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lieutenant heretofore filled by the promotion of me itorious non-commissioned oflicer: under the act approved June 18, 1878, are to be filled by the appointment of competitors favorably recommended under this act, in the order of merit established by the final examination. Each man who passes the final examination shall receive certificate of eligibility, setting forth the subjects in which he is proficient and the especial grounds upon which the recommendation is based, though not more than two examinations shall be accorded to the same competito. All rights and privi leges arising from a certificate of eligibility may be vacated by sentence of court-martial, but no soldier, while holding the privileges of a certificate, shall be brought before a garrison or regimental court-martial or summary court. Sections 3 and 4 of the act approved June 18, 1878, providing for the promotion of meritorious noncommissioned officers, are repealed." MARINE CORPS.

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The act of July 28, 1892, enacts that hereafter promotions to eve y grade of commissioned officers in the Marine Corps below the grade of commandant shall be made in the same manner and under the same conditions as are or may be prescribed for commissioned officers of the Army. Examining boards which may be organized under this act to determine the fitness of officers of the Marine Corps for promotion shall in all cases consist of not less than live officers, three of whom shall, if practicable, be officers of the Marine Corps, senior to the officer to be examined, and two medical officers of the Navy. When it is not practicable to detall officers of the Marine Corps as members of such examining boards, officers of the line in the Navy shall be detailed. NAVY, INCREASE OF.

The act of July 19, 1892, authorizes the President to have constructed, by contract, one armored cruiser of about 8,000 tons displacement of the general type of armored cruiser, numbered 21 (New-York), to cost, exclusive of armament, not more than $3,500,000, excluding any premium that may be paid for increased speed and the cost of armament. The contract for construction shall contain provisions to the effect that the contractor guarantees that when completed and tested or speed, under conditions to be prescribed by the Navy Department, the ship shall exhibit a peed of at last 20 knots an hour; and for every quarter knot of speed so exhibited above said guaranteed speed the contractor shall receive a premium above the contract price of $50,000; and for every quarter knot the vessel fails of reaching said guaranteed speed there shall be deducted from the contract price $50,000 in the construction all the provisions of the act of August 3, 1886, entitled "An act to increase the Naval Establishment," as to material for said vessel, Its engines, boilers and machinery, the contract under which it is built, the notice of and proposals for the same, the plans, drawings, specifications and the method of executing said contract, shall be observed and followed, and said vessel hall be built in compliance with the terms of the act, save that in all its parts the vessel shall be of domestic manufacture. If the Secretary of the Navy shall be unable to contract at reasonable prices for the building, then he may build the vessel in such navy yard as he may designate.

Also one seagoing coast-line battle ship, designed to carry the heaviest armor and most powerful ordnance, with a displacement of about 9.000 tons, to have the highest practicable speed for vessels of its class, and to cost, exclusive of armament and of any premium that may be paid for increased speed, not exceeding $4,000,000. In the construction of said battle ship the provisions of the act of August 3, entitled "An act to increase the Naval Establishment," shall be observed and followed in the sam manner that the provisions of said act are applied to the construction of the armored cruiser herein authorized; and in the contracts for the construction of said battle ship, such provisions for minimum speed and for premiums for increased speed and penalties for deficient speed may be made, subject to the terms of this act, as in the discretion of the Secretary of the Navy may be deemed advisable.

Toward the armament and armor of domestic manufacture for the vessels authorized by the act of August 3, 1886 of the vessels authorized by Section 3 of the act anproved March 3, 1887 of the vesels authorized by the act approved September 7. 1888 of the vessels authorized by the act of March 2, 1889: of those authorized by the acts of June 30, 1890, March 2, 1891, and this act, including the purchase and installation of new machinery for the breech mechanism shen at the navy yard WashIngton. D. C., and torpedo outfits for the Atlanta, Boston and Chicago, $2,000,000 are appropriated.

(The provision above for one armored cruiser and one coast-line battle ship was finally agreed to July 14, 1892. Yeas 146. navs 83. The affirmative vote was: Rep.. 56: Dem., 90. The negative vote was: Dem.. 76: Ind., 7. The House bill as passed provided for the first-named vessel. The second was inserted by the Senate with sev eral others, but the House finally agreed to it, and the Scuate receded from the others.)

ARMY AND NAVY RECORDS.

The act of July 27, 1892. directs that the military records of the American Revolu tion and of the War of 1812. now preserved in the Treasury and Interior Departments be transferred to the War Department, to be preserved in the Record and Pension Division of that Department, and that they shall be properly indexed and arranged for use.

BANKS.

The act of July 28. 1892, provides that the provisions of the Revised Statutes of the U. S. for the redemption of National bank notes shall apply to all National bank

same, and such proof of the actual delivery of such cargo or passengers within the limits above named, as he shall deem satisfactory; and until such proof is furnished such freight and passengers may be considered to have been landed outside of those limits, and the amount of tolls which would have accrued if they had been so delivered, shall constitute a lien, which may be enforced against the vessel in default wherever and whenever found in the waters of the U. S.

CENSUS LEGISLATION.

The act of July 6. 1892, requires the Superintendent of the Census to obtain from every incorporated and unincorporated company, or person engaged in any productive industry, the information specified in the schedules approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Every person from whom answers to inquiries are required, who shall neglect or refuse to give true and complete answers, or shall wilfully give false information, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction be fined not exceeding $10,000, to which may be added imprisonment for not exceeding one year.

CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT.

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The act of May 5, 1892, contains all laws now in force prohibiting and regulating the coming into this country of Chinese persons and persons of Chinese descent for ten years from its passage. Any Chinese adjudged to be not lawfully entitled to remain in the U. S., shall be removed to China, unless he shall make it appear that he is a subject or citizen of some other country, in which case he shall be removed to such other country. In any case where such other country shall demand any tax as a condition of his removal to that country, he or she shall be removed to China. Any Chinese arrested under the provisions of this act shall be adjudged to be unlawfully within the U. S., unless he shall establish, by affirmative proof, his lawful right to remain in the U. S., and if so adjudged, shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not exceeding one year and then removed from the U. S. After the passage of this act on an application to any judge or court of the U. IS. in the first instance for a writ of habeas corpus by a Chinese seeking to land in the U. S., to whom that privilege has been denied, no bail shall be allowed, and such application shall be heard and determined promptly without unnecessary de lay. It shall be the duty of all Chinese laborers within the U. S. at the time of the passage of this act, and who entitled to remain here, to apply to the collector of internal revenue of their respective districts, within one year, for a certificate of residence; and any Chinese laborer who shall neglect, fail, or refuse to comply with the provisions of this act, or who, after one year, shall be found within the jurisdiction of the U. S. without such certificate of residence, shall be adjudged to be here unlawfully and may be arrested by any U. S. customs official, collector of internal revenue or his deputies, U. S. marshal or his deputies, and taken before a U. S. judge, whose duty it shall be to order that he be deported from the U. S., unless he shall establish clearly that by accident, eickness or other unavoidable cause, he has been unable to procure his certificate, and by at least one credible white witness, that he was a resident of the U. S. at the time of the passage of this act; and if upon the hearing it shall appear that he is so entitled to a certificate, it shall be granted upon his paying the cost. Should it appear that said Chinaman had procured a certificate which has been lost or destroyed, he shall be detained and judgment suspended a reasonable time to enable him to procure a duplicate. Any Chinaman other than a laborer, having a right to remain in the U. S., desiring such certificate as evidence of such right may apply for and receive the same without charge. Immediately after the passage of this act the Secretary of the Treasury shall make rules and regulations for its efficient execution, and shall prescribe forms and furnish blanks to enable collectors of internal revenue to issue the certificates required, and make provisions that certificates may be procured in localities convenient to the applicants; such certificates shall be issued without charge, and shall contain the name, age, local residence and occupation of the applicant, and such other description as shall be prescribed by the Secretary, and a duplicate shall be filed in the office of the collector of internal revenue for the district. Any person who shall knowingly and falsely alter or substitute any name for the name writ ten in such certificate or forge such certificate, or knowingly utter any forged or fraudulent certificate. or falsely personate any person named in such certificate, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be fined not exceeding $1,000, or imprisoned in the penitentiary for not more than five years. The Secretary of the Treasury may authorize the payment of such compensation In the nature of fees to the collectors of internal revenue, for services performed under the provisions of this act in addition to salaries now allowed by law, as he shall deem necessary, not exceeding the sum of $1 for each certificate issued.

The original bill passed by the House, yeas 179, nays 43, was more severe; and the Senate passed a milder one. yeas 43, nays. 14. A Committee of Conference reported the act as above, which report was concurred in by each House. The vote in the Senati was: Yeas 30 (Reps. 19. Dems. 10, Ind. 1), navs 15 (Reps. 7. Dems. 7. Ind. 1). The vo in the House was, yeas 186 (Reps. 27, Dems. 151, Inds. 8); nays 27 (Reps. 8, Dems. 19).

INDIANS.

The act of July 23, 1892, amends Sec. 2,139, Revised Statutes, so as to prohibit the introduction into the Indian Country, except under written authority from the War Department or an authorized officer, of ardent spirits, ale, beer, wine or intoxicating liquor or liquors of whatever kind, under any pretence. Violations are punishable by imprisonment for not more than two years, and by fine of not more than $300 for each offence. All complaints for arrest shall be made in the county where the offence is

committed, or if committed upon any reservation not included in any county, then in any county adjoining, and if in the Indian Territory, before the U. S. Court Commissioner, or Commissioner of the Circuit Court of the U. S. residing nearest the place where the offence was committed who is not for any reason disqualified; but In all cases such arrests shall be made before any U. S, Court Commissioner residing in such adjoining county, or before any magistrate or judicial officer authorized by section 1,014, Revised Statutes. Persons arrested, unless discharged upon examination, are held for trial before the court of the U. §. having jurisdiction of the offence.

JUDICIAL LEGISLATION.

The act of March 9, 1892, provides that in addition to the mode of taking the depositions of witnesses in causes pending at law or equity in the U. S. district and circuit courts, it shall be lawful to take the depositions or testimony of witnesses in the mode prescribed by the laws of the State in which the courts are held.

By act of July 20, 1892, any citizen of the U. S. may begin and prosecute to conclusfon any suit or action in any U. S. court without being required to prepay fees or costs, or give security therefor, upon filing a statement under oath, in writing, that, because of his poverty, he is unable to pay the costs of the suit or to give security, and that he believes he is entitled to the redress he seeks, and setting forth briefly the nature of his alleged cause of action. After any such suit shall have been brought, or is now pending, the plaintiff may answer and avoid a demand for fees or security for costs by filing a like affidavit, and wilful false swearing in any affidavit provided for in this or the previous section shall be punishable as perjury. The officers of court shall issue, serve all processes, and perform all duties in such cases, and witnesses shall attend as in other cases, and the plaintiff shall have the same remedies as are provided by law in other cases. The court may request any attorney of the court to represent such poor person, if it deems the cause worthy of a trial, and may dismiss any such cause if it be matte to appear that the allegation of poverty is untrue, or that the alleged cause of action is frivolous or malicious. Judgment may be rendered for costs' at the conclusion of the suit as in other cases, provided that the U. S. shall not be liable for any of the costs thus incurred.

LABOR LEGISLATION.

The act of August 1, 1892, restricts to eight hours the working-day of all laborers and mechanics employed by the Government of the U. S., by the District of Columbia, or by any contractor or subcontractor upon any of the public works of the U. S.. or of the District, and makes it unlawful for any officer of the U. S. Government or District, or any contractor or subcontractor, to require or permit any laborer or mechanic to work more than eight hours in any calendar day, except in case of extraordinary emergency. Every officer, agent, contractor or subcontractor who shall intentionally violate this act, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined not to exceed $1,000, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both. The provisions of this act do not affect contracts entered into prior to its passage.

This bill passed the House, yeas, 166 (Reps. 42, Dems. 117, Inds. 7); nays, 81 (all Dems.). The Senate pased it without division.

The Sundry Civil Appropriation Act of August 5, 1892, provides "that no employe of the Pinkerton Detective Agency, or similar agency, shall be employed in any Government service, or by any officer of the District of Columbia." This clause is a modification of a clause inserted in the House to the effect that "it shall not be lawful for any officer of the Government authorized to make contracts, nor any officer in the District of Columbia, to contract with any person, firm, or corporation, who employ Pinkerton detectives or any other association of men as armed guards, and no employe of said Pinkerton agency, or similar agency, shall be employed in any Government service, or by any officer of the District of Columbia." The vote on inserting this was, yeas, 159 (Reps. 19, Dems. 133, Inds. 7); nays, 34 (Reps. 8, Dems. 26). In a Conference Committee the clause was amended to read as above. In that form it was adopted in the Senate without division, and in the House by a rising vote, yeas, 169;

nays, 14.

LIFE-SAVING LEGISLATION.

The act of April 11, 1892, repeals the provisions of an act entitled "An act to amend sections 4,488 and 4,489 of the Revised Statutes, requiring life-saving appliances' on steamers." approved March 2, 1889, so far as they relate to the carrying of line-carrying projectiles and the means of propelling them on steamers plying exclusively upon any of the lakes, bays, or sounds of the U. S. The act does not affect ocean-going steamers.

The act of July 22, 1892, fixes the compensation of the keepers of life-saving stations at the rate of $900 a year each, except that of keepers of stations known as houses of refuge, which shall be at the rate of $600 each, and the compensation of the members of the crews of the stations, during the time the stations are manned, shall be at the rate of $65 a month each.

MONETARY CONFERENCE, INTERNATIONAL.

The sundry civil appropriation act of August 5, 1892, authorizes the President of the U. S. to appoint five commissioners to an international conference, to be held at a place to be hereafter designated, with a view to secure, internationally, a fixity of relative value between gold and silver, as money, by means of a common ratio between those metals', with free mintage at such ratio.

PENSION LEGISLATION.

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The Pension Appropriation act, referring to the fees and expenses of examining surgeons, provides that each member of each examining board shall receive $2 for the examination of each applicant whenever five or a less number shall be examined on any one day, and $1 for the examination of each additional applicant. twenty or mole applicants appear on one day, no fewer than twenty shail, practicable, be examined, and if fewer examinations shall be made, twenty more having appeared, then there shall be paid for the first examinations made the next examination day the fee of $1 only until twenty examinations shall have been made. No fee shall be paid to any member of an examining board unless personally present and assisting in the examination of applicant.

The act of July 14, 1892, establishes an intermediate rate of pensions, between $30 and $72 a month, providing that soldiers and sailors totally incapacitated for manual labor by injuries received or disease contracted in the service of the U. S. and in line of duty, and who are thereby disabled to such a degree as to require frequent and periodical, though not regular and constant, personal aid and attendance of another person, shall be entitled to a pension of $50 a month from the date of the certificate of the examining surgeon showing such degree of disability, and made subsequent to the passage of this act.

The act of July 26, 1892, provides that declarations of pension claimants shall be made before a court of record, or before some officer thereof having custody of its seal, or before some officer who, under the laws of his State, city or county, has authority to administer oaths. Where such declaration is executed before an officer authorized as above, but not required by the laws of his State to use a seal, he shall file in the Pension Bureau a certificate of his official character, certified by a clerk of a court of record or other proper officer of the State, after which his own certificate will be recognized during his term of office. The Commissioner of Pensions may accept declarations of claimants residing in foreign countries made before a U. S. minister or consular officer, or before some officer of the country authorized to administer oaths. and whose official character and signature shall be authenticated by the certificate of a U. S. minister or consular officer; and declarations in claims of Indians may be made before a U. S. Indian agent. All declarations or affidavits now on file in the Pension Bureau which are considered informal by reason of not having been executed in conformity to the laws heretofore in force, and which it is shown were executed by an officer duly authorized to administer oaths at said date of execution, shall be ac cepted as formal as from date of filing.

The act of July 27, 1892, pensions at the rate of $8 a month survivors of the Indian wars of 1832 to 1842 inclusive, known as the Black Hawk War, Creek War, Cherokee disturbances and the Seminole War, and surviving widows who have not remarried. The loss of the certificate of discharge shall not deprive any person of the benefits of this act, but other evidence of service performed and of an honorable discharge may be deemed sufficient. The act does not apply to any person who is receiving a pension at the rate of $8 a month or more, nor to any per son receiving a pension of less than $8 a month, except for the difference between the pension now received, if less than $8, and that sum. Sec. 4,716, withholding payments to those who abetted the Rebellion, is repealed as to this class.

The act of August 1, 1892, amends the act of March 3, 1887, by making the clause read as follows:

"That the law prohibiting the payment of any money on account of pensions to any person, or to the widow, children, or heirs of any deceased person who, in any manner engaged in or aided or abetted the late rebellion against the authority of the U. S. shall not be construed to apply to such persons as afterward voluntarily enlisted in either the Navy or Army of the U. S., and who, while in such service, incurred disability from a wound or injury received or disease contracted in the line of duty."

The act of August 5, 1892, grants a pension of $12 a month to all women employed by the Surgeon-General of the Army as nurses, under contract or other wise, during the late war of the rebellion, or who were employed as nurses during such period by authority which is recognized by the War Department, and who ren dered actual service as nurses in attendance upon the sick or wounded in any regimental, post, camp, or general hospital of the armies of the U. S. for six months or more, and who were honorably relieved from such service, and who are now may hereafter be unable to earn a support.

POSTOFFICE LEGISLATION.

The appropriation act of July 13, 1892, contains this provision respecting the estab lishment of "free-delivery" offices: "For free-delivery service, including existing experimental free-delivery offices, $10,754,943, to be disbursed in such manner that no additional free-delivery offices shall be established in any Congressional district created by virtue of the Congressional Reapportionment act in which there may be established one or more free-delivery offices, until every Congressional district in which there may be a place possessing the necessary qualifications shall have been supplied with at least one free-delivery office." It also provides that it shall not be lawful after September 30, 1894, for the Postmaster-General to have requests for the return of letters printed upon any envelope sold by any postmaster or by the Postoffice Department: though the Department may continue after that date to furnish in any quantity stamped envelopes containing the following words: "If not delivered in ten days, return to": and this provision shall not be construed to interfere in any wise with existing contracts for furnishing stamped envelopes or newspaper wrappers.