BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas satisfactory proof has been given to me that no tonnage or light-house dues, or other equivalent tax or taxes, are imposed upon vessels of the United States in the ports of the island of Tobago, one of the British West India Islands: Now, therefore, I, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by section II of the act of Congress entitled "An act to abolish certain fees for official services to American vessels, and to amend the laws relating to shipping commissioners, seamen, and owners of vessels, and for other purposes," approved June 19, 1886, do hereby declare and proclaim that from and after the date of this my proclamation shall be suspended the collection of the whole of the tonnage duty which is imposed by said section of said act upon vessels entered in the ports of the United States from any of the ports of the island of Tobago. Provided, That there shall be excluded from the benefits of the suspension hereby declared and proclaimed the vessels of any foreign country in whose ports the fees or dues of any kind or nature imposed on vessels of the United States, or the import or export duties on their cargoes, are in excess of the fees, dues, or duties imposed on the vessels of such country or on the cargoes of such vessels; but this proviso shall not be held to be inconsistent with the special regulation by foreign countries of duties and other charges on their own vessels, and the cargoes thereof, engaged in their coasting trade, or with the existence between such countries and other states of reciprocal stipulations founded on special conditions and equivalents, and thus not within the treatment of American vessels under the most-favored-nation clause in treaties between the United States and such countries. And the suspension hereby declared and proclaimed shall continue so long as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United States and their cargoes shall be continued in the said ports of the island of Tobago and no longer. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. [SEAL.] Done at the city of Washington, this 2d day of December, A. D. 1891, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and sixteenth. By the President: JAMES G. BLAINE, BENJ. HARRISON. Secretary of State. EXECUTIVE ORDERS. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., January 19, 1891. The death of George Bancroft, which occurred in the city of Washington on Saturday, January 17, at 3.40 o'clock p. m., removes from among the living one of the most distinguished Americans. As an expression of the public loss and sorrow the flags of all the Executive Departments at Washington and the public buildings in the cities through which the funeral party is to pass will be placed at half-mast on to-morrow and until the body of this eminent statesman, scholar, and historian shall rest in the State that gave him to his country and to the world. By direction of the President: ELIJAH W. HALFORD, Private Secretary. AMENDMENT OF CIVIL-SERVICE RULES. JANUARY 26, 1891. Special Departmental Rule No. 1 is hereby amended by adding to the exceptions from examination therein declared the following: In the Department of Agriculture, in the office of the Secretary, division of illus tration and engraving: One artist. BENJ. HARRISON. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR:* The Hon. William Windom, Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, died suddenly last night, in the city of New York, at the hour of eleven minutes past 10 o'clock, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. Thus has passed away a man of pure life, an official of stainless integrity, distinguished by long and eminent service in both branches of Congress and by being twice called to administer the national finances. His death has caused deep regret throughout the country, while to the President and those associated with him in the administration of the Government it comes as a personal sorrow. The President directs that all the Departments of the executive branch of the Government and the officers subordinate thereto shall manifest due respect to the memory of this eminent citizen in a manner consonant with the dignity of the office which he has honored by his devotion to public duty. The President further directs that the Treasury Department in all its branches in this capital be draped in mourning for the period of thirty days, that on the day of the funeral the several Executive Departments * Addressed to the heads of the Executive Departments, etc. shall be closed, and that on all public buildings throughout the United States the national flag shall be displayed at half-mast. Very respectfully, JAMES G. BLAINE. EXECUTIVE MANSION, February 13, 1891. To the Heads of the Executive Departments: In token of respect to the memory of Admiral David D Porter, who died this morning, the President directs that the national flag be displayed at half-mast upon all public buildings throughout the United States until after his funeral shall have taken place, and that on the day of the funeral public business in the Departments at Washington be suspended. E. W. HALFORD, Private Secretary. GENERAL ORDERS NO. 16. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, February 14, 1891. I. The following order of the War Department is published to the Army: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, February 14, 1891. The death of General Sherman is hereby announced in the fitting words of the President in his message to Congress: [For message see p. 135.] The following Executive order will be published to the Army: EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., February 14, 1891. It is my painful duty to announce to the country that General William Tecumseh Sherman died this day at 1 o'clock and 50 minutes p. m., at his residence in the city of New York. The Secretary of War will cause the highest military honors to be paid to the memory of this distinguished officer. The national flag will be floated at half-mast over all public buildings until after the burial, and the public business will be suspended in the Executive Departments at the city of Washington and in the city where the interment takes place on the day of the funeral and in all places where public expression is given to the national sorrow during such hours as will enable every officer and employee to participate therein with their fellow-citizens. BENJ. HARRISON. The Major-General Commanding will issue the necessary orders to the Army. It is ordered, That the War Department be draped in mourning for the period of thirty days, and that all business be suspended therein on the day of the funeral. L. A. GRANT, Acting Secretary of War. II. On the day of the funeral the troops at every military post will be paraded and this order read to them, after which all labors for the day will cease. The national flag will be displayed at half-staff from the time of the receipt of this order until the close of the funeral. On the day of the funeral a salute of seventeen guns will be fired at half-hour intervals, commencing at 8 o'clock a. m. The officers of the Army will wear the usual badges of mourning, and the colors of the several regiments and battalions will be draped in mourning for a period of six months. The day and hour of the funeral will be communicated to department commanders by telegraph, and by them to their subordinate commanders. Other necessary orders will be issued hereafter relative to the appropriate funeral ceremonies. By command of Major-General Schofield: J. C. KELTON, 'Adjutant-General. GENERAL ORDER. NAVY DEPARTMENT, February 16, 1891. The following Executive order, announcing the death of General William Tecumseh Sherman, is published for the information of the Navy and the Marine Corps: [For Executive order see preceding page.] In accordance with the order of the President, the Navy Department will be closed and all business suspended therein on the day of the funeral, and the flag at all yards and stations will be displayed at halfmast until after the burial of General Sherman, and in all places where public expression is given to the national sorrow business will be suspended at navy-yards or stations during such hours as will enable officers and employees of the Navy to participate therein with their fellowcitizens. B. F. TRACY, Secretary of the Navy. AMENDMENT OF CIVIL-SERVICE RULES. FEBRUARY 18, 1891. Special Departmental Rule No. 1 is hereby amended so as to include among the places excepted from examination therein the following: In the Department of Agriculture, in the office of the Secretary: Private secretary to the chief of the division of statistics. BENJ. HARRISON. AMENDMENT OF CIVIL-SERVICE RULES. FEBRUARY 21, 1891. Special Departmental Rule No. 1 is hereby amended so as to include among the places excepted from examination therein the following: In the Department of the Treasury, in the Coast and Geodetic Survey: Clerk to act as confidential clerk and cashier to the disbursing officer. In the Post-Office Department, office of Assistant Attorney-General: Confidential clerk to the Assistant Attorney-General.. BENJ. HARRISON. EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D. C., February 26, 1891. In accordance with an act of Congress approved September 27, 1890, the following limits to the punishment of enlisted men, together with the accompanying regulations, are established for the government in time of peace of all courts-martial, and will take effect thirty days after the date of this order: I. Subject to the modifications authorized in subdivision 3 of this section, the punishment for desertion shall not exceed the following: 1. In the case of a soldier who surrenders (a) When such surrender is made within thirty days after desertion, confinement at hard labor, with forfeiture of pay and allowances, for three months. (b) When such surrender is made after an absence of more than thirty days and not more than ninety days, confinement at hard labor, with forfeiture of pay and allowances, for six months. (c) When such surrender is made after an absence of more than ninety days, dishonorable discharge, with forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement at hard labor for eighteen months: Provided, That in the case of a deserter who had not been more than three months in the service the confinement shall not exceed ten months. 2. In the case of a soldier who does not surrender (a) When at the time of desertion he shall have been less than three months in the service, dishonorable discharge, with forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement at hard labor for one year. (b) When at the time of desertion he shall have been three months or more, but less than six months, in the service, dishonorable discharge, with forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement at hard labor for eighteen months. (c) When at the time of desertion he shall have been six months or more in the service, dishonorable discharge, with forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement at hard labor for two years and six months. 3. The foregoing limitations will be subject to modification under the following conditions: (a) The punishment of a deserter may be increased by one year of |