Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-02
DUR DEBT IS INCREASING At the Rate of Five Million Fer
 Month. GOLD COIN IS VANISHING The Japanese Minister Writes a Letter to Pres
 idant Cleveland THANKING HIM FOR STOPPING TIE WAR Several Able Department Clerks Are Pro- noted to Responsible Pcsitions-The Trial Spin of the Katahdir
 Was Success.
GOLD COIN IS VANISHING
THANKING HIM FOR STOPPING THE WAR

Washington, Nov. 1.-The debt state ment issued today shows net increase in the public debt less cash in the treasury during October of s5,321 ,472. The inter- est bearing debt was increased s740. The non-interest bearing debt decreased $11G,- 6S2, and cash in the treasury decreased $5437,364. The balances of the several classes of debt at the close of business October 31, were:
 Interest bearing debt, $747, ,361 ,560; debt on which interest has ceased since ma turty, 1,6S1 .67O; debt bearing no interest, $377, 1885, S76 Total, $1 ,126, ,379, ,1G6.
 The certificates and treasury notes off set by an equal amount of cash in the treasury outstanding at the end of the month were $591 ,102,67S, decrease of $9,125,020. The total cash in the treasury was $S12. ,G10. The gold reserve was s92 g43179. Net cash balance, $S7,0 004,Sl9. In the month there was decrease Tn gold coin and bars of $196673. the total at the close being s143 S60, ,S3S. Of silver there was a decrease of $4, ,594, 1885. Of the surplus there was in national bank depos- itorIes $15513,1S5 against $16,047,105 at the end of the preceding month.
 Letter From the Japanese Emperor.
 MT. Shinichiro Kurino. the Japanese minister, paid visit to the white house today and presented to President Cleve- land an autograph letter from the em- peror of Japan thanking the president and government of the United States TOT the good offices exercised toward bring ing about peace between China and Ja- pan. The emperor of China sent simi- lar letter to the president some time ago. MT H. Kuringo was presented to the president by Secretary Olney. He was also accompanied by MT. Keisherird Matsu. secretary of the Japanese lega- tion The text of the letter is as follows: By the Grace of Heaven. Emperor cf Japan, Seated on the Throne occupled by the Same Dynasty from Time lmme- morial, to His Excellency, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States of America
 Great and Good Friend: During the war between our empire and that or China which has now happily been brought to an end by the conclusion of treaty of peace, the diplomatic and con sular officers of the United States in China, with your excellency's gracious permission and acting under your excel lency's wise direction, extended thelr friendly offices to our subjects in China and on many occasions afforded them succor and assistance. Again. as the war was nearing its final stage the representatives of the United States at Tokio and Pekin. by your ex- cellency's authority provided the way Wherby China was able to approach di- rectly our government on the subject of peace. and it was through the facilities afforded by those two representatives Tor direct reciprocal communication between the governments of Japan and China that all the preliminaries looking to the open ing of negotiations for the definite termi-- nation of hostilities were adjusted. The manner in which those delicate services in the interest of peace were performed left nothing to be desired and we take fn ny- cellency our high appreciation of these acts on the part of your excellency, as well as upon your excellency's officers, acting under your excellency's wise direc- tion. which not only tended to mitigate the seventies and hardships of war. and finally to promote the successful issue Of the negotiations for peace. but served to draw still closer the bonds of friendship and good neighborhood which happily unite our two countries. We assure your excellency of our high est regard and esteem.
 MATSUHITO. Done at our palace at Kioto the 12th daY of the fifth month of the twenty-eighth year of MeiZi. (Countersigned)
 VISCOUNT MUTSU MUNEMTTSl1,
 Minister of Foreign Affairs.
 Departmental Appointments.
 The important legal position of solicitor for the state department. which was left vacant through the resignation of MT. w D. Dabney to accept the chair of law at the University of Virginia. was filled today by the president in the appoint ment of Walter Emerson Faison of North Carolina. Secretary Olney also filled an other important place in his department, appointing MT. Frank A. Branagan of Ohio as chief of the bureau of accounts, the position which MT. Francis Keck hoefer resigned last week as result of the investigation into the conduct of his office. Both appointments were made on merit and both appointees entered the service of the government under civil ser vice rules.
 MT Faisou has been chief of the con sular bureau of the state department for two years. On receiving appointment to a clerical position as the result of a com petitive examination he was assigned to the consular bureau and was gradually advanced to it's head. He is a lawyer and has had considerable experience in the work which the solicitor isl called on to perform.
 MT. Branagan. like Mr. Faison, is a young man. A clerical position in the treasury department was his first assign ment under the civil service and he served there for few years During MT. Cleveland's first administration MT. Branagan was made appointment clerk of the department of justice as the result of an examination into the clerical rec ords of number of employees of the gov ernment. He held that position up to to- day, exercising also the duties of dis bursing officer of the attorney generals office. When MT. Olney was attorney general he was thrown into confidential relations with MT. Branagan and was im- pressed by his ability, and the appoint ment of MT. Branagan to the place va- cated by MT. Kieckhoefer is a natural consequence of that acquaintanceship.
 A Successful Trial Run.
 A telegram was received at the navy department today from Captain Picking, president of the board which conducted the trial of the harbor defense ram Ka- tahdin on Long Island sound yesterday,