 ,S97 Certificates out
| rency 81, 325. 900.
=, large congressional delegation called on
| the president to-day and presented a petition
| praying him to exert his influence to Secure a
respite Ior y Donneil. The presidents reply
was satisfactory to the delegation.
A meeting of the tiZens of Indiana resident
| at Washi gtOn was held at the office of Assist
ant Secretary New this morning for the pur-
pose OF taking steps of having the Republican
presidential convention held in Indianapolis
Among those present We're Postmaster General
Gresham, Assistant Secretary New and All of
me lnaltna Republican delegation in congress
II was stated that the citizens committee and
board of trade of Indianapolis are making
EFFORTS 10 insure the holding of the convention
IN ~ that city, and will send a committee to
washington with that purpose in view After
an interchange OF opinion twas decided to de-
fer action until consultation with the citizens
committee who will arrive Monday
Secretary Folger is better to-day
In TIE criminal court the ease of ex-senator
Spencer. charged with contempt of court in
route case, came up for hearing. The govern
mentS interrOgatorieS and Speneer's answers
were read. Merrick sac the government was
preparing to present affidavits of ex-Postmas-
ter General James, Van Warner, late chief
clerk OF the poStoifice department, and Others
to the effect that Spencer told them he had
seen Dorsey pay money to Brady
The secretary of the treasury has authorized
the payment, without rebate, of bouds EN-
braccG in the l23rd call, maturing on the 10Th
inst, ..ayment to be made in the order of pre-
SentatiOn.
Congressman Lowery, of Indiana, one of Car
isles enthusiastic supporters, expressed the
OPINION that the ways and means committee
VIII certainly reflect CarliSle's views upon the
tariff, and the house will, without doubt, take
steps at this session to lessen the tariff on the
necesSaries OF life, and reduce the surplus rev.
enue.
The senate caucus committees of both par
lies were in session to day and finished the
work of recasting the membership of the SEN
ate committees. After adjournment the chair
men OF the two committees held a conference
and decided to lay the result of the labor of the
committees before the caucus on Monday.
The French-American claims commission
made the the following awards against the
United States: Remalne Dupuee, Indian VII
lage, La, $126O; Jean II Ehrmann, Natchito-
ches, La, $500; Urblne Lamarque, VermilliOn-
vile, La, 500; Colin Juber Vermillionville,
La, $500; Jean JanneandZ, $6693; Case b.
Costa, 81. Martins, $1lSS; Anter Lucers, Nat
the United states were disallOwed: Jean b.
Revel, New Orleans; estate of Emil Veal, New
Orleans; Andre Mailles, Iberyille; Clara Lo-
Gaze, St. MartnsvilIe; JEAN NJ. Cazes, New
Iborie; Chas Forques, New Orleans
John Bailey, for many years chief clerk of
the House of Representatives,, will be sue
printing AID bill clerk of the House.
Charles E. I4ackner, of New York. will be ap-
pointed newspaper clerk of the House, and
the House folding ROOM
Representative Anderson's revised postal
telegraph bill, introduced by him last session,
rlH I'D
the postmaster general is to construct main
tain and operate three lines Of telegraph from
Bangor, Maine, to St Paul, from Central New
York to Topeka, and a Southern line from Bal
timore to San Antonio. The northern man
line will be 1925 miles in length and branches
1921 miles; total, 33f miles. The Central line
Will be 1880 miles, and branches 979 miles:
total 24l5. The Southern line, 1896 miles, and
branches 14S: total, 23l4 miles; grand total,
9llO miles. The maximum estimate is at $4,000
per mile; total $500 600 All the telegraph
lines which have, since 1865, been or will be
constructed for the use of the army, shall be,
when no longer needed for military purposes,
transferred to the postmaSter-generaI. Also,
where a junction can be made with any rail
way or telegraph company which received
grant of pubic lands or bonds, or credit under
states, the stmaster-general may cause con-
transmitted over the wires at government
rates. The bill gives a list of all requirements
showing the conditions in the act when the
said telegraph line shall be used
for government business. The post
master-general is also authorized to connect
wires of the postal telegraph with those of
any telegraph company which has accepted
the provisions of the act of July "a. 1866. The
bill provides for the issuance OF S600, 600 per
cent bonds, of $1,000 each, redeemable at options
in ten years not to run more than thirty years
to be offered for sale, and make the proceeds
of sale to be applied to construction and equip
ment of postal telegraphs by poStmast, r-gener-
al, who shall hold sufficient reserve OF said
bonds as surplus over the cost of construction
necessary to meet the interest for five years.
Local officers TO be under the control of
the postmaster general and stations to
be established only in government
pOstoffice provisions; is made for compromising
the postmasterS in proportion to the number
of telegraph stamps procured and sold, the
same as postage stamps. The postmaster
authorized to establish telegraph and tele-
phone lines between main and sub-poStOfficeS
in or adjacent to cities, or between any sta
tons, Such lines. or further lines and
strike every capital city east OF the. Rocky
Mountains, and every city wherein the free
delivery system is established.
The annual report Of tie secretary Ct the
navy opens with a description OF the four new
steel cruisers, the Chicago, Boston, Atlanta
and Dothena now in course of construction.
The early completion of the monitors, Piertan,
Amphritete, Terror and Moadnock, is earnest
ly recommended, so as to provide floating har
al cruisers, of the type of the Chicago and Bos-
ton, from timeEtO time is urged. The secretary
does not think it advisable to construct any
vessel of more than $500 tons displacement.
In regard to personnel of the navy, the secre-
tary advises the immediate and sharp cutting
down of the list of officers. In order to make
this reduction in the list of officers, Chandler
advises that all officers be retired at SiXtytWo
years of age, whatever may be their rank, and
that supernumerary list be formed
to which S shall be mat relocated ie all
positions. A board of officers shall scruten-
lie the entire present list of officers and select
therefrom those capable of active work. The
SupernumerarieS shall be entitled to leave of
absence pay and be liable for service in time of
war. The secretary refers in sharp terms OF
condemnation to the habit Of Congress in re-
| ferring to the rank of officers, who have been
| broken without reason. The reorganization
| on navy yards is urged Chandler holds that
as long as the United States is not a maratime
| nation and possess no marlne expense, extern
Sive yards are not needed. Tho first thing nee
essary is to close the shops not needed and
| check extravaganza in others. He advises that
more work be done by private contract, and
urges the exclusion OF political considerations
The Jeanette expedition is spoken CT as an
unavoidable disaster, and the opinion is that
no enc is to blame for the lamentabie results.
| The naval academy is said to be satisfactorily
conducted. The total expenditures of the navy
| department for the year were $13, 1876, 1873 out
| of SIC, 9427 available, leaving balance
| unexpended Of 81, 795, 1885, Estimates fer fiscal
| ditures Of $685. O7; for increase. of navy,
| 81, Az, 5S1. The report concluded with refe
| to the merchant marine, The inferiOrity OF
the United States In this respect is referred to,
| and its evil deplored. Congress is asked to
| substitute American mail steamer as a means
of building up merchant navy.
Four hundred persons sat down to the ban
| quet of the Mexican veterans tonight Sena-
| tor Logan responded to the toast, 1.-The PreSi-
| dent OF the United States"