From Washington

Washington, Aug. 1. - One hundred years ago yesterday the flrst mechanical patent was issued by the Government. It was granted to Samuel Hopkins for making pot and pearl aehes. The total number of patents issued during the century was 433,432. Washington, Auar. 2. - The monthly debt statement for July was issusd from the Treasury Department Friday in a new form and shows a net reduction in the public debt during the month amounting to $395,257. The bonded indebtedness, according to the new form of statement, amounts to 1700,700,860, or a decrease of 810,513,750 during July, the flrst month of the current fiscal year. The total debt to-day, less cash in treasury, is placed at 870,389,113. Washington, Aug. 2. - Count Tolstoi's book, "The Kreutzer Sonata,' has been declarcd indecent by the postoffice autliciritios. and the postmasters at New York and Chicago have been instructed to prevent its transmission through the mails.