The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-12-08

States, their respective governments Inv.
ing agreed uron the substantial provis-
ions of II treaty between Great Britain
and Venezuela ubmittinE the whole con
trovcrsy to arbitration. The provisions
of the treaty are so emincntly just and
fpir, that the assent of Venezuela thereto
may confidently bc anticipated.
For IL General Treaty
Negotiations for IL treaty Of general ar.
bitration for all differences between
Great Britain and the United States are
far advanced and promise to reach II sue.
cessfRl contamination mt an early date.
Consular EN- .minations.
The scheme of examining applicants for
certain consular positions to test their
competency and fitness, adopted under an
executive order issued on the Goth of Sep
TENDER, 1895, has fully demonstrated the
usefulness of this innovation. In connec..
ton with this plan of examination, pro-
motions and transfers of deserving in
cumbents have been quite extensively
made, with excellent results During
the past year thirty. five appointments
have been made III the cons ulur service,
twenty-seven of which were made to fill
vacancies caused by death or resignation
or to supply newly created posts, two TO
succeed incumbents removed for cause,
two for the purpose of disDlacing alien
consular officials by American citizens,
and four merely changing the official title
of incumbent from commercial a.sent to
consul. Twelve of these appointments
were transfers or promotions from other
positions under the Department OF State,
four of those appointed had rendered pre-.
vious service under the department., eight
We're made of persons who passed II sat.
lsiactory examination, seven were ap-
pointed to places not included in the or.
der of September 20. 1895, and four an
pointments as above stated, involved 10
change of incumbency.
The inspection OF consular Offices prc..
vlded for by an appropriation for that
purpose nj the last session OF the Con.
gress has been productive of such whole.
some effects that | hope this important
w1rk Will in future be continued
Know OF nothing that can he done with
the same slight expense so improving to
the service | desire to repeat the recon-.
mendation contained in my last message.
i'll favor OF providing at the public ex
pensc official residences for our a,nbnssn.
doris and ministers ut foreign capitals
The reasons supporting this recommenGa-
ton are strongly stated in the report of
the Secretary of State, and the subject
seems of such importance that hope it
may receive the early attention of the
Congress. We have during the last year
labored faithfully and against unfayor.
able conditions to secure better preserva-
ton of seal life in the Bchring sea. Both
the United States and Great Britain have
lately dispatched commissioners to these
waters to study the habits and coalition of
the seal herd and the causes of their rapid
decrease Upon the reports of these com
missioners, soon 20 be submitted. and with
the exercise of patience and good sense
other part of ali interested parties, it is
earnestly hoped that hearty corporation
may be secured for the protection against
threatened extinction OF seal life in the
Northern Pacific ana Ber;ng sea
Tho Finances
The Secretary of the Treasury reports
that during the fiscal year ended june
30, 1896, the receipts Of the Government
from all sources amounted to 800. 40.
AUS. IS. During the same period its cy
panditures were $l3i, 6,S, 65i.4S, the cy-
cess OF expenditures over receipts thus
amounting to E2j, 203 2i5.10. The ordi
nary expenditures during the year were
SLOl3,So22l less than during the pre-
ceuing iiscal year. OF The receipts men.
toned there was derived from custom,
icrnal revenue $ll6, ,6lJ.GG. The re.
ceipts from customs show IN increase of
|',o6J, l3l22 over those from the same
source for the fiscal year ended June 80,
lSoo, and the receipts from internal rev.
cnue an increase of $3,lSl ,j31gl.
Oar Imports
The value of our imported dutialle
merchandise during the last fiscal wear
was S36o, 'J7, 40, and the value of free
goods imported sos, 1914 being an in.
crease Of So, 523, Go in the value Of dutia-
bic goods and SIil PSI ,O34 in the value of
free goods over the preceding year. Our
exports OF merchandise, foreign and do.
nestle, amounted in value. to $3.50 COS.
J3S, being an increase over the preceding
year of $15, 0GS, 773
The average advalorem duty paid on
dutable goods imported during the year
was 30. IA per cent. and on free ana duti-
able goods taken together 20.5 per cent.
Internal Revenue.
The cost of collecting our internal rev.
enue was 2.1S per cent. as against PSI
per cent. for the fiscal year ended June
30, 1890. The total production Of distill.
ed spirits, exclusive of fruit brandies.
was S6,JSS, 7O3 taxable gallons, being an
increase of 1888, los gallons over The pre-.
ceulhS year. mere was also an increase
OF i,ll3,G16 gallons OF spirits produced
from fruit rs compared with the prcced-
ing year. The number of barrels Of beer
produced was 81, $50, $50, as against 81.
$50, Isl produced in tine preceding fiscal
year, being an increase of 2,2G9. .iG6 bar
rcls
Gold Exports.
The total amount OF gold exported der.
ing the last fiscal year was SIP. 4090l7.
and of silver $50 jll $40, being nm in
crease OF $40, 0il ,4GG Of gold and 1913, 24G.-
ISL of silver over the expectations of tie
preceding fiscal wear. The imports of
gold were si33.321, OGj and of silver {;2S.