The Committee on Foreign Relations having had under consideration certain papers referred to them by the Secretary of State, concerning the application of George Sydney Clement, a British subject, for indemnity on account of a United States bond destroyed by fire, beg leave to report:

On the 6th of May, 1870, the Department of State transmitted to the Committee on Foreign Relations a communication covering a note from the British minister at Washington, who stated that application had been made to him by Mr. George Sydney Clement, a British subject residing in London, with regard to a certain 5-20 six per cent. coupon bond of the United States, for $1,000, numbered 2221, and of the 4th series, under the act of February 25, 1862, alleged to have been destroyed by fire.

The minister requested the Secretary of State to recommend to Congress such measures as would authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a new bond in the place of that so destroyed.

By direction of the committee, the chairman wrote to the minister stating the necessity of evidence sufficient to prove the alleged loss by fire.

On the 5th of July the Secretary of State communicated to the com mittee certain affidavits, properly attested, which had been obtained in accordance with the above suggestion, and which are in substance as follows:

Abraham Morse, of Bristol, England, deposes that on the 12th January, 1869, he was the sole and bona fide owner of a United States six per cent. 5-20 bond of the loan of February 25, 1862, for $1,000, numbered 2221, and he believes of the 4th series, with coupons for the interest to become due on and from the 1st of May, 1869. That on the above 12th January, he handed the bond to Henry Stevenson, of Bristol, to be by him forwarded to George Sydney Clements, esq., 38 Throgmorton street, London, a stock-broker, to be held by him as security for certain transactions.

Henry Stevenson, of Bristol, a stock-broker, deposes that he received the above bond, carefully inclosed it in a letter and addressed it to "G. S. Clement, esq., 38 Throgmorton street, London, E. C." He caused the letter to be registered and posted the same day in Bristol.

The original post office receipt, stamped "North St., Bristol, Ja. 12, 70," and signed by the postmaster, for the letter directed as above, is presented with the affidavit.

Mr. Stevenson testifies further that Mr. Clement purchased a 5-20 bond of the same value as the above-mentioned bond, near the 17th January, 1870, for the above Mr. Morse, in lieu, as Mr. Clement told him, of the bond Mr. Stevenson had mailed, and which had been burned. Concerning the destruction of the bond, Louisa Standen, assistant housekeeper of Mr. Clement, deposes as follows:

On the 13th January, 1870, she received, at 38 Throgmorton street, London, from a postman, a registered letter addressed to Mr. Clement, and bearing the Bristol postmark. It was not convenient for her at the moment to put the letter into Mr. Clement's office, and she placed it on a dust-pan and went up stairs to clean an office; when she came down, totally forgetting that she had placed the letter on the dust-pan, she threw the contents of the pan into the fire, by which the letter was consumed.

Finally, Mr. Clement deposes that he has never received the above letter or the bond contained therein, and that he believes the letter contained the bond described above, and that both letter and bond were burned, as Louisa Standen depo ses.

He says, also, that on or about the 17th day of January, 1870, he purchased, on behalf of Mr. Morse, another 5-20 bond, of the same value, and in lieu of the one destroyed, and was thereby subrogated to Mr. Morse's right to a new bond.

Under these circumstances the committee report a bill for Mr. Clement's relief.

The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under consideration certain papers, referred to them by the Secretary of State, concerning the application of Christine Mahler, a Prussian subject, for indemnity on account of United States bonds destroyed by fire, beg leave to report:

On the 10th December, 1870, the Department of State transmitted a communication to the Committee on Foreign Relations, covering a note and accompanying papers from Baron Gerolt, the minister of North Germany at Washington, concerning the reissue of three one-hundred dollar United States coupon bonds to one Christine Mahler, a resident at Brätz, and a subject of Prussia, in lieu of three bonds of equal value alleged to have been destroyed by fire.

Copies of translations of depositions taken before the royal district court of Neustadt and Hanover were submitted to the committee, and their tenor is as follows:

Conrad Stünkel, resident in Obermahle, district of Burgwedel, a cousin of Mrs. Mahler, deposes that in 1866 he bought for the latter, from one Blumenthal, a banker in Hanover, three United States bonds of series III, payable in 1882, of one hundred dollars value each, numbered 20,745, 26,740, and 36,331, respectively.

Jacob Gans, banker at Hanover, and successor to the firm of Blumenthal, deceased, deposes that he has examined the account books of his predecessor, and found therefrom, that on the 4th December, 1866, Blumenthal sold to Conrad Stünkel three six per cent. bonds, dated Washington, May 1, 1862, of the issue and numbers above stated.

Friedrich Ridder, resident in Brätz, testifies that on June 23, 1868, his sister-in-law, Christine Mahler, a seamstress, rented part of his house, and that on this day, while she was absent, the house was struck by lightning, and being" thatched with straw, took fire and burned to the ground. He says further, that he knew certainly that Mrs. Mahler possessed bonds of the United States, and believes them to have been burned with the building.

Ridder's testimony is supported by Mr. Voigts, of Brätz, who was present at the destruction of the house, and was told by Mrs. Mahler, both long before and after the burning, that she possessed certain United States bonds.

Diedrich Wolkenhauer, resident at Brätz, deposes that Stünkel handed three United States bonds to Mrs. Mahler in his presence, and the latter remarked that they cost 300 thalers. He testifies to the destruction of the house, as above stated, while Mrs. Mahler was absent.

Finally, Christine Mahler herself testifies that none of her property was saved from the fire which consumed Ridder's house; that in a clothes-press in her room she kept three United States coupon bonds, (as before described,) and that she firmly believes these bonds were burned together with the press; and that the coupons due May 1, 1868, had been paid, the remainder being destroyed with the bonds.

Under the circumstances, the committee report a bill for her relief.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.

JANUARY 19, 1871.-Ordered to be printed.

Mr. LEWIS made the following

REPORT.

[To accompany bill H. R. No. 1724.]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred House bill 1724,"To authorize a subscription by the corporate authorities of the city of Washington to the capital stock of the Alexandria, Loudoun, and Hampshire Railroad Company, or the Washington and Ohio Railroad Company, as the case may be," respectfully submit:

This bill authorizes a subscription by the city of Washington to the capital stock of the above-mentioned road of one million of dollars, after the consent of two-thirds of the qualified voters of the city be first obtained, the subscription to be made wholly or in part in the thirtyyear six per cent. bonds of the city; also provides for a levy of a specific annual tax to pay the interest on the bonds, as well as creating a sinking fund of one per centum per annum for the reduction of the principal sum. Any dividends received to be applied, first, to pay the interest, and the surplus to the sinking fund.

It further provides for the issue to the tax-payer of a certificate of the amount of the tax paid, less five per cent. for collecting, after the sinking fund is equal in amount to the outstanding bonds; these certificates then draw the stock. This is the Kentucky provision, which has worked admirably in that State, and is just in itself, the tax-payer becoming finally the owner of the stock.

There has already been spent on this road two millions of dollars. It is completed to Hamilton, in Loudoun County, a distance of forty-five miles; two daily trains are now run on the road; it is expected to be completed during the year 1871, or early in 1872, to Winchester, in Frederick County, a further distance of thirty miles, crossing the Shenandoah River through Snicker's Gap, and the subscription is only payable at the rate of sixteen thousand dollars per mile, as the road is completed, thus insuring a faithful application of the funds of the city.

The importance of this road to the city of Washington, as opening up a new and shorter route to the West and the Southwest, passing through a region of country abounding in coal, iron, minerals of all descriptions, timber of immense value, and furnishing to the Federal metropolis every description of agricultural production, thus reducing the price of living, makes it of the first importance that the city of Washington should cooperate in this great enterprise.

The following is a table of distances saved by the Washington and Ohio Railroad from Cincinnati to eastern cities, the surveys of which