SIR:  In the force employed in the office of the collector of customs at the port of New York there are eight tellers who receive and count the money paid in at that office, amounting to $500,000 a day or upward, and who should be persons qualified to handle money with skill and to detect counterfeit coin and bills.  One of these places is now vacant, and it is important that it should be filled at the earliest practicable date.  The position is not one excepted from examination by Customs Rule II, clause 5; but the collector thinks that it would be imprudent and impracticable for him to be restricted in filling the vacancy to the three names that might be certified to him from the eligible register, and in this opinion the Commission concurs.  But whether this class of positions and certain others in the customs service should be filled by noncompetitive examination or by special exception is a matter which the Commission has under consideration, but can not determine until after a visit to New York and perhaps other ports.  In view, however, of the necessity for immediately filling the present vacancy—­but without establishing a precedent—­the Commission has the honor to recommend that a noncompetitive examination for the purpose be authorized under subdivision (e), clause 2 of General Rule III, Civil-Service Rules.  Your obedient servants,

    JNO.  H. OBERLY,
    CHAS. LYMAN,
    United States Civil Service Commissioners.

Approved, June 5, 1888.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

CLASSIFIED POSTAL SERVICE, SPECIAL RULE NO. 1.

JUNE 16, 1888.

In addition to the exceptions from examination in the classified postal service made by Postal Rule II, clause 5, the following exception to examination in that service is hereby made: 

  Printers, employed as such.

Provided, That before any person may be employed under this exception to examination the Post-Office Department shall inform the Commission of the authority given to employ printers at any post-office and of the number authorized to be employed at such office.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

Ordered, That noncompetitive examinations to test fitness for the following designated places in the classified departmental service be, and are hereby, authorized: 

  1.  In all the Departments:  Engineers, assistant engineers, pressmen, and
  compositors.

  2.  In the Department of the Treasury: 

  In the office of the Secretary:  Storekeeper, inspector of electric
  lights, foreman of laborers, captain of watch, lieutenants of watch, and
  locksmith and electrician.

  In the office of the Treasurer:  Seventeen clerks employed as expert
  money tellers.

  In the office of the Supervising Surgeon-General of Marine-Hospital
  Service:  Hospital steward, employed as chemist.