No. 4. REPORT OF THE PAYMASTER GENERAL PAYMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington City, November 30, 1835. SIR: I have the honor, herewith, to submit a report of the transactions of the Pay Department for the year ending the 30th of September, 1835. It will be seen that the balances in the hands of paymasters, and the sums received by them from the Treasury during the fiscal year, amount to one million five hundred and ninety-six thousand five hundred and eighty-five dollars and twenty-two cents; all of which they have accounted for, except $54,942 80. A part of this sum is charged to late Paymaster Wright, being the balance reported against him by the Auditor. His administrators claim credits from the United States on account of rejected vouchers and disallowances, to a greater amount. Whatever balance may be finally adjudged to be due, will be paid without loss. The remainder to be accounted for was advanced for the payment of the troops on Red river; the paymaster received it in October last, and has not yet had time to disburse it and render his accounts; they will no doubt be received before the close of the year. The troops have been paid to as late periods this year as they generally are when the annual report is made. It is now fifteen years since the United States sustained any loss by the transactions of this department; in which time, nineteen and a half millions of dollars have been disbursed in small sums; the accountability may, therefore, be considered as perfect as it can well be made, and I have nothing to ask for or recommend on that subject: but in relation to frequent payments, it is my duty to repeat what I have before stated, that, with the number of paymasters now authorized, it is impossible for the Department to have the troops paid as often as the law contemplates, and the interest of the service requires. When the army was last reduced, fourteen paymasters were retained and found necessary to pay it according to the requirements of the law; since then their duties have been increasing, and are now at least one-third greater than they were in 1821, in consequence of the additional number of troops, the extension and increase of military posts, and the greater amount of funds to be disbursed. Under such circumstances, I again so licit you to recommend, that provision be made by law for the appointment of three additional paymasters. Respectfully, Your obedient servant, N. TOWSON, Paymaster General To de Hon. LEWIS CASS, Secretary of War. A. STATEMENT of moneys drawn from the approppriations for the Pay Department, and remitted to the disbursing officers on account of payments for the fourth quarter of 1834, and the three first quarters of 1835: the amount unexpended, and forming part of their estimates for the fourth quarter of 1835; the balances to be accounted for; the periods to which the troops have been paid, and accounts rendered. Amount of funds remitted in the fourth quarter of 1834, and the three Amount unexpended, and forming part of esti- |