The Republican journal., 1897-12-16

WASHINGTON WHISPERINGS. Secretary
Gage said recently that in the annual
estimates he would send to Congress he
would name about so, 900, 600 and not
above SO, 600 900 as the amount Of the
treasury deficit for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1898. The Secretary said That
he expected the receipts from customs to
increase steadily and that in the spring
months he anticipated quite large importa-
tions. A member of the Spanish cabinet
in an interview just published says the
government of Spain is we'll satisfied
with the results of the publication of the
decree providing for an autonomous form
of government in Cuba and Porto Rico !;
adding that the manner in which it has
been received in the United States is
favorable to Spain. The Secretary of
the Navy finally accepted the battleship
Iowa and the torpedo boat Foote Dec. 1st.
49,. The December statement of the public
debt shows that at the close of business
November 30, 1897, the public debt, less
! cash in the treasury amounted to 81 ,009,
226 466, a decrease since October 30, of
$11 ,33S, 125. This decrease is accounted
for by an increase in the cash due to the
deposits of an installment of the proceeds
of the sale of the government S interest in
the Union Pacific railroad. &C.. Peru is the
| first South American country to open
negotiations with the United States for a
reciprocity treaty under the provisions of
the Dingley law. Peru has submitted q
schedule of articles. These embrace
brandies and wines, hides, cattle and
goats, sugar, wool, woven cotton goods,
Peruvian bark and other native products
.....Tbe torpedo boat Winslow, the third
of three vessels Of the same type built at
the Columbia Iron Works in Baltimore,
made more than the required speed on
her first official trial. Twenty four and a
half knots were required and tie vessel
went "A. s per hour on the trial.. The re-
port of the director of the mint shows that
the coinage executed at the u. S. minis
during Novem her. 1897 was as follows
Gold 50, SOD 900, silver 81, 103, 600, minor
coins S126, 2l0; total s., 773, 210 OF the
silver coined ST. 500, 900 was in standard
dollars. 80. Speaker Reed arrived Dec. Sd
and took up his old quarters at the Shore
ham for the wlnter.... The clerk of the
house of representatives has received
notices of 20 contests to be made in the
present house.
In BRIEF. The Burglar Insurance
sachusetts and is trying to re-insure its
risks, but it has been found that the law
is such that, as there are no other burglar
insurance companies in the State, the re-
insurance cannot be effected. -. The gold
output of the Cripple Creek (Col.) district
in November was 81, 25S, 800, the large st
for one month in the history of the ca mp.
..... The London st. James Gazette says
the Prince of Wales has engaged "Ted'
Sloane, the American jockey, to ride fl I
him, next season.. For the month OF
November the exports Of grain from Bos-
ton to the European market amounted to
1870, ia bushels, while for the same
period in '96 there were l, 739, 204 bushels.
The exports thus far this year are in ex-
cess of last years figures by nearly 5000,
600 bushels. For the II months ending
Dec. LIST the total shipments of grain reach
ed the high mark of 25, 443, 1856 bushels, as