The New York Herald Newspaper, May 23, 1877, Page 6

NEW YORK HERALD BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPRIETOR, TBE DAILY HERALD, publishest every day én the year. area coat yorcony Caenliny enclosed). Ten dollars year, oF at rate of une dollur per mouth for any period | ae six months, or five dollars for six mouths, Sut ee of pustace. ‘All business, news fers or telegraphic despatches must x HeaLD. ‘nhould be properly sealed. tions will not be returned. —-——. PRTAADELP ELA OFFICE—NO. LONDON ‘0. 46 “OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK HERALD— NO. FLEERT .sTREET. dvertisements will terme asin New York. AMUSEMENTS TO-NIGHT. UNION SQUARE rHEATRE—Suixs. FIFTA AVENUE THEATRE—Tweietu Nicut GRAND OPRRA HOUSE—Tus Paixcess Soran TRIPLE SH NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, MAY — SS —_—— — DEALERS. NOTICR 10 COUNTRY a The Adams Expross Company run a special train over the Pennsyivanin Railroad und its connections Teuving Jersey City at « quarter-pust four A. M. duily und Sunday, carrying the reculur edition of the HxxaLD ms fur Went us Hurrisburz und South to Washingtoa reaching Philadelphia at « quarter past s1x A. M. and Washington at one P.M. From our reports this morning the probabilities are that the weather in New York today will be cool and cloudy or partly cloudy, possibly with light rain, and followed by colder and clearing weather. 23, 1877. Watt Srrerr Yestrrvay.—Yesterday was a quiet day on the Stock Exchange, and the closing prices as compared with those of Saturday showed but little change. Gold opened and closed at 1067, all sales in the meantime being made at that figure. Government stocks were quiet and in sot cases lower, while railroad bonilaavere strong and higher. Money on call was@asy at 11g a 21y per cent, the closing rates being the lowest of the day. Tue Parave of the Sunday school children in Brovklyn to-day will be a pretty spectacle. Tue First Yacut Race of the season in New York waters occurred yesterday. Four catboats of the Atlantic Yacht Club raced for a pennant, which was won by the Nomad. AnoTHERK Revo.vtion bas been attempted in St. Domingo, and this time the trouble is said to be the maladministration of the finances. Fortunately for our peace the island was not an, nexed. Tne Jockey Cxvn, at ite meeting last night, adopted rules for the regulation of betting, which will be of interest to the sporting community, The new rules are almost an exact copy of Tattersall’. A Despatcn from the city of Mexico states that Diaz's popularity is increasing. As reports of this character not infrequently precede the sudden departure of » successtul chief from the country the situation may be us pleasantly un- certain as usual. , Quren Vicroria’s Birtupay was celebrated with great enthusiasm yesterday ut Petersburg, Vu., und delegations from Canada and all parts of the United States participated in the cere- monies. Such events dv much to strengthen the friendship between the two great English speak- ing uations of the world. ‘ite Home ror Docs.—The dogs of the city already begin to reap the benedits of the dog show. Mr. Henry Bergh has just received from the Westminster Club a check for $1,290, half of the profits of the lust exhibition. This sun is to be used to build a home for destitute, aged or invalid dogs, irrespecti they may pass their days in peace, undisturbed and undisturbing. The scheme an excellent one, and as the home tan be built at a cost of teu thousand dollars the rest of the fund will be, doubtless, soon obtained, of color, where Tux Races Yesrexpa weather and a full attendance rwes yesterday, and five which the most important w Chesapeake Stakes, won by Mr’ Lorillard’s [dalia, und the mile heats for four-year-olds, in which Mr. Doswell's Outeust was the victor. opening day at Louisville was equally suceess- fol. The principal event was the Kentucky Derby, in which the favo: Leonard, beaten by Baden Baden. There were also trot- ting coutests at Poughkeepsie and Point Br Park, and the full stories of picturesquely narra here was tine it the Baltimore citing contests, of re that for the he 1 the events are in onr correspondence. Tue Heavy Rains ix THE Wr vise in all the rivers tributary to the J Kansas. Our special despatch from Kansas City describes the serious interruption of railroad trafic and damage to the lines. A lary: country is liable to inundation — if river banks give way. As it is the rise of the waters is greater at rence than bas been known for twenty years. Tle recent warm spell in the West has melted a great deal of snow on the upper watersheds of the rivers, and this, with the heavy and continuous rains, has contributed to swell the floods pouring down into the low, flat valleys approaching the Missis- sippi River. We recently called earnest atten- tion to the necessity of preparing the levees for wch heavy freshets, and hope that some steps have been taken to that eud, Tur Weatuen.—Except in the Northwest the barometer continues below the mean of thirty inches east of the Rocky Mountains, being lowest in the Ohio Valley and the Middle and Eastern Btates, The storm has now reached the coast ofthe Middic States, but will probably move northeastward, toward Newfoundland, when it comes fairly, within the influence of the Gulf stream, the westerly range of w fs approaching the const to its summer limit. Much rain has fallen along the lower lakes and throngh the Middle States. The northern line of the area of temperature above 70 degrecs extends from New York to Cincinnati, Keo- kuk and Leavenworth having receded from the lakes and northwest very considerably. It # very warm in the Southwest. Indications of the approach of another depression from the Northwest are given by the wind directions west of the Mississippi. High winds have pre- gailed along the lakes and in the Ohio Valley, also attending the storm centre on the coast. In New York to-day it will be cooler and cloudy or cloudy, possibly with light rain, and pone colder and clearing weather. the Double Specie Payments and 28 Standard of Value. A passage in the recent speech of Secretary Evarts at the Chambex of Commerce ban- quet has been widely copied and commented shadowing an intention on the part of the new administration to favor the remonetiza- tion of silver and make it, as it was before the civil war, equally with gold an unlim- ited tender for the payment of debts. Senator Sherman, to whose depart- ment this subject more immediately belongs, was not present at the banquet, and had it been convenient for him to attend he might have hesitated to commit himself more explicitly’ than Mr. Evarts did on a question with which he will have to deal officially and responsibly when Congress meets. The vague but, significant intima- tions of Mr. Evarts were probably thrown out as a feeler to public opinion, and neither the administration nor the Secretary of the Treasury will be bound by them if the drift of financial opinion should prove to be adverse, The remarks of Mr. Evarts show that the administration regards the double standard as an open question and that it has at least a leaning toward its re- establishment. We learn from trustworthy private sources that Secretary Sherman is ‘bestowing much careful thought upon this question and inclines at present to favor the re-establishment of silver asa full legal ten- der except for paying the interestand princi- pal of our nafional bonds, If the experiment is to be tried this is a wise reservation, for if silver and gold can be maintained at an equal value it will be no more burden- some to the government to pay in one metal than in the other, while a fear that silver might depreciate would obstruct the sale of the new bonds, into which it is the obvious interest of the country to refund the public debt. “We approve of this exception, and think that the rehabilitation of silver as a legal tender for other purposes is a fair question for discussion, al- though we would not wish to sce it decided without a thorough sifting of the arguments pro and con. In the present as- pect of the question we think thore isa great deal to be suid in favor of the policy toward which the administration is under- stood to lean; and regarding the noteworthy passage in the speech of Mr. Evarts as a teeler to draw out an expression of public opinion, we are willing to state the favor- able view, reserving our ultimate judgment until the question shall have been more fully discussed. So far as the question of specie payments is concerned we have no doubt at all that the remouetization of sitver would promote that much to be desired consummation. Prep- aration for specie payments implies a large reserve of coin tor redeeming the greenbacks as they are presented. It is self-evident that this indispensable reserve can be accu- mulated with less trouble and expense with two metals than with one. If we should at tempt to resume on gold alone we should disturb all the money markets of Europe in accumulating the necessary reserve, and those market¢ would have strong motives for atteinpting to thwart us. But if we re- deem in silver as well as gold we shall meet no similar obstruction in accumulating a re- was serve of silver. With a bi-metallic cur- rency weshould have the great advantage of drawing upon two sources of supply in- stead of one; and in drawing on the silver source we should encounter no oppo- sition, because our policy would not affect the money market of Europe. It is self-evident that we cannot resume without a large coin reserve, and equally self-evident that we can acquire this neces- sary reserve with more ease and facility if we restore silver to the place it occupied before wewent into the experiment of irre- deemable paper. The remonetization of sil-" ver would put us precisely where we stood sixteen years ugo, before the paper legal tender was tried ; not an ideally perfect sit- uation, perhaps, but one a groat deal better than an inconvertible paper currency. There ean be no doubt in any sane mind that we could resume specie payments more easily on the basis of both metals than on gold alone. There would be less expense of time and trouble in accumulating the neces- sary reserves, and we should be more secure against a drain of our coin to Europe if it consisted in part of a metal for which the nations of Western Europe have but a mod- erate demand. So far as the experiment of specie payments is liable to be obstructed by a foreign drain of coin we should be altogether more secure with the double stan- dard than with gold alone. It may be plausibly objected that our do- mestic currency would be liable to fluctua- tions in value if we should restore silver to the old position which it held previous to the war. Even if we were to admit that this objection has all the force claimed by those who urge it it would still remain incontesta- bly true that the fluctuations in the value our currency would be limited to the flu tuations in the value of silver. A paper currency redeemable in silver would be always worth its face value in silver dollars, and would be a great deal more stable than the irredeemable greenbacks, Silver, even in the unsettled and abnormal condition of the silver mar- ket for the last two years, has not varied in yalue somuch as the money of countries which are afflicted with an irredeemable pa- per currency. If the fluctuations in the value of our currency could be confined to the fluctuatiof$ in the market value of silver our monetary system would be much more stable than it is, It would be a great gain to make our domestic currency as stable as the valpe of silver. But if silver were remonetized in the United States its value would fluctuate very | little, ‘The main reason for the variations in the value of silver for the last few years is the substitution of gold in the currency of Germany, which threw large amounts of silver on the market; but the resump- | tion of its use for money in the | United States would create a permanent market and prevent great variations in its price. It, ten or twenty years hence, we should think it expedient to substitute a single for a double standard it might be a wise measure then; but, with the imme- diate problems which confront us now, there would be a great and undoubted on by the press of the country as fore- | advantage in remonetizing silver and mak- ing it a legal tender equally with gold. It would remove one of the chief obstacles to an early resumption of specie payments ; it would give us a currency whose fluctuations | would’ be slight in comparison with the fluctuations of an irredeemable paper money; it would disarm the opposition of our Western States to the resumption of specie payments; it would put us in the same monetary position in. which we stood previous to the civil war, which was altogether preferable in point of stability to that which’ we have suf- fered under the régime of irredeemable paper. In point of strict logic and ideal perfection a single standard may be prefer- | able; but between our irredeemable green- backs and a currency which could always be exchanged for its face value in silver the difference would be very wide and a great gain on the side of stability. If, at the be- ginning of the experiment, the value of our silver coins were adjusted to the market value of gold the subsequent variation would be very slight indeed. The Latest War While the Russians are massing their forces on the Middle Danube and preparing their pontoons for a crossing into Bulgaria the Turks are making a threatening demon- stration with their iron-clads and transports against the coast cast of Odessa, as well as bombarding Adler, It is hinted that arrangements have been made to re- move the Russian torpedoes guarding the entrance of the Dnieper near Kinburn by the employment of divers for that purpose. But such an enterprise is hardly likely to be successful, especially if the Russians ex- plode a few of these submarine mines as a warning not to come too glose. The re- treat of the Turkish garrison of Ardahan to Ardanudch is announced. This movement indicates an intention to dispute the march NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1877.—-TRIPLE | judgment of the success. President Hayes bas a party to manage as well as a revenue service toreform, and when he comes to think it vital to the credit of his administration that the elections of particular States should not go against him he may modify his views as to permitting the Custom House to be used as a party machine, But so far as he has yet gone he deserves public approbation. Green Statesmen to the Front. President Hayes is a happy illustration of the truth of the old proverb that a man had better be born lucky than rich. A man who is fortunate in his triends is often envied; but how much ‘more enviable is one who is fortunate, also, in his enemies! If he could have picked out the men who in his own party should oppose Mis Southern policy in order to help its popularity the soundest judgment would have selected just those— the Camerons, Blaines, Chandlers, the ma- chine politicians in general—who have op- posed it, And now. that he comes to the specie payment problem, behold ! another set of opponents is sent by kind Heaven to strengthen his position before the country and drive public opinion to his side, Mr. Henry ©. ‘Baird, Mr. William D. Kelley and Senator Jones, of Nevada, unite to demand the dismissal of Secretary Sherman. We offer our respectful congratulations to Mr, Sherman. ‘ Mr. Baird says the United States will be- come like Turkey unless Mr. Sherman is turned out. Mr. Kelley prances forward SHEET. appointment as receiver of one of the very’ officers who had made a sworn false report of its condition, It seems incredible that, with such facts before the Senate, that body still hesitates | to remove Mr. Ellis, We spoke sharply to | Governor Tilden because he did not sus- pend the Banking Superintendent; but Governor Bobinson has done his duty; he has reported to the Senate Mr. Ellis’ derelic- tions ; the Senate is responsible that he still retains his place, for it is evident that Ellis will not resign. The Bank Tax. We trust the Assembly will agree to the amendments placed by the Senate on the bill relieving the banks of the unjust and oppressive part of their taxes. We say this not in the interest of the banks, but of the public. Mr. Sprague, speaking from his knowledge of the banks of Buffalo, said yesterday that taxes, rents and necessary expenses amount in the aggregate to seven per cent, and to exist the banks must charge ten or twelve per cent for loans. Now it is very easy to say, as we notice some of the Albany statesmen "suggest, that the banks must take care of themselves; but they overlook the fact that banks are useful, and even necessary institutions to a civilized commu- nity. Their use is to save trouble and time to the thousands of borrowers and lenders in the community; to make money more quickly available and to a greater number of upon his “incontrovertible bond” nag and declares the country ruined unless Mr. Sherman is sent back to Ohio. And last comes Senator Jones, with a huge bumble bee in his bonnet, who also protests against Mr. Sherman. It is all very funny, and it will be funnier yet when Mr. George H. Pendleton joins this trio and turns it into a quartet of protesting statesmen, Of Senator Jones’ little game a Washington corre- of the Russians from Batoum’ through the Tchurukson Valley in case they succeed in turning the Turkish position at that town. Buta counter-moyement by the Rus- sians can force this body of Turks to the seacoast or toward Batoum, and thus keep them from joining Mukhtar Pacha at Bar- dess, Indeed, the line of retreat selected proves that they could not have reached Bardess on aceount of the Russian forces in the vicinity. The report of an advance of a Turkish force from Van on Bajazid is probably untrue, for a Russian column already occupies the road in force, and Bajazid is safe against a coup de main. Besides, a strong Russian force occupies Dyadin, less than twenty miles west of Bajazid and fifteen miles from the road lead- | ing to Van. The efforts of the Turks to raise an insurrection in the Crimea are caus- ing some uneasines3 in Russia, No move- ment, however, has yet taken place on the peninsula, Greece is bent on war with Turkey. In this event a modification of the disposition of the Ottoman army will be- come necessary. The Custom House Investigation. The commission appointed by Secretary Sherman for investigating the affairs of the New York Custom House has brought to light many abuses which require correction. So far as we have read the testimony they are abuses which cannot be redressed by the Collector of the Port, but only by the ad- ministrative authority at Washington and by Congress. Our absurd tariff, with its double system of specific and ad yalorem duties on the same articles, is so cumbrous and perplexing that it destroys all possi- bility of simple and efficient admin- istration, and creates a necessity for spondent tells ugg elsewhere; and if the tale is true Mr. Jones is the most unmitigated paper money man of e day. He demands a permanent, irre- deemable issue of so many dollars per head of greenbacks, to be increased annually with the increase of our population. As for Mr. Carey, he only wishes that we shall not belike Turkey. He holds that a revival of business is impossible with a decreas- ing amount of currency; which is as though the late A. T. Stewart had shouted fora large increase in the number of yardsticks asa certain means of enabling him to de- velop his dry goods trade, We repeat our respectful congratulations to Secretary Sherman. He is almostas lucky as the President, The Disaster at Chester. There are rules, we suppose, which lose much of their force when they become too familiar to those they are intended to govern, ‘Familiarity breeds contempt” is an old adage, for which everyday life un- fortunately furnishes too many illustra- tions. We hear of experienced railroad em- ployés being killed while doing that against which they are supposed to caution ordinary people. Old miners lose their lives by working in coal pits without safety lamps, and so on with the list of disasters that are directly due to too much familiarity with danger and a consequent reckless disregard of it. Perhaps it would be too much to say that the men who lost* their lives yesterday morning at the Chester ship launch should not have put themselves in such imminent danger without seeing that the proper pre- cautions were taken for their safety. They had worked on the new ship for a long time and had been under her keel a great multitude of employés who would not be needed if the revenue laws were revised in conformity with business principles and common sense. In the next place, the method of making appointments is scandalously vicious and subversive of all the conditions of efficient service. This is not the fault of any collector of customs who may be transiently in office, nor the separate fault of any administration which may happen to be in power at Washington. It is an inveterate abuse of long standing, Its history dates back, more than thirty years. Itis part and parcel of the spoils system which has so long debased our fed- eral polities and which makes public offices rewards of partisan service. The New York Custom House has been for two generations the foulest political nest, the nest which has hatched and harbored more unclean birds than any other which has been sheltered and protected by the federal government. The greater part of the customs revenue of the country being collected in this port there is a necessity for quite a little army of employés, and where so many are needed it is easy to foist in supernumeraries with- out attracting observation. The conse- | quence is that the New York Custom House has. been, time ont of mind, the great fed- eral hospital for decayed politicians, and a general soup kitchen for the favorites of men in power. The Collector has had little choice in the selection of his subordi- nates. Among the swarms of needy people who come to him seeking situations he is obliged to reject many; but he must bea xery courageous Collector, indeed, who docs not think twice before rejecting aa applicant who brings a soup ticket from a Senator, Congressman or Cabinet officer known to stand high in the favor of the ‘President. This is a thing which an ordi- nary collector seldom dares to do, because | he knows that he would hazard his own place by refusing places or failing to make | places for the maimed, the halt and thé blind who come to him recommended and urged by politicians whom the administra- tion at Washington does not wish to offend or estrange. However able, honest and efficient a collector may be in other respects, in this respect he is the mere slave of a bad system and the puppet of politicians more powerful in high quarters than himself. All honest men must approve and applaud the intention of President Hayes to overhaul and break up this pestilent nest of abuses and must wish him success in the undertak- ing. But this kind of reforming zeal, which is easy to a new administration, is so liable | to be obstructed by political exigencies of | which a new President and a new Cabinet have as yet no experience, that We can as yet | only praise the intention and reserve our many times a day without realizing for a moment that the snapping of a brace or a shoring timber would cost them their lives. They simply assumed, therefore, that when the proper time came for retiring toa place of safety they would be notified. But they were not. The foreman thought his men heard him, and without waiting to be satisfied that they did, he let the great ship, already beginning to move by her own weight, go on her ways and crush these poor creatures out of all semblance to hu- man shape. Is it possible that the mechan- ical appliances of the shipyard were so poor as to necessitate the endangering of 60 many lives? Was time so precious that a quarter of an hour could not be spared to see that all was clear before the launch took place? If the foreman were about to explode a large mine instead of launching a big ship would he not have satisfied himself that everybody was properly warned of the coming danger? The common caution that should surround the moving of a sack of potatoes was not ex- hibited in this case, or so many mangled corpses would not now bear silent witness against the perpetrator of that most fatal of crimes—reckless nanagement. Superintendent Ellis. Mr. Ellis probably imagines himself an unfortunate man, but he is, in fact, one of the luckiest mortals we know of. After many months of an exposure which would have killed more sensitive persons and would have caused the removal in disgrace, and, perhaps, the imprisonment of less for- tunate ones, he still hangs on to his place and is still on trial Day after day the investigation brings out facts in regard to his mismanagement of one of the most sacred of trusts, any one of which would crush a man of honor and lead him to resign his place aud fly from the scort of his fel- low citizens ; and yet he retains his place and the republican Senate refuses to turn him out, he being a republican. Among the latest developments is a letter, the existence of which the Herarp men- tioned last October. In January, 1875, o false statement of the condition of the 'Lhird Avenue Savings Bank was made, under oath by two of its officers, to the Bank Superin- tendent. On March 24 the official bank examiner, Mr. George W. Reid, having overhauled the bank, sent to Mr. Ellis his official report, with a letter calling attention to its details, which showed not only that the bank was rotten, but that, as he writes, “the rats were leaving the sink- ing ship,” 0 number of the trus- tees, aware of the bank’s condition, having people. The ignorance which would tax the banks out of existence or force them to re- quire abnormally high rates of interest is of the same kind as that which would curtail the docking facilities of a seaport, by oblig- ing the pier owners to pay higher taxes. It is very possible, by an injudicious and op- pressive policy, to drive capital into neigh- boring States ; it will not be so easy to recall it when we want it. We hope, therefore, the bill, as it has been passed by the Senate, will becomes law. Both justice and good policy require the measure. In other States the commer- cial and mannfacturing interests are receiv- ing favorable and in many cases very thor- ough and wise consideration. New York has gone on for years in a very haphazard and helterskelter way ; but we cannot af- ford to give our rivals too many advantages. Rapid Transit at Albany. The only bill in the interest of rapid transit which has any chance of passing at this late stage, when the Legislature is about to adjourn, is the one introduced in the Senate sometime since by Mr. Selkreg, continuing the franchises of such companies as were organized under the general railroad act of 1850, and giving them a further space of five years for completing their roads, The bill does not grant this privilege to de- funct companies, but only to such as have actually expended money on their enter- prises and give satisfactory evidence of an earnest purpose to prosecute the work, The effect of this bill, if .it becomes a law, will be merely to disembarrass the most hopeful and promising of the projected rapid transit roads of obstructive legal pro- ceedings, instituted for mere purposes of delay. We trust that all true friends of rapid transit in the Legislature will do their best to aid the passage of this bill betore the adjournment. PERSONAL INTELLIGENCE, Sirs, Aun Eliza Young 1s in Cincinoath Roumanian countrymen play bagpipes, Louisville has a plenty of lottery ollices, The Hungarian is nothing if not picturesque, There is an epidemic of crime in rural France, London 18 to bave hospitals for well-to-do people. In Bucharest the streets in summer are very dusty. ‘There are few bachelors and old maids in Bucharest. The Mobile Argister wants government aid for the South. Cracker crumbs are better than bread crumbs for cutlets. The Duchess of Edinburgh dresses richly and ts very tacitura. William Lloyd Garrison and son will sail tor Europe this week, At English watering places there are popular pier promonades. Texas wheat is so high that grasshoppers have to walk on stilts, Bows are now placed carelessly on any part of the waist or shoulders, Ciara Morris will summer with her husband at River- dale, on tho Hudson. Alexander Main insists that the analysis of a simple fact leads to Panthosi, ‘The Pope was very cheerful when he sat for his pho- tograph three weeks Cuptain William Gore Jones, naval attaché of the British Logation at Washington, ts at tae Clarendon, ‘The Princess Beatrice does not care much for fine dresses, but loves pale pink trimmed with Honiton lace. Carbvolic acid applied with a brush will kill weeds, A better way 18 to puncture the weed ana pour acid on the spot. Professor Zeller points out that the heathen pole. |, mics bave been revived by many recent assailants of the Gospel. In Germany there are fewer railway accidents than in any other country which possesses a cousiderable om of Prussia, among 6,000,000 births, there were seventy-nine cases of four ata birth and one case of five ata birth The Victoria Colonist 1s alraid that in case England goes to war with Russia a ‘lect of tho latter Power might capture that place easily. The Pal Mali Gazette says 1t is a mistake to suppose that marderers do not care for the gallows, for that is the only thing they do care for, St. J. Tyrwhitt say: ue man may be elevated by a photograph of forns; anotuer will only tall lower by gloating over Tiutoret’s ‘Ariadue.’’* The Cologne Garrtte says that the Hungarians are a hot biooded, parsionnte peopl, inclived to be noisy and to cail Kossuth @ saint and martyr, Scbamann:—‘Beetnovan looks very different from Mozart on paper: the difference resembles that be- twoen Jean Paul’s and Goethe's prose.” A Boston newspaper wit says that recently there was great uprising of the Poles, but that some one siole fn in tho night and pulled them down, Ladies’ boots and shoes will have straps across the front, with small buttons in the cenire. Between these straps the fancy stockings will show. Joba Roseberry, an English pedier, is 108 years old. He takes @ little warm beer every aay, and fiuda his principal food in sugar, which he dissolves in tea. ‘The offect of anger upon the brain Is to produce first a paralysis and afterward congestion of the vessels of that organ, Many die in one or other of these two stages, Thr xtinct species of elephant have been found in the island of Malta, which clearly proves that dur- ing the pliocene epoch a connection existed between South Europe and North Atrica. The Rev, Mr. Haw an English autbority on ma, sic, grows rapturous over Wagner, and says that he ye the most powerful personality who has appeared in the musical world since Beethoven. resigned. Yet, with this report before him, Mr. Ellis allowed the bank to go on six months longer, and finally consented to the *Gonoral William T. Sherman and Colonel John E, Tourtellotte, of the Genoral taf, arrived at the Fifth Avenue last evening from Providence. To-day they will pay a visit of inspection to Wost Point THE WAR. Active Russian Preparations ‘for tho Passage of the Dauube, THE GRAND STRUGGLE AT HAND, Turkish Activity on the Black Sea—-Garrying ‘the War {nto Russian Territory. OPERATIONS IN ASIA, Roumania, Servia and Greece Preparing for the Ordeal of Battle, . WAR PREPARATIONS IN ENGLAND. [By caBLE TO THE HERALD.] Lonpon, May 23, 1877. From the news which comes from the east this morning it is evident that operations of a decisive character and on an extensive scale are close at hand. The Russians are pushing their prep- arations for the passage of the Danube with a vigor which shows that they do not underestimate the opposition they will meet with from the Ottoman forces, The Turks, on the other hand, are displaying great energy on the Black Sea coast, and are evidently determined to give the Russians plenty of occupation on their own terri- tory and to stir up revolt among the disaffected Mo- hammedan subjects of the Czar. From Asia we hear of Kurds and Bashi-Bazouks hurrying to swell the Turkish ranks, while Roumania and Greece are daily assuming @ more warlike attitude, On all sides, therefore, the news would seem to indicate the near approach of a conflict that will decide the Conditions on which the struggle 1s to be continued. PREPARING FOR THE PASSAGR OF THE DANUBE, ARustchuck despatch, dated Monday, says:—Great preparations are being made by the Russians foran attempt to pass the river between Rahova and Nik- opolis, They have brought down by rail to “the bank pontoon bridges and small steamors, and are erecting large fortifications at Islatz and Turnu-Magurell, Continual concentration of troops in the direction of Simnitza {s observable. The Turks are fully pre- pared to resist the attempt. A despatch from Turtu- ka,, Monday evening, reports that forty-two Russian battalions, three batteries of artillery and some avalry have just arrived on the op- posite side of the river at Oltenitza, An attack is oxpected. A Galatz special ofthe same date, Yesterday the Russians, crossing in boats from Ibrail to Ghiacet, burned the latter place The Russians havo dismounted their Barbosch! fortif- cations, considering them of no further use, as from Ibrail to Reni the river js sufficiently protected by strong batteries and torpedocs, All indications betoken that tho Russians are making a serious movement on Western Bulgaria. The Danube rose nine incbes between Sunday and Monday. TNE RUSSIAN BLACK SKA COAST THREATENED, Av Odessa letter ia the Political Correspondence states that the military commanaer of the south coast has taken measuresto defend Odessa against a coup de main by concentrating there a force of three brigadca of infantry, eight sotoias of Cossacks and six squad. rons of light cavalry, The Thirteenth corps d’armie is to be employed inthe defence of the coast line from Otchakof to Ackerman. According to siguals of the coast gaard, Odessa seems less threatened than Otchakoff. Great care has been bestowed of late on this fortress, whicn, with the works at Kin- burn, protects the entrauce +o the bay and mouths of the Dnieper, and consequently Nikolaieff, the only shipbuilding place thereabouts since the desiraction of Sebastopol, For some days past Turk- ish vessels have been cruising there, seemingly with troops on board, Great stores of provisions and ammunition are accumulated at Nikolateff, and in the the Turks rendering the Otchakoff torpedoes harmless, not only these stores and the shipbuilding yard, but also Kherson and other great towns on the Doveper basin would be open to them, The Turkish squadron, consisting of two monitors, three iron-clad frigates, several small vessels and a whole flotilla of barks, supposed to have volun- teers on board, ate cruising about im the waters of Sebastopol and Fupatoria, CARRYING THE WAR INTO RUSSLAN TERRITORY, It is reported this fleot will not be satisfled witn bombarding places on the coast, but also means to excite an insurrectionary movement in the Crimea, It cannot be denied that the spirit beginning to sbow itself in the population js not calculated to inspire much confidence, The sguth coast of the Crimoa is now almost entirely occupied by Mohammedans, A telegram from St. Petersburg says:—A despatch dated Sotschi, Tuesday, reports that the Turks attacked tho Russian position at Adler. A severely contested engagement ensued, A Turkish man-of-war bas been violently bombarding Adler since ton o'clock Tuesday morning. THE CAMPAIGN IN ASIA. The intelligence comes from Erzeroum that the, troops compusing the garrison at Ardaban have re- troited to Ardanudsch, A Russian column bas left Kagisinan to reipiorce the central division before Kars, A St. Petersburg despatch says 3,00 Kurds, 12,000 bashi-bazouks, five infantry battalions ard seven guns are moving northward from Lake Van ta joiw the Turkish forces at Kara-Kalisa, Tho Turkish detachment which was expected to attack Bajazid has fallen back toward Lake Van. The body of the Turk- ish chef of staff was found among the slain at Arda- han. A despatch from Constantinople received Tost might ys that eince the capture of Ar- event of @ vigorous attack on Kars. A lator despatob from Erzeroum reports that the Russian contre has driven the Turks from their positions at Karadrhouran, a vil- tage near Kars. ‘he Abehasians are In full insurrection, Arms bave deen distributed to them. The Sultan has ordored the purchase of 20,000 revolvers, to be paid for from bis private purse, for distribution in the Caucasus, EPPECTS OF THY VICTORY AT ARDAHAN, A Vienna correspondent remarks that the fall of Ar- dahan, besides socuring to the Russians their position before Kars, opens out a new line of operations either against Kars or Erzeroum, The Council of Ministers at Constantinople on Sunday determined to send all reinforcements stil arriving in Oonstantinople to Batoam and Er- zoroum. ‘The authorities at Constantinoplo seem to overlook she fact that these troops, in making their way to Kars or Erzeroum, would have to break through the Russian division barrring the way at the Tschuraksou, Indeed, the advance of Russians egainst Batoum seems to have been undertaken with he aim of locking up there thirty-four battalions of Turks, preventing them or any other reinforcements from getting the Tschuruksou line to Erzeroum or the other threatened points, THE ROUMANIAN DECLARATION. ‘The following 1s the resolation adopted by the Row Manian Senate and Chamber of Deputies on Mon- day:—This Chambor takes note that war is pro- claimed between Roumania and Turkey, and declares connection between the two countries dissolved, The daban the Russiaus appoar to be preparing for .