Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-29

tBy telegraph 20 the Diapafcfi.1
WAsHISGTox, March 2S.--The Sc
cretary Of State has received the fol-
lowing telegram from the President Of
the Central and South American Cable
Company, dated March 27th: " The
following has just been received from
the superintendent Of this company at
Panama The commander Of the CO.
lombian gunboat Boyaca landed at the
mouth Of the Buena Ventura river yes
terday, forced open the cable-house Of
the Central and South American Com
pany, and cut the ccmpany's cable, in
terrupting communication with South
America. We have repaired the dam
ages. Will you instruct the commander
Of the United States naval vessels at
Panama. The Colombian gunboat is
still at anchor at the mouth Of the
Buena Ventura river. II is uncertain
whether she is cooperating with the ma
tional forces Of Colombia or those in
rebellion but we fear further injury to
our cables and interference with inter-
national communication. The dis
patch was referred to the Secretary Of
the Navy.
Mr.. John Roach called upon the Sec
rotary Of the Navy to-day and urged
the payment Of the remainder due him
for the construction of the Dolphin.
Mr.. Roach said he had complied with
the contract. Secretary Whitney re-
piled he would not make the final pay
ment until he became satisfied that the
contract has been complied with. He
will consider the matter next week.
The commission appointed to make
an examination Of the Treasury De-
partment with special reference to the
simplification and improvement of the
methods Of doing business. and to a
reduction and Encouragement Of the
officers and clerical force, began work
this morning in the Internal-Revenue
Bureau. Deputy-Commissioner Rogers
was examined at great length as to the
manner of doing business in that bu-
reau.
The United States steamer Wachu-
sets has been ordered from Panama to
La Union, San Salvador.
The Secretary of the Treasury has
appointed a board to convene at the
Treasury Department April l4th for
the examination Of assistant engineers
for promotion in the Revenue Marine
Service also for the examination Of
applicants for admission into the en-
gineer corps Of the service. An ex-
animation will also be held shortly Of
applicants for appointment as cadets i'll
the service. There are more vacancies
than usual this year, and the number
of candidates unusually small.
The following notice was to-day is
sued by the Secretary Of the Navy
Il have been requested in large num-
Der Of cases to change orders issued
by my predecessor to officers Of the
Navy, notably the order transferring
Admiral English, Of the European
squadron to the South Atlantic squad
ron. If the orders were issued upon
records which could be reviewed and
their justice or injustice determined. it
would be proper for me. perhaps. to re-
examine them; but | am already
satisfied that the Secretary Of the
Navy is obliged to give orders
from time to time. for reasons satisfac
tory to himself, of which no record is
made or appears. 1t is palpably unfair
to my predecessor in office for me to
pretend to review. and it is impossible,
in point Of fact, for me to know, the
causes which induced his orders. The
record of the past will have to stand.
as | have neither the time at my dis
posal nor the means of examining to
satisfy myself Of the propriety Of any
action that might take with reference
to the acts OF my predecessor in these
regards"
Ii is understood that J. Il. Baird,
sOn-in-law of Senator Colquitt, of Geor-
gia. will shortly be appointed chief of
the dead-letter office. II was rumored
in the Post-0 Office Department this after
noon that the resignation of Dallas, the
incumbent OF the Office in question, has
been called for by the Postmaster-Gen-
eral, and chiefs of other divisions be-
came somewhat alarmed in anticipation
of sharing the same fate. The Post
master-G General. however, authorized IT
to be said that Dallas had rendered his
resignation in order that he might en-
gage in private business. and had
insisted on its acceptance. and that
otherwise no change would have been
made in the dead-letter office.