The New York Herald Newspaper, August 17, 1871, Page 4

4 NEW YORK. HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, All business or pews Jetter aud telegraphic @espatches must be addressed New York Herarp. Letters and packages suould be properly AMUSEMENTS THIS EVENING. WALLACK'S THEATRE. Broadway and 13th strect.— Tar MogMon, 1H MaIDEN AND LittLE MILITATER. LINA EDWIN'’s THEAT 7 ms PS on Pos bret de "RE. No, 730 Broadway.—KELLY BOWERY THEATRE, Bowery.— MAoUINE Gini—PuR Buzzanns, eet THR SRwING WOOD'S MI'SEUM, Broadway, corner 20th at,—P. : ances aiteroon and évening—A Live's REVENGE BOOTH'S THEATRE, 284 st, between Sth and - LIVILE NELL AND The Manduiontos, on 024 6 are TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, No. 1 Dak Hour BiyorE Dawn—ivan tun Wauune ey CENTRAL PARK GARDEN. " BUMNKE Niawts' CoxoEnae, TEZODORR THOMAS BROOKLYN RINK, Cle Bue. SUMNER EVENING CO: avenue, near Myrtle ave. @ CONoERTS, Thorsday, New Yerk, August 17, 1871. C95 AWS MERALD. Paan. ci 1—Advertisements. 2—Advertisements, 3—Advertisements. 4—Edito; jul: Leading Article, “The Conclusion of the Westfieid Inquest—A Rignteous Verdiov— Personal Intelligence—News trom Washing- ton—atlroad = Matters—Muscellancous Tele- graphic News—Local items—nNaval Intelil- genco—Amusement Announcements, ; &—The Tricolor and the Green—Arrival of a French Deputation to Thank ireland for Her Aid to the Wounded of vhe War—Tne Situation in France—Telegrams from England, Russia, Germany and Rome—Speech of Speaker Blaine at Saratoza—The Pittston Calamity—Miscel- laneous Telegraphic News—Health Matters — Views of the Past—Business Notices. G—Avenging the Dead : Conclusion of the Westfield Inquest; the Verdict of the Jury; Jacob Vander- bilt, His Superintendent and Engineer Held Kespousible—The New Court House—Proceed- ings in the Couris—Tomps Police Court— Another Mystery: An tnnocent German Has Uis Skull Fracturea—Was Moore Murdered ?— Stabbing Affray in Westchester County—A —— Affray in Milburn, N. J.—New Jersey Camp Meeting—Aquatic—The Yale College Expioring Party—iennsylvania War Claim Frands. ¥—New Jersey Politics: Who Will be Governor!— Financial and Commercial Keporis—Domestic Markets—Canal Navigation—Marriages and Deaths— Advertisemenis. ®—Saratoza Races: First Day of the Augnst Mect+ ing—ihe Kalamazoo Kaces—Yachting: Ar- rival of the New York Yacht Squadron at N Scuttle Thief—Ship- ments, A Grortovs Prospect—That in reference to our autumnal crops, North, South, East and West, from the abounding rains of the sum- mer, and ‘‘the cry is, still they come.” | A Preoen Neoresrton bas arrived in Dub- lin to thank the people of Ireland tor tneir aid and «sympathy to the French wounded of the late war. According to our special despatch the city is wild with excitement, and has given the most enthusiastic reception to the deputation, Marshal MacMahon’s son, who appears to form part of the deputation, is the object of special honors. Tnere is TRouBLE BETWEEN FRANCE AND Germany about the evacuation of the remain- ing four departments still occupied by the German troops, The French govern- ment has even had _ recourse to a hostile measure. On the other hand, the Berlin official Provincial Gaeette complains bitterly of the provocations of the French journals. It says that the evacuation of France will commence as soon as the French government shall have paid the war in- demnity, but no sooner, Another Muppie bas been raised in the Internal Revenue Bureau. In March last the late Commissioner Pleasonton decided that any receipt or other contract to continue in force an unexpired ineurance policy is exempt from stamp duty. Yesterday Commissioner Douglass overruled this decision of his prede- cessor, and holds that all insurance receipts which renew or continue a policy require the same stamp as the original contract. This stamp tax on insurance receipts formerly ‘The Concluston ef the Westflela rnquest= A Righteous Verdict. After a six days investigation of the most exhaustive, searching and careful character, before Corgner Keenan and a jury of eleven Giperts, a verdict has been rendered censur- suring, without any attempt at equivooation, the officers of the Staten Island Ferry Com- pany for the lives lost and the hideous mutil- ations inflicted in the terrible explosion on board the Westfield. The verdict could not ave been couched in stronger words, and Coroner's warrants were at once issued for the arrest of the President, Superintendent and engineer of the company. We are thus promised that these men, whose hands are black with the stain of a hundred murders—com- mitted, too, from that meanest of all motives, the greed of lucre—shall not only answer for their guilty negligence by pecuniary penalties, bat shall also he arraigned before a criminal tribunal, and avswer for thelr misdeeds at the peril of their liberty and, perbaps, even of their lives. The testimony already taken will be at once placed in the hands of the District Attorney, who will put it into proper shape and present the case to the Grand Jury. These gentlemen will, doubtless, retarn a true bill of indictment. Wo have no wish to advo- cate a vindictive prosecution, but hungry and unscrupulous millionnaires must be taught in some effectual way that they must not gamble away the lives of thoir fellow citizens against the cost of replacing a damaged boiler. This verdict comes at a singularly oppor- tune time, so far as these individual culprits are concerned. About a weck ago the in- spectors examined another of the Staten Island boats—the Middletown—and discovered that its boiler was in even a more alarming state of decay than that of the Westfield before the explosion. This curiously corroborated Mr. Vanderbilt’s voluntary confession, that the boiler of the Westfield was, in his opinion, the best on any of the boats of the company. The Middlctown boiler was so rotten that a slight tap of the inspector’s hammer in several places crashed through the plates of iron. This took place only a week ago; and, having been duly chronicled in the newspapers, and commented upon, it was generally supposed that the Mid- dletown would not be used again until she had been refitted with a new boiler and thoroughly overhauled and repaired. But the managers of the company are too hardened by long familiarity with the crime of risking other peo- ple’s lives to indulge in any such weak-minded foliy. Yesterday morning, only a few hours before the giving in by an impartial jury of this rizhteous and deserved verdict, this same boat, with the same old boiler, cobbled over with a few additional patches, was again put on the ferry. Scarcely ever was there » more impudent deflance than this dung down to an awakened and indignant public, Nothing apparently can teach these mea common honesty and common humanity sbort of a term in the State Prison, or, in cases ‘of aggravated guilt—such guilt as would be involved in a fatal explosion on the Middletown—the ignominions death upon the scaffold of an assassin. We hope, too, that in this instanee there will be nu yielding to influence, political or pecuniary, in favor of the more wealthy culprits. Vee want to see the just penalty of the crima visited upon every guilty head; but it would be a wicked and shameful infamy to punish the poor ignorant negro engineer with a heavy term of imprison- ment, while his employers are allowed to go scot free, We look upon this verdict asa grand and yielded the government about half a million of dollars annuall, Tur New Loas—An Important Runor.— A Washington despatch states it as highly probable tiat Mr. Boutwell will with. draw all of the new loan except the five per cents. The loan, as authorized by Congress, is for $1,500,000,000, divided as follows:— $500,000,050 five per cents, $300,000,000 four anda balf per cents and $700,000,000 four percenis. Perhaps it wontd be the best plan, after all, for Mr. Boutwell to pursue, to direct all his encrgies to marketing the five per cents and leave the lower-rated bonds to find their popularity ia the future. Genera, Ewrna's Fixanciat Sconeme.— General Thomas Ewing is behind the times in his advocacy of a greenback currency and payment of the debt in greenbacks. There was a tie when this idea was rather popular, particularly in the West; but that is past. The financial policy of the government, the acts of Congress making the debt payable In gold, and the approximation to a specie basis have settled the question. Even the West will not now listen to General Ewing’s scheme, We advise the General to try something more practical with which to catch the popular breeze. A New Dirrerexce Between Franog aNp Gurmany.—Every day almost brings us fresh news of the continued unfriendly relations ex- isting between the French and the Germans, 8o long as the Germans remain on French soil so long will disagreements exist between them and the people whom they are with, We learn this morning that difficulties have now arisen at Berlin in respect to the evacuation of the four departments still held by the Germans. The French government, by way of retaliation, refuses to admit Alsatian prodace to the French until after the deparinre of the Ger- man troops from the soilof France. This new difference will fail heavily on the Alsatians, who will thus be deprived of markets for their produce. The information, moreover, from all parts of the country, and especially those portions «till occupied by the Germans, or dis- tricts close to it, goes to show that the feeling against (he Germans is intensified and bitter imposing vindication of the American people from the charge so often brought against them of being indifferent to the sanctity of human life. Sneers at this assumed trait in our national character are almost daily launched against us in every European journal that speaks out the Old World distrust of free institutions. ‘‘You prate about liberty,” say they, ‘‘and you have it. Your poor citizens are free to kill each other in the public streets, and your rich citizens are free to risk for gain bundreds of lives in dilapidated steam- boats or over rotten railroad bridges. But the true cause of this terrible insecurity of life has been not our inhumanity, but our excessive good nature asa people. We pity the victim of a brutal affray; and our sen- sibilities are wrung by the spectacle of a hidecus holocaust such as that of the Westfield. But when we come to punish the parties responsible for such erimos our good nature again steps in, and we transfer our sympathy from the victim to his assassin. We are afraid that In a couple of months’ time, if Mr, Vanderbilt and his fellow officials are convicted of criminal negligence and are sen- tenced to some heavy penalty, they will have 4 vast number of sympathetic apologists, even among the very men who now express the profoundest detestation of their crime. It is aviriue to be merciful; but it isa vicious injustice to the murdered dead to overflow with leniency to cold-blooded monsters who, 80 far from repenting of their former offences, complacently run the hazard of repeating them. The recommendations of the jury embody pretty well all the saliont points established in the testimony brought before both the Coroner and the Supervising Inspectors. The imm2- diate cause of the explosion was undoubtedly an over-pressure of steam; but if the fron had not been decayed, either by an original defect in its manufacture or by long avd hard use, a few pounds of extra strain, while it would have been a violation of the law, might still have led to no very serious consequences, The law wisely provides a very wide margin between the real strength of a boiler and the working strain that may be put upon it. As to this defect in the iron, the jury declare that it could have been detected if the company had had an efficient superintendent, engineer and mechanic in their employ. The verdict also censures the imperfect manner in which boil- ers are tested by the United States authorities, We confess that this part of the verdict seems to us to leave it in doubt whether the company or the government inspector is responsible for not detecting the flaw in the iron, Both are morally guilty, no doubt, but there should be no division of responsibility. Ether one or the other, in the eye of the law, must be held to account; we cannot hold both, Tbe grand point, however, that establishes the responst- in the extreme, The present state of Franeé, | bility of the company Js the over-pressure of however, does not encourage any hope of steith } aid the question about the iron is only obange in thi ctioa for some time to come, a sido issue, which 229 bad the valuablo effect of exposing the perfunctory manner in which the inspectors have performed their duties. Whatever may be the fate of the criminal prosecution—and we hope it will be rigorously pressed, without fear or favor to any offender, however wealthy and powerful—there can be no doubt that the Staten Island Company will ay dearly before the civil courts for the te they have indulged in of slaughterise a hundred and maiming and woundi- 2 another hundged and fifty of taeir fellow citizens. In the face of this verdict they cannot hope to evade pecuniary responsibility. It is pretty well settled that each case of death involves a payment of five thousand dollars to the nearest relatives, As tothe injured the amounts of compensation will vary, we suppose, from five hundred dollars’ to twenty-five thousand dollars. If the company escape with the pay- ment of half or three-quarters of a million they may count themselves fortunate, and we sincerely hope they will not be allowed to escape for lesa, There is another and a wider aspect of this whole matter which ought to be kept in mind. It is necessary in the interests of law and order that rich men should be punished for abuses of their power as capitalists. Society fs rapidly changing among us, and if the process now at work be completed we shall soon be a people of poor but well-drilled workers led by colossal millionnaires. There is much sad truth in the prediction that the feudalism of commerce and of money-making wiil succeed the feudalism of birth and con- quest in every civilized community. Now, this system, to be endurable by a free people, must be hedged roundabout by the most delicately arranged safeguards of popular liberty. In this country, however, the spirit that animates our moneyed class seems to be more unscru- pulous, grasping and reckless than even in Europe. Something must be done and done at once to assure our people that in legislation the interest and safety of all, and not simply the aggrandizement of a few rich men and the security of property, are to be carefully kept in view. If not, the spirit of the Commune will re- vive upon American soil, aud our free institu- tions will pass through the shock of an awful and, perhaps, bloody struggle between a privi- leged money class and the grand masses of the people. No Alliance Between Russia and Germany. The Czar has informed General Leflo, the French Minister at St. Petersburg, that there is no alliance between Germany and Russia. The fact that the Czar should go to the trouble of telling the French government that he is no ally of the Emperor William may imply that the relations between Russia and Germany are not so very friendly as the world has been taught to believe. The Czar, perhaps, also meant to say that he has his hands free to contract an alliance with any other Power, not excluding France. The game of politics, like the game of war, is a very shifting and uncertain one. There was probably an alliance on the tapis between Germany and Russia when the two Emperors met at Ems. But, seeing the many points of dissension that exist between the two Powers, the idea might have been abandoned as impracticable. In such a case the German Kaiser and the Czar would be apt to look ont for new allies, Russia might, as it has been rumored, have made overtures to France and Germany to Austria. The old Russian party has ever been hostile to Ger- man influence, and now it cannot brook that a powerful empire should have arisen at the the very frontier of Russia and overshadow all tife. other Powers of Europe. The Emperors of Austria and Germany, said a cable despatch yesterday, are going to confer in the presence of their Chancellors, Bismarck and Beust, about the Roumanian difficulty. Now it is a notor@us fact that Russia has been trying for ever so long to undermine the influence of Austria in the Danubian Principalities, but chiefly in Roumania, So the conference between the two Kaisers cannot bode much good to Russia, Hence there may be a great significance io the information of the Czar to the French Minister. Speaker Biaine is on the war path, and last night took a number of Tammany scalps. The Speaker is spending his summer vacation in Saratoga, and last evening made an address to a large crowd in that city, who tendered him a serenade. Mr. Blaine gave the de- mocracy many hard blows, and his definition of their new departure was anytbing but complimentary to the patriotism of that party. Tammany came in for a goodly share of his attention, and he drew a most unfavorable comparison between the financial condition of New York, under its present municipal officials, and that of the federal government, under President Grant's administration, Mr. Blaine’s remarks were aptly put and his allusions to New York affairs were specially relished by his hearers, Tue Mexican Ciatms ComMission.—One of the most important cases yet brought before the Mexican Claims Commission was that of William E. Barron, surviving partner of the firm of Barron, Forbes & Co., versus the United States, involving the ownership of the new Almedan quicksilver mines of California. The claimants are British subjects, but at the date of the treaty of peace with Mexico and the cession of California had a commercial council in Mexico, by virtue of which they contended they became entitled to all the rights and im- munities of Mexican citizens. The case was referred to the umpire, who decided against the pretension of the claimants to Mexican citizenship and dismissed the claim. We Have An Earnest of the epoch of peace and good will that the international treaty about the Alabama claims has already inaugurated between the two great Anglo- Saxon peoples. An American captain reports that while entering the Straits of Gibral- tar he was met by the English naval squadron.’ He did not know exactly what to do, but the squadron itself ended the diMiculty by grace- fully dividing into starboard and port divisions and leaving him a clear passage through their centre, As he sailed by each ship in the fleet courteously dipped its ensign and fired one gun, and various American airs were also played. This ia as it should be, The only contest between Great Britain and America should be a contrat in courtesy, kindness and progress, ~ NEW YORK HERALD. THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 18%. The Louisiana Republican Row. The squabbles and the late row among the Louisiana republicans have resulted in the di- vision of the party down there into two hostile camps—one headed by the lucky fellows who are inside the Custom House, and the other by Governor Warmoth and bis beter outside the Cnet rioahe, Niocse Ya os | “scalawags,” “‘carpet-baggers” and aiimucus “niggers” have been only following, however, in this business the example set them by their more enlightened brethren of New York city. Here we have had for some time a division of the party between the Conkling-Murphy fac- tion, who are inside the Custom House, and the Fenton-Greeley faction, who are outside the Custom House, and Messrs. Fenton, Greeley and company, in order to get at Collector Mur- phy and to get him out, and to get themselves in, are determined to reduce General Grant to one term. Governor Warmoth and his fol- lowers, including a certain toploftical Sena- torial African, of the name of Pinchbeck, are on the same tack. They will have a change in in their Custom House or they will have their revenge upon General Grant. Nevertheless, considering the high-handed doings of the Custom House clique of mana- gers against the Warmoth gang at the late New Orleans republican convention, we are not surprised that General Grantis of the opinion that the Custom House chaps carried their joke a little too far in the employment of soldiers to keep out of the convention the Warmoth faction, and that he has resolved to rectify the blunder thus committed by a walk- ing ticket to the blunderers directly respon- sible, Meantime, we understand that a powerful Warmoth delegation, one-half Cau- casians and one-half American citizens of African descent, including Pinchbeck, will at once set out for a visit to the President In his cottage by the sea, at Long Branch, in order to lay their griev- ances before him, so that justice may be done in the punishment of Casey, Packard aud their Custom House confederates, and in a sop of the spoils and plunder to the hungry claim- ants concerned. Very good; and yet we think that the best thing that General Grant can do with this New Orleans Warmoth dele- gation of soreheads when they call upon him will be to sead them back egain to settle their miserable squabbles and to wash their dirty linen at home. Tur Copan Cause.—General Manuel Que- sada has written a letter to Francisco Agui- lera, Vice President, and Ramon Cespedes, Secretary of Foreign Relations of the Cuban republic, telling them that he has been made aware of their mission to the United States through a private letter from President Ces- pedes, and congratulating them on their ser- vices to the cause, General Quesada says he bas not had any notice that his own mission is at an end, but he desires to act only under the direction of his distinguished compatriots. He closes by appealing to all Cubans to be true to the cause, and promises by bis own actions to show them a worthy example. All this may be very well; but it seems to be somewhat late in the day. We have had specimens of the same energy before; but if the energy had been in actions instead of speech Cuba would have been freed long ago. As things are, however, a meaningless war will go on without definite results on either side, and nobody ought to know this better than General Quesada. Pottog on Tar Street Cars.—The order of the Police Commissioners, providing for the protection of passengers in the street cars and stages is a wise one. Intoxicated and disor- derly persons have long been the pest of pub- lic vehicles in this city. No lady is certain on entering a street car, especially at night, that she will not be insulted by some rowdy, and there is a class of unmannerly animals who ride in the stages for no other purpose than the impunity with which they may addreas re- spectable women. Both the rowdies and the more covert scoundrels need taking care of, and this police oversight will be likely to have avery wholesome effect. The same regula- tions ought to be extended to excursion boats and other public conveyances which are crowded by a mixed multitude. We hope to see a complete reform in the behavior of the rough part of our population by the exclusion from the street cars and other public vehicles of all intoxicated or disorderly persons, This, we are assured, the police will speedily effect. Tne SovrHern Firk-Earsrs are evidently in earnest in their hostility to the new North- ern democratic departure. Among the latest blasts against it from Georgia is one from the Dalton Citizen, in which this unreconstructed old liner declares that ‘‘the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments we can never swallow, since they were fastened upon the country and incorporated in the constitution by gross usur- pation and acknowledged fraud and violence ;"" and he will not swallow these amendments because this ‘“‘would be an unqualified retrac- tion and abandonment of every principle for which the democratic party to-day is con- tending.” Well, considering the number of Southern old liners who are preaching the same doctrines, we shall, no doubt, have a third party in the South in 1872 on “‘old line” democratic principles; for it is morally cer- tain that the Southern democracy will not go into the fight of 1872 on their broken-down old line platform of 1868. Serious Comerications with Mexico are impending in consequence of Indian raids from Mexico into Texas. The Indians of the State of Coahuila make almost daily excursions across the Rio Grande, despoiling the ranches on the Texas side of their stock, which is driven into Mexico, and the marauders pro- tected by the authorities. The Texans have determined to avenge themselves, and threaten to make a demonstration into Mexico and re- cover their stolen property by force of arms, Nothing should be left undone by the military authorities to prevent this threatened invasion of Mexican territory by American citizens. ‘The commercial and political relations existing between the two republics are too valuable to be sacrificed in so worthless a cause, Tux Doo p'AUMALR, says a report, has been offered the Presidency of the French republic by the party of the right of the Na- tional Assembly. From the office of Prince- President there is but one step to the mon- archy, as has been taucht by the history of Louls Napoleow, Fires ia the Woods—A Question Importance. Lake Huron is reported as completely cov- ered with » cloud of smoke from fires in the Canadian forests, These fires in the woods on both sides of the great lakes are becoming more destructive from year to year in the — mer season, and be f4 pottnitied to go on of <uid Fate they “will before the lapse of many years, in connection with the general destruc- tion of our forests otherwise going on, result in extensive droughts and disastrous failures of crops in the United States and the New Dominion. Even now it is apparent that from the destruction of the forests on both sides of our Canadian border the annual rain fall in all that section has been diminished and is still being reduced from year to year. The subject thus suggested is of the highest importance, and is well worthy a general con- vention in view of the preservation of the still existing forests as far as possible and the planting of new ones in waste places and rows of shade trees on our highways all over the land. The great plains west of the Missis- sippi are arid and almost as rainless as the deserts of Africa In summer, because they are treeless. Introduce forests and you will bring the welcome summer rains; clear the forests away and these rains will disappear. The island of Madcira t2lls the story. Personal Intelligensa. General J. B, Ayer, of Lilinois; Dr. J. H. Smith, of Now Haven; Colonel Thayer, of Kentucky, and P, B. Ryan, of New Orleans, are at the Sturtevant House, Among the passengers by the Scotia is Mr. John F. Tracy, who ts tuterested in our Western railroads, RAILROAD MATTERS, Lease of the St. Louis and Fort Scoit Road by the New York Central. i Sr. Lovrs, August 16, 1871. Itis reported here that arrangements have been consummated between the New York Central and St. Louis and Fort Scott railroads, by which the former takes a long lease of the latter road, agreeing to built and equip it, Engineers will be tmme- diately sent out. Contracts for grading and tying the road will be made at once, promise being given that the cars will ve running in less than twelve months, The Leaveuworth and Denver City Narrow Gauge Road. LEAVENWORTH, Kan., August 16, 1871. The proposition to appropriate $250,000 in ald of the narrow gauge ratiroad from this city to Denver was voted on in this county yesterday and carried by about 4,000 majority. The people of Colorado Propose to appropriate $500,000 for the same pur- pose. All the counties in Kausas along the line of the road will vote bonds in tts aid, The work will be commenced immediately. Fifty miles will be bulit this fall; the whole line to be in operation within two years. ‘The Missourt Railroad Tax Gasos. Sr. Louis, August 16, 1871, The case of the Iron Mountain Railroad Company vs. Constantine Maguire Collector for St, Louis county, to restrain the sale of certain locomotives and rolling stock of the road for the non-payment of taxes. was argued before Judge Dt.lon, of the United States Circuit Court, at Daven- port, lowa, yesterday. The Court made a lemporary ordcr that so far as application for an injunction is based upon alleged irregularities in assessments the Judge is inclined to deny the same, but so far as the application ts based upon the alleged exemption of said railroad company from taxation by the Legislature of the State the Judge takes the matter under advisement to, be decided on or before the first Wednesday in Uctober next. In the meantime the sale will be cemporarily postponed. In conformity with the above the sale of the rolling stock has been post- poned, by agreement of counsel of both sides, until the loth of October, when 1% will take place without further advertisement. GREENBRIER WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS. GReeNBRiER WHITE SULPAUR SeRiNas, W, Va., August 16, 1871, } The second grand fancy ball of the season, given by the proprietors of the Springs to their guests, took place to-night. In addition to the large num- ber of characters represented, wardrobes being supplied by @ regular costumer, thore were many original make-ups, affording attogether a variegated, novel and brilliant display. On account of the immense crowd the grand dining room was thrown open for dancing and the large baliroow and part of the piazza used for prome- nading. Among the gentiemen present were Governor Walker, of Virginia; General Beau- regard, General M. C. Butler, of South Carolina; Congressman Young, of Georgla; ex-Secretary of War Conrad; D. T. Kenner, Ooionel Alfred Penn, of Lousiana; James Lyons, Judge Dickinson, Colonel H. C. Cabell, Southal Blatr and Mr. Price, of Virginia; J. M. Care lusle, K. T. Merrick and W. W. Corcoran, of Louist ana; Gobright aud Fitzhagh Coyle, of Washington; W.’W. Glenn, of Baltimore; Richard Norria, Jr, and Dr.” W.. H. Baile, of Maryland; Professor Valentine Mott, Colonel Van Buren and R. A. Lancaster, of New York; Joun S. Howard, of Ohio, and many others. At twelve o'clock the company sat down to supper, ‘The German was not allowed to be danced until Unree o'clock tn the morning. No representative of negro character was admitted to the ball, THE MAINE CENTRAL RAILROAD DISASTER, Bangor, Angust 16, 1871, The Coroner's inquest tn the case of the Maine Centrat Ratlroad disasier was concluded today and @ verdict given, The jury find, first, mat Thomas Gallagher came to his death on thi of August by the breaking down of a bridg examination of the bridge shows the tin bers to be very rotten; that the Railroad Commissioners made an examination of the bridge in 1870, and again, in connection with the superintendent of bridges em- ployed by the road, on the 8th of June, 1871, both of nich fatied to discover defe that a thorcugh examination would have detected tie rottenness of the Uurbers, THE NEW CAPITOL ALBANY, N. Y., August 16, 1871, ‘The contract for the stone for the new Capitol has been awarded to John R. Briggs & Co. and the stone will come from the quarry at Yarmouth, Me. Their bid aggregated $337,000, and the hignest bid Was $787,590. — PASSENGERS’ PROTEST. Erie Mismanagement—Hew Passengers Are ‘Treated at the Depots. ‘The high-handed action of some of the Erie Ratl- way subordinates recontly lias #0 aroused many of the passengers \iat Fisk may hear irom some of them through the courts ere many days elapse. The sharp trick played last Monday morning deserves especial notice. A train known as whe milk train leaves New York at half-past seven A.M. On this occasion the train started off from the Long Dock depot before the arrival of the boat, leaving a large crowd of passengers to wail two hours anda naif for the next way train, There was not even the excuse that the boat was delayed lor any consider. able length of time on the river. Many of the nengers Whose business was urgent, left by the through express train at eigitt o'clock, and those bound for Passaic had to jump off at Passaic bridge, to the imminent danger of having a limb broken, gad Led being had to walk fully a mile to tne je por THE ITALIAN CELEBRATION, A mecting of the Committee of Arrangemenis en- gaged in getting up the programme for the Itatan celebration on the 25tn inst, was held last evening at 407 Broome street, Mr. N. Corradi In the chair and Mr. A. Porro acting as secretary. The prepaxa- tons for the street procession and for the festival at Kast River Park were conciuded, and evervining of |.“ preliminary character was arranged, giving evi- dence that the turn out will be a decided success. THR STATE TAX TOO HEAVY. The Kings Connty Board of Assessors are of the opinioa that the quota of the State tax meted out to Brooklyn 13 too heavy, It is held that $45,000,000 should be deducted froin the present assessed yalua- tion of $195,000,000, leaving the amount to be as- sessed at $150,000,000, A committee of three has been appointed to go to Albauy and confer with the State Assessors upon the subject. Commander Montgomery has been ordered to ordnance duty at the New York Navy Yard. Lteu- tenant Commander Theodore F. Kane 13 ordored to erdna@nce duty at tho Wasuingtom Navy Ye cone of COT ASHING TON. WasHInatoy, August 16, 1871. The Explosion of the Steamer ( A letter was to-day received at partment from a Ka mis, Supervising In- spector of the few ‘ork Ninth district, giving an Viseount of the serious explosion on the steamer Chautangua, on the iake of that name, a2 Mazi afternoon iasé, ide says:—“Although the inland, lakes of New York havo been added to my district, which embraces only such as have connections with the waters of the United States, it will be understood that Chautauqua Lake is exempt from the juriadto tion of the United States supervising inspectors, as it has no connection with the navigable waters of tne United States, Under the decision of the United States Supreme Court it would be regarded a3 the waters of @ State, and not of the United Staces.’? Mr. Bemis, therefore, is not held responsible for any neglect on his part to enforce the Steamboat In- spection act, nor are any of the local inspectors to be called to account for the causes which led to this dreadful accident. Is 1s stated that the steamer was a miserable affair, a sort of a Humpty Dumpty steamboat, and itis only to be wondered that disaster has not attended her long ago. Under the circumstances ‘mentioned the Secretary of the Treasury is powerless to order an investigation, end the responsiniltty must rest-with tne State au- thorittes alone, Murder of a Noted New York Rough. John McCarthy, who was murdered on Monday night on Pennsylvania avenue, was well known ‘hroughout Washingtou, and was, prior to his com- ing here, @ noted sporting character and brulser in New York. A deaslly enmity nad of late sprang up between nim and his former associates, and having announced his Intention to quit his former asso- clates certain raids recently made on gam- bung houses were attributed to his in- fluence with the Superintendent of Police. This officer, however, has published a card positively denying any connection with the deceased in any manner whatever. The remains of McCarthy were embalmea yesterday and laid out for public view at Harvey & Marr's. Notwithstanding this 18 the Warmest day of the season, it is estimated that not less than five thousand person have viewed the remains, The crowd was so great as to require a detull of policemen to keep order, Some of the visitors openly cursed the dead man, aud were not modest iu the manner in witch they gave utterance to their feelings. ‘There has not been an occurrence in this city for many montis that has go excited and tnterested the populace of Washington as the murder of John MoCarthy. Important Decision by the Mexican Claims Commission. In the Mexican Claims Commission to-day ths case of Mr. William E. Barron, the surviving partner of Barron, Forbes & Co., versus the United States, was taken up. This was a claim involving the Now Almedan Quicksilver Mines of Califorata. Tho claimants are Kritish subjects, and claim on the ground that they are vested with the rights of their Mexican grantors in the mines in question. Tenant rights were assigned to their firm sometime prior to | the 2d of February, 1843. They complain, first, of the act of Congress of March 3, 1861, requiring thenz to submit new tities to the Board of Land Commis- stoners, established in California to try titles arising under Spanish and Mexican grants; second, of tha refusal of the United States to make proper provi- sions by law to enable claimants to procure the evidence necessary to establish the genuine- ness of their title; third, of the judgmént of the Supreme Court of the United States, rendered at its December term in 1862, in the case of the United States Veraus Aubus Castillero, pronouncing the title under Barron, Forbes & Co., claimed to be null and void, The claimants, at the date of the treaty of peace with Mexico and the cession of California, had a commercial council in Mexico, py virtue of which Jt was contended by them that they were Mexioan oitizens for all purposes intended by that provision of the treaty which guaranteed the pro- tection of the United States to all valid titles in California arising under Mexican grants, Tke preliminary question of cltizen- ship, ag well as the otner points of the case, were fully argued. The Commissioners disagreeing in Opinion the case was referred to the umpire, wha now decides against the pretension of the claimanta to Mexican citizenship and dismissed the claim. Aucther of Commissioner Pleasonton’s Dre cisions Overruled. Onthe 16th March last the late Commissioner Pleasonton decided that any writing, whether calile@ a receipt or otherwise, which contains a contract ta continue in force any policy of insurance which hag notexpired is exempt from stamp duty. Com- missioner Douglas, on the 16th inst, in @ letter to Collector Ames, of Providence, R. IL, reversed this decision, and holds that any writtea contract, made in the form of a receipt or ovher- wise, which renews or confirms @ policy, requires the same stamp as the original policy, whether a renewal of the receipt is given before or after the expiration-of the policy. It 1s estimated that the stamp tax referred to yielded the government about half a million of dollars per annum, which was, of course, lost under the decision of March 16. The revenue from this source is restored by the present decision. Farmers Utilizing the Weather Reports. Since the organization and successful operation of the Weather Bureau have become accomplishes facts various applications have been made vo the Chief Signal Officer to utilize his observations and report for the benefit of farmers and agriculturists, ‘The law provides only for giving notice on the north- ern lakes and sea coast of the approach of stor.ns. By acircular from the Signal Office the Chief Uiicer calls-the attention of applicants for reports of ob- servations.and probanilities to the fact that private gentlemen and ofiicers of societies, by taking advan- tage of the daily publication of weather reports, can make forecast for themselves and furnish informa- tion to locaities which cannot be reached by the daily synopsis and probabilities issuing from the Sigual Ofice. Rights of Steamboat Captains. The Treasury Department has decided that where @ steamer Is propelled by both high and low pressare engines she is prohibited under the law from having the words “low pressure” painted upon her paddie- boxes. The pennity for the violation of the above is forfeiture of the steamer. The department haa also decided that where the commander of a vessel 1s a part owner he cannot be deposed as captain and replaced by another commander by the action of the other owners without the order of a court of oompe- tent jurisdiction, even though the portion owned by such captain 13 but a small fraction of such vessel. Heavy Increase of Importations. The receipts for Customs for the present month to date are neariy ten millions of dollars, and aro larger than any that have ever been returaed for the same portion of the month of August. The New Loan—Contemplated Permanent Withdrawal of Bonds from the Market. {Svecial despatch to the Evening rae | WASHINGTON, August 16, 1371, It ia helleved that the Secretary of the ‘Trepaur has determined that the four and four and @ hait per cent bonds of the new loan cannot be advan- tageously piaced, and that he serlousiy contemplates their permanent withdrawal from the market. Economy ta th» Treasary Department. Third Auditor Kutherford » satisfied that his clerical force is too large for an administration whose watchword is economy, and will in his fortn- coming annual report recommend a reduction of force to the extent of saving about thirty thousand doliars annually. The old work of the bureau is nearly finished, and will be entirely disposed of by the end of the fiscal year. In other bureaus of the Treasury Department similar recommendations wilt be made by the Auditors and Comptroliers, Btenlings of Internal Revenue Officiants, ‘The Secretary of the Treasury will to-morrow issue @ detailed statement of the defalcations and unadjusted avcoants of the collectors of internat revenue since the establishment of the Bureau. It will show that the actual amount of defalcations to the close of the last fiscal year was $2,768,497, of this amount over one third 18 credited to Loutaiana, Collectors L. B. Collins, General Sieea- man and Evaene Tisdale alone being defanivers to $960,000, In view of the fact, however, that over fifteen hundred million dotlara has been collected from this source te percentage of Joss 19 regarded by Treasury oMcials as remarkably small, ‘The amount of (he anadjusted accounts Is only $460,000, oe Aer