The New York Herald Newspaper, November 16, 1875, Page 4

SPAIN AND CUBA. What the London Times Thinks of! the American Note. amvanengreseantial “ONE OF THE MOST PEREMPTORY pa Seotine SMS.” | “King Alfonso’s Ministers Cannot Afford Even to Dally.” cinindl “SPIRITED FOREIGN POLICY.” A | The Times Trusts American Common Sense Will Not Be Offended by Spanish Pride. {From the London Times, November 3, 1875.] A War between the Uuiled States and Spain on ac- | count of Cuba would be all but inevitable if Ainerican | despatches could be construed as Jiterally as those of | European countries. No European government would | tend such a mote as that which President Grant has caused | to be delivered to the Cavinet gf Mudrid, untess it were ready to fight; and any government with a sense of self- respect would sight ra/her than yield to such dictation. As there is, happily, litte reason to fear that Preside Grant means to be takea at his word, we may look at Bisdemand quite calmly. ‘The precise terms of it, | as our American correspondent said yesterday, have not bech made public, but they may be gathered from the well known views of the President. It seems that it was presented so long ago as September by Mr. Caleb Cushing, the American Minister in Madrid. | It stated that the insurrection in Cuba was only one de- gree less important to the United States than to Spain, | While American interests are injured no redress cur be | obtained, except by a circuitous appeal to Madrid. The | tause of the disturbance, and consequently of the | mischief inflicted on American citizens, the Presi- | dent thinks, is the existence of slavery and the dominion of Spain, He had hoped that Spain would have put an end to the quarrel of her own | accord, but, since she has merely fanned the flames, he tells her what she ought to do, She ought to set Cuba | free and permit it to become an independent zepublic, It will become free in spite of all her efforts to keep it fn subjection, A continuance of present relatious has this danger—that it may some day ferce the United | States to intertvre. The President does not ‘positively | Say that they will interfere, but he plainly gives Spain | to umderstand that they might at any moment be left | by choice, aud that Le has wade up his mind how to | act when an emergency occurs, ONE OF THE MOST PEREMPTORY MESSAGES, If such was really the language of the note it is one of the most peremptory messages ever sent to a Slate | even of the second or the Uyrd rank, It is none the less | oifensive because much of itis true, Slavery has done ; indescribable mischief in Cuba, as it does everywhere | else. It hus brutalized the slaveowners almost as much as the bondsimen themselves, and it gives a peculiar | Savagery to the wasting contest in the island, Many | partisans of Spain are fighting for glavery rather than for the rights of the Crown. The colony also costs | Spain far more than it is worth. But for the drain of men and money to put down the rebellion Spain would have long since concluded the Carlist war. Nor has ehe much chance of permanently reducing Cuba to @ state of peace, If she could drive Don Carws across the Pyrences, and if she could add a few more | millions to her debt, it would be easy for her, no | doubt, to send such an army as Woald put an end to tho | revolt for atime. But the United States are so near, | and dizaffection is so easily fanned by a people with a | genius for fillibustering, that such a pacification would | beamere reprieva, The cooler minds in Spain can | Bearcely expect that she will long retain Cuba, and, | perhaps, they would gladly abandon it if the pride of | the people would permit them. PRIDE FORBIDS SPAIN TO SURRENDER, But, im truth, that pride forbids avy statesman or party evento hint ata surrender of so greata rem- nant of Spain's once vast colouial empire. The Span- jards are still the same proud race as they were in the time of Philip Il, and, so long as Cuba is still theirs, they feel they can put on imperial airs despite recur- ring pronunciaméentos, chronic civil war aud a bank- rupt treasury. Republicans, Alfonists and Carlists all compete with each other, therefore, in loudly refusing | to give up the “Pearl of the Antilles.” But even if they were less eager to keep it, they would resent the summons of a for- eign Power to set it tree. If anything would unitl the Carlists and the Alfonsists, it would be the neces- sity of defending Cuba against aggression from with- out. King Alfonso’s Ministers could not afford even to dally with such a threat as that which is said to have come from President Grant. He and they would be Tuined if they were to take it even into consideration, ‘The case is oue of those in which courage ia not a virtue, but a necessity; and they would be forced to | resist the summons even if it had come from Prince Bismarck instead of President Grant. As yet they do notseem to have answered the note; but they can scarcely fail to make as haughty a response as if Spain wore still the greatest Power in the world, “THE LOPTIEST PHRASES. "’ They will gratify the pride of the nation by the Joftiest phrases in the vocabulary of Castilian pride, @nd they will deal them out ail the more freely because they can scarcely believe that the United States intend to strike. Meanwhile, it is said, orders were given on the 25th of last month to prepare five iron clads and ten frigates for the Cuban station, Reinforcements are Glready arriving at Havana, These preparations have faused muck restlessness at Washington, and the»govern- ment is said to be also preparing its navy for action, Eight sloops-of-war are undergoing repairs, ten iron slads are “ready for outfit,’ and the Navy Department hopes that the fleet will be well strengthened by the end of the year. If the United States were seriously deter. | mined to set Cuba free, there could be but one end to | & contest with Spain. The richer, more vigorous, more compact nation would, of course, ultimately win. SPAIN'S VLERT PORMIDADLE, But it is almost equally certain that the United States would not win at first, Weak and embarrassed as Spain is, she has more available fighting power at pre sent, for her fleet is ready and it is realiy formida- ble, while by turning the war against te Carlists into @ merely defensive contest King Alfonse could spare a large body of soldiers for service in Cuba, | The United States, on the other hand, would have | to equip both an army and an effective fleet, and ve. | fore that could be done Spain might gain some cheap glories. Nor can King Alfonso’s ministers dismiss the | reflection that if Spain must lose Cuba it would be bet. | ter for her to lose it in a contest with a great Power | Nike the United States than in @ series of skirmishes | with half-armed insurgents | 18 THE NOTK “SPREAD RAGLEISM But we do uot auticipate that the result of the quar- | fel will be so grave. Perliaps the contents of the Pre | Sidemt’s note ure less fiery than they are represented to be by the American press, J’erhaps he has used threat- ening language loosely. American diplomatists have been known to do so, and there is no reason to believe tuat President Graut bas © mastery over the delicacies Of political speech, If Mr. Culeb Cushing had any t hance in the compo m of the note, 1% imight easily betray a little “spread-eagleism’ without doing violence to the rlictorical reputation he won by his reply to Sir Alexander Cockburn’s | Judginent on the Alabama claims. Dut the more proba | Ue explanation is that President Grant is not unwilling | to try whether the prospects of the republican party or of @ third term can be brightened by a “spirited Joveign pol- | fey.” A Jurge party tu the United States would tainly Nike to aunex Cuba, and another argu party would be glad to see it formed into an independent re- pablic, The insurrection binders American trade so much that peace is loudly demanded by many of Vresi dent Grant's countrymen who eare little what may ve come of the island, All thove classes would be yrati- fied if the President sboult give Spain peremptory no- Vice to quit, and if she should obey, THK GOOD SENSE OF AMEKICA INVOKED. But the sucecss of such au experiment will depend partly on the degree of skill with wuich tho note has been framed, aod paruly om the behavior of Spain, If | | unchiselled stone, {L | on Lake Champlain, | ing of himself, on belialf of the government, and Messrs, 1 nas Jeft a sufficient means of dignified escape, al! may be well, for the government of the Uuited States will not have bound itself to do anything, and yet it Will have binted that some day it may do a great deal. Cheap hopes of one day governing Cuba may have a certain electioneeriug value; but the diversion may be disastrous to President Grants party if the note has been 20 insulting as to draw forth a defiant reply. We cannot believe (hat the good sense of the American people would permit them to Le provoked into 4 war for Cuba by any pitch of Spanish haughtiness, The majority of Heem will reflect, when they coolly took at the disurgan fe of Cuba, that they would only increase their preseut difficulties by the annexation of go unruly an island. We refuse to believe, then, that the war- like preparations in the United States faithfully express the berate iutention of the President or of the people. THE LATE JO: PH B., VAN DEU A YACHTSMAN REVIEWS THE CHARACTER AND LABORS OF THR GREAT SHIPBUILDER. | To Tux Evvtox ov tHe Hirato: Tn the death of Mr. Joseph B. ovcurred some fow days sinee, yachtsmen lost a warm- hearted, genial friend and the community « valued life, Descended directly from the old Dutch settlers of the Mohawk Valley, and boru upon the banks of that his- toric river, young Van Deusen early developed an in- terest in marine architecture. His models for study, it must be confessed, were not of the most classic type, for they were little better than the sluggish canal boat or the flat Dottomed scow drifting with the rapid current, In these unpromising forms, however, the youthful shipwright saw with the eye of genius those characteristics which his future art was to | fashion into shapes of beauty and utility. The clumsy barges of the canat and the river were to him as is the unhewn block of marble to the sculptor, In these rude hulks he saw, as it were in embryo, the symmet- rical lines of trim yachts, the stable proportions of | floot merekantmen, even as the artist perceives in his | mind's eyes the form of beauty concealed in the rude ‘Yo uu intense love of his art and a keen appreciation of its beauties Mr. Van Deusen added a thorough knowledge of its scientiie require- ments, A jackknife and a piece of soft pine were not considered the first ana last necessities for the con- struction of a vessel's model, No shipbuilder of the time depended so little upon the “rule cf thumb” as did the subject of this sketch, There was no guess work in his models, Proportions were assumed and lines adopted, not only because they created graceful forms, but be- cause there were sound, practical, scientific reasons for their adoption. In this respect Mr, Van Deusen prob- | ably stood higher than any other shipwright of his day, and that he was so esteemed, by yachtsmen especially, is testified to by the liberal orders he received during his career and the success of the many beautiful | pleasure craft, the creations of tis genius and labor, | No doubt a portion of Mr, Van Deusen’s ess was | due to bis carly training. Coming to Us city a mere lad, he was at different Umes employed in the yards of those masters of their guild, Wiilwm H, Webb and | George Steers, with whom he learned the shipbuilding trade, Setting up for Limself, he quickly acquired a reputdion for the modelling and construction of the | smaller description of pleasure boats, a reputation | which speedily procured hitn orders for the larger class | of yachts, commencing with the Narragansett and end- | ing with the Mohawk. The following list of vessels built by Mr. Van Deusen, nd famous ip the aunals of yachting, may be of in- terest to the reader :— | 1. Sioop Nurragans 2 tons, built in 1854 for Mr. Heury Below, of Newport, Schoouer Gypsy, 148 tons, built in 1857 for Mr, A. Grist but now owned in Engiand, | & Schooner Alarm, 225 tons, built tor A. W. Morse, | now owned by Mr, George L.’Kingsland, Commodore | of the New York Yacht Club. | 4. In 1865 Mr. Van Deusen constructed the schooner | Rambler, 164 tons, for Mr. H. S. Fearing; the schooner Phantoin, 128 ton jouel Henry G.'Stebbins; the schooner Fleur de Lis, 95 tons, lor Mr. F. 8. G, d’Hatit- ville, and the schooner Fleetwing, 206 tons, for Mr. © A. Osgood, At the solicitation of Mr, Osgood | Mr. Van Deusen crossed the ocean in the latter vessel | in the famous race to Cowes with the Vesta and Henrietta. 5. Lo 1841 was built the celebrated schooner Colum- bia for Mr, Franklin Osgood, 6, In 1873 was constructed the steam yacht Ideal for Mr. Hugo Fritseb, Austrian Consul General, and about | the same time the steam yacht Kuth for some partics Van Deusen, which | ‘The last yacht that came from Mr, Van Deusen’s | hands was the Mobawk, and it 1s a singular coincident | that, by pure accident, the name most associated with | his boyhood days was the one most in his thoughts at | the termination of his lite. | | i Mr. Van Deusen’s business, however, was by no” means confined to the building of yachts, constructor of numerous ¥ sailing and steain, be longing to the merchant service. During the year 1869 he built and superintended the building of the novori- | ous Spanish gunboats which created wo litte stir in political circies at the me, and subsequently all | Spanish war vessels arriving at the port of New York tor repairs were intrusted tw his charge. Mr, Van Deusen has been spoken of Litherto solely in respect to his merits in a professional point of view. This sketch would pot be complete without touching upon his character ax aman. Though modest and re- tiring by nature, his disposition was essentially # social one. The restraint of new acquaintauceship being once worn away he stowed himself gifted with no ordinary couyersational powers, and his views on popular sub- jects, particularly those connected with his own pi fession, were expressed with intelligence aud informa- | tion. Great application and energy marked the treat | | | He was the ment of such work us he bad in band, and it was per- haps due to too great a drait upon these qualities that superinduced the fatal illness which caused bis death, Respected and beloved by all who knew him, Mr. Van | Deusen in his decease has left a void not to be filled by any ordinary man, YACHTSMAN, OBSEQUIES OF NOTED NEWARKERS. ‘The funcrals took place yesterday in Newark of the | late Mayor, James J. Carter; tho late Daniel A. Hayes, a | leading member of the Newark Bar, and Mr. Isaac | J. Eyerctt, a distinguished citizen ot Orange, who | died a few days ago. The Essex county | | Bar held a meeting ut the Court House in the forenoon, with Judge Depue presiding, to take action on the death of Mr. Hayes, when culo- | gistic resolutions were passed relative to the deceased. His pallbearers were Judge Depue, ¢ ernor Ward, | Senator Frelinghuysen, Cortiandt Parker, C. L. Dennis, | W. A. Whitehead, ¢ Hubbell and P Duryea, | | Those of Mayor Carter were Mr. Theodore F. Kinney, Captain E. N. Miller, Mr, E. R. Ogden, Mr. T. C. Chand: ler, Colonel James’ W. Alden, Dr.’ 8. B. Hunt, Mr. Charles Murphy and Mfr. H. Mendell, Suitable resolu. | tions were passed upon Mr. Everett's demise by th Essex County Republican Committee, of which he was Vice President. ‘CUSTOM HOUSE. Auditor Ogden, of the Custom House, informed a HERALD reporier yesterday that the committee, consist- | Odell and Knowlton, sugar experts, who had been ap- pointed by the Secretary of the Treasury to investigate the question of the customs drawback on refined bard | sugar, had completed their labors and sent their report | to Secretary Bristow. The report of the committee fills about eighteen pages | of foolscap, und the evidence taken fills some thirty | pages. Mr. Ogden declined to give the press any data | t, a8 the matter, he said, had been con- atoiy, and the three menbers of the com- ed themselves not to re’ on the subj ducted pri pending | ng the increase or do- | of tho present rate of drawback, he sugar trade | Js excited to no little extent, | i | THE CENTENNIAL AND THE CUSTOM HOUSE. To vue Epiror ov vax Hix Knowing that you take a cess uf the con LD ia reat’ interest in the suc- g “Centennial Exhibition,” I would | Iike to call, through you, the attention of the Custom | House oificials to the fact that uulews the Secretary of | the Treasury will provide for the establishment of wep. arate and special oltices in each of the ports of United States, from and through which goods are g to the Exhibition, a genoral dissatistaction with, if failure of, the Centenmial Exbibstign may be anticipatea, In view of the regulations governing the free iin portation of goods for the Juternational Exhibition at Philadelphia, published in to-day’s Hewacy, the im portance necessity of muking the best arrange. ments possible cannot li ‘At none of the international exhibit fore have those arr ost of them Lis in-uilicienes the cause of failure On the inanguration ¢ Vienna Exhibition about 1,800 railrowd wagons, titled with goods for the Exhibition, were not unloaded on that account, and i conse 9 thereof thousands of xhibitors were disappointe Ii offices are established that are entirely separated | at New York and # held hereto. from the Custom House, @ ally | Philadelphia, though under the control of the Collectors of the Port, it will ¢ parties in charge of such | olfices to transwet the business more rapidiy, the inter est of the United States could be better t care of | and it would undoubtedly be of great advantage to the exhibit ommissions of foreign countries ought privi of sending a represent: ative te 4 Custom House oltices. Such re sentative xpeaking the English us well as the fo language country he represents would. great service to both the Custom House and the exbib- may give these lines on the sub- tl space in your valuable columns, I very respectfully yours, MAXIMILIAN MORGANTHAU, New Yora, Noy. 16, 1876, NEW YOKK HERALD, TUE | first witness sworn Was Mrs. Catherine M. | kind in the | tion aad particn| MADWOUSE MANAGEMENT, res Progress of an Interesting | Investigation. | Spicy Facts and Figures Elicited by the State Commissioners in Lunacy. —-—— -- IS THERE A REMEDY? The seventh session of the investigation touching the alleged abuses at the Kings County Lunatic Asy- lum, Flatbusb, was resumed before Dr. Ordronaux, State Commissioner in Lunacy, and the committee ap- pointed by Mayor Hunter, yesterday afternoon, in the of the Fireman’s Trast Insurance Company, Th pote, of ersoh street, Brooklyn, Witness bas a dunghter who has been in the Lunatic Asylum for six ; had beem in the habit of bringing her all her wearing apparel, bed and bedding; a good many of these articles, for the jast two years, have been missing; had spoken to Ed. Wutebin- son, Miss Carey and Margaret, all nurses there about the missing things; Miss Carey told witness that the Inundress had taken some, and witness’ daughter had’ destroyed some things; witness had frequently to replenish articles which had disappeared and of which she could get no account; bad never spoken to the doc- tors or the commissioners about these things; Miss Foote was in Hail C of the Asylum, PATRICK O'SULLIVAN RECALLED, said, in the case of Losselle, he wished to correct the statement previously made reflecting upon Loszelle as anurse; Losselle was a kind hearted man and never struck him (witness) while a patient in the institution; the uurse who “perplexed”? him was one Kane; witness had scen overdoses of medicine given to the patients; he had been brought to testify before the committee by the ex-patient, MeGee, who told him he had been sent to seo him by Commissioner Cuningham, DR, NORRIS. Dr. Norris, President of the Board of Charitics, testi- fled that be had held that position for the past ten mouths; had formerly been Coroner of the county for three years; the Board had not met since last Saturday week; the bylaws required that the Commissioners shall invet on Wednesday of every week; the Commis- sioners could not meet and be in'attendance at this in- vestigation; no ohanges haye been made in the bylaws to conform with statutory changes; counsel is no! ployed by the Board to represent them at this in gation; the counsel present is the regular counsel of the Board; witness said in haying the counsel present he had acted with the concurrence of all the other members of -the Board; he understood the nature of the ollice of Dr. Ordronaux, as Commis- sioner in Lunacy, as being one empowering him to investigate the management of any lunatic asylum in the State; the nurses are appointed by the Medical Superintendent of the asylum; the Superintendent has power to employ as many attendants us he may please; witness had never been informed that there were more attendants required at the asylum; witness explained that he had had so much to do to occupy his time with internal difficulties in the Board, investigations and other ‘trouble, that he had not had time to thor- oughly examine all the laws appertaining to thom. Witness presented a letter which he had received in February trom Dr. Corey, wherein**tbe latter re signed the position of visiting physician of the asylum; co | he thought Dr, Blanchard was sufficiently qualilied to act as supervisory physician; Dr. Corey had thought it was rather beneficial than otherwise to have the upied in sewing; Dr. Corey bad told him slum Was as well managed as any of the country. Witness said there are 824 persons in the Lunatic Asylum ut Flatbush ; in 1874 the het cost of the asylum was $88,956; the cost per inmate yer year was $116 28; the average weekly cost was $2 23; the cost for 1 999, or $9,000 less per aggregate than for the preceding year; | the cost per inmate this year is only this 18 less than the cost for any year since 1860; the Board had been charged with extravagance, and witness therefore made this statement. Commissioner Midas said there was a deficiency of $91,000 in the estimate of the Board of Charities for the year, which was a legacy left from the year before; the Board asked the Board of Estumates for $411,000, but that sum had been cut down to $335,000, and this, too, in the face of a prospective very severe winter for the poor. Com too $5,000 ‘orris said he thought they had been in Utica the doctors get from and there are five doctors there; here ‘they did not get suficent in this ‘asylum; notwithstanding the fact that it was advertised in the papers that the doctors were about to resign their positions, but onc application had been made for the positions; there js a gatekeeper at the asylum who gets $18 per month. The chief en- gineer gets $1,500 per year; witness said he did not know of four or tive nurses being discharged, but there were several female attendants, however, who were ordered to go to the mursery temporarily and they re- fused to go; they were thercupon discharged for insub- ordination, Mr. Dwight Johnson called the attention of the wit. ness to the report of the ladies’ committee, which dif- tered materially. from the stutement of Commissioner Norris in reference to the discharge of these “tive ef déwn, | ficient female attendants.” Witness replied that his only reply to that was that he was under oath and was not responsible for anything the ladies might say, Supervisor Ropes explained with reference to the alleged saving of $125,000 for the fiseal year ending July 31, 1875, that the money was saved the county, | Duc that saving bad been eifected through the Board of Supervisors. ‘omumissioner Norris claimed for the Board of Charities some credit for this economy. He said they bad been criticised for paying too much to the doctors, and that was one reason Why better talent was not engaged; ip the | Orange County Asylum there are eighty-four patients, and the support of that number last year cost $124,000; the asylum at Middictown, which is a State asylum, pays $20 to $20 to the nurses attended; a patient re- cently bit a male nurse at Flatbush through the hand, and the man left there, being afraid of his life; tendants are frequently assaulted, and it requires a peculiar tact to discharge the duties of a nurse; wit ness could not tell why the management of the asyluin at Flatbush bad been, such general disrepute tor so many years past, owMly to « conflict concerning con- tracis for supplies existing between the Bourd of Chari- ties and the Supervisors; several requisitions had been made upon the Supervisors for supphes for the Luna. tic Asylum, which bad not been granted # suid he knew that the dady visitors had the legal right to go and come to the asylum whenever they saw fit, and | he had told those with whom he came in contact that such was the case; he is of opinion that their visits are beneficial to the patients. Mrs. Stranahan said that the ladies had been criticized for complaining, but that could not be avoided, as their complaints were the combined judgment of the whole agsociation before it was laid beiore the Commissioners; she thought the present condition of the asylum was | unfavorabie; she was opposed to the resignation of Dr, Macdonald two years ago, feeling that he was especially fitted for the place; did not regard Mrs Cunningham, the matron, adapted for the position. Commissioner Norris regarded Superintendent Blanch- ard asa better educated medical man than Dr, Macdon- aid. In the Utica asylum $11,400 was expended tor | the medical staff, while in Flatbush they spent but $4,200 That was the financial difference im the medi- f the two institutions, investigation will be commenced at three o'clock this afternoon, BROOKLYN BRIDGE TRUSTEES. MEETING OF THE BOARD YESTERDAY--HOW THE MONEY 18 GOING. Yesterday afternoon a stated session of the Board of ‘Trustees of the East Jiver Bridge was held, Mr, Abram S$. Hewitt in the chair, The Board voted to award the contract for granite for building the New York tower of the bridge to James Irennan for the sum of $8,575 70. ‘The contract tor limestone was awarded to Messrs. Noon & Madden for $31,400, Messre, Edgemore & Co, were given the contract for furnishing iron clamp bars for $ 32-100 cents, The contract for turmishing oak jutber for the ternporary foot bridge ta th ypletion of the York towers, next, Was given to the South Brooklyn, pany, Mr. Thomas Carroll, ‘Trustees, pending the contract, inquired wh about July wmill Com- & member of the Board of ard of this latter jaws of the Board did hor the by not jortid the granting Of contracts for any supplies or material in which trastees are interest Mr. Quintard replied that such was the case, and that Mr . . Wiihatn viely 8 nOt interested ja the South i the Finance Committee read the re- port from the Zith of May to Oetober 1, setting forth that the accounts were correct, ‘The treasurer's report to Oetob ) showed the receipts to be $50,650 2h; ex- penditures, $70,849 23; the tots cost of the bridge up ty the sent tin 510,000 50; the total assets were $32,511 40, aud (he total lrabilities $463,498, ‘The Board then adjourned tor two weeks. MUNICIPAL NOTES, Mayor Wickham was not at his office yesterd | having left t ou Saturday night on a short reep from oficial duty, Rumor traced lis trip to Albany to advise With Governor Tilden as to the politieal witua- rly in the matter of the Polive missie Inquiry, however, dissipated this theory, as Go ff Tilden is still in town, vi yrers recently discharged trom the Boule- vard will be paid their Wagewat cleven o’eluck today at the Comptre Tue Chy erday made the fol- lowing ta slabee, November 6, | $2,620,888 45 i $1,511,507 21; payments, $2,094,290 42; Lalance, Ni ember 13, $2,387,406 26, | i | |THE QUARANTINE ereeted upon | | reterred to, had sent « | th SDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1875—TRIPLE SHEET. CITY IMPROVEMENTS. caceiiniiti = THE SENATE COMMITTEE'S INQUIRY—PROPERTY | OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE WAY THE PUB- LIC WORKS ARE CARRIED ON, The Senate Committee investigating the misdo- ings of city officials resumed its sessions yesterday morning at half-past ten o’ciock, at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, Senator Booth in the chair, As it was known that the property owners aloug the new “parks of the | future’? were w be given an opportunity to bring their | grievances before the public, a large number of those gentlomen attended the sitting, but ouly a few were | ‘The examined by Mr, Davenport to avoid repetition, previous testimony im regard to the shameful manner in which the laborers on the public works neglect their duties was contirmed by several witnesses, The follow- ing is the gist of the testimony :— _ Mr. Dwight H. Olmstead, a property owner along the | new parks, gavea history of the assessments on the property along the Riverside and Morningside parks. Iu both cases about one half of the costof opening was levied onthe city, andthe other half om the property owners, ‘Taking into account the fact that the parks were “lying idle,” it was important to give a computation of the total assessments paid by the | property owners, ‘This amounted to about four mill- jons anda half up to March 1, 1875, for which he considered the property owners had received no corre- sponding benefits whatever. To show the enormous extent to which the property was taxed he mentioned that he had to pay on eighteen lots in Riverside Park about $15,000, and on twelve lots in Morningside Park about the same amount. For all this money searcely anything bad been doue, On the Riverside Park only two blocks bad been improved, and on the Morning- side Park only a tew paths had been traced out, while the avenue was going into decay. Had these improve- ments been pushed forward there would be now numerous fine residences along those avenues; be him- self would have built there, The property owners for the present would be satisfied if even the roads were Jaid out, While tne improvements were not made the rates of taxation were continually advanced, on the ground that they had been made. Mr. Olinstead gave it as his opinion that if this new region were built up the gain to the city revenue would be enormous, He . Joined his voice to that of the property owners who had previously testified that it was @ great waste of money to do the work by day labor, and declared that athird of the moncy expended by the city had been wasted. He thought it would be better that the De- partment of Public Parks should complete these im- provements than the Departineut of Public Works, in order to bring the new avenues into harmony with the general design of the Park, Mr. Porter was’ willing to jo on With the work, but Mr, Green refused to pay the jaborers. A SPECIMEN OF PURLIC WORK, Mr, Charles C, Peck, residing at No, 52 West Elev- enth street, said the work of repairing Eleventh street, from University place to the Sixth avenue, began in May last and was uot finished until the last of October, ‘The entre distance was only 1,200 feet, but ouly one- thira was repaired, In June he called upon Mr. Por- ter and told him that the men were not doing the work properly, but wasung their time, Mr. Porter thanked him and requested him to let him know if he saw no improvement within a few days. He did so, but it was of no use, forthe men continued as idle and neghgent as they had been hitherto, They came to their work very late and left very early. The work, with an hon- t of laborers, could have been well done in four weeks, The pavement is again getting out of order and the work will probably have to be redone within twelve months, Mr. Simeon E, Church, another west side property owner, suid he had made it his business to inspect the new Works once or twice every week. He fully con- curred in the statements of previous witnesses regurd- ing the manner in which the work was done by the political lazzaroni employed by the Department of Pub- lic Works. Atoue time he noticed four meu hoisting @ stone from an excavation, and it took them thirty minutes, while two ‘good men working with a will could have easily done i in five minutes. On another occasion he noticed a gang of laborers during work hours coming out of a lay beer saloon a quarter of a mule from their working place and returning slowly to their labors. He often had seen gangs of laborers of twenty only eight would be actually working, and when he took out his watch they would jump up and seize their He had three suggestions to offer—First, that ‘ht-hour law should be repealed, for it had in- jured every trade, and most of all the labor: Whose good it was Intended; and it was original! the work of political demayogues. It should be made a misdemeanor, he contended, for any politician to nominate a laborer and the departments should employ the workmen directly. As it Was the so-called laborers Were uot laborers in any sense of the word. They were political bummers, placed there uot for purposes of labor, but for voting, by meu who did not own any property themselves, but were simply yrogshop poli- ticians. Ho would recommend the adoption of com- plait books, on which should be entered THE COMPLAINTS OF PROPERTY OW: about negligent laborers, and a rule should be adopted | that if these complaints were repeated a certain num- ber of times the foreman in charge should be per- emptorily removed. ‘This would place the foremen in the power of the property owners who had to pay for the work. ‘The property owners whose property was cnlirely unproductive were quite as eager for the re- duction of taxes as those who were opposing the m- provements, and they urged them simply 1 their own selt-deience and because they Were convinced that the completion of these works Would greatly increase the y revenue and Jessen taxation very perceptibly. ‘he property ailected by these ew park improve- ments embraced no less than 12,800 lots, aud their value could be enhanced $5,000 apiece by the comple- tion of these works, This would make a gain of $84,000,000 to the city. e west side could yield to the’ city a revenue of $10,000,000 instead of $1,000,000, as it did now, if these improv tents were only in a fair way of completion. a single street on the west side Which Was in thut de- sirable condition, The property owners bad paid to the city $2,500,000 lor the Riverside Park improvements, wnd the city might at least expend the interest on that money (which had accumulated for the last three years) for the benefit of these gentlemen. If these improve- ments were carried on as they ought to be the coming year would, with the great bencticial influence from the Centennial, be one of Waparalleled prosperity to the now blighted west side, Mr. Church, before relinquishing the stand, gave many other fucts and figures to show the outrageous injustice of Comptroller Green's refusal to allow the works to be continued, and seemed to have tuken great pains to reduce bis testimony to a degree of statistical accuracy, Mr, James Karte, another property owner who has watched the laboreis on the Boulevard, said tn all his experience he had never known men to neglect their duty in so shameful a manner as these employés of Mr, Porter, THEY YORMED PICNIC PARTIES every day. He fully concurred in the views of the other property boiders who bad testified on the subject, Mr. Wilham Richardson testified that if this system of day labor were continued the property owners of the West side might just as we" travsier th city. third street. lor ns-ancer the taxes were half of the val- uation Of Lhe entire property, and the sewerage, paving, curbing, &., would still have to be paid tor, so that the ussessments would almost amount to a contiscation of the property. Owing to the completion of the Green. Wich street railroad, a large number of expensive build- jugs woukl put up next year on the west side, and if these improvements were only pushed forward the city taxes could be easily reduced to two per cent, ‘Seth ©. Douglass, Superintendent of the Bureau of Incumbrances, testified that the standstill in the bu- reau under his predecessor, Me, Shaffer, had ceased, as Comptroller Green had supplied some money since Au- gust last. ‘The principal removals of obstructions bad heen made 1 South Filth avenue, Barclay street, &e. ‘The withess gave a mivute account of the routine of | the bureau, of the rules under whieh encumbrances could be removed, &e, He suggested that a law should passed making everybody who fails to remove ob- structions, ufter having beon notified by the bi able to A penalty, Mr, Douglass denied that e brances were ever allowed to remain owing to p “settlements” between the offender and the witness, ‘After listening to Mr, Doug!ass' voluminous testimony the committee adjourned tll to-morrow (Wednesday), when the abuses of the Dock Department will be taken up. Some very spicy disclosures are expected, INVESTIGATION, WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS THINK--NO APPKO- PRIATION NECESSALY--THE HEALTH OFFICER'S ESTIMATE OF EXPENSES, The Assembly Committee appointed to Investigate the Quarantine departinent continued their session yes- terday at Castle Garden, with Mr, Wachner in the ebair. Commissioner W. 1. exuwined, He testitied that, in his opinion, if the Commissioners of Quarantine were given buck the powers that have gradually been taken from them by logislation at Albany—tor instance, that of discharging es at Quarantine—the expenses might be reduced; the Board some time since adopted a resolution recommending the Health Officer to divcharge certuin employés, for the reason that It was believed the appropriation was ranging short and some curtailment of expenses was wecessary; the Board did not think that less sularies should be paid, but that some of the clerks or other people might be dispensed — wit the Health ¢ f ince the passage of the resolution munication to the Board to out of which | While } the east side was almost entirely finished there was not | ir property to the | For the regulating and grading of West Seventy- | - | known maxim, D, Sterns was the first witness | diseharged, and the captain and enginner are retained | at reduced salaries, The only time at which such a | large Loat would be at ail necessary would be in case of atire on Dix Island, or some other emergency that would necessitate the removal of a large number of persons, [t a not probable that, during the winter nis, there will be any great number of patients on land, and the necessity for such a boat is done HASHEUL CONMISSIONERS. ‘The Commissioners have the power to call a meeting of the Board of Appeals, which consists of the Mayors | of the two cities, the Presidents of the Board of Alder- the Commissioners of Quarantine and the Health Officer, for the purpose of reducing the salaries of sub- ordinates, but the Board have never interfered i the | workings'of Quarantine, and did not like to exercise | their right in that respect, The four or tive policemen employed at Quarantine are an unnecessary expense, ‘The State provides residences for the Health Ofticer and his deputies. One of these might be done away with, andthe money obtained by its sale turned into the State Treasury, ‘he next witness was General James McQuade, also one of the Commissioners, who stated in his examina: tion that he agreed with ‘his colleagucs in the belief that Quarantine could be run without the appropria- tion Of $65,000 us at present, or that the fees now collected by the Health Otticer should be absorbed 1f tue Stute continued the appropriation, John E, Colville, the Superintendent of Quarantine, testified that $1 a day was received for the cure of each | patients of this amount twenty cents is paid to the | Late, KEDUCING THE ESTIMATE, Dr, Vanderpoc!, the Health Otticer, sent the following statement to the comiuittee as bis estimate of what he { could run the department for if allowed to collect and | retain the fees :— HOARDING STATION, - Repairs to dock, seu wall, residences and out- $2,000 hou . . rn o Supply of fresh water to bouts and maintuning of machinery in order, ee STEAMER HOPKIN Boat-keeper and engincer to attend engine for supplying water to boats, ‘ Repans and painting POLICE, Four policemen at $1,000, DIX ISLAND, Superintendent. Enginoer,.....seeeseeee i Kepairs to rip-rap, building dock, steam ap- | Paratus, rooting, ke... HOFFMAN ISLAND, Keeper.....eeess Repairs to roof, giass, ste crib work dock...cc.see. Docking and mooring Tilinois Keeper. Repairs. Coul and water. ” $36,602 land 8, Townsend, a resident of Staten Tsland, nade & statement that eight seres of land had been bought atChiton for the purpose of building a boarding station, Of this six acres had not been used, and could be sold for $3,000 an acre, — It would give the State $30,000, und would relieve the neighboring residents from the constant fear that a hospital would be built there. Commissioner Judd said he thought the bill for the purchase of the boarding station was rushed through, He did not see the necessity of keeping the tand, Ube gamma ies: then adjourned until to-day at eleven o'clock. CENTRAL PARK. [From the New York Times. } ‘There is a good deal of justice in the frequent com- plaints which are made relative to the present manage- ment of Central Park, The lakes are full of stagnant water, are absolutely thick with decayed vegetable mat- ter, and give rise to malaria in the most aggravated forms, One of the boatmen assured us a few weeks that all his companions had been down with chills and fever—caught on the lake, We advise all parents to instruct their nurses and children to avoid this hotbed of disease. Then the rules about not walking ou the grass are now enforced so rigidly that sending children tothe Park is rather a punishment for them than a | treat, Policemen hunt them about as if they were little criminals who were ‘wanted’? at headquarters, The children are obliged to keep on the bard, narrow paths, like _ prison- ersinayard. Imevery park in the country but our own children are allowed to play on the grass, and certainly Central Park grass has cost enough to be good lor something. Prospect Park, Brooklyn, is the delight of young and old, because of the absence of these vexatious restrictions with which the Central Park Commissioners do their best to drive the public out of their own property, Indeed, Prospect Park is now in every way a much more beautiful park than ours, Between tho maiaria of the lakes and cast iron rules, and the way @n which policemen threaten and bully every little child who wanders for a minute on the grass, the Commissioners are likely soon to have | the Central Park all to themselves, and then they can | complete at their leisure those sheepfolds and other | preposterous looking buildings on which so much mouey has already been fooled away. ADMIRAL WELLESLEY’S RECEPTION. To tHe Eprror ov Tue HeraLy:— In your paper of the 10th inst. I noticé that in your account of Admiral Wellesicy's cordial reception at Providence, RL, your reporter makes the Admiral say that “he would take care to acquaint Her Majesty | the Queen of the flattering reception he had met,” &c. Now I very much question whether Admiral Wellesley | did use these words in the terms given. What he | most probably said was that he would have pleasure in i acquamting his government as to how he had been treated in the United States, This may eppear to many a distinction without a difference, but it really is | not so, and Americans cannot too soon be disabused of the notion that Queen Victoria personally has anything | to do with the government of this Empire or its rela- | tions to other countries. i | Ibis a habit, | notice, of many American papers drag- ging in the Queen’s naine in Yeterence to State mat- ters, No British admiral or diplomatic representative | abroad would ever think of reporting to the Queen | | direct. ‘The one officer acts under the Admiralty; the | other under the Foreign Office, which” two | | | departments act under the government of tne | day, who in turn aro put in ice and kept in office by the House of Commons, who 1 turn are directly responsible to the nation at large, by whom the pers of the House of Commons aré | elected. So im reality, though not in name, the con- | stitution of this country is quite as republican as your | own, and without somé of its disadvantages, For in- | | Stance, a much quicker chunge of government cau be | effected here than in the United States, tor a hostile House of Commons elected by the people would soon | | render « change of government inevitable it the peo- | ple so willed 1, without having to wait a stated time of | | years Ulla President’s term of office expires, as with | | you, | But with all this Her Majesty has nothing to do. Whichever party predominates in the House of Com- mons to that party 1s the task assigned of forming a eh government rules the Empire, apd | ent all oflicers of the Queen, whethe | government, wi | wo which gover at home or abroad, are subservient, | | “The Queen reigns, but docs not govern,” is a well | The Queen is a symbol of ‘authority, | | nothing more, and just as the anchor on Admiral | | Wellesivy’s buttons is the symbol of hs profession, so | | 1s the crown above it the symvol of the authority uu- der which by H. CossHAb. Baisror | The sentence referred to by Mr. Cossham im the | speech of Admiral Wellesley reads as follows:— The Admiral desired to express through the Hxna1v | his gratitade for the courtesies tendered him and bin oiticers while in American waters, and he should | officially noti’y the Quecn of everything that had traus- | pired. o officially notify” {s very different to “take care to acquaint.”"—Kp. New York Henan. | THE BROOKLYN WIFE MURDER. TWO LIVES SACRIFICED—¥FYUNERAL OF MRS. BURROUGHS. The Coroner for the Western District, Dr. Simms, | has empanclled a jury to hold an inquest over the body | | of Mrs, Ehzabeth Burroaghs, the unfortunate young | woman who was shot by John J. Burroughs, her hus- | band, in Fifteenth street, moar Fifth avenue, South Brooklyn, on jast Saturday morniug, The inquest will be held this afternoon, at three o'clock, | ip the Eighth = precinet station house, Filth avenue, Dr. A, W, Shepard and other physicians, wh | made the post-mortem examination on Saturday af hoon, found the two bullets wineh bad lodged in the throwt and head of the deceased, Mt was also lound (hat | the poor woman was about to give birth towchud, | | whose life was eaeriived with her own, No sympathy | te felt by the frienas and neighbore of Mrs. Burroughs for the wretched husband, who now begins tu realize ‘the ternble doubie enine whien be has committed, | ‘Phey speak of her in the highest terms, and say that she Wasa most virtuous and industrious woman in every relation of life, Yesterday alternoow bh | Kighteenth street Me edillee Was crow’ er fune! by the Rev. Mr, Summons, iormer pastor of the churel of which Mra Burroughs was a member. Re ealogistic of the churacter of the dec asa t tian wom: nd wother, were also me Rev. Mr present minister of the church, | and alsy by Mr. Ford, interred in Greenwood Cemetery, | during the service, Florenc The remams were There were present year-old dau; the th eile abany disehi tade by the Board would | ter of the murdered woman, the only witness of the | not be recogwized by bimaelfor his subordinates, | shocking tragedy, and Mery) Ki The wit thought that i the Commssioners of | mother of deceased, besides her sister and broubs Qiarantine were authorized to collect the fees how col | chure members meisted upon delraying the | fected by the Health Olticer, they could run thy station | of the funeral as an evidence of the respect im which | wi Without any appropriation iron the State, AKANTINE YACHT. large & boat auirod All ber ‘The Ho hich sue ie ot the purposes for | ck ha&ds are to bo | Verse Upou the subiect et the trauedy, fined in vf the lower ter mm the Raymond Street | they beid her memory, er in € one of the cei Jail. The murd He is moody and reticent and declines to, eo j maximum ye RIVER NAVIGATION. Improvement in the Channel of the Hud- son Opposite New York. REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, Present and Prospective Condi- tion of the Channel, Wasixotox, Nov, 14, 1875, ‘The report of the Chief of Engineers, now in course of preparation, contains the following from Colonel Newton, relative to the dredging of mud bars in front of Jersey City: Under the appropriation of March 3, 1875, 1t 18 pro» posed to dredge about 50,000 cubic yards, more or less, from that portion of the river lying between Pavonia ferry and a short distance south of the Cunard docks, This work has been advertised and proposals received, ORIGINAL ESTIMATE, Dredging 221,300 cubic yurds, at 40 cents. Contingencies and engi Total, June 80, 187... bi 1,248 31 Amount required for seal year ending June 1877, to complete the dreduing 807 20 SHOALS IN HUDSON RIVER, In obedience to instructions from the Chief of Eogk neers conveying a resolution of the House of Repra sentatives, as fllows:— Resolved, That the Secretary of War be requested t cause un examination or survey to be made of 4 bank which has been formed in Hudson River, opposite Jersey City, ex tending from near the Pavouin ferry down the said. rive! and by the wharves in Jersey City, with the view te dredging and removing suid’ bank of inud, $0 as to alfors grewter protection to comincr’e, and th fousibility of inakine suid improvere: coat thereof to the House of Keprosentatives, —after describing the field and oflico work performed the following is given as THE RESULT, Comparing the collection of simultancous observa tious at the four gaug but a slight change in the mmugnitude of the dal wave is found; mean rise and fall at the foot of West Fourteenth strect, New York city (three and one-half miles distant trom Governor's Island) being only 0.4 foot less than at the lgtter place ‘There exists a comparatively greater difference in the Jestublishments of both places, high water being twenty minutes Ixter at West Fourteenth street than at Governor's Island. The occurrence of maxi- mum discharge takes place about 14h, 19m, after moon's transit; the swiltest flood currents happeo about Sh, 22mm.’ after moon’s southing. During the ites of flood and ebb currents they run in nearly opposite directions throughout the ex. amined area, ‘The ebb current is by far the strongest; it gradually diminishes in velocity on the Jersey sidé in its course from Castle Pout to Bedloe’s Island, The annexed table shows the general deepening of the Hudson River since 1835, produced by the extension of the water front:— DEEPENING OF THE HUDSON, Tene Maximum) Average Effective Depth in in Area in | Effective | Feet at | Feet at Syuare | Width in | Mean Low! Mean Low Yards, | Feet, Water. | Water. oa ee 56. 0} - 18,840.1] 5,580.0 48.2 304 15,610.4) —| 53.0} 34.0 4,070.0 4.1 39.6 S 52. - 5,280.0] 52.4 35.5 a 53.5) Bhd 4,200.6 56.4 39.1 _ 45.0 — 6,625.0 49.0) 22.8 =| 35. B42 4,258.0 58. 39.9 me 56.0 oe 8,660. 5.6 35.5 pei 66.0} 47.5 3,026.0] A 549 By cxamining this table it will be seen that the average depth of the river bas increased nine fect in section 4 (Castle Point to West Fourteenth street, New York city), Where the greatest injudicious contraction of the rivet has taken place. ‘The investigation of the plotted cross sect bydrographic sheet demonstrates that the gr scouring is done 1a the thalweg of the river, amounting to seventeen feet in cross section 4. Notwithstanding: the effect of considerable dredging down along the Jersey shore, we tind generally that the original depth of the river has decreased rather than increased near the end of the piers. DREDGING IN 1874, ‘The following are the amounts paid for dredging dure ing IsT4:— Cunard line Ene Rail Eagle line North G 5 nh packet, How much of this aredging was of the slips, or what amouut went to the deepening of the heads of the piers, 18 not known, ‘The twenty-four foot curve bas remained in nearly the same position 1895, tor the space between Pavonia ferry and the Cardiff piers and along the included portion of the fro of the twenty-four foot curve has moved not con siderably, ‘THE CAUSK OF THE FILLING against and near the wharves ol Jersey City seems tobe the set of the currents below Castle Point toward the New York vide, which is proved both by the current charts and the deeper soundings which lic on that side. , ‘The current charts also show that the stronger cur- rents of the ebb recede from the Jersey shore. A re- markable instanco of it is exbibited opposite the Cunard dock. It is evident hence that a natural cause exists suilicient to account for a shoaling along the piers lying within the district under examination. ‘The Hurbor Commissioners’ report of 1866 and 1837 states :— On the Jersey side, opposite the Lon| rf, the river hay alsy deepened by moro than two feet, but a considerable de posit has been made south of Cunard dock and opposite the Canal dock, 1 call attention likewise to the fact that the piers o the Eagle line, the North German Lloyd, the Bulti¢ Lloyd, the Hamburg-American Packet, and other pie! 1h the neighborhood, extend (unfavorably for the mai tenauce of a deep draught of water along the piert ch lie below them) a considerable distance beyond the pier line of 1356, Teall attention to a further proposed encroachmem pon the channel, which will act unfavorably upon the wile pier line below, which is exhibited upon the hy: drographic chart as the line of the Riparian Commission of the State of New Jersey. ‘There bemg, as already shown, a natural tendency owing to the slackening of the currents, to deposit 61 the New Jersey side, it is likewise believed by som that the amount so deposited has been increased by thi artificial seour produced by the narrowing of the river at Castle Point and at other places, The Harbor Com missioners’ report states:— fi Direetly opposite Thirteenth street is Castle Point, in Now Jersey, wt high blulf, projecting fur some dist into the river. ua ‘ares of the river at Jersey OO) square yards. At ® short distance above ie ts 2.44) aquare yards, while opposite. Thie- S28 square yards, ioners also notice the projection of certain piers near Thirteenth street, New York city, beyoud the line hud down by the pier report, and ree cinmend the removal of these projections a3 suon as, from nak ral decay, they would otherwise have to be repaired, The lines of that commission, which are laid down upon the chart, will explain this matter, By comparing the present cross sectious furnished im this report with each other and with those given above trom the Harbor Cotamissioners? report it is quite probable that the see- tigual areas are nearly in proper relations, and that Ue lurther scour, unless trom recent or future em croachments upon the New York and New Jersey shores, will be produced upon the Lottom. THE PUPCRK OF THK CHA The sketch just made of the cond) gests serious Teflections as to the future of the ¢ oft the Hudson River between New York and New Jer the opposite shores being uuder different govern. jhents and Hot readily regulated upon any policy cale lated Jor the general good. On the contrary an en- t trom one side may be too readily met by @ correspouding One trom the other; and even if the ge eral character of the river should not be altered fer U worse, stil individual and Yested mterests of a bi The Harbor Commi: nay be sacrificed or injured. Amony principal interests concerned tn th preservation deep water along the — fron are the Pennsylvania Rawjvad Company, the Err vad Company, the Cunard, the South Wales At Mteamship Company, the North German Lloyd erica Packet Company, ane to me highly proper What 4 superior id interfere t regulate det: ly the lines upon both shores. Htertaluing bu expectation that dredging will insure it benefit, wad doubly such be a perm | tiew.llendure sutlicently long to ysate in any degree tor the expense involved, Tsabmit herewith au vstimate lor dredging the show to a depth of twenty- fevt, from the neiguborhood of Pavonia Ferry tw a 1 distance below the Cunird docks, over an urea of Soo square yards, That eet ‘ping between Pavonia Ferry and tne priors of the Cardifl line appears to be, trom certain ti. “ ps, HOL So hopeless OF Huprovement by dredging as the other portion of the shoals, ‘The probable this dredging would be $35,0.0. Bat it should be sisted that doe Hiopaties keep the slips between the piers well dredged, else there will be « tendency toe such deposit to press ti ad the pier head and shoul the space already dredged, This dilliculty attwches il dredging executed along the line of the pita