The New York Herald Newspaper, March 2, 1875, Page 3

CONGRESS. Passage of the Louisiana | Compromise Resolutions by the House. THE SUNDRY CIVIL APPROPRIATIONS, Acrimonious Debate on. the Title of the New Idria Mining Lands. COST OF THE SIGNAL SERVICE fhe Tax Measure Mercilessly Criticised in the Senate, READING OF THE FORCE BILL. SENATE, Wasumatox, March 1, 1875, ‘The Vice Parsipen laid before the Senate the cre- fentials of the Hon. Isaac P. Christiancy, United States Senator from the State of Michigan for the periodof six years from March 4, 1875. Read and placed on file. Mr. Logan, (rep.) of Ill, from the conference com- mittee on the bill approving of the action taken by the | Secretary of War under the act of July 165, 1870, in re- fsard to the mustering out of superpumerary officers, made a report which was agreed to, Mr. Haun, (rep.) of Me., presented a memorial of the citizens of Dakota Territory, asking that the Black ‘Hill reservation be opened. Referred to the Committee on Territories. Mr. Awtnonr, (rep.) of R. I, from the Committee on Printing, reported favorably on resolutions to print ad- fitional copies of the Army and Navy Register for the rear 1874, Passed. Mr. Carpenrer, (rep.) of Wis., from the Judiciary Committee, reported back the billin regard to writs of srror ia criminal cases, and the amendment made by | the House was concurred in, and the bill was passed. ‘The Clerk ot the House appeared with the bill to pro- vide against the invasion of States and to prevent the mabversion of their aathority and to maintain the se- curity of elections, known as the Force bill, and an- nounced its passage by the House. Mr. Fretinanoysen, (rep.), of N. J., reported favorably on the bili to regulate the salaries of judges ot the Court of Claima. Placed on the calenda: He alse reported adversely on the petition of citizens of De Soto county, Mississippi, asking to be relieved of she taxes assessed and collected upon cotton from the reat 1865 to 1869, and the committee was discharged ‘rom its further consideration. Mr. Wriout, (rep.) of Iowa, from the Committee on he Judiciary, reported adversely on the House bill de- Naratory of the rights of such American citizens as vere establisned in the Territories acquired trom Mexico vy the treaty of the Guadaloupe-Hidalgo and the Sedaden treaty, and who have since continued to reside within the limits of the United States, and it was indef- aitely postponed. BILLS AFFECTING COMMERCE, The Vick Prestpent then called for the business on the mlendar. The Committee on Commerce being entitled to the floor, Mr. Caanxpuer, (rep.) of Mich, chairman of that committee, called up the following bills:— The Senate bill to abolish the Consulate at Amoor River and establish a Consulate at Viadivostock, Russia, And for other purposes. Passed. The Senate bill to authorize the construction ofa pon- toon wagon bridge across the Mississippi River ator near the city of Dubuque, Iowa. Passed. The Senate bill to authorize the construction of a bridge across ie Mississippi River at or near the Grand Cl . Passe The Senate bill to promote economy and efficiency in the Rane Hospital service. y Mr. Bi of Mags., moved to amend so OUTWELL, (rep. as to fix the salary of the sSupervii Surgeon at $4,000 per annum instead ot $3,500. Agreed ‘The bill was then passed. House bill for the further security of navigation in lississippi River, Passed. The tiouse bill giving the consent of the United States erection of {3 bri across the Arkansas River at luff, Ark. qi Mr. CanDLxr then moved to take up the Steamboat bill: but the time allowed to the commun Ba ox: ired, the Czarr laid before ibe Sena! OHANDLER gav tion to take up the Steamboat bill to-1 FoRcE BAD 8 subversion of their authori rity of citizens be read by ciary Committee. Mr. Bayan, (dem.) of Del., inquired if a bill from the House could be laid besore the Senate atter the expira- tion of the morning hour without unanimous consent. ar, Epuoxps said @ message could be received trom the House of Representatives at any time and referred jo the proper committee. such had been the universal custom of the Senate. The Vice Presipenr said the practice of the Chair had been tolay House bills betore the Senate at any time, and in his opinion it was in order to lay t! betor area now. He then handed the pull to the Clerk tone read. Mr. TaurMax, (dcm.) of Ohio, said he objectea to the second reading to-day. Mr. Hamitton, dom.) of Md., objected to the first read ing under the sonny fourth role, and said, the morning hour having expired, the ax bill was before the Senate, and no other business was in ord He calied tor the papel of the twenty-fourth rule, and it was read as follows :— “After the Journal is read the presiding officer shall lay before the Senate messages irom the President, re- ports from the executive departments and bills and joint resolutions or other messaves trom the House of Repre- sentatives. He shali then call ior petitions and me- morials, reporis ot committees, the int YY nt revolutions and resolutions, ail of received and dispose: unanimous given, and _ ever peiltion or memoral or other paper shall reterred, of course, without peeans. uestion for that purpose unless the reference is objected to by a Senator at the time such petition memorial the rie: e contents of thi ria: shall verbally be made by the introducer. The Vick PrxsipENt said he would have laid the bill be- fore the Senate when it was received trom the House, but the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee was not in his seat at the time, and he allowed it to lie on the table at the request of several Senators until the Chair. mancame. The practice of the Senate hud been to la. the House bills betore the senate at any time, and in his opinion the practice governec this case. He theretore overruled the objection of the Senator trom Mr. bayaRp appealed trom the ision of a EDMUNDS Inoved to Jay th peal on the table. they? then withdrew the appeal, Ww then read by titi other democratic Sen- ading jay, and over till to-morrow and ordered to be printed. ‘The senate then resumed consideration of THE TAX AND TARIFF BILL. Mr, Morntut, (rep.) of Vt., said he would not occupy tme of the Senate now in an extended speech on Dill, Ail he desired to do was to exp! ain Its provis The whole question was whether Congress would the ng ary 8 to curry on the govern- It was simply matter ‘of revenue. It might be asked roy the exigencies of the service were so great at this time. Three years ago the receipts from c' me Were $216,0v0,000, two rs AZO Bie Were $188,000.) and last year they we but 165,000,000, a tailing off of $25, in a single year. It Was apparent that the revenues had veen reduced below u it where they ought to stand The business of the whole world at the present mi ery and our own country is ito iat of articles upon which the ten per o wi ‘e 1872 the Ld ge Cai last ye: ,000, than the previous dese The’ ie4 of the wovern- a a must (ced abi «tee A) i pald as on ‘annual exceeaed 100,000,000, and it” goure Dot be reduced; OCU, more wore required jor fee ayment of a ced ti $2 in ithea ae now io ty oF to) ppropr: to support the army alth Lead an eee Hy pe the popula! - eae ‘$23,010,000 Ww If Congre: sovernmei pened, an \e Wor! ere Were probably twenty-iour public bi . ic various parts country Low in cour! Hon ‘and snonld be ‘inuhed, Again, the q Tam SUNRING FUND was wholly involved in the bill. ihe ni to appropriate ev year 01 FOr ont faith rr ty nation pe @ the tho Secreta: i of the Treasury be deprived ot all power to fund the debt upon ir cent, at a lowe! wo which we are now paying six of interest. This when rf which no t his polar Ay be, ato’ o apt , could atfor tov aaa! uit hiin personally, Dut he was satiet Id not be passed, it amended, in a single instance. just take thie bill Me it stood. 1t was neck or vored an imposition of tax on tea and cot fee a Goolition of tne stemp tax, but jouse Would Not Agree to that, When the duty yu een, oft toa and coffee it lnmediately went up in Brasil, so that the people of this country had to pay just 8k for it nd the woverument lost the revenue. He would re- gard any AmMerdment as equivalent toa seigouen of tl i$ Di. Ho then explained the provisions of DILL an argued that in inoreReed tax on Whiskey could Db Jected, Y oped the senate would not refi to the bill and tous loave the government “op the Fi odge ir." Nc re (ib,) of Mo., inquired how large a rev es Ay 8 Ox wha ol a ball ‘ala nol ed to be raised wader this DILL? ORRILL replied avout v:0,000,( WW. in anewer toa question of Mi. sothurs, Mr. fo! Ris trae capecre Ty ne iB re eter 80, if ‘01 Molasses, ,t from ol 912,.0,00) trom whiskey, VENUE, bill had a very iu the nn ure of FALLING OFF OF TRE RE or oF He knew it wecessury elther io reps t sinking fund ach work ou pul ulidings or levy new taxes, 1! Fy, tu bie lst annua. report, stared it ry cae ¥ aso a u MT Me date y ani . al'yene, O1nbO0 He wlace Uaih calimnate, NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1875.—TRIPLE SHEET, however, he had Committee on Wa: it & letter to the chairman of the Means of the other house stat- ing that his his annoal report were entirely too low, as since then the failing off in the re- ceipts had been so great that the deficiency would be a much larger sum. He sent to the Clerk's desk and had read a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, dated February 5, stating that if « ‘alling off in the receipts continued the deficiency tor the current fiscal year wr ining ‘his argument, Mr. very untavorable state of our finances, but the facts which have transpired since | that report was made do show an unfavorable con- | ition. He opposed any repeal or modification | ot the Jaws relating to the sinking ind, und said that by no vote of nis would he ever interfere with that tund. That law was | passed to maintain the public credit, and any interier- euce with It would impair public credit, A portion of | the receipts from custous was sacredly” morigaged for | the sinking und. snd the governmenthad the right to use only the remainder. He trusted the sinsing fund atall hazards, no matter what be- | came of appropriation bills, se bills called tor | money not already appropriated, and as one per cent of the receipts from customs had been appropriated tor the sinking find that amount could not be touched. The next question was, coula the expenditures be reduced * In the condition in which the country was now placed he preterred to take the RESPONSIMILITY OF REDUCING EXPENSES. He would put it into the power of the President or the Secretary of the Treasury t@ suspend so much of any ropriation bili as might be advantageous to the public interest. It was better to s work and pubiic building than to impair the sinking. tund. or rush incon. sideretaly to levy new taxes. Was the Tax bill one which could be defended on crounds of public policy? ‘The first section levied a tax on whiskey. There was a limit to the tax on that article, and that was the amount which could be collected. ‘This bill provided for an in- tax on whiskey to be manufactured in the The effect of it would be to give @ bounty | cents a gallon to every holder of | in the country, and that boumy must by them betore the government could get one cent On the first of January last there were nearly 5,000,000 gallons of whiskey on nand, The very moment this act was passed distillation of whiskey ‘would be stopped until the price of it reached $115 a gallon. The tax on whiskey would not stop the con- sumption of it. He would be glad if it would. If the tax on it would stop the evils of intemperance, he would | be willing to advance the tax to $5a gallon. An in- crease ot the tax would give @ bounty to the holder and yield nothing to Gio hosebe ent of the United 5: Phe revenue point had been reached, and as much tax had been levied as could be collected, The bill next | proposed to increase the tax on todacco in the ‘ace of remonstrances received here trom dealers, and Congress must heed them. Only two years axo the tax ou this | article was fixed, and any interference with it now | would be injurious. ‘lo increase the tax would not be treating deulers in a manner in which they ought to be treated by a great and powerful government. He was opposed to the general system of internal taxation. He had hoped that this session of Congress would wipe out | the stamp & ‘and get rid of the whole internal taxa- tion, with the exception of that.on tobacco and whis- key’ He then sent to the Clerk's desk and had | read a letter trom Grinnell, Minturn Com: | pany, of New York, in regard to the tax on sugar and molasses, to show that it would not vield as | much revenue as a ‘tax on tea and coffee. Resuming his argument, he sald Congress should give to the Secre- tary of the Treasury $20,000,009 or $25,000,000, and that cotild be done by 4 simple act for revenue.” A'tax could | be imposed on tea and coffee, every dollar ot which | would go into the Treasury of the United States. That | ‘Was the cheapest form of taxation. It wouid be leviea in gold at so much a pound, and couid be easily col- lected. Besides, tea was imported in such bulky form it could not well be smuggled in. A tax on tea und coffee is levied by every civilized nation except the United states. If the tax had been ailowed to remain | on tea and coffee, there would be no ‘rouble now abo our finances and no deficiency in the sinking fund, felt ic to be his duty to vote against the bill. Mr. scorr, (rep ) or Pa.. tavored the bi nd said it came trom the Honse of Representatives, the body latest from the people, aud best qualified to judge *3 to what articles shduld be taxed. To stop work on tho rablic buildings now would be destructive of the work already done and would result injuriously to the se" ce. ithad been said that the appropriation bills this _ car were -ix or seven million dollars less than last’vear. ‘That might be so; but the itiver and Harbor bill Was pending, and amendments had been submitted which, if adopted, would myoive an expenditure of $11,000,A0 more. Con: gress could not afford to pare down the ‘revenue by the million and run the risk of having the honor of the nation turnished by not meeting its obligations. It had been ayreed that whiskey was a proper subject to tax. It had been taxed before and yielded revenue. The tax of $2@xallon on whiskey could not be collected in 1868 because the condition of the civil service about that time was not good. Great Britain levied a tax of ten shillings on every gallon of spirits and collected it, ‘There was no reason why this country could not do the hat jone in one country conid be done .n auotiier. It was necessary to pass this bill for revenue. and he trusted the Senate would not launch on the sea of protection. i T. FRELINGHUYSEN, of New Jersey, agreed with the Senator trom Pennsylvania (Mr. Scott) and believed it ‘was the daty of Congress to provide the means the gov- ernment required for CANS et expenditures, and that duty rested on the triends of the administration. They ought not to be very critical as to whether the tax was put just as they would have it’ In three days from now is responsibility would be removed from those upon whom it now rested. He thought the remedy proposed by the chairman of the Committee on Kinance to allow the President ond Secretary of the Treasury to with- hold appropriations was well nigh an absurdity. The sinking tuud would suffer by this deficiency, and Con- gress should not allow it to suffer. Petitions had been received here every day in favor ot rei rine 2 F cent duty taken off of foreign products by the act of 872, and this bill was in accordance with those peti. | tions. He did not believe it wa: ie that the increased tax on whiskey could not be collected. Mr. Mornitt, of Vermont, said the bill did not impose any new tax. It only increased the tax on articles al- Feady taxed for the purpose of rausing revenue ol Mr. SARGENT, (re! Gal, from the Committee of Conference on the lative, Judicial ana Executive Appropriation bill, reported that the committee ni been unable to ag tor anew conference, wplca wae granted. 0 VI ck PRESIDEN? appointed as the new committee Messrs. Sargent, an and Cooper. The senate insisted on its amendments to the pill to regulate the removal of cuuses trom the State Courts to Circuit Courts of the United otates, and s commirtes of conterence was ordere! srs. Conkling, Carpenter and Thurman were appointed members of the commit- tee on the part of the ene 8, ome Tan talbge ne , er, dem.) of Mo., opposed the bill. Mr, TmoRMAX, dem.) of Obio, said it was assamed that ‘this bill would increase the revenue of the government Dot less than $30,000. It would. be. admitted on ali hands that no such tax ould be levied unless there was an overruling necessity tor it. ‘1o impose such taxation, unless there was an verruling necessity for it, would be little less than a crime. It bad'not Leen demonstrated to his satistaction that the receipts of the government would not meet the current expenses. The senator who had charge of this bil said the national honor was involved in keeping | ‘the sinking fuud intact. He did not agree with him | there, and hoped to show the Senate thut the sinking | fund provision was no part of the contract between government and its creditors. Therefore, the honor of the government was not involved in keeping that fund intact. The object of that fund UY 4 REDUCTION OF DEBT at the rate of one per cent per annum. The law was | Preive in 1:62, and trom that time to 1874—a period of irs—more than twelve percent of the debt verninent had more than com- an 9,000 men, and he believed that | an army of that size now could do all the service require: One-half of the expense of the navy could be spared and that would save probably $15,0v0,000 ly. The government couid burn on and get along just as well as 11 does now ; and, in conclu. sion, he sald, the most rigia economy must bé practised | by the government and by the people of the country be- fore the end of the present troubles would be reached. Mr. Jounsrox, of Virginia, spoke against the bill, and ivocated economy our expenditures were now three times as large as those of Austria, halt as large again as those of Franco, twice as large as those of Great Britain and two-fifths greater than those of Germany. The country was in no condi- tion now to pay taxes, and this whole dificalty migh be met by reducing the expenditures. ‘Mr. SARGENT, from the committee of conference on the legisiative, judicial and executive appropriations, made | @ report that the committee could not agree, and ‘asked | for @ new conference, which was granted. The Vice | P esident appointed as the now committee Mesera. Mor- | | army of Till, of Maine, Edinunds and avis. Mr. MoxTox, (rep.) ot Ind., spoke of the necessity of keeping up the sinking fund, and sald it the sinking fand of ‘Enefand had been kept according to the original pian | the public debt of that country would have been paid, | ‘90 Would it be with our own country, Accor y Treasury the would be behind $30,000,CW0 on the 1st of Juiy une year afierwara it woula pe $5U, then it would be impossible to catch up. RETRA TAXATION UNNECESSARY. Mr. Stevenson, (deiw.) ot Ky.. sa! was Dot satisfied that the public credit demanded the passage of this act. He thought by reducing the expenditures of the govern- ment this bill would be wholly unnecessary. This al- jeged deficit in the revenue, in the minds of finaccial | men of both parties was more fancitui than real. He de. | manded that tne River and Harbor Appropriation bil | be cut down that the appropriations tor this capital, and | many others be reduced. ‘The practical question Which | he desired to put to the Senate and to the country was, had wo not better wait until more Drosperous times betore pressing such a billasthis? Why expen 000 or $4,000 in decorati.:g this Capitol? Why expend mil- | Lions of dollars upon rorts which the General of the Army says are unnecessary! He argued that the bill ‘was @ biow at the colored man, as 75,00 colored people Were depenedent upon the manutacture of tobacco tor their living. ‘This bill would drive the raw material to tries and to Canada, and throw these col- gaged in tne manufacture of topacco . said when the demo- 70,000,000 per annum was regarded as ry t the country would return to principles of strict economy there Would be Ro necessity tor increased taxation. | .) of Mo. be Mr. Scwong, (lib.) of M: not intended to thi hed ate to v But je him a little impatient to hear it repeated here Was passed the sinking fund would ed, und the River and Murbor bill would have ndoned. It behoved Congress to caretully con- it ee should be levied aud w: t levied, If a tax was levied at i lor revenue and ior nothing else. There was not & Senator on this floor who did not say this bill was tar trom what hedesired. Experience should have taught Congress Ee tax on whiskey was a ve: soho one. 18 Opinion a ag? tax on it could not be collected. ppeared to him, If there ever was a time when Con- 48 should be o. al in the enactinent tf tax laws e heeded, but was not will- ig fo vote it when interested parties demanded it, reiore he would vote against the bill, Me: jndom, Pointed members ot & disag! jaws ai le sessio! fn ron all the money it lison and stevenson were ap- minittee of ik on the ‘ ne 108 ie ofthe two Houses on the Indian Ap: | Megers. Allison, Logan and Stevenson were Sppointed members of @ Committee of Conterence on the army | Appropriat } D+) OF Alla, pppoeed she bill. if. BANGENT guid if this Dill was not passed it would be peoeeary, to economize On the appropriation bili, and jf | it tailed “he would ask the Sepate to stand by ‘him fn curing down All appropriations which could possibly be | ” | Mr, Wixpom, (rep.) of Min., said he would vote for | this bill, believing, 11 it failed, the River and Harbor bill Would tall aiso, He trusted, if tai bil of the tund a under in Jessening the burdens peol: those of the great direction | Appropriations were ne ment of rivers, and ho would the. t inendment of Mr, 4 tonneng manuiaotur fonyens 3a, aye 3 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wasutnatox, Marah 1, 1875, Mr, Cox, Wem.) of N. ¥., presented sixty-five memo Tale frow cutlera, blacksmiths, gunmakers, jowellers, machinists, manutacturers of saws, in public expenditures. He said | the the reduction of the special tax to one percent om all grades and description s of steel. Mr. Wittiams, (rep.) of Mich., from the Committee on the Pacific kailroads, reported a bill, specitying in great detail the points in regard to which the Pacific railroad companies are required to make retarns to the govern- ernment of the receipts of traffic, rates. 2c. Passed. THE LOUISIANA COMPROMISE ADOPTED. Mr. G, F. Hoar, (rev.) of Mass., mowed to suspend the ruies and adopt the preamble and resolutions reported by the Select Committee on Loulsiana Affairs, recom mending the Louisiana House of Representatives to rem- edy the injustice done in the exclusion from that body of persons righttully entitled to seats in is and recogniz- ing Kellogg as Governor till the end of the term. Messrs. Porrer, dem.) of N. ¥.: Niptack, dem.) of Ind., and other democratic members asked Mr. Hoar to separate the resolutions and let the vote be taken oneach of them, but Mr. Hoar declined to accede to that re- que: The motion was rejected—yegs 154, nays 85—not the mecessary two-thirds in the affirmativ Mr, Hoar then moved to suspend the rules so as to bring the two resolutions before the House, the vote to be taken on each of them separately. and to ve decided by & majority. Mr. Porrgn, of New York, objected to the proposition, as he regarded the resolution recognizing Kellogg’s Usurpation as most revolutionary and dangerous. Mr. Hoax said that the resolutions were desired by the | majority of both parities. Mr. Portwr—No, not of both parties. Mr. Hoan—They are in the interest of peace. Mr. Porrga—It will be the peace which cometh by the sword. Mr. Hoar—If you want the peace that cometh with the sword (the rest of the sentence was inaudible.) Mr. Porrer—I'hat is all the peace you ever succeeded in bringing by federal interference. Mr. Gapyigip, (rep.) of Ohio, said ne would insist on go- ing on with the appropriation bills, unless by unanimous Consent separate votes could be taken om the two reso- ludons. ‘he vote was taken carried by the nec hays 85, Mr. Stephe democrat voting @ye. ihe tirst resolution, recommending the restoration to the Louisiana House ot Representatives of the members Wrovgtully deprived of their seats, Was then adopted without a division. ‘the second resoiution, recognizing Kellogg as Gover- nor of Louisiaba until the end or his term, was next adopted by yeas 163, nays 89. Messra Pierce, (rep.) of Muss. ; Sener, (rep,) ot Va., and smith, (rep.) of Va, be- ing the only republicans voting no # soon ay the result was announced, Mr. G. F. Hoar, amid interruptions and calls to order from the aemo- crats, expressed his regret that his triends on the other side had voted against allowing a proposition to give peace to Louisiana to be even voted on by the represen- latives of the American people. THK APPROPRIATION BILLS, Mr, Ganriaz, of Ohi trom the, Committee on Appro- rations, reported the iency bill appropriatin, Bisson ‘Shdered to be printed. Nene - The Senate amendments to the Army Appropriation bill were uon-concurred in, and were sent to # confer- ee commitiee, on Mr. Hoar’s motion, and it wa: asary two-thirds vote—yeas 172, s, (dem.) of Ga, being the only whe conierence report on the Military Academy Ap- P opriation vill was presented and agreed to. ‘The Senate amendments to the Indian Appropriation bili were presented and acted on ihe amendments, eighty-six in number, were voted on one by one. she ‘dirst of them on which any question was raised was the sixty-second. appropriating $15,vuv for the expenses of whe pains Peace Commissioners, serving without com- pensation. Mr. RANDALL, (dem.) of Pa., opposed the amendment, expressing the opinion thut the usefulness of that Com: mission had departed and that the law abolishing it should be alowed to take effect immeciately. Mr. Pargsk, (rep.) of Mo., replied to Mr. Randall ani showed by a comparison of prices paid for provisions at the various Western indian reservations that the prices | Were much less than those paid tor army purposes at the same points. Alter iurther colloquy the amendment was concurred in—yeas M44, nays 75. Ihe recommendations of the Committee on Appropria- tions on ail the other amendmenis were agreed to, and the bill was then seut to a conference commitie ‘oramit- Mr. GaRPrELp, of Ohio, from the Conference tee on the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appro- priation bill, reported’ that the committee had been unable to agree, the point of disagreement being on an item as to the pay 01 Certain clerks or the House, Mr. Hotman, (dem.) of Ind., moved that the House aoe — its action in the matter and concur with e renate. r. RaNpaLt insisted on the propriety ot the House baving control of its own immediate affairs, and said that the proposition of the Senate was to cut down the bay of officials of the House below that of corresponding officers of the senate. after discussiot lolman’s motion was rejected and a new conference committee was Sopctnted: consisting of Messrs, Parker, of Missouri; Fort, of Lilmois, and Randall, of Pennsylva’ THE SUNDRY CIVIL APPROPRIATION BILL. ‘The House then, attwenty minutes of three P. M., ‘Went into Comuiittee of the Whole, Mr. Hoskins, (rep.) of N. Y., in the chair, aud resumed tre consideration of the Sundry Civil pean as bill, esa pending question im yy Mr. ri or ) for th recovery of the Kancho Panocho Grande, ii Calic fornia—the famous McGarrahan claim against the N Tapia Mining Company. int of ont person ir. GARFIELD rene wer 0} of order jainst amendment, but the point was sgverraled. bead ahs ir. Pai of al., asker rT. But gains! re sees estes ain: rei smtriiged on the fands of the United states tothe saver of about 4,000 acres, and who have taked millions ot dol- lars out ot it without law. eek ee mence 10 men not ci oR United States of the right to mine on the public ands, ME: Phat"ihe law yoviies all ho are cttizens, ir, Pagu—The law invites all men who are ct or who have declared their intention to become ci tO go on public lands and ex; piers: and occupy them. Mr. Buttzr—And nobody else? Mr. Pagr—tnere never has been a question between these men and the goveroment. The question has been asto whether the government or McGarrahan owned ‘the land, and it has been decided time and time again Be a tan the governinent. These men do not a ig amendment be adopted, then you authorize the government to commence suit against the government. Mr. Lamar, Gem.) of Miss., said that he could not gi’ his support to the proposition without further explana- tion, Mr. E. R. Hoar, Cee eee said that the resolution on this subject, which the House had adopted some ‘weeks ago, under the lead of his colleagae (\ir. Butler), was in violation of the law, which pronibits any officer of the government trom employini Drivate counsel, and giving that authority only to the Department ot Justice. The pending amendment picked out this particular suit and appropriaced $5,0u0 tor it. Unless somevody was to be employed as counsel in the suit, or unless somebody bi gota ay ae ed eaves eee at Ue tink ne notege why, si 0) lion should nave been madi ote wped, therefore, that the amendment would not prevail. Mr. Burier replied that in offering the resolution some ‘Weeks ago he had acted under the instructions of the judiciary Committee, and it had beea adopted. by, the ith “quicksilver ore, &e., and company largely composed of toreigners had on | uc land, and had held it for years agaiust ai | mining Jaw.’ Aman named McGarrahan claimed the nd under an old Spanish grant, which claim had been ided against him more than cnee. The question had been before the House Judiciary Committ five or six times, and, very remarkable, almost every (certainly more than one) ex-attorney General had argued before muttee in favor of Idria Min- re (rep.) of Conn.—Were they not all At- torusy Generals wits neta culos Delate " Setattatt. MILLIONS RUNNING TO WASTE. ay ng maanne. hy L Cots fa3, eo ig to waste ana we simply pro- Prosed that a suit shall be brought by the Cmited States which we never couid get done. Why have we propose this resolution? It is because the Attorney General, bi fore he was Attorney General (and I hope he will not aiterward), was the counsel tor the New Idria Mining Company, and because he did not see tit, very properly, to act io the case; therefore we want special counsel employed, as the Attorney General would not act and his subordinates ougnt not to act_under_hi if shese men do not ueny the title of the United Stat lef them come into Court and say so. Mr. Pack—They have all applied for thelr patents un- der the mining law. Mr. Burcen—I agree that they have. The mining laws ut 3,000 feet and they attempt to cover 6,000 is the trouble. : if * . ‘They cannot do so under the law. Mr. Burten—But we cannot get the law tested. That is the trouble. It nas been betore Congress ever since I came bh nd that question could never be got tested. ‘There was always som eet the way Mr. E. K, Hoar—I take it that my collea: refer to me as an ex-Atiorney We peared betore his committee. . ButLen—By no means; my colleague has only lately come into the House Mr. Hovautoy, (rep.) of Cal., opposed the amendment as one ot the most extraordinary propositions he had He had ayes understood that re 10 ever heard. suit was instituted there should be some matter of con- troversy between the parties to the action, his claim ot McGarraban’s failed betore the Staves | courts, before the State Courts of Calirornia and betore Congress. The New Idria Mining Company had con- ate) that claim and had expeided its money in assert ing the title of the United States, and now the Probes: tion was to justitute suit in the name of the United States against theso pat who had tor years been de- tending the title of the Un: Mr. Nipiace remarked that the New Idria Mining Company was tn possession of 4000 scres, while under the mining law it was entitled only to some 3,000 feet, and he asked whether the Ati rae General was not one of the attorneys of the New idria Mining Company. ‘4 QUESTION OF HONOR, Mr. Hovemtor—Not that I ever heard of. I myself habit cea ey ed Sean ag rate ations, the object o: a jefeat the claim (! vanessa and “to esvabllste the tie of the Un: M Hawpanieel think that gentlemen who have been counse! jor the New idria Mining Oompany should show some deHtoany as to advising the House what to doin the rr matter, Mr. Hovomron—I desire to reply to that insinuation. Mr, Raxvali—I did not insinuate it, You said your. seit that you were counsel for the company. Mr. Bovumn—1 thought that nobody out the Judiciary Department could dejend the United State: id that he knew nothi merits of the controversy between the New Idria jug Company and MoGarrahan, P' learned before he was @ member of the current history of ihe country. le taat when the gontieman (rn, Houghton) was aurendi: United et y Ff pa y it was for the purpose o! claim or that the Sew fare ite patents, He also eee s @ determination to defiance of the ord ok i ol 60! and. that finally @ perempiory order Ci itu the President that nfs haive should not be pet to ch parenrs, and that in consequence of that the eorétary of the Intertor had gone out of office, Mr. Galt remarced that, i! that referred to Seore. Ci otion in ihe matier had been wholly and ined, not Only by the President, bat by ccessor in oMde, Who ‘Rot affirmed ‘y Vox had done, nly speae trom iy recollection of curs Font history, Dut (his thing ts true thet there was th controversy @- to whether the persue jor the land sto! te u ew idria Mink pany or to Mr. AcGarrahan. Gentiemen who have investigated ihe matter with great care—lawyers, jor woos opinion the highest r either of thi is ontiiled to thi that L Instat upon itt seceunt ot the eiroume by, wnten this sping surrounded i: ig the duty of th ouse to have an adjudication by the hest court the country whether either of thein is entitled to it, INPEACEMEN? OF THR ATTORNEY GRNBRAL BUGORETED, Mr. bi DOR, (re ep eagink, Oe eae Ta ese gL amend: airecton squatted | | what the gentleman (Mr. Butler) ha: the Attorney General should be imp ed. . BUTLER Pardon we; You make @ great mistake. J simply that the Attorpey General, before he en- tered on that office, was counsel for this company, and that, therefore, it would be manitestiy improper for him to undertake a suit about this very matter. Mr Loucuripce—This 1s an attempt to get an attorney who has been lobbying here all the around these halls and at the door of Committes room. The genth ut if they are they have the same ashe or any other citizen has upder the mit the country. But they are not all foreigners my hand the decision ot the supreme Court t rahan’s claito is invalid and traudulent. ‘The adoption of the pending proposition would be a disgrace to the Mouse ans the Leg Mr. ELpRevex, dem.) of W gated the case in the Judici: gress since the Thirty-eight determined that the New Idria Mining Company had no uile to this land, He believed that McGarranan had as honest a title to this Panoche Grande ranch as he (Mr. Eldredge) had to his house and lot, It belonged cer: tainly either to McGarrahan or tothe government, and now why should there be objection to having an inves- tion made as to who dia own the land? Ir. Porter, (dem.) of N. ¥., opposed the proposition, ind remarked that the title of the United states to these uestioned b} nin, aid that be had investi> | 2 every Con- mmiitee had int and void, e nding proposition meal & prosecu- tion nominally in the interest of the government, but really in the interest of MeGarrahan. ‘Mr, Ranpa.!. remarked that there was an attempt made to retlect on McGarrahan. ‘Mr. W. R. Ronsnzs, (rep.) of N. ¥.—Yes; he is poor and this company is neh: Mr, KaNpatt—All through my Congressional life have resisted the MeGarrahan claim, but if his tith not good then the title of the United States is good if through motives of disappointment and reve! hate, if you choose—he comes in to do the work of the government and to smash out this New Idria Mining Company. I, or one, am willing to help him to do it. Mr. Garriato opposed Mr. Butier’s amendment as a | proposition for the government to intermeddle in a iiti- | gation between private citizens. | Whut mine bad the | nited States government ever worked ? ‘the govern- ment had no other Interest in the question than simply | to see a fair adjustisent between private citizens, it the | New Idna Company ‘had no right to this land and McGarrahan had none, then the first squatter that came along had a right to xo'in and use e courts were opemto these people, and vet it was proposed, by an inpan ent, meddling resolution, to be incorporated | now in an act of Congress, that the government should take hold ana throw its weight into a private quarret in which it had not a dollar of interes: ly the discussion was closed and Mr, Lough- ridge’s amendment to the amendment was rejected. butler’s amendment was then adopted by 100 lite rose without making further progress oO Il, and then, after the delivery of eulogies on the latg senator Buckingham, of Connecticut, by Messrs. Starkweather, (rep) Kelloge, (rep.) Hawley, (rep) of Conn., Wilson, (rep.) of Iowa, and Potter, dem.) of N. | Y., the House, at twenty minutes past five, took @ re- cess till lalf-past seven, to go on then with the appro- priation bills. | EVENING SESSION. The House again went into Committee of the Whole Qlr. Hopkins in the chair) on the Sundry C1vil Appro. | priation bill. A-discussion took piace on the item tor the support id ihe insane asylum of tho District of Columbia for members ot the army and navy who have become insane trom causes arising during their service or within three years after leaving service. A motion | was made to amend the paragraph so as to aamit all persons Who have become insane since their entry to service, ‘Lhe amendmenc was strenuously urged by M: Butler, of Massachusetts, and resisted by Mr. Garfle! of Ohio, and Hale, ‘rep.) of Maine, on the ground that men who had served in the volunteer service of the army and mignt subsequently become insane should be | treated In the states where they resided. The amendment wus agreed to. On motion of Mr. MaeDoucart, (rep.) of N. ¥., an item was inserted to pay the State Lunatic Asylum at Auburn $5.7w0 for two United States convicts who had become In- | sane. Up motion of Mr, GaRriELD @n_ item of $8,500 was inserted tor the reilef of the suffering poor of the District of Coluinbia. ‘Quite a lotig and noisy discussion took place over an item of appropriating $7.0) for the conversion and rithng of heavy guns and aliowing an expenditure, for the same purpose, of another $100,000 out ot former ap- propristions. The last portion ‘of the paragraph was eventually struck oui. DANGER TO THR SIGNAL SERVICE. The item of $385,000 for the expenses of the Signal Service being under discussion, and Mr. WappgLt, om, ofN.,G., Raving moved to’ increase it by adding uu for the extension of the service to the Atlantic Coast south of Cape Hatieras, Mr. Garfield warned. the friends of the service of the dunger of making it so Costly that there will be @ reaction againstit. ithad commenced a few years ago with an priation of $25,00., “had then gone then to $100,000, then to the item in this w really did not represent half th tem, the pay, subsistence, &c, Corps coming out of the it went on increasing in year RL be $1,000,000. Mr. Wappa.t's amendment was adopted. to Si, The ¢ommi n thesbi UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. DECISIONS, WasHinaTon, March 1, 1876, The following decisions were to-day rendered by the Supreme Court:— No, 295. Oltee vs. Northern Union Packet Com- many—Appeal from the Circuit Court for the Dis- trict of Iowa.—This was a case of collision with a Pier in the Mississippi. The Court pass upon the right of riparian owners to extend piers into the navigable rivers beyond certain points to be de- termined by circumstances, and hold that in this case the right did notexist. It is held, however, that a fiver pilot, who bad been absent from the river for a year and in ignorance of the erection of the pier, collided With it, charged his employers with negligence, and itissaid that river pilots who run by objecta along the shore | and by their knowledge of the river, and not by the heavenly bodies, like Pilots at sea, are bound to keep themselves in- Tormed of all the changes tn the river and iamullar With all improvements, &c., made thereon, else | they are incompetent to take charge of the deati- nies of human iile and the great interests of com. Merce committed to their care. Reversed, with directions to enter a decree dividing th mages. Mr. Justice Miller delivered the opinion. No. 932, Morgan vs. Campbell—Appeal from the Circuit Court ior the Northern District of Lilinots.— In this case it is held that Morgan, the lansiord of the bankrupts o: whom Campbeil is the assignee, | who distrained on his tenant’s goods three days | beiore the filing of the petition in bankruptcy, | could not maintain a bill ior the recovery of rent | against ine assignee who had taken possession of the property uniess by the statute of the State his iien ior unpaid rent existed independently of his distress warrant, AMrmed. Mr. Justice Davis delivered the opinion. No, 183, The Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Com- pany vs, Newton—Error to the Circuit Cours ior | the Eassern District of Missourl.—Tnis was a sut | on a policy of lie insurance. ‘fhe defence was that | the policy was voided by the suicide by the insured, The agent ot the beneticiary testified he had pre- sented proois of the death to the company anu no ovjection was made to their form; but that it was | objected that they disclosed a case of suicide, and Jor this reason payment was reiused. Tne staie- ment asto the admission of the company of the sufficiency of the proofs of death was allowed to go tothe jury, but the statement thatthe com- pany claimed it was a case of suicide was in effect withheld, The Court also exciuded the proofs pre- | sented of the death of the insured when offered by the company. It ts bere held that both por- tions of the statement of the plaintin’s agent should have gone to the jury and tnat the Court erred in excluding the proofs offerea by the com- pany, When the plaintiff! was permitted to show the admissions of the company. Iti held it was competent for the company to ‘ogres the proois referred toi their own benall. Reversed, Mr. Justice Field delivered the opinion. No. 605. Smith ve, Adsit—Error to the supreme Court of Ilinois.—The biil in this case was dia- missed because the trust was not proved. It is here said that what amounts toa trust or out of what tacts @ trust will spring are not federal questions. Writ dismissed, Mr. Justice Strong delivered the opimon, No. 364, Tucker and others vs. Ferguson and others—Appeal irom the Circuit Court ior tl Western rict of Michigan.—In this case it is held that the conveyance by the Flent, Pere and Marquette Kailway ponheat of lands granted to it by the State to the plaintiffs in trust to secure the nolders of bonas issued by the company in the construction of tne road is so jar an ailenation of the lands as to extingoish the right of the govern- meus aod to wuthorize the taxation of the lands by the defendants, the Supervis Ty bse Affirmed, Mr, Justice Swayne d the opinion, No. 191. French vs, Hay—Appeal from the Sue preme Court o1 the District of Columpia.—Tnis is the afMirmance of a judgment against French, former President of the Washington aud Alexan- dria Railroad Qumpany, who sought to have Hay declared to be holding the property in trust for him uuder @ contract between tnem for the pur- chase of the debss of the company, by which Hay at last came into possession of the road. Mr. Justice Strong uelivered the opinion, io, 198, Amsinck etal. vs. Bian—Appeal from the vircult Court for the Southern District of New York.—This Was @ suit of Bian, as lenee of & bankrupt, to recover back flity pe! nt paid to Amsinck & Co. vy the insolvent, on a compromise of their claim more than four months velore the peutien it bankruptcy. Too decree below was for Vhe assignee. Reversed, with directions to dis- miss the petition, Mr. Justice Clifford delivere the opinion. ‘o. 5. Original ex parte Sawyer and others.— Petion for mandamus denied. No. 201, Pnoenix Mutual Insurance va. Hallo- man—Error to the Circuit Court for the Bastern District of Migaiasippi.—AMrmed, No opinion. z 142, United States vs, Woodrud et (0. r ndin, In the pupreme Court to-day the ci tate or Texas vs. White, Clitles et al. was beard on & motion to punish Chiles as for tempt for not surrendering his claim tot In tue suit oa joyd, Ent wisti 50.5 London, and Mi bro & Co., of Mano! . Engiand, as directed by decree Of the Vourt, | The bonds, it will be remembered, were what | were kvuowo as ‘Texas Indemnity bonas, were avout 200 in mumber and were | sold upon the outbreak of the war| to Messrs. White & Chiles by the rebel Military Boara of the State, The decision was that the bonds remained the property of the Sta that the contract of wale made by the Miltary Board was vou bite now claims that the title | oe Lig Uy We rae him by athent ot another co! 8 pro} tH State with hum alone, ane X fanve th passe courts, k,, Merrick and 7, J, | and produced ina very short time a rise in the | | and tor the observations that were meanwhile THE POLAR PROBLEM. | Weyprecht, of the Austro-Hungarian | Expedition, on Reaching the Earth’s Axis. er A VOLUNTEER COMMANDER. An Officer of the United States Navy | Who is Willing to Take Charge of an Expedition CONGRESS AND THE APPROPRIATION. WasSHINGTON, March 1, 1875. Ifthe session were to last but a week longer there is little doubt that a Polar expedition woula be authorized by Congress, As it is, the time of Senators and Representatives is so fully occupied | that, while the measure has the favor of a great many prominent mep, it may fail for lack of opportunity. Judge Daly’s letter attracts much attention here to-night, and it is @ pity that a memorial of the Geograpnical Soctety has not | been sent to urge the matter upon the attention | of Congress, 4 VOLUNTEER COMMANDER. UNITED STATES FLAGSHIP ROANOKE, } Navy YaRD, BROOKLYN, March 1, 1875. To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD: Ihave noticed within the last week letters pub- Maned in your paper relating to another expedi- ton in searcn of the North Pole, trom Admiral D. | D. Porter, United States Navy; Dr. I. I. Hayes and | Judge Daly. From accompanying editorials I con- clude that you are also strongly in favor of it. Every one of these letters speaks as if there was no doubt that naval officers would be willing to lead such an expedition, Over a yearago, walle attached to the United States Steamer Juniata, Captain Braine, of the Polaris search expedition, as executive officer. 1 addressed a letter to the honora»le Secretary of the Navy requesting command cf any expedition , that might be sent to the Arctic seas. I thought 1t not unlikely a vessel might be ordered there to bring back the remains of Captain Hall, with dis, | cretionary orders to proceed iarther nortn tn case the season proved a tempting one. George W. DeLong also offered his services avout the same time. istill hold myself in readiness to lead any ex- | pedition to the tce regions that is entirely under naval auspices and nava: discipline. My plan would be to charter a Newfoundland sealing | steamer of the “Neptune” class, under a contract | similar to that which procured the Tigress, and with @ small schooner, loaded with coal and pro- visions, to be taken as far north as circumstances would permit, to serve aa @ base of operations, I should hope, if the season was an ordinarily open one, to reach the North Pole and return the same summer. [only stipulate that 1 be accorded the Privilege of selecting the steamer and every officer and man connected with the expedition. Under these circumstances I am willing and ready to be- come responsible for the success or failure of the expedition, EDGAR OC. MERRIMAN, United States Navy. Lieutenant | LIFE NEAR THE POLE. SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE AUSTRIAN POLAR EXPEDITION—THE EFFECT OF ARCTIC COLD— 4 NEW PLAN FOR THE CONDUCT OF FUTURE NORTH POLE EXPEDITIONS. The following translation from advance sheets | sent us by Dr. Petermann, of Gotha, contains the concluding portions of an interesting address (e- livered in Vienna by tne famous leader of the second Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expedition, } Lieutenant Weyprecht. it deals with the scien- | tific results of the expedition and will be found of | great interest :— | The results of the meteorological observations of the second Austro-Hungarian North Pole Expe- | qition can only be indicated in @ superficial way. | They began on the day of our departure from | Tromsoe and ceased when we left the ship, thus covering a period of twenty-two months, The readings were held every two | hours, and, beside, at nine o’clock in the sore- noon and at three o’clock in the aiternoon, Lieu- tenant Bross, Ensign Urel and Captain Lusina took part im the observations, and so did Captain Carlsen from the autumn of 1872 to the. spring of | 1878, and Dr. Kepes during the last two months. The winds were estimated both in point o! their | strength and their direction, Under circum- stances like those prevailing in the Arctic region I consider this method, by which the errors are balanced better than the observations with in- struments, which, owing to the constant ice trans- formations and snowdrilts, are botn liable to in- | accuracies that are adding up each other, instead of palancing themselves, Every one who has spent considerable time on the ocean will find it y to attain the necessary precision. Until the autumn of the second year the winds varied greatly. 1n the vicinity of Nova Zembla we had many southeast and squthwest winds, which proceeded in @ more southeasterly direction in the spring. A predominating direction of the | winds could only be recognized when we were | below Francis Josepn’s Land, in the second win- ter. There all snowsiorms came irom east- northeast, and more than fifty per cent of all the winds, They generally brought with them acer. tain cloudiness which only passed off when the wind veered to the north. We did not experience any of those severe northerly storms which the Germania encountered on the eastern coast | of Greenland, and which seemed to be the predominating winter storms in| the arctic region. In fact, we never observed those extreme wind forces which mani- | fest themselves few times every winter in our | seas. The winds, every Arctic seaman knows, are somewhat repressed by the ice itself. Very | frequently you can see at an inconsiderapie éleva- tion the wind clouds passing by in rapid fight, while below there is scarcely any wind at all. PECULIARITIES OF ARCTIC WINDS. Imust mention one peculiar thing in this con- nection. Iallaaed turther above to the effect of the wind upon theice. We had the singular ex- perience that the ice-arift never proceeded in the direction of the wind, but always from the middie of the compass to the rignt of it. With northeast winds we drifted toward the west instead of south- ‘west; with southwest toward the east instead of northeast, and with northwest toward the south, and with southwest towardthe north. This was the case, without a single exception, with every wind, This peculiarity can neither be explained by the currents nor by the deviation consequent upon the coast in the closest proximity, ior if these were the true causes the opposite winds Would produce the opposite deviation. In the month of January of both vears the battle which ensued previous to the beginning of tne unbroken Arotic cold, between the cold northerly and the warm southerly winds, was also interest- Any The advent of the warm soutuerly and souti- Westerly winds brought with it masses of snow temperature from 80 to 85 deg. Reaumur, As tothe barometric observations little can be id Without instituting @ thorough comparison of the long series of figures. We experienced some Very extreme barometric conditions, but mo defi. nite conclusions can be drawn until the more thorough investigations shail have been com. pleted. Altogether we possessed three tubul: nd four rs. The readings of five of these done every noon by Ensign Orel, | Recessary neroid barometer wasemployed. | As to the thermometric observations the lowest | Monthly mean of the two winters was that for | Febroary, white January most strangely snowed Alpert’ . Ra "Pike, BW. Johneon ed | & ; but we did not observe anything of the Kind. A | te | In the place vi th | the depth’ gradually decreased. | strong, Whoiesome, Iresb food, | mstractions. Only then s both times @ rise in the temperature as compared | with December and February. In the winter the temperature was very Variable and there were very ireque otly sudden changes, but in the sam- mer Months it Was very Steady and the variations were extremely insiguificant. 1 monthly mean S$ that for July. The lowess reading showed 37%; deg. Reaumur. THE OT OF EXTREME COLD, The effect of such eXtreme conditions of the temperature upon the body has bebn greatly ex- aggerted. One frequentiy reads of diml- cuiues of breatung, pain in the chest, as resulung auder such circumstance: though most of us were born in @ southern climate We ai! bore the cold easily, aad we bad sailors who never Ouce wore alurcoat. When the tempera ture had reached its lowest degree during our Arculc sojourn we were still able to smoke our cigars In the open air, The cold becomes insup< portable only When the wind supplements it, and the latter always causes a rise tn the temperature, The effect of the cold varies according to the mo ture in the air and personal temperament. The | very same degree of cold which was very disagree. | able on ove occasion is at another time a matier of supreme indifference, In order to ascertain the moisture in the air wa employed the ordinary psychrometer of the dry and the moist thermometer. When the tempera. ture was very low, however, the observations with this instrument were no longer trustworthy, and had to be enitrely abandoned in the winter, as the smullest errors would produce @ great aid lerence in the aosolute moisture. In order to ascertain the evaporation of tne ice in the winter I exposed carefully encasured ice dies to the open air, and their loss of weight waa determined every two weeks, In the winter the airseems always to contaim atoms of ice. This is not only to be seen on @ clear day, but also In the astronomical observa« tions. With telescopes one obtains but very sel< dom so clear @ picture Of the stars as we did, although the moisture tn the air 18 not 80 great, It otten occurs that in spite of a periectly clear very fine ice needles fail upon the ground. is impossible to determine the quantity of the “Niedersculiige,”’ as the distinction betwet the snow deposited by the air and that whirled from the ground cannot be drawn in snow storms, During the first winter, when we were far away Irom the land, the smull quantity of snow was extraordinary a8 compared to the great mess which almost buried the smp in the second winter, When we were below Francis Joseph’s Land. rqualiy remarkable was the Contrast in the quame tity of raim between the second and third summers. | In the first we had only late in the year @ litte rain, while on our return it irequently poured, already in July, tor day8 and days. RESULTS OF SOUNDINGS, The clouds are naturaliy different, the heavy storm clouds, nimbus and cumulus, are lack entirely. ‘he form of the clouds is either the monotonous gloomy gray of the lifted fog or cirrus, 1ouds we had the gloomy 10ga, sometimes rising higher and higher at otne! as though nailed to the ground. The sky 1 scarcely ever clear lor twenty-four bours during the summer, the sun generally disappea after afew hours bebind the thick masses of 10g. However gloomy these perpetual fogs are, they are nevertheless necessary lor the general condi- tions ol the ice; they are tue Means of binding the warmth of the sun aud live more on the ice than on the direct sunbeams. Our soundings extended all over our route, and we iound that the depth of the sea increased toward the east. At the most easterly point, 74 degrees east of Greenwich, we found a deptu of 40u metres, but a8 we proceeded toward the west Belore Francis Josepi’s Land there is a bank which stretches to | Nova Zembia, and veyond this the depth increases: | again. ‘The entire sea coast of Spitzbergen 18 a “flat sea’? whose deptn rarely transcends meters. Lieutenant Hopigarten, with instruments | coustructed especially for the purpose, brought | frequently specimens of the bottom to the sur- ; lace. In connection with the soundings the measure- ments of the sea temperature were made with the aid of Casella’s thermometers. Thsy were con~ tinued in the winter and showed that the warmtm shghtly decreased with the depth. He also made tbe usual observations of tue saline properties of the water at various depths. Until the ship was hemmed in by the ice, the surface temperatures of the ice were alsa measured. ‘The importance of these meacure- ments is generally exaggerated, because peo; do not take toto consideration the conditions of the weather on whicn they depend. It 1s gaite wrong to draw inierences irom tnese simple figures as te the existence o! warm or coid currents. THE ANIMAL LIFE IN THE SEA. During our drift we employed the drag net very frequently, and we did not only let it pass over short disiances, a8 18 usually done, bus kept 10 generally on the bottom for half a day at a time. Tne collection which be Hole ed for the sea, through which we drifted, Sometimes the harvest was so rich that tne net came entirely jull to the suriace. The greatest variety was in the crabs. Unfortunately, we had to leave the largest specimens benind, having no facilities to transport them. The col- lection was arranged by Dr. Kepes, and alter our return transmitted to tne Academy of Scfences. ‘Our other coliections had to be leit behind on board ihe ship, buc they were not considerable, as we touched land only in the winter, when every- Lbing was covered with snow. True, we possessed a pretty compiete collection of young birds, but they belonged to species that are generally especial value were our sixty-seven bear skins, some ol Which were superb specimens. The higter saimal lie is Out slightly repre- sented in his sea. its principal occupants are the ice bear ana the seal. Of the first there were such numbers that we could not leave the ship in the winter night without being armed. The ice bear made us some disagreeable surprises, but was al- ways @ welcome guest, as he supplied us with ‘The seal appeared in two species—the Phoca harbata and the Phoca Groenlandica—wherever there was open water between the ice elds, but notin sufficient name bers to repay @ bunt. The walrus we saw oniy once in the Vicinity of Francis Joseph's La of whales we only saw the “white wha! in the vicinity of the coast, but of these we met & good many. Birds were pientifal near the land, but the further we went from it the rarer they became, wil | and during eur homeward journey on theicea bird was ao extremety rare sigut. ‘A NEW SUGGESTION. However interesting these ooservations may be, they do not possess the scientific value whieh they might have under other circumstances. They give us only a picture of the extreme effects of the lorces of Lature in the Arctic region, but ag re- gards the causes we rewain as ignorant as we were before, and the reason is that the simul- taneous corresponding observations are wanting. Not unul we possess these sball we be abie to draw the correct refereuces as to the origim and nature of those abnormal conditioas ofthe lar morta. The key to many of the mysteries | of ature (Lonly mention magnetism, freee &c.), the solution ot which has been attempter jor centuries, is certainly to be tound im the vicinity of the North Pole, but so long as Polar expeditions are simply international races for honors for this or that flag, so long as the maim objectis to penetrate a iew miles further thaa any one has ever aone vefore—so long these mysteries Will remain unsolved. The aim of purely geographical discovery, of completing the Arctic topography Which has cone trolled all the Polar expeditrons should yield place to these scientitic questions. The solution of these proviems, however, will oniy be @fe jecved When all nations who desire to remain im the van of civilization agree to unite their efforts, utterly regardiess of ali national rivairy. secure decided scientific results we must have @ number of simnitaneous expeditions whose ob- ject it must be to make simultaneous observations at various points of the Arctic region wth the same instiumeuts and according to the same we obtain the maz terial for the solution of those great probiems nature which the Arctic ice can Supply us; only then can we reap the reward for that mighty exe Penditure ot labor, brains, privation and money which has been wasted in the Polar regions, ‘So far 4 the attainment of the highest latitndes is concerned Arctic explorers are divided in their opinions—some favor the sleign, others the ship, ‘The first may perhaps be preferabie ior the pur> pose named, but if nigher aims are to be sued, then the snip ig the only adequate basis of Operations, and one must not nourisa the illusion that both objects can be united. So the one must always remain subordinate to the other, oF Pad nee will constantly interfere With one another. THE AMERIOAN ISRAELITES, A meeting of the Execative Committee of the Board of Delegat of American Israelites was held yesterday, Hom. P. J. Joachimsen presiding, at which important business was transac:ed, am appropriation was made towards aiding the ereo tion Of @ nome for poor widows of Israelites at Je Tusalem, to be expended under the direction of Sir Moses Montefiore. An appropriation was also maée for tue encouragement of education among the Jews in Roumania, to be expended under the direction of J. Seligman, banker, representative of this Board in Europese Roumania. A special committee, of which Hon. Simon Wolf, of Wash- ington, D. C., is chairman, Pgs @ report im favor of !ouncing stipends for conferring aniver> sity education on young American Israelites im any college in tie United States. ‘The annual meeting of the Board was ordered to pe heid in the roomsof t Hebre co Young Me lebrew Associae 0 application for owas reierred to @ special committer, her music wi disposing of routine business the committee ade Journed to meet at the call of the ST. DAVID'S DAY. Yenterday being St. David's Day, the patron | saint of Wales, it was observed by several Cymric societies in this city. The principai celebration was in the Welsh Presbyterian churon, Thirteenta street, near Third avenue. In the early part of the evening the lad nd geotiemen sat down te @ bounteous feast, which Was Jollowed by exer clses, during Which Di tor, of the Broadw: address. Tabernacie, delivered an eioquent ry aad vthers 19 ealegy On Be was lollowed by Mr. Ancurum Jon raise Of the Welsh character avid, WHO dled de D, 64,