In response to Senate resolution of February 8, 1881. calling for certain information in relation to nominations and appointments in the New York custom-house, and also in response to Senate resolution of February 14, 1881, calling for the rules of admission to the customs service at New York, the report of the collector of customs. FEBRUARY 23, 1881.-Ordered to lie on the table and be printed. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Senate resolution dated the 8th instant in the following words, viz: IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, February 8, 1881. Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to report: 1st. The names of all persons nominated by the collector of the port of New York for appointment in the New York custom-house between January 1, 1880, and December 1, 1880, with the positions for which they were respectively nominated, and the salaries attached to such positions, and the date of such nominations, respectively. 2d. The names of all persons appointed to positions under the collector of the port in the New York custom-house between January 1, 1830, and December 1, 1880, the positions to which they were respectively appointed, and the salaries attached thereto. 31. Whether any persons have, between January 1, 1880, and December 1, 1880, been nominated by the collector of the port of New York for appointment in the New York custom-house who had not previous to such nomination been certified as having been recommended for appointment after examination by the board of examiners appointed in pursuance of the provisions of the so-called civil service rules, together with the names of such persons, the date of their nomination, respectively, and the positions for which they were nominated and the salaries of such positions, and whether any of such persons, and which, were appointed, and when. 4th. Whether any such person referred to in the preceding paragraph has been so nominated or appointed more than once, and whether to the same or a different position, with the name of every such person so nominated or appointed more than once, and the date of each such nomination and appointment, and the position for which each such nomination or appointment was made, and the salary thereof. 5th. Whether any such person or persons as are referred to in the last two preceding paragraphs, so nominated or appointed, had, prior to such nomination or appointment, appeared before the said board of examiners and had failed to secure a sufficient number of marks to qualify him or them under the civil service rules for an appointment at the time he was so nominated or appointed, and whether at the time of each such nomination and appointment there were any persons not then appointed, who, on an examination by said examiners, had received a higher number of marks than such person so nominated or appointed, and how many such persons there were who at each time or times had received such higher number of marks and had not been appointed. 6th. Whether any person was during said period nominated or appointed under the collector of said port to any position for which he had not been examined by said board of examiners; and, if so, who such persons were, and the dates of their nomination or appointment, or both, and the positions to which they were nominated or appointed, or both, and the salaries attached to such positions. 7th. Whether any nominations or appointments have during said period been made to positions under said collector of persons to hold "temporary appointments," so called, and the names of all such persons so nominated or appointed and the dates of their nomination and appointment, and the salaries paid to them, and whether any persons received a "temporary appointment" more than once, and, if so, who, and when, and to what position or positions, and what compensation was paid to each such person. 8th. Whether any person who had received a "temporary appointment," or had been appointed when not eligible for appointment according to the civil service rules, under the said collector, has been permitted to take part in any competition or examination of persons seeking to be promoted from one position to another; and, if so, who, and when. 9th. Whether during said period any person was nominated or appointed to a position under the said collector who had previously thereto been removed or dismissed from the service of the government, or had resigned under charges; and, if so, who. 10th. Whether the storekeepers or any other class of persons in said custom-house have been excepted from such rules, and whether any storekeeper has been promoted or transferred to another position without an examination in pursuance of such rules, and who, and when. Also of Senate resolution of the 14th instant, as follows: IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, February 14, 1881. Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to report to the Senate the rules of admission to the customs service at New York, approved by the President March 6, 1879, and January 30, 1880, and such statement of the proceedings under the same as may show the practical effect of the operation of such rules upon the public service. In reply, I transmit herewith copy of the report of the collector of customs of New York, which appears to furnish fully the information asked for. Very respectfully, Hon. WILLIAM A. WHEELER, JOHN SHERMAN, Secretary. President of the Senate. CUSTOM-HOUSE NEW YORK, Collector's Office, February 25, 1881. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 10th and 15th instant, transmitting resolutions of the United States Senate, dated respectively February 3 and February 14, calling for information in regard to appointments and the practical working of the civil service rules in the administration of the customs service at this port. In reply, I have to state that the accompanying Schedule A contains, as requested by paragraphs 1 and 2 of the resolution of February 8 The names of all persons nominated by the collector of the port of New York for appointment in the New York custom-house between January 1, 1880, and December 1, 1880, with the positions for which they were respectively nominated and the salaries attached to such positions, and the date of such nominations, respectively; and The names of all persons appointed to positions under the collector of the port in the New York custom-house between January 1, 1880, and December 1, 1880, the positions to which they were respectively appointed, and the salaries attached thereto. In reply to the requests contained in paragraphs 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the resolution of February 8, I have to state that on account of the increase in the volume of public business at this port the department, after careful investigation, deemed it proper, in order to meet the exigencies arising therefrom, to authorize a temporary augmentation of the force employed, with the anticipation that the services of a temporary force might not be continuously required, and the number of permanent appointments be thus kept at the minimum. This augmentation is excepted from the ordinary operation of the civil service regulations (see Regulations VIII), and is entrusted to the dis cretion of the collector and Secretary of the Treasury. The results from the temporary increase of the force have amply justified this action of the department as a wise measure of economy, as will be seen by the following exhibits taken from the official records: Amount of business transacted at the port of New York in the calendar years 1876, 1878, and 1880. Arrival of steamers from foreign ports. 1870 1878 1880 1876 1878 1880 Pounds of imported goods weighed and cost of weighing the same. Date. 93, 633, 741 31 142, 060, 114 57 Number of packages received in public store. 1876 1878 1880 154, 201 178, 032 240, 913 This sudden increase of business has been long sustained, and where in any particular case there has been a continuance of an appointment beyond the period specified in the civil service regulations it was made with the sanction of the department, and under the reasonable anticipation that the services of the employé would be required but for a brief period. When persons have been temporarily designated to aid in investigations conducted by other branches of the service, either by special treasury agents, general appraisers, or in the examination, adjustment, and settlement of suits pending, such appointments have been made upon the recommendation of the officers in charge of such investigations, although carried upon the rolls of the custom-house. The names of all persons so appointed appear in this report. In response to the interrogatories made in paragraph 8, and inquiries embraced in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the resolution of February 8, I have to state that Thomas N. Brown was examined by the civil service board for a clerkship April 3, 1879, and was rated 71.18 per cent., but claimed that by reason of illness he had been prevented from properly showing his capacity. This claim was received by the board, and they permitted him to again appear for examination within twelve months, and he passed Jahnary 6, 180, rating 81.27 per cent., 70 per cent. being the minimum rating prescribed. Mr. Brown was appointed messenger May 5, 1879, and assigned to the law division, where he exhibited such fitness and ability for clerical work that he was assigned to a desk, the duties of which were of a confidential character, and his compensation increased to $1,000, $1,200, and $1,400, successively, for reasons specifically set forth in communications to the department. Although twenty-five other persons rated higher than Mr. Brown at the time of his appointment as clerk, February, 1880, I have regarded him as one of the confidential employés of the office, excepted from the rules. He is a lawyer by profession, and has rendered valuable service to the govern ment. Mr. L. M. Robinson, while holding a temporary appointment as clerk, appeared before the board of examiners to compete for promotion to a higher grade. He passed at 2 per cent., but when the board discovered the fact that he was holding a temporary appointment, his name was stricken from the list. He subsequently appeared before the board for admission to the service, passed at 93 per cent., and was appointed at the salary of $1,200 per annum. To the inquiries made in paragraph 9 of said resolutions, I would say that Jonas Bixby and E. T. Russell, assistant weighers, who had been removed, were restored by the department to the positions held by them, upon a review of the charges originally made against them; also George Garby, inspector, removed, and subsequently restored upon a reconsideration of his case. Upon an examination of the records it has also been found that William O. Cloyes, whose name appears in the schedule herewith as a temporary employé, was removed in 1873 for "neglect of duty," the circumstances of which do not appear on the records. To the inquiries made in paragraph 10, I have to say that deputy collectors, private secretary, confidential clerks, employés in the cashier's division, messengers, porters, engineer, firemen, watchmen, debenture inspectors at $3 per diem, and persons appointed as special inspectors for detective duty, have been regarded as not coming within the civil service rules. Storekeepers and inspectors at $4 per diem are rated in the same class. No storekeeper nor inspector has been transferred out of his class in violation of the rules. In connection with the inquiries made in the Senate resolution of February 8, and the statement herein before made of the amount of business transacted at this port, it is proper to add that the following statement of the expenses of collecting the customs revenue at this port, based upon the value of imports, was made by Collector C. A. Arthur to the commission on the New York custoin-house in May, 1877 (see first report of commission, Appendix I, p. 30)— Collector. August Schell Hiram Barney Henry A. Smythe Cost of collection as a percentage of value of imports. July 1, 1857, to June 30, 1861, about 2 of one per cent. 10000 and that, upon the same basis of calculation, the expenses for the last two and one half years would be: Edwin A. Merritt, July 1, 1878, to December 31, 1880, about % of one per cent. In the calculations made by Collector Arthur, several items of expense were excluded as not pertinent, such as the cost of fitting up rented buildings, compensation of storekeepers, &c., while no account was made of the expenditures of official fees. As the proportional cost of buildings and other extraordinary expenses during the two periods were almost equal, a more exact statement would include all expenditures (arising from whatever source) made in the collection of the revenue at this port. Such a statement is therefore given below: Chester A. Arthur Edwin A. Merritt December 1, 1871, to February 28, 1878, about 7 of one per cent. December 1, 1871, to June 30, 1878, about 1 of one per cent., or for his entire term of office. 10000 July 1, 1878, to December 31, 1880, about 1 of one per cent. In response to the Senate resolution of February 14, I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of the rules for admission to the service approved by the President, and to report that in accordance therewith a board of examiners, consisting of one member appointed by the collector, naval officer, and surveyor, respectively, was organized and also the supervisory board of the principal officers, as provided by Rule XIII. Of this latter board the naval officer has acted as secretary, and as such has had general charge of the administration of the rules, and at my request has prepared the following abstract of the procedure and operation of the rules, and of the effect of such rules upon the service: "The first examination under the rules was held on April 3, 1879, and others at irregular intervals until January 1, 1880, when it was found more convenient to hold regular quarterly examinations to accommodate the members of the examining board, who, detailed from the service, had regular official duties of an important character to perform, which frequent examinations interfered with. Up to date there have been twenty-nine examinations for admission to the service in the collector's, naval officer's, and surveyor's departments; of these, twenty-two examinations were to fill vacancies in the positions of clerks and inspectors, at a salary of $1,200 per annum, or more, and nine examinations for admission to the lower grade. The total number examined for the higher grade was 731, and for the lower grade, 273, making an aggregate of 1,004 candidates for admission examined up to date. "In the appraiser's office there have been 129 examined for the higher grade, of whom 18 were appointed, and 133 examined for the lower grade, of whom 25 were appointed. The following statements and remarks will be confined to the examinations for admission to the departments of the collector, naval officer, and surveyor: "PROCEDURE IN EXAMINATIONS. "At least five days before the date fixed for an examination, all applicants whose papers on file are in accordance with the regulations (Reg. 1 to 6) are notified to appear for examination. Upon presenting themselves, and before entering the examination room, they receive from the secretary of the board a card bearing a desk number, and the secretary seals up in an envelope the list of names and corresponding desk numbers. Each candidate is directed to sign his examination papers with his desk number and not to give his name. "The scope of the examination has been carefully limited so as not to exceed the enrriculum of the common schools of our country, nor exact any qualification not pertinent to the duties of the places to be filled. The requirements are, in this respect, far below those established in the civil services of other great nations, and the objections urged against these examinations on account of their assumed irrelevancy to the duties to be performed have been baseless. The examinations are written and not oral, and the questions are prepared a day or so before the examination, and printed with the electric pen by the secretary, and carefully guarded so as not to be divulged in advance. "The average standing of the 731 candidates for admission to the higher grade was as follows in the several subjects: "The arithmetical questions and problems have been confined to such as are essential in ordinary business transactions. The questions in geography and history have been simple and with few exceptions have related to the United States, and the questions on government have embraced the more important points of the federal constitution. The above standing on penmanship is exceptionally high, because it has been based solely upon legibility. The item of general aptitude is composed of five elements, two of which are the average attainment in all subjects; one, the time occupied by the candidate in completing all his tasks; one, the age of the candidate; and one based upon the general record of the candidate and the methods of his work. "Each of the ten subjects is given a special weight in making up the final average, and the relative weights are adjusted to the requirements of the positions to be filled; thus, for clerks and inspectors, they were as follows: |