The President has approved the Japanese indemnity fund bill.

Secretary Folger's condition was somewhat improved yesterday.

Twenty-two persons were drowned yesterday by the wreck of a steamer in the Bosphorous.

Luther Roby of Concord, N. H., the founder of the New Hampshire Statesman, and probably the oldest printer in the State, died yesterday, aged 72.

The remains of President Chadbourne will be taken to Amherst this morning, where they will lie in the college chapel till Sunday, when the interment will take place at Williamstown.

The final session of the meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers was held in Boston yesterday, and Robert M. Hunt of Troy, N. Y., was elected president for the ensuing year.

Director Swift, of the Warner Observatory, Rochester, N. Y., at 7 o'clock last evening discovered a bright telescopic comet about 2 1/4 north of the star Beta, in constellation Pegasus, having a tail about half a degree long, and slow eastward motion; about R. A. 22h. 50m., about N. Dec. 29. This is the first comet of the year, and promises to be a conspicuous object in the western sky.

THE WEATHER.WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 24, 1883, 1 A. M. For New England, fair weather during the day, followed by increased cloudiness and snow by Sunday morning; northwest to southeast winds and lower barometer; slight fall, followed by rising temperature.