The National tribune., 1886-11-11
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The Weeks DOingS at the Ma
tiOnal Capital
MAKING HARD MONEY.

MINIS during the last fiscal year amounted 10
S34. or $50 against S24, o6l, l23 in the proceed
ing year The silver coinage amounted 70
5000 3l7, of which Seg.s3s.905 consisted oil
silver dollars against S3o.o4s,919 IN the pre-
ceding YEAR Ia addition 20 the gold ana sli-
yer coinage, l706.65l minor COINS were struck
al. the value of ST.. 317.65. The total coinage
was IS 3-4 612 pieces, OF the value OF e6l 100
la addition TO the coinage, the value OF goid
and silver bars manufactured during the year
amounted 10 81. 26S.8 OBJ
AZ the date Oft he passage Of the act authorizing
the coinage Of the standard dollar. Feb. p, 1870,
the London price of the silver dollar was %
pence equal 10 Sl.305 per ounce line, AT winch
price the intrinsic value OF "A silver dollar was
$685. AtnO time since has the price oil silver
reached IS pence the tendency having heeh
steadily downward, with occasional temporary
advance. On July 81, lss6. the price reached
40 pence equivalent 10 1892 per ounce me,
which was the lowest price ever reached. AZ
that price the bullion value Of the silver dollar
is $OTI2 The price has since advanced, untl
on Oct 20 il was a. ZIG pence, equivalent To
S01Szs per onnCe fine.
The value of the gold bullion imported into
the United States during the year was Si.O13,-
ass; exported. So. }6d. $50. The import OF gold
into the United States was Sl6bO9, 81 export
ed. sl5aA0.9l7. The import of silver bullion
during the wear was 81, l5l, 43s; exported, SlO'-
7S0.656, Of which $3Si,SIS consisted OF trade
dollars
The Director estimates the amount of United
States coin in the United States on July j,
1886 10 have been Gold, $5is.320,0 Sl; silver,
sos ISL 223; total. SSl7,i0i,25i. I'm addition
60 the coin there was gold aud silver bullion IN
the MINIS and assay offices belonging TO the
Government ms follows: Gold bullion, Si2,-
45l. 430; silver bullion, S3i6S.620, making the
estimated stock of coin and bullion available
for coinage IN the United States S903.O2a,3Oi.
The production of gold and silver in the
world during the calendar year 1853 was:
Gold, Sl0l, $4,000; silver, calculated at ITS
coming value nearly Sl25000O00. NOtwith-
standing the large depreciation ina the value OF
silver. the product ION Of silver in the world
has steadily increased. The United States still
preserves first rank among the Nations OF the
world as the largest producer of the precious
metals It's production OF gold and silver during
the year having reached the sum of SS3 iO0,OJO'
or about two-tfths of the production OF the
whole world. The coinage of gold by the Ma
tions of the world during the calendar year
amounted 10 about $50 100000, and of silver TO
about S97 100000
GEN. sHERIDAN's EsCUTcHEoN.
Some one has been making an escutcheon for
Gen Sheridan. and il Is quite a handsome affair.
&c is done in blue and gold on white hack
ground and handsomely framed The escutch-
con is in the form of shield, with coat Of the
United States at the crest. The field is divided
into four quarters by a cross. ON which is in
soribed the Generals military record in gold
letters, from his entrance 10 the military Acad-
envy until his appointment % the command OF
the army. Below this, az the base Of the cross,
is a panel, on which appears in gold letters the
following:
The President has appointed YOU Major General
al the u. = Army. 20 rank from Nov. r. 1854 for the
personal eallHutry. military skill and Just confidence
f1.s.
played by you ON the l0th day of October, lsba at
Cedar Run. whereby, under the blessing OF Provi-
dence, your routed army was reorgAnized, a great
national disaster averted, and a. brilliant victory
achieved over the rebels for the third time IN pitch
ed battles within 30 days.
EDwIS NJ. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
This communication, Of which the General
has the original Is valued quite as highly rs
any letter he ever received. and few men would
object TO having AN inscription of the kind upon
their crestS. The upper right and left quarters
Of the shield bear lac-similes Of the shoulder
straps the General las worn, beginning with
that Of q SerOnd Lieutenant OF infantry, and
following through the several grades 10 that OF
Lieutenant General Only those of Major and
Lieutenant Colonel are missing, for the General
skipped these grades. ON the lower quarter OF
the shield are representations of the badges OF
the army corps in which he served and the
headquRrter flags he used from time to time
during the war The whole makes not only
beautiful picture. but clearly epitomzes IN,
Generals brilliant career.
A GIANT AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Col" O'Brien, the Irish giant, was among
the callers one day last week. When he wat
introduced, as the line passed in review. th,
President reached forward 10 grasp the hand
which could probably squeeze into No. j.
glove The President looked straight ahead
aud his eyes met the lower button on his caller
vest Not finding a smiling face at that high
he raised his eyes gradually until they had
reached an elevation of seven feet six inches
and in the meantime the Presidents head WA
thrown back 10 such a degree that his standing
collar almost collapsed When he realized tina
he was standing face 20 face with a real liv,
circus giant broad smile spread over his coun
tonancc, and the crowd Of bystanders could no
help laughing at the deliberate manner in whcl
the Presidents eyes wandered up the broad Goa
front until the face of the giant came in sight
To render the situation more comical there wa
dwarf in the line, aud when he reached TIA
President and clutched az the latter with tw
hands there was another Outburst Of laughte
at the Presidents remark, We are having th
long aud short of il 10 day"
THE NEW sURGEoN-aENERAL.
Lieut.-Col. John Moore. Assistant Medica
PurveyoT. WILL IL Is stated, be appointed Sur
understood 10 have been made by the Presiden
and the position rendered him. IL accepted tn
appointment will follow within the next FEY
days. IN all the spcculations INDUCED in as 1
who the fortunate officer might be. rumor ha
passed by Col. Moore, owing 10 the fact that h
has made no effort 10 secure the place. Co
Moore Is now on duty az San Francisco, actin
40 dsbUrsing officer lie was born in Indiana
aud Is now in the prime Of life. His appoint
ment 20 the Army as Assistant Surgeon wa
from Indiana, and was made on the llth
June, 1862 He has consequently seen nearl
% years Of service. Ia October, 1853, he wa
made Lieutenant Colonel and Medical Pul
VeyOr During the war he served with IN
Western army as Medical Director, aud wl
Tor time COlone Of volunteers.
BUFFALO BILL"
Hon VIM r. Cody, more widely known i
Buffalo Bill !" has been in the city for the pa
week making arrangements with the Interic
Department in regard 10 the Indians whom
employs in his great show. Cody is about Ill
only man whom the Interior Department wi
allow 10 take the Indians from their reservi
lions. he treats them SO well, however, am
surrounds them with such really good inf
ences that the Department regards his emplOl
ment Of them as an important aid in the civil
zatiOn Of them and their tribes. All tho
whom he had with his show this Summer ha,
received their wages in full, been presents
with good serviceable suit of citizens cotht
and sent back 20 their peoples. A good man
new Indians will be with his show next SUI
ner Cody is an active GAR man havi,
gained the right of membership by service
the grand old 9Th Kan. Cav, the famous +" Je
nisOn Jayhawkers."