Morning journal and courier., 1885-10-28
WASHINGTON VIKINGS

WASHINGTON VIKINGS Regarding the Supply of Ordnance and ArmOr Plates-Secretary Man. ming Finds Fault With Collector Hedden-Gun Ships to Re Repaired At once Appofntme ments-Sanftary- President Cleveland.
 WASHINGTON, Oct. 27-The Hon. s. J. Randall, chairman of the commission ap-
 pointed by the last Congress to report pol
 icy to be adopted by the government to se-
 cure supply of ordnance and armor plates
 to-day addressed circular letter to steel
 manufacturers soliciting information on the
 subject. The letter asks that the manufac-
 turers indicate in their replies whether they
 can supply the guns ready finished or the
 material including the rough boring, turn
 ing and tempering required for guns of the
 largest caliber, involving the use of ingots of
 steel of the weight of one hundred tons with
 reasonable proportion of ingots of smaller
 size; also if they would be willing to put up
 the machinery necessary to complete the
 guns in case they had the material and not
 the machinery. The letter further states
 that the commission meet in New York on November 17th, at which time hearing will
 be given to those desiring to present their
 views. In the meantime all replies to the
 letter should be addressed to Samuel J. Ran
 dall, Berwyn, Chester county, Pennsylvania. The complaints of neglect on the part of
 the New York Transfer company to properly transact the business of conveying imported
 merchandise from the piers to the appraisers stores have been investigated by Secretary Manning and he to-day notified the company and Collector Hedden that hereafter an ade- quate number of teams must be employed or the collector will secure teams for the proper performance of the work and the expense in volved will be charged against the contrac- tor.
 It was decided in the Cabinet meeting to- day that the heads of departments may give out for publication their annual reports as promptly as they see fit, instead of holding them until the Presidents message is print ed.
 The report of the Postmaster General will show decrease in postal receipts com pared with the last fiscal year of upwards of $5, 5,000,0O0.
 Secretary Whitney has decided that the work of repairing the Alliance at Norfolk be commenced at once.
 The surgeon general of the marine hos pital service has received report from Surgeon Murray, in charge of the gulf quar- antine district of Ship Island, that there are three cases of yellow fever at that station. They were taken from the schooner Indian ola, which had just arrived from Havana. It is reported that two of the cases will prove fatal.
 ! The department of state is informed that vessels are leaving the port of Algiers with foul bills of health.
 The president has issued an order detailing Major s. M Mansfield, of the engineer corps, member of the commission appointed to run and make the boundary lines between l portion of the Indian territory and the State of Texas
 Special treasury agents are at word com l pleting and classifying for the information of Secretary Manning the replies to the treas ury circular letters calling for views and sug- | gestions on the tariff questions There are several hundred replies, many of which are practical and well considered, and to which serious attention will be given. Very few of the correspondents declare in favor of free trade, but comparatively few express satis faction with the present requirements of the tariff law. A number advocate the abolition of duty raw materials and many of them desire the substitution of specific for ad va lorem duties Secretary Manning will pro- | bably incorporate summary of the cores pondence in his report.
 President Cleveland this afternoon issued l a notice to the public stating that flor near | ly eight months large share of the time of the President has been devoted to the hear | ing of applications for office and the determi- | nation of appointments. Much of this time 1 thus spent has undoubtedly subserved the public good; some of it has been sacrificed l to the indulgence of people in their natural | insstence useless interviews and some of ! it Las been unjustifably wasted. The pnb- \ lie welfare and due regard for the claims l of those whose interests in the government are entirely disconnected with office holding | imperatively demand that in the future the l time of the President should be differently
 occupied and he confidently expects that all good citizens will acquiesce in the propriety ] and reasonableness of the following plan ad- opted to that end:
 After the first of November the President will decline to grant interviews to those seek ] ing public positions or their advocates. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays | during that month from 10 to il o'clock in 1 the morning he will receive such other per sons as call strictly public business, and I on the same days at half past one in the af- l ternoon he will meet those who merely desire
 to pay their respects. On all other days and times during that month he will receive only Cabinet officers and heads of departments.