The Portland daily press., 1885-12-19
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Fisheries Question.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S-Mr. Dingley of Maine
presented to the House yesterday additional
memorials protesting against the creation OF any
commission having authority to enter into any
preliminary arrangement with Great Britain Tor
the admission of Canadian fish free of duty. tIhe
memorials were signed by 100 citizens OF B0ota-
bay 80 citizens OF Newcastle, "a citizens q
Matinicus, POI citizens of North Haven, 81 citi-
zens of Hurricane Isle. rs citizens OF Mnnheg;ln,
all of Maine. The petitions were all referred to
the committee on foreign affairs, when appointed.
II is understood that not only the fishing interests,
but also citizens generally on the Maine and
Massachusetts coast are joining In this protest
gested through the British Minister whose main
purpose if created, will be to enter into an ar
rangement for the admission OF Canadian iish Tree
of duty Mr. Belmont of New York will present
joint resolution authorizing the President TO ap-
point such commission on Monday next when
the States are called and the resolution VIII go
under the rnles tolhe committee on foreign affairs
Gov. Dingley, who Is actively opposing the iree
fish programme, states that the friends oi te nsll
cries oppose the creating of a commission oSten-
sibly to settle fishery disputes. and that com
mission is not asked for by the frionds OF the ils
cries VINO are e4ntet WIN @ ie " ssaeoS is
to be created he will endeavor to have pfOvlso
added to any resolution creating It. expressly de-
claring that such commission shall not have pow
er to consider the subject of admitting Canadian
fish, which is tariff question exclusively within
the jurisdiction of Congress a.
In the Senate today Mr. Frye presented the
petition of los citizens of Boothbay who protest
against any arrangements by which Canadian fish
shall be aunltIeu Tree VI uuLy.
Measures Introduced in the Senate.
Among the measures introduced in the Senate
today were the following:
Bv Mr. Frye relating to bureaus Of the navy de
partment ut provides that the chiefs OF divisions
OF the navy department may be appointed from
civil life and that all chiefs of bureaus OF the navy
department shall personally perform the duties o.
their offices and it prohibits the assignment OF
any chief of bureau to any other regular OF con
tinous duty which will in any way impair the ei-
fciency of his performance of the duties OF his
bureau ofhcel
Senator FRYE also introduced bill in relation
to the department of the army of the United
States. ut provides that all future appolntees
as heads of departments OF the United states ar,
nv shall be officers selected from the army and
nominated by the President and confirmed by the
Senate to be such heads o5 hn tbs
vision shall not apply to the head OF any depart
ment until that office shall first became vacant
The President may in his discretion, however, at
any time place upon the retired list any existing
head of a department and the retired Inst IS
enlarged for that purpose. 1t fnrther provides
commissary general of subsistence, surgeon gen,
eral, chief Of engineers, chief or ordnance, ana
paymaster general shall be appointed by selection
not below the rank of lieutenant colonel and
shall have during their term and no longer INC
rank and pay OF brlgader general; me a IuqEe t
corps of judges and advocates, and have the
rank and pay of a brigadier general during bis
pointed from any of the officers of the army not
below the grade of captain, to rank as COLONEL OF
cavalry during his incumbency In that of1ce
Concerning the Duty on Wool.
Assistant Secretary Fairehild has writtento the
collector at New York in regard to the question as
to whether imported wool, which, under the stat
ute paws a duty according to its value per pound,
should when advanced in value by an appraise-
meut over 10 Der cent above the entered value,
but not sufficient to render it liable to a higher
rate OF duty, be liable to the additional duty Of
twenty per cent dd rdIOreDe prescribed by Sec
tiOn 290O OF the revised statutes. The question
having been submitted to the solicitor Of the treas
ury he advises that, in such cases, where an ap-
praisement is made by the appraiser for the pur-
pose of determining the value of the imported
merchandise the advance in value of 10 per cent.
renders the exachOn of said additional duty imper-
atiye by the collector, who has no discretion Ill
the matter, because the law Rxes his duty. The
assistant secretary says that this opinion seems
| to accord with Article 564 of the regulations,
which prescribes that if specific duty is at all de-
pendent upon the value, an additional duty attach
| es If the value is advanced 10 per cent or more
He says also that it Is apprehended that i'll q ease
| Of Importance where 1t IS especially under the
statute that goods shall be appraised, and add
tional duty Is attached whenever the appraised
value exceeds the entered value by 10 per cent ol
more.
Opposed to Land Commissioner
Sparks.
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