The New York Herald Newspaper, December 5, 1873, Page 3

' . THE SUNKEN’ SUP ‘The Loss of the Ville du Havre. Herald Special Reports from Havre, Paris and Versailles. CAPTAIN SURMONT IN FRANCE. His Arrival and _ Reception, with His Crew, at Havre and the Metropolis. THE STORY OF THE WRECK. Lieutenant Auduvand’s Fatal Error of Judgment. SUICIDE BEFORE REPROACH Statements of Captain, Offi- cers and Crew. PRAYER AT THE PORTALS OF DEATH legislative Inquiry Suggested by the French Assembly. American Reception of the Sur- vivors in Paris. TELEGRAMS TO THE NEW YORK HERALD. The following special despatch from the Henaxp correspondent at the French port of Havre has been received, giving further intel- ligence and copious details of the circum- stances attending the loss of the steamship Ville du Havre, of the French General Trans- atlantic Company’s service :— Haver, Dec. 4, 1873, Via Lonpen. i Captain Surmont, commander of the lost steamship Ville du Havre, arrived here at ten o'clock this morning, on board the steamship Alice, from Southampton, and was accom- panied by 60 men, survivors of the crew of the ill-fated vessel. RECEPTION OF THE SURVIVORS. The Captain and his companions were greeted upon their arrival by an immense crowd of people who had assembled at the wharf. A great deal of emotion was dis- played by the spectators, and the Captain was frequently embraced and caressed by his friends after the demonstrative fashion of the French people. THE CAPTAIN OFFICIALLY INTERROGATED. As soon as the party had landed they pro- -eeeded to the offices of the steamship com- pany, where the Captain was closely interro- gated in relation to the circumstances attend- ing the disaster which had befallen his vessel. Your correspondent was not accorded permis- wion to be present to report the facts pending an official inquiry which is to be instituted. RETICENCE ENJOINED ON OFFICERS AND CREW. During the interrogation of the Captain I made inquiry concerning the collision of some twenty of the survivors, embracing officers and seamen ; but this investigation proved a some- what difficult one, as the mot d’ordre had evi- dently been given by the officials of the com- pany, imposing upon all the most rigid restrictions concerning questions put to them until the official investigation has been made. Subsequently your correspondent addressed &n inquiry to Captain Surmont himself, who stated that he was unable to reply at present, being greatly exhausted, mentally as well as physically. AN OFFICER'S OPINION. One of the officers, however, informed me, ‘when questioned, that in his judgment this collision was unexampled in the manner of its occurrence. He said further that it would smever have happened if Captain Surmont had been officer of the deck. The only accusa- tions made are against him and the second lieutenant, Auduvand, who committed sni- ‘cide. AWAKENED TO PERIL. This officer informed me that he was in bed at the moment of collision, and was awakened suddenly by a tremendous crash, which wtaggered the ship. He immediately rushed von deck, and saw that four of the boats had ‘been disabled and the masts were already fall- ‘dng overboard. THE SAILORS’ VERSION. Some of the sailors state that the ‘lookout’ forward gave warning that lights were ap- proaching through the fog, and that the officer in command, Lieutenant And uvand, gave orders based upon such warnings, but ‘that his command was too late, TRUSTING TO CHANCES, Others of the crew assert that he gave no Sorders, They affirm that he trusted to the schances of being able to pass clear across the Yow of the Loch Earn, and that the first order ‘wus given by Captain Surmont, who sprung fo the deck just too late, however, to be able No avert the catastrophe. ONDERS, BUT TOO LATE. It is the general belief of the crew that NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1873.—TRIPLE SHEET. ananuvana gave orders on beIng warned, but that they were too late, and that seventeen seconds of time would have enabled the Ville du Havre to pass athwart the Loch Earn’s course, DEATH BEFORE REPROACH. The Lieutenant took the desperate chance of running clear, but had miscalculated, and, seeing the astounding calamity which had re- sulted from his error of judgment, in his despair he accepted suicide as the solution of his own embarrassment. There is no reasonable doubt but that he could have saved himself, WHAT THE SAILORS SAW. Five or six of the sailors who were on duty at the time informed me that they saw the lights of the Loch Earn fully five minutes be- fore the steamer was struck. ‘ Colonel Montague’s daughter was the first one killed by the falling of a mast. PRAYER AT DEATH'S PORTALS. All the passengers united in prayer during the few moments of terrible suspense, General admiration is expressed at the courage of the American ladies, who deported themselves with great calmness and made no confusion. Seeing their almost inevitable fate, they knelt and prayed in those solemn moments. THE END TOO SWIFT. No one thought that the end was coming so quickly as it did come, Captain Surmont himself thought the ship would remain afloat for at least half an hour. SALVATION IMPOSSIBLE. There were, however, two reasons why safety was not possible. The falling masts killed 20 or 30 persons, and many others were drowned in their cabins in the endeavor to save valuables. THE BOATS DISABLED. Of a total muster of eight lifeboats five were disabled, and three only remained in condition for service, and these saved many people. One of them, filled with passengers, was destroyed by a falling mast. ‘THE LIEUTENANTS’ ERROR, It is believed that Surmont charged the disaster to the negligence of Lieutenant Audu- vand. All are united, however, in the belief that the Captain did his duty under the cir- cumstances, ‘THE CAPTAIN SPEAKS AT LAST, Captain Surmont informs me, later, that he had been on deck until ten o’clock and that when he retired he gave orders to be aroused at two o’clock promptly. He was called, and saw the Loch Earn almost instantly in collision, but believed there would be time to save all. He at once gave orders to each officer to take command of a boat, but saw that two boats were dis- abled by the collision, and two minutes later others were destroyed by the falling masts. THE CREW IN DISCIPLINE. He states that the best order possible pre- vailed among the crew, who placed themselves under perfect control He sent the first officer aboard the Loch Earn to apprise them of the steamer’s danger and ask the assistance of their boats, That boat’s crew remained on the Loch Earn. THE RESCUING DESTROYER. The Captain of the Loch Earn sent out three boats from his vessel to pick up passen- gers. The Captain remained at his post also, and endeavored to save passengers, but before the boats had returned to the Loch Earn the steamer went down. CAPTAIN SURMONT’S CASE AND PRESENT CON- DITION. Captain Surmont and his officers blame those of the Loch Earn, who were said to be as deep in cause for blame, but, after the examination of Captain Surmont it is the general opinion among the crew of the Ville du Havre that had he (Surmont) been on deck the disaster would never have happened, as the Loch Earn was seen six or seven minutes before the Ville du Havre filled. With emotion Captain Surmont told your correspondent he was unable to answer his questions intelligently, as he is still prostrated in strength. On Saturday will be celebrated high mass for the repose of the souls of those lost. Also, on that day, a collection will be taken up, after a theatrical performance, for the benefit of the crew of the lost vessel. The Survivors Arrived in Paris, Pants, Dec, 4—Evening. The survivors of the wreck have arrived. There is extraordinary excitement among the American community. The movement for a collection in aid of the sufferers is intensified on account of the recol- lection of the steamship Pereire. WHAT THE FRENCH PUBLIC say, The general opinion centres to the belief of mismanagement and want of discipline on the Ville du Havre. French Cabinet Plan of Investigation. VersauiEs, Dec. 4, 1873. In the National Assembly to-day the Minis- ter of State answered that the best means of investigation relative tothe Ville du Havre calamity would be the appointment of an in- ternational commission. THE FEELING IN NEW YORK, What the Steamship Managers Propose To Do—Life Ratts and Electric Lights— The Fate of the Loch Earn—The A Confident of Her Safety=More About the Lost. More inquirers called yesterday at the Transat- jautic Company's oMces in Broadway, seeking for irormation of the lost or the lying. The com- pany had nothing new to give, and to all comers answered that they would provpably hear no more of the particulars of the loss of the Ville du Havre until the official investigation was ended in Paris. Captain Surmont was to leave Cardiif immediately the investigation was ended there, and, with his oMcers, would report immediately in Paris, when the investigation would begin. The fact of the loss Of the Ville du Havre would not intersere with the intention of the company to run their steamers weekly between this port and France after the 1st of March next. The company had a number of extra vessels and could do it now, but that the present state of trade would not warrant it, As for additional lists of the lost or saved it would be impossible to say anything until the arrival of vessels lor some time to come who may have picked up some of the survivors, The chance of such an occurrence was exceedingly smal), however, and it was more than probable that all the names of the lost ana saved had been already published, It was stated semi-officiaily yesterday that the Joss of the Ville du Havre, as well a8 that of several other steamships lately, had impressed the mana- gers of the various transatlantic companies with the necessity of providing some means of making such accidents as the late terrible one more dim- cult of occurrence than they have been, It is considered certain that had the Ville du Havre carried THE ELECTRIC LIGHTS, which were for a time adopted by the company, and which had been placed upon the St. Laurent, one of their steamships, some years since, the col- lision could not have happened. It is considered that as the light only cost $100 a day, and need only be used during thick fogs and very heavy weather, the charge would be very small compared with the gain which would ultimately ensue by Making collisions with other vessels next to an im- possibility. To consider this question it is stated that a meeting of the managers of the various lines composing the Steamship Owners’ Associa- tion will shortly be called, and that the question of electric lights will be fully debated. It is also understood that the question of life-saving rafts will be also taken up, and that many of the managers are convinced that these rafts would secure much greater sa‘ety than the boats whith are attached to steamers, and which in the hour of need are almost always rendered useless, not only from the jact that the tackle to lower thei usually becomes so entangled aa to be unserviceabie, but also because when launched the boats are generally smashed against the sides of the vessel ina heavy sea. Rafts, it 18 sald, on the contrary, can accommodate a much larger number of people, are more easily launched, and, while not being so easily navigable, are gener- ally sater irom the impossibility of their being swamped, THE USE OF RAFTS, it 18 said, need not obviate the employment of boats also. Several other questions of equai im- jaasbentey to the companies and to the saving of human life will come up at the meeting. ‘The New York Harbor Commissioners and the pilots have already expressed themselves in favor of some — in the style of precautions takew by these nes. THE LOCH EARN. A HERALD reporter called yesterday at the Anchor Line office to ascertain something con- cerning the Loch Karn, tue vessel which inflicted such terrible and iatal damage upon the Ville du Havre, Mr, Caverly, one of the managers of the line, said that he believed the Loch Earn to be all right, and that from the Jact that she had nov re- turned to England, where she would have been due by this time, he thought she had continued on her way here, in which case they should probably hear nothing of her until the 14th or 1léth of the month, at which time she would be due. Mr. Cav- erly did not believe the Loch Earn was damaged to any extent for several reasons. One, that the people who had been on board of her would have reported the fact, and, secondly, that there was no articular reason why she should be damaged. She was an iron ship, o/ 1,400 tons burden, and came down upon the Ville du Havre with tue full torce of her prow, crashing right into her. She just hap- pened to strike the steamship in the latter's weakest part, where the macuimery was placed and where there was absolutely no resistance but the outside sheeting of the vessel. Had the Loch Earn struck the French steamship where the beat Vh was placed he would be much more apt to believe that the vessel ey have been injured. But even allowing that the Loch Earn was damaged in tront it should not militate against her continuing to float all right, as she was built in compartments, and the water might fill the foremost compartment without the vessel sinking. Mr. Coverly men- tioned an instance of 4 steamship op to 4 to one of the lines coming to this port which a hole knocked in her forward compartment large enough to drive a horse and cart through, and which rived in port all right, He believed, therefore, that the Loch Earn would turn up all right when she was due. She left London on November 14, and one month would be a reasonable time to allow her. She carried no passengers and her cargo was not known on this side, It was a fall, assorted one, Mr. Coverly further said that neither he nor the company had ay furtner hope jor the Ismailia, She was undoubtedly lost, and he was afraid would never be heard from again. THE LOST OF THE VILLE DU HAVRE. Mr. Hamuton Murray, who was lost on the Ville du Havre, was a young gentleman of education and ample means, who was going to Europe with his sister, Miss partys @ charming and accom- plished young lady. They owned a fine residence at Oswego, N, Y. The only remaining member of the family is a brother now at Princeton College. The mother and younger sister died last summer. Mrs, Platt, also one of the lost, was an intimate Iriend of the Murray ean and accompanied them to ry for pleasure. 1 hey were seen on deck shortly before the steamer went down, and there is some hope that they may be on the Loch farn. Mr. A.L. C. Portman was also one of the lost, He accompanied the late Commodore Perry in bis first ‘Japan expedition” as clerk to the Comman- der-in-Chief and interpreter, being a native of Holland. He was of great service in this ca- pacity, as almost all the Japanese officials spoke Dutch, He was alterwards appointed as government interpreter to the United States Commission in Washington, composed of Captains 8. F. Dupont, alterwards in command of the naval force at Charleston during the war; 5. 8. Lee, com- mander of the Mississippi, and D. D. Porter, now Admiral, which commission had charge of the first Japanese Embassy to this country, Alter the treaty had been concluded he returned to Japan with the Embassy in 1859, at the request of the Japanese government, and served as Secre- tary of the American Legation in that country, He there performed, on two occasions, the dutes of Acting Minister of the Unjted States during the absence of that official, out a year ago re- signed his position on account of il health, and spent a year in Europe. He had been in this coun- try on a visit before his last voyage, on which he was lost. He was about 46 years of age and lately had resided in Amsterdam, Holland. He was un- married, THE MEMORY oF JUDGE PECKHAM Expression of the Court of Appeals. ALBANY, Dec, 4, 1873, The Court of Appeals this morning gave formal expression to their sense of the loss sustained by the public and by members of the Court in the death of Judge Peckham. The court room and the chair of the deceased Judge were draped in mourning. Directly after the opening of the Court Judge Church presented the followin; ‘The judges of the Court of popes at their first meeting in committee after the receipt of the melancholy intelligence of the death of their late associate, the Hon, Kufus W. Peckham, by the hor- rible disaster at sea on the 22d ult., in view of the public loss sustamed by his death and of their private grief at the sudden decease of their friend and associate, deem it proper to place upon the records of the Court this expression of their estimate of his services and character, Judge Peckham has tor many years been identified with the Judiciary of the State, His judicial career began as Judge of the Supreme Court, to which he was elected in the district where he had spent the whole of his pro- fessional life, and the qualities which distinguished him as a judge tn that position, led to his nomina- tion and election as an Associate Judge of this Court on its organization. His firmness, his learn- ing and his fearlessness and independence in maintaining his convictions, guided always by a strong sense of justice, which was a distinguish- ing jeature of his character, won the confidence and respect of the Bar and Bench and of all with whom lie Was associated, Exhausted by continual application to the discharge,ot the duties o1 his po- Sition, at the suggestion of his medical advisers and with the cordial concurrence of his assoc with reluctance on his part, he sought for relief from labor, and to recruit his energies by temporary absence. At almost the first step of his Journey, from which his iriends hoped he would derive so much beneft, he met with a tragic death, While we regard the loss the public has sustained as the paramount one, we cannot refrain from ex- pressing in this public manner our personal at- tachment to the deceased. The association of the members of the Court with each other is neces- sarily most intimate, and it developed in our de- ceased brother rare and attractive qualities. His candor in discussion, Ppt) against i Sg OF his uniform courtesy to his associates, bis kind- ness and tenderness of fecling evinced a manly and generous nature, and so endeared him to us, both as a man anda colleague that bis death is feit by = us as @ family affliction. We tender to the surviving relatives of the de- ceased ourdeep sympathy, and commend them to the consolation, though inadequate, to be found in the record of a useiul and honorable life. ‘The members of the Court wiil wear the usual badge of mourning during the residue of the term, and the clerk is directed to cause the chatr ot the deceased and the court room to be suitably draped and to enter this expression upyn the minutes of the Court and to transmit a copy to the surviving members Of the family of deceased. THE LOSSES OF A DISTINGUISHED FAMILY. poe To THE EDITOR oF THE HeRALD:— ‘The families of Curtis and Mixter, who have suf- fered such loss, are nearly related to some of our well known families in this city. Their progenitor, Abraham Brasher, one of the “Liberty Boys” of the Revolution, who married the lovely Helen Kort- right, had three dadghters—Judith, Elizabeth and Helen, The first married Colonel Fitch Hall, of Boston, of whom Mrs, Curtis aud Mixter were de- scendants. The second, Join Pintard, of this city, whose daughter Louise married Thomas L, Servoss. The third, Samuel D, Craig. whose son, Benjamin D. Craig, is the Comptrolier of the Bleecker Street Savings Bank. The families of the Kortrights, Can- nons, Willings, Crugers, Gouverneurs, Pintards and Servoss have ail descendants living in this city, who mourn the luss of their connections, In volume two, part two, of the old Merchants’ there appears 4 very interesting account of this old fam- ily. mmend its perusal to those curious in ge- nealogical matters, SENEX, COLLISIONS N THE HIGH SEAS. . Congress To Be Memoriaiized by the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce met yesterdy after- noon, Mr, George Opdyke in the chair. The Executive Committee recommended the elec- tion of Mr. Theodore Curran, recommended by Mr. John F, Henry, member of the Chamber. Mr. Cur- Tran was unanimously elected, It was resolved to hoid the next regular meeting on the 8th of January. Mr, John A, Stevens, Jr., submitted a report on devising means for diminishing the possibilities of steamship Collisions on the ocean, The Gallisions affected not only steamships, but sailing Vessels also, He was iu England in 1562, wheu a dreadiul accident occurred to a bark which was run into by a@ Cunard steamer. The Cunard and National lines had already adopted separate inward and outward tracks, by which they made, at least, collisions be- tween their own vessels impossible. Mr. Stevens then offered the following resulutions: Resolved, That a committee be appointed to draft a memorial to Congress praying it to take carly meas- one in concert with the governments of other maritime nations, to so order the outward and inward courses of steam vessels upon the Atlantic, as to diminish the daily growing danger of collisions, now the chief perils of the sea, Resolved, That the same committee be requested to report upon the feasibility of usig electric lights upon ocean steamers tor still turther security trom collision, and the vropriets ot requiring ihat the cabins and pas- sages shall be always lighted at night, by lights inacces- os to ebg panengers but which may ‘be observed by m Mr. Stevens added, that if there had been more lights in the cabin and passages of the Ville du lavre the passengers might have found the lite- preservers and many a life might have been saved, Both resolutions were adopted and a committee of three was appointed by the chair to memortal- ize Congress on this subject. Messrs. John Austin Stevens, Jr., Francis 8. Lathrop and William C, Thompsop compose the committee, Mr, Alexander Delmar reiterared certain state- ments of his made in reference to the decrease of the national wealth, in consequence of the war. $1x thousand millions of dollars bad been lost by the United States by the war. Mr. John A, Stevens said the census of 1870 showed that the increase in the wealth of the na- tion was $13,000,000, That this mcney had not all gone tothe rich, was shown by the figures of the savings banks, which held now almost $700,000,000, This Was certainly not ali money belonging to the rich. The Chamber then adjourned. ELECTRIC FOG LIGHTS. ——— + Letter from a Practical Experimenter, New York, Dec. 4, 1873. To THE EpiIToR OF THE HERALD:— I have read in your journal an interview with Mr. Mackenzie concerning the electric light as a safeguard against accident in a fog at sea, In August, 1871, [had the misfortune to be a passen- ger on the steamer Java, returning to New York. At eleven o’clock of a dark night (the date I do not remember), and when in mid-ocean, the Java struck a Norwegian bark amidships as she was sailing across our bow. The shock was terrific, and when we rushed upon deck it was discovered that we had cut the bark in halves, Alter ten minutes not a vestige was seen of the bark, and out of 12 men on board of her only one was saved. ‘The day after the accident the passengers held a Meeting, and I offered three resolutions, which were passed, They were substantially :—First, that an electric light ought to be carried at themast he@d Of every steame;; second, tia: a buoy, With a port fire at the top, ought to be hung at the stern of every vessel, so that it might be fired and dropped into the ocean the momeut any accident occurred, jor the purpose of marking the spot, and third, that a more efficacious manner of lowering boats should be employed, as it was several minutes, on the occasion I have mentioned, before a boat could be got into the water. These resolu- tions were pases by the press about tuat time. Since then I have thought over the subject in its scientific, a8 well as its humanitarian, aspects, and Tam convinced that there is no excuse for not using electric lignts on steamers. Ihave in my establishment an electric light, which I believe to be the only one of its kind im America, On one dark, slightly loggy night last summer, when it was operated on the roof of my butling, people in Chatham square—a third of a mile away—could read the newspapers as easily as by daylight; and the shippingin the harbor, at least two miles distant, could be seen as distinctly as if they were lying under a noonday sun. Think of the advantage of such alight at sea! There is no excuse lof not using it on every transatlantic steamer; no more excuse than there 1s jor every lifeboat to be stored with cabbages and covered with sewed and strapped tarpaulin to keep the cabbages dry. Instead of costing $100 a day as stated by Mr. Mackenzie, my experience the last six montis is to the effect that such a fight would cost scarcely @ quarter of that sum. It requires seven horse steam power in its operation, and, of course, could be easily attached to the engine of a vessel. 1 purpose that the public shall judge jor tt- self of the eMfcacy of this electric light. With thac ideal shall have wires attached to the electric machine in my building, and will run them to the top of the Central National Bank, on the corner of Broadway and Pear street, a block from my office ; and there, at six o’clock to-morrow (Saturday) evening, December 6, the light will be shown, being thrown up and down Broadway, You can judge of is worth by its effect on your HeRaLp building. ‘ours, Very'traiv, FRANK LESLIE. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT. MR, TENNYSON, it is said, made a contract with Messrs. Strahan, of London, to be paid 4,000 guineas @ year for the exclusive right to publish his poem But the bargain was better for the poet than for the publishers, who, naving lost several thousand pounds by tie transaction, have notified Tennyson of their determination to termi- nate the agreement, Here is one notable instance at least, in which the publishers did not gobble all the profits of popular works. THE LoNpON Morning Press, a new projected morning daily, is to be published at ten o'clock and to contain the cream of the Times, Daily News and other morning papers issued some hours be- fore. Per contra, there is a movement among the newspaper publishers to procure an act making copyright for 48 hours ali original matter printed in the public journals. ‘THE Spectator has an article on ‘Literary Sans- Culotteism,” in which it shows up Mr. Frederick Harrison, of the Fortnightly Review. Mr, Harri- son's writing, it says, is aiways in the superlative degree and the imperative moud. LADY MORGAN, one of the most feather-brained, restless creatures who ever glittered in the world of jemale authorship, used to say, when pressed to tell whether she was Irish or English, that she was born on the sea between Ireland and England. MR. BARING-GOULD attempts to smash a Romish saint, Saint Symeon Salos, in the last Fraser's Magazine, Mrs. ANNA WILKES has written a book to prove the pleasant hypothesis that Ireland {© “Ur of the Chaldees.”” Tue First Votume of Rev. John O’Hanlon’s “Lives of the Irish Saints” is published by Dutly & Co., Dublin. Few of our readers will be prepared to hear that there are no less than 3,000 acts, com- Mmemorations or festivals of Irish saints, and Mr. O'Hanlon’s work will make twelve large volumes, THE MOST NOTICEABLE PRODUCTION of the year in France is the “Book of Poetic Laurels Strewn Upon the Grave of Théophile Gautier,” by some 150 living writers—French, English and German, Mr, Swinburne contributes six poems, two of which are tn French, THE “GRANGES AND FARMERS’ CLUBS IN AMER- ca” have got into the Cornhill Magazine in @ well written and carefully considered article, Dr. RUSSELL, in his “Diary During the Last, Great War,” describes Marsnal Bazaine as “a sensuous, carp like sort 0| @ man, with a good deal of swag- wer; aca/é, villiard kind of general, all feathers and boots, like Winfield Scott” WASHINGTON. The Nomina‘ion of Attorney General Williams Not Yet Confirmed. <a Feverish Anxiety of Colonel Bristow Concerning Two Persons, Virtuous Rush of Honest Representatives to Keep Their falaries Down—Ben Butler Tries to Help Them—A Committce of Seven Appointed, with Power to Fix the Bill. Wasnincron, Dec, 4, 1873. Rush of Bills in the House for the Re- peal of Increase of Salaries—A Commit- tee of Seven to Fix Up a Bill, An avalanche of bills poured in upon the Speaker this morning for the repeal of the increase of salaries of Senators and members, About half the House had bills to offer, and Butler created a laugh by suggesting that the House take a recess of 15 minutes in order that the remaining members have time to draft similar bills, Beck offered @ bill to equalize the President’s salary by the non- appropriation of contingent expenses for the White House, which has averaged $23,500 a year. There was some sharp firing between Cox and Negley, the latter accusing Cox of taking the en- tire summer to return his back pay into the Treasury. Cox said that was not true, and Negley replied that he took his informa- tion from the newspapers, and that when Mr, Cox convinced him, in the language of a gentleman, that he was wrong he would correct his charge. So great was the anxiety of members to make po- litical capital for themselves by presenting bills upon the salary question that an old member re- marked afterwards that during 10 years in the House he had never seen so much demagogism displayed there, The discussion finally closed by the unanimous adoption of a resolution appoint- ing @ special committee of seven to present a bill to the House, the committee to have the privilege to report at any time. It is expected they will bring in a bill to-morrow or Monday. The following is the committee:—Hale, of Maine; Maynard, of Tennessee ; Kasson, of lowa; Scofield, of Penn- sylvania; Niblack, of Indiana; Senott, of Ohio, and Hale, of New York. Niblack and Jewett are demo- crats, Hale, of Maine; Maynard, Scofeld and Niblack were members of the jast Congress. The record of the old members Is that Hale and Niblack voted against back pay; Maynard and Scofield voted for it. Rev. Byron Sunderland To Be Senate Chaplain. The republican caucus to-day decided to nomi- nate Kev. Byron Sunderland, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, as chaplain, and will proceed with the election when the Senate again mects on Monday next. At tais caucus it was also resoived to exercise the greatest care to prevent the delib- erations of the caucus and executive sessions Jeaking out. No formal action has as yet been taken on selecting a President pro tem. of the Senate, General Bristow Getting Alarmed. Genera! Bristow, the nominee for the position of Attorney General, is somewhat alarmed at the delay in the confirmation of Mr. Williams as Chief Justice, and has asked several Senators if his con- firmation depends upon the confirmation of Mr. Williams. He was informed to-day that it did not, and the Senate might act on his appointment first. Mr. Williams’ Nomination ‘Referred to the Committee on Judiciary—The Presi- dent’s Study of the Question Before His Action. The nomination of George H. Williams to be Chief Justice was to-day referred to the Committee on Judiciary, but no further action was taken on the subject in executive session. It is stated that the President, from the beginning, made up his ming not to appoint a successor to Chief Justice Chase from the Supreme Court bench, and that he aid tender the appointmeut to Senator Conkling, who declined it, He then wished to appoint Caleb Cush- ing and retain Attorney General Wliliams in the Cabinet until near the expiration of the Presie¢on- tial term, calculating that by that time Mr. Cush- ing would retire by reason of age, and in that event he would appoint Mr. Williams. Ti: pro- posed appointment of Mr. Cushing not being con- sidered expedient by the Cabinet hastened the President's purpose to appoint Mr. Williams. The nomination of Chief Justice Chase was confirmed the same day it was sent to the Senate; but in this case, considering the importance of the position, and without the slightest discourtesy to Mr. Wil- liams, it has been thought best that the nomination shall go through ali tue preliminary forms, in ac- cordance with the rules, Nominations Sent to the Senate. The President sent the following nominations to the Senate to-day :—Stlas Garber, to be Register of the Land Office at Lincoln, Neb, Postmasters— Joun M. Moore, at Salt Lake City; s. G. South- worth, at Hudson, Mich.; Josepn S. Baner at Mason City, Ul.; Thomas W, Abraham, at Pioche, Nev.; also a large number of promotions in the Navy, made during the recess of Congress, among them Joseph Beale, to be Chief of N. Jeffers, to be Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, The Senate Committees—The Unimpor- tant Changes that Have Been Made— Location of the Democrats. | The republican Senate caucus this morning re- ceived and agreed to the report of the committce appointed to revise the Senate standing com- mittees, The list of committees of the Senate elected shows no change in the chairmanship of | any important committee of that body, the only | one being in the Committee on Engrossed Bills, | which is given to Mr. Bayard, in place of Mr. Cas. | serly, resigned. This is the second democratic | committee of the Senate, that party being allowed | two, the other being the Committee on Privaie Land Claims, of which Mr. Thurman retains the chairmanship. The new Committee on Civil Sere vice and Retrenchment is presided over by Mr. Wright, of Iowa, Mr. Boutwell has been taken off the Committee on Privileges and Elections and as- | signed to the Commerce Committee, in place of Mr, Mitchell, The Committees on Muitary Affairs, Naval Affairs, Judiciary, Appropriations, Patents, | Revision of the Laws, Revision of the Rules and two or three minor committees remain unchanged, Mr. Boutwell ig also | put on the Committee on Claims, in place of Mr. Dennis; and Mr. Davis and Mr, | Goldthwaite are two additional members of the committee authorized to be enlarged by the Senate to-day. Mr. Morrill, of Maine, is assigned to the Committee on Indian Affairs in place of Mr. Sher- man, and the latter takes a place on the new ¢com- mittee. Messrs. Stockton and McCreery, demo- crats, are added to the Committee on Foreign Shelations, Messrs. Sumner and Morton are the two new members of the Committee on Education and Labor. Mr. Boutwell also has a place on the new committee, and Mr. Sumner goes on the Com- mittee on Priviteges and Elections in place of Mr, Bayard, the latter, as above noted, taking the chairmanship of the Committee on Engrossed Bills, Mr. Saulsbury takes the place of Mr. Boutwell on the Privileges and Elections Com- mittee. Mr. Stevenson, democrat, is removed from the Committee on Indian Affairs and given a place on the Civil Service and Retrenchment. The | Committee on Foreign Relations remains un- changed from last March, except two democratic members are added—namely, Messrs, Stockton | and McCreery, Ex-Senator Patterson. Ex-Senator Patterson is in Washington, having returned from an extended trip through Europe. Redemption of National Bank Notes— Refusal in New York in Consequence of Agents Being Not Known. The Comptroller of the Currency is receiving complaints that national bank notes have, ina number of instances, been recently presented to } the redeeming agency in the eity of New York and Saatoc'yh paymens reiusea, we agent navng vecn changed without the approval of that officer, as required by section 32 of the National Currency act, Na- tional banks neglecting to in‘orm the Comptrolier of changes in redemptivn agents are thus liable to have their notes protested, when application to the Comptroller would prevent such protest, A Proposition to Have the Various Gov- ernmental Departments Represented at the International Exhibition of 1876— Favorable Reception of the Idea. Director General Goshorn has submitted to President Grant, through the Secretary of State, a plan for @ collective exhibition by the Executive departments at the International Exhibition In 1876, embracing all the objects produced by the es- tablishments subject to their control or direction, as weil as such written statemegts and specimens of blanks and forms as will illustrate, in a practical and simple manner, the functions and workings of each department. The Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of War have mantiested @ hearty ape proval of the proposal, and {t is understood the heads of the other departments are equally ready to co-operate in presenting to the visitors of all nations an insight of the actual structure and operations of the Executive depart. ment Sof this Republic, and in showing its expan- sion from the early days of its creation. The President will shortly issue an executive order giving effect to the proposed plan. The National Academy of Design at New York, the leading art organization of the country, has adopted resolu- tions mantiesting its interest in this exhibition and its desire to aid in making the art department. one of the most interesting features. The Presi- dent, Mr. Ward, has officially communicated this fact to the Centennial Commission, The President Visited by Alexander H. Stephens. Among the callers at the White Honse to-day was Representative Stephens, of Georgia, who was received by the President in one of the reception rooms on the main floor, Mr. Stephens was too feeble to ascend the stairway to the President's office, War Ships for the Atluntic Squadron. The United States steamer Franklin, 39 guns, and the iron-clads Ajax and Terror, the former carrying: 2and the latter 4 guns, will be ready on Monday to join the North Atlantic squadron, Th Indiana Case of Neff Agai Shanks. The House Committee of Elections will meet to- morrow and take up the contested case of Nem against Shanks, of the Ninth Indiana district, Indian Delegations for the Establish- ment ot a New Territorial Govern= ment, Colonel Boudinot, of the Cherokee Nation, an® General Porter, of tne Creek Nation, are now in Washington to advocate the establishment of the Territorial government of Oklabama, according to the treaty stipulations of 1866. Delegations for » like purpose from the Seminoles, Choctaws and Chickasaws are expected to join them in a week or two. The Week's Customs Receipts, The customs receipts tor the week ending on the 29th of November were as follows:— Boston. $280,458 New Yo 1,346,015 Philadelphia. 675,325 Internal revenue receipts to-day, $253,664, WEATHER REPORT. War DEPARTMENT. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFVICER, WASHINGTON, Dec. 5—1 A. M. Probabilities. Fur NEW ENGLAND AND THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES, PARTLY CLOUDY AND CLEARING WEATHER, WITH LOW TEMPERATURE, WILL PREVAIL, THE PRESS URE INCREASING WITH FRESH AND OCCASIONALLY BRISK NORTHERLY TO WESTERLY WINDS. For the lake region, brisk to high southwesterly to northwesterly winds and partly cloudy weather, with low temperature. For the Ohio Valiey and westward to Missourl, Variable winds with areas of snow, the tempera- ture remaining low during Friday. ror the South Atlantic and Eastern Gnif States, increased pressure and possibly light rain, fol- lowed by clearing aud cooler weather. For the Northwest, winds backing to southerly, with slightly rising temperature and clear or clear- ing weather. Cautionary signals continue at Toledo, Buffalo, Oswego, New York and New London. Reports are missing {rom the upper jake region, the Southwest and the extreme Northwest. Alter the 10th inst, the display of cautionary signals will be suspended at the lake ports for the winter, The Weather in This City Yesterday. The tollowing record will show the changes in the temperature for the past twenty-four hours as indicated by the thermemeter at Hudnut’s Pharmacy, HERALD Building :— 1872. 73 1872. 1873. 36 oo Erie, » 1873. 3 A.M wee 3S $1 3:30 P. M. . 53° 6 P.M. 65 55 9 P.M. 6L 12M 64 12 P. M. 46 Average temperature yesterday. ween OA Average temperature ior corres} ding date last year, HUDSON RIVER NAVIGATION. POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y., Dec. 4, 1873. The heavy thaw which commenced yesterday still prevails, and to-night all the ice in the Hudson ison the move, and navigation ts once more open to Aloany. A vow of canal boats left Hudson to- day, bound south, The ice at Castleton is running the:Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and William rapidly. THE CONNECTICUT RIVER OPENING. HAxTFORD, Dec, 4, 1873. The Connecticut River is clear of ice from Middle- town to the Sound, and, as the water is rising, the river will probably be clear from this city to~ morrow. THE STORM AT CHICAGO, CHicaGo, Dec. 4, 1873. A very severe wind storm prevailed in thid vicinity during the whole of last night, and its vio- lence was but little abated this morning. Consid- erable damage was done to unfinished buildings aud by the demolition of plate-glass windows in occupied structures, Telegraphic communica. tion Was also much embarrassed, The weather is very cold. THE STORM AND RAILROAD AQCIDENTS IN KENTUCKY, LOUISVILLE, Dec. 4, 1873. The storm last night was the most severe that has visited this city Jor some time. Much damage | was done by the rain and wind, Afallen tree threw the engine of a passenger train on the Ohio and ae ssippi Railroad into a ditch, The enginee: reman escaped witha Jew slight bruises. None of passengers were injured, ‘The engine of @ freight train on the Jefferson- ville Railroad was thrown from the track oy & fatien tree, near Rushville, The fireman was in- stantly killed and the engineer was fatally scalded. THE HURRICANE IN THE WEST. Crncrynatt, Dec. 4, 1873. Private advices report the wind storm of last night as very general, causing floods in the rivers throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Trees haf 3 the Atlantic and Great Western Renway, "near akros nd the Richmond and Chicago Railroad, in th ate, and the Pan Handie Railroad, indiana. A barn was struck by lightning in Highland county and burned, Several houses were unroofed at Laurel, Ind, and a barn blows, down back of Covington, Ky. The damage done #7 this city was bat slight. THE STORM AT OMAHA, OMaitA, Neb., Dec. 4, Ice A heavy wind from the northwest prevatied here ast night, witha slight tall of snow, The ther- mometer was one degree below zero, The storna extended west several hundred miles, The Uniess Pacific trains will suffer no delay. THE BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION. Lovisvitie, Ky., Dec. 4, 1873, The North American Beekeepers’ Association, after two days’ session, adjourned to-day to meet in Pittsburg on the second Wednesday of Novem- ber, 1874, The attendance, though not large, w: ood, A committee was appointed to represe: the bee interest at the Centennial Exhinition #& Philadelphia,