who have served at least four years, and whose character and education shall fit them to take charge of public property and to act as clerks and assistants to post and other quartermasters. Said post quartermaster-sergeants shall, so far as practicable, perform the duties of storekeepers and clerks, in lieu of citizen employees. The post quartermaster-sergeants shall be subject to the rules and articles of war and shall receive for their services the same pay and allowances as ordnance sergeants. Provided, That the number of horses purchased under this appropriation, added to the number actually on hand, shall not at any time exceed the number of enlisted and Indian scouts in the mounted service: And provided further, That hereafter all purchases of horses under appropriations for horses for the cavalry and artillery and for the Indian scouts shall be made by contract, after legal advertisement, by the Quartermaster's Department, under instructions of the Secretary of War, the horses to be inspected under the orders of the General Commanding the Army, and no horse shall be received and paid for until duly inspected. The Quartermaster-General shall report to the Secretary of War promptly, for transmission to Congress annually, all purchases and contracts for horses, mules, and military supplies for the Army made by his Department. * Provided, That no expenditure exceeding five hundred dollars shall be made upon any building or military post without the approval of the Secretary of War for the same upon detailed estimates of the Quartermaster's Department, and the erection, construction, and repairs of all buildings and other public structures in the Quartermaster's Department shall, so far as may be practicable, be made by contract, after due legal advertisement. June 30, 1886 (24-93).—No part of appropriation for barracks and quarters shall be paid for commutation of fuel, and for quarters to officers or enlisted men. February 9, 1887 (24-394).--No expenditures exceeding $500 to be made on any building, etc., without approval of the Secretary of War. June 20, 1888 (25-623).-Tents and tent equipage may be loaned to veteran organizations of the Society of the Army of the Potomac on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg. [J. R., June 30, 1888 (25-625), changes "tent equipage' in above to "camp equipage."] Act of September 22, 1888 (25 Stats., 481). AN ACT making appropriations for the support of the Army for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-nine, and for other purposes. Provided, That hereafter no part of this appropriation shall be expended in the purchase for the Army of draught animals until the number on hand shall be reduced to five thousand, but the cost of construction of quarters at any one post shall in no case exceed eight hundred dollars, except where a post is situated at a city of more than fifty thousand inhabitants, the cost of construction of such quarters may be not to exceed twelve hundred dollars. March 31, 1890 (26-33).-Authorizes purchase of 2,500 tents for the use of the people in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi driven from their homes by floods. June 13, 1890 (26–163).—The artillery detachment at West Point to be mustered out and the men immediately reenlisted as army service men in the Quartermaster's Department. February 24, 1891 (26-770).-Transportation furnished by the Quartermaster's Department to officers traveling without troops shall be limited to transportation in kind, not including sleeping or parlor car accommodations, over free roads, over bond-aided Pacific railroads, and by conveyance belonging to that Department. July 16, 1892 (27-174).-Sergeants of ordnance to receive the same allowance of clothing as other sergeants in like staff departments. July 27, 1892 (27-276).-Specimens of equipments, uniforms, etc., used in battle of Gettysburg to be delivered to the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association. Post exchanges may use public buildings or public transportation when, in the opinion of the Quartermaster-General, not required for other purposes. Act of March 29, 1894 (28 Stats., 47). AN ACT to regulate the making of property returns by officers of the Government. That instead of forwarding to the accounting officers of the Treasury Department returns of public property intrusted to the possession of officers or agents, the Quartermaster-General shall certify to the proper accounting officer of the Treasury Department, for debiting on the proper account, any charge against any officer or agent intrusted with public property, arising from any loss, accruing by his fault, to the Government as to the property intrusted to him. July 26, 1894 (28–151).—Number of men in the detachment of army service men at the Military Academy may be raised to 150 if deemed by the Secretary of War to be required. Act of August 6, 1894 (28 Stats., 233). AN ACT making appropriations for the support of the Army for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, and for other purposes. vacancies in the lowest grade in the hereafter all appointments to fill Quartermaster's Department, respectively, shall be made from the next lowest grade in the line of the Army. * Provided further, That purchases may be made in open market in the manner common among business men when the aggregate amount required does not exceed two hundred dollars, but every such purchase shall be immediately reported to the Secretary of War. January 16, 1895 (28-627).—Strength of detachment of army service men at the Military Academy, together with the cavalry detachment, not to exceed 215 men. March 2, 1895 (28-764).-Abolishes section 229, Revised Statutues, requiring annual statement of contracts for supplies or service. March 24, 1897 (30-216).-Authorizes purchase of 1,000 tents for the relief of sufferers from the flood in the Mississippi River. May 27, 1897 (30-220).-Authorizes purchase of clothing for the relief of destitute citizens of the United States in Cuba. July 19, 1897 (30-224).-One thousand tents to be issued for use of Grand Army encampment at Fort Leavenworth. December 18, 1897 (30–226).—Transportation to be furnished for stores, etc., for the relief of persons in the Yukon River Country. March 19, 1898 (30-737).-Tents may be loaned for use of the thirty-second national encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic at Cincinnati. Act of April 22, 1898 (30 Stat., 361). AN ACT to provide for temporarily increasing the military establishment of the United States in time of war, and for other purposes. SEC. 10. That the staff of the commander of an army corps shall consist of one chief quartermaster, the rank of lieutenant-colonel. mander of a division shall consist of who shall have . who shall have The staff of the comone chief quartermas the rank of major. ter, * with the rank of captain. May 18, 1898 (30-417).-Prescribes mode of issuing quartermaster stores for destitute inhabitants of Cuba. June 7, 1898 (30-433).-Suspends, during existing war, certain provisions of law limiting number of horses and draft animals, etc. The act of March 3, 1899 (30–1350), limits suspension to March 1, 1900. Suspension continued to June 30, 1901, by act of February 24, 1900. (31- —.) Act of July 1, 1898 (30 Stat., 571). AN ACT to authorize appointment of a military storekeeper in the Army. That the President is hereby authorized to nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint a military storekeeper in the Quartermaster's Department of the Army; and all laws inconsistent herewith are hereby suspended for the purpose of this act only. Act of July 7, 1898 (30 Stats., 714). AN ACT to increase the efficiency of the Quartermaster's Department of the Army. That during the existing war and for a period not exceeding one year thereafter the Secretary of War may make such distribution of the duties and labors of the Quartermaster's Department as may be deemed for the best interests of the service, and may assign a suitable officer in charge of each of such divisions, and may assign to duty as special inspectors of the Quartermaster's Department not exceeding four officers to be selected from the regular and volunteer officers of the department; and such officers and the quartermaster on the staff of the Commanding General of the Army while so acting shall have the rank next above that held by them and not above colonel. SEC. 2. That the President may nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, may appoint two quartermasters of volunteers with the rank of colonel, two quartermasters of volunteers with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, three quartermasters of volunteers with the rank of major, and twenty assistant quartermasters of volunteers. with the rank of captain, and the Secretary of War may assign an officer of the Quartermaster's Department in charge of each principal depot of the Quartermaster's Department, not exceeding twelve, to be selected from the regular and volunteer officers of the Quartermaster's Department; and such officers while so acting shall have the rank next above that held by them and not above colonel, and the four principal assistants of the Quartermaster-General while so acting shall have the rank of colonel. The Secretary of War may assign such of the said volunteer quartermasters as may be deemed necessary to duty in the office of the Quartermaster-General at the various supply depots or on other important and special work, and may continue such assignments for a period not exceeding one year after the close of the war, then to be discharged. Act of July 8, 1898 (30 Stats., 728). AN ACT to increase the number of post quartermaster-sergeants in the United States Army. That the number of post quartermaster-sergeants of the Army be increased by the addition of twenty-five post quartermaster-sergeants, to be appointed by the Secretary of War in the manner now provided by law. Act of March 2, 1899 (30 Stats., 977). AN ACT for increasing the efficiency of the Army of the United States, and for other purposes. That from and after the date of approval of this act the Army of the United States shall consist of a Quartermaster's . Department, : Provided, That when a vacancy shall occur through death, retirement, or other separation from active service, in the office of storekeeper in the Quartermaster's Department respectively, now provided for by law, said offices shall cease to exist. * SEC. 7. That the * * Quartermaster's Department consist of the officers and enlisted men now provided by law: * shall SEC. 11. That so much of the act approved July seventh, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, as authorizes the assignment of certain officers of the Quartermaster's. departments with increased rank, and the continuance in service of certain volunteer officers of those departments for a period of one year after the close of the present war, is repealed. * * SEC. 14. That the President is hereby authorized to continue in service, or to appoint by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, officers of the volunteer staff as follows: Thirty quartermasters with the rank of major, and forty assistant quartermasters with the rank of captain. March 30, 1900 (31).—Provision of section 355, Revised Statutes, waived so far as refer to erection of buildings at Fort Du Pont, Del., for the shelter of troops. March 3, 1899 (30-1350).—Suspends until March 1, 1900, provisions of law limiting number of horses and draft animals; amount of printing; services of employees. Suspension extended to June 30, 1901, by act of February 24, 1900. (31——.) Act of February 2, 1901 (31 Stats., -). AN ACT to increase the efficiency of the permanent military establishment of the United States. States, ment: That from and after the approval of this act the Army of the United shall consist of a Quartermaster's DepartProvided, That when a vacancy shall occur through death, retirement, or other separation from active service in the office of storekeeper, now provided for by law in the Quartermaster's Department. said office shall cease to exist. SEC. 16. That the Quartermaster's Department shall consist of one Quartermaster-General with the rank of brigadier-general, six assistant quartermasters-general with the rank of colonel, nine deputy quartermasters-general with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, twenty quartermasters with the rank of major, sixty quartermasters with the rank of captain, mounted; the military storekeeper now provided for by law, and one hundred and fifty post quartermaster-sergeants: Provided, That all vacancies in the grade of colonel, lieutenant-colonel, and major created or caused by this section shall be filled. by promotion according to seniority, as now prescribed by law. That to fill original vacancies in the grade of captain created by this act in the Quartermaster's Department the President is authorized to appoint officers of volunteers commissioned in the Quartermaster's Department since April twenty-first, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight: Provided further, That the President is authorized to continue in service, during the present emergency, for duty in the Philippine Islands and on transports, twenty-four captains and assistant quartermasters of volunteers. This authority shall extend only for the period when their services shall be absolutely necessary. SEC. 20. That the grade of veterinarian of the second class in cavalry regiments, United States Army, is hereby abolished, and hereafter the two veterinarians authorized for each cavalry regiment and the one veterinarian authorized for each artillery regiment shall receive the pay and allowances of second lieutenants, mounted. Such number of veterinarians as the Secretary of War may authorize shall be employed to attend animals pertaining to the quartermaster's or other departments not directly connected with the cavalry and artillery regiments, at a compensation not exceeding one hundred dollars per month. SEC. 26. That so long as there remain any officers holding permanent appointments in the . Quartermaster's Department, including those appointed to original vacancies in the grades of captain and first lieutenant under the provisions of sections sixteen, seventeen, twenty-one, and twenty-four of this act, they shall be promoted according to seniority in the several grades, as now provided by law, and nothing herein contained shall be deemed to apply to vacancies which can be filled by such promotions or to the periods for which the officers so promoted shall hold their appointments, and when any vacancy, except that of the chief of the department or corps, shall occur which can not be filled by promotion as provided in this section, it shall be filled by detail from the line of the Army, and no more per |