Important To Pensioners

Washington, July 1.- The act, aB proved June 18th, 1874, eririüed " act to increase pensions m oertain cas es," provides that all persona who arnow ontitled to pensions under tho law and who have lost either an arm at o above the elbow or leg at or above th kneo, shall be rated in the second class and receive $24 per month ; providei that no artificial timba or commutatio therefor shall be furnished sueh peí sons as shall be entitled to pension under thia act. This act by its term was to take effect from and after Jun 4th% 1873. General Baker, commise ioner of pensions, to-day announce that persons embraced within the pro visions of this act can secure the ben efits of the same without formal appi catión and without the intervention e an attorney. A power of attorney wil not be recognized in an application ft increase of pension provided by thi act. A letter from a pensioner address ed to the commissioner of pensions en closing his pension certifícate and gn ing his postoffice address. will be a sui ficient presentation of his claim. Tho hoavy exports of wheat from Cali fornia during the past fiscal year attrac more than usual attention!' The esti mates for the present season present 430 000 tons of wheat, including 450,000 bar' reis of flour reduced to the equivalent o wheat. The last f uil cargo of the erop o 1873 has been shipped, and cstiiuates i'o the ensuing year vary from 600,000 ti 800,000 tons. Most of the wheat ani flour shipped has been, as usual, on Euro pean account. The increase in th amount of flour shipped has made areduction of 20,000 tons in the tonnaa that would have been roquired had thi exports been entirly in wheat, as wasthi case in former years. Kev. John McElroy, now stationei] at St. John's Church, Frederick, 4Md., is said to be the oldest Oatholic priest in North America. He is 98 yeasr old, and was ordained sixty years ago. He sometime since became blind, but by an operation his sight was restored.