CLOTHING AND EQUIPAGE.

Appropriations for the supply of clothing and camp and garrison equipage for the fiscal year 1908 were $3,859,232.49; reimbursements for issues to the militia, clothing drawn by enlisted men in excess of allowances, sales to officers, other departments of the Government, etc., $1,095,179.68; total, $4,954,412.17; remittances to officers for expenditures chargeable to this appropriation, and treasury settlements were $4,317,138.86; balance in Treasury June 30, 1908, $637,273.31, which will be required to pay indebtedness incurred but not settled prior to June 30, 1908, the close of the fiscal year.

For the current fiscal year a needed increase in this appropriation is available, which will enable the department to make issues to the militia more promptly and to add to the reserve stock.

Issues to the militia.-There were issued during the fiscal year to the governors of the several States and Territories and to the commanding general of the District of Columbia militia, under the laws providing for new arms and equipments for the organized militia, clothing and equipage valued at $464,090.77, for which appropriations of the Quartermaster's Department have been or will be reimbursed.

Sales to the militia.-There were sold during the fiscal year by special authority of the Secretary of War, under the law, to the governors of the several States and Territories, clothing and equipage supplies to the value of $186,107.51, including cost of packing preparatory to shipment. This is an increase of $146,335.41 over last fiscal year.

Gratuitous issues to the District of Columbia militia.-There were issued to the commanding general of the District of Columbia militia, by direction of the Secretary of War, during the fiscal year, under the provisions of law, for which the department will not be reimbursed, clothing and equipage to the value of $36,488.79, an increase of $4,703.42 over last fiscal year.

Sales to other departments.-These aggregated during the fiscal year $29,019.51. This is $28,225 less than last year. The department is reimbursed for these sales, but on account of its own needs, reduced stock, and the small appropriation for clothing and equipage, it has been impossible to extend assistance to other departments except to aid them in emergencies.

Aid to storm sufferers. To relieve persons rendered destitute by the storm of April 24, 1908, in the States of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, clothing and equipage supplies were issued to the value of $63,866.18, under the authority of an act of Congress approved May 11, 1908, by the terms of which the department was reimbursed the value of the supplies furnished.

Improvements and changes.-Reports received as to the quality and suitability of clothing and equipage supplies have been almost uniformly favorable. Nevertheless, it has been the study and effort of the department to make improvements wherever possible. To this end standard samples and specifications have been revised, where it seemed advisable, the most important being those for dress

coats, and caps, olive drab caps, muslin shirts, slickers, breast and hat cords, russet shoes, Alaska clothing, buttons, ponchos, tent duck, khaki trousers, winter gauntlets, tents-all kinds, bedsteads, mosquito bars, khaki cloth, winter underwear, etc.

Collar ornaments.-The bronze collar ornaments described in last year's annual report having, after trial, proved their superiority over the old pattern, have been adopted and will hereafter be supplied.

Winter caps and gauntlets.-The winter caps to be hereafter furnished will be made of olive drab woolen kersey and cotton duck, lined with olive drab mohair. They will cost less and be, it is believed, as serviceable as the old ones of muskrat. The winter gauntlets will hereafter be made of tan-colored, genuine horsehide leather with an all-wool knit lining for the hand part.

Working clothing for the coast artillery.-A working uniform for enlisted men of the coast artillery has been adopted, consisting of a hat, jumper, and overalls of blue denim, and a supply is now being provided for issue.

Khaki uniform cloth.-The weight of khaki uniform cloth has been reduced from 8 ounces per linear yard to from 6 to 7 ounces, and the material will be softer and more porous, and therefore cooler. It will also, to meet the demands of the service, be of a slightly darker shade.

Service uniforms for tropical and summer wear. While it is recognized that khaki is the best material at present available for this wear, it is believed possible to secure a more suitable and serviceable fabric. To this end consideration has been given the production of an olivedrab cotton and wool mixed fabric of light weight and capable of being laundered for use in the field in hot climates and during summer in temperate climates. Experiments and tests so far made have been encouraging, and at an early date request will be submitted that a practical test be made by both foot and mounted troops serving in the Philippines under such conditions as will make it a comparison with the cotton khaki in use.

Shoes. Some slight changes in the shoes have been made in the way of improvement, and the size of greatest width, "F," is to be eliminated and a width narrower than is now in use provided.

Leggins. The canvas puttee leggin described in last year's annual report having, after practical trial, proved to be an improvement over the old style, will hereafter be supplied for issue. Trial of leather leggins of similar pattern for the mounted troops has not been conclusive. One serious obstacle in the way of adopting leather leggins for issue is their cost.

Medals and badges.-The issue of campaign and merit badges and distribution of the congressional medal to be presented to the troops who enlisted for the war with Spain and served beyond the term of their enlistment to suppress the Philippine insurrection began in January, 1908, and to September 21, 1908, there had been. sent out 115 certificates of merit, 189 civil war, 544 Indian wars, 3,850 Spanish war, 11,881 Philippine insurrection, and 421 China relief expedition campaign badges, and 1,212 of the congressional medals.

QUARTERMASTERS' ACCOUNTS AND PROPERTY RETURNS.

Accounts.-Administrative audit is given all money accounts of quartermasters by this office before transmission to the Auditor for the War Department. At the beginning of the fiscal year 17 such accounts were on hand to be examined and 4,200 were received during the fiscal year; total, 4,217. Examined and transmitted to the Auditor, 4,199, leaving 18 on hand unexamined on June 30, 1908.

Compared with the fiscal year 1907, the number of accounts received decreased 1,618. This is due to the consolidation, by direction of the Treasury Department, of the various appropriations, on one account current instead of rendering separate accounts, as was formerly the practice. This is the first full fiscal year in which accounts have been so rendered. While the number of accounts is reduced, the work of examining, etc., has not been materially affected.

Of accounts of disbursing officers of the militia, 2 remained on hand and 168 were examined and transmitted to the Auditor for the War Department, through the division of accounts and later through the division of militia affairs, office of the Secretary of War. Thirteen more of these accounts were received and 15 more examined than during the fiscal year 1907.

Property returns. There were on hand July 1, 1907, awaiting examination, 17; received during the fiscal year, 2,229; total, 2,246; examined, 1,992; remaining on hand June 30, 1908, to be examined, 237. Annual returns of militia officers received and examined, 47. In connection with this work 6,517 letters were written.

CLAIMS

Miscellaneous claims and accounts. At the beginning of the fiscal year there were on hand awaiting action 154 miscellaneous claims and accounts, amounting to $34,573.59; there were received during the fiscal year 1,021, amounting to $65,296.23; a total of 1,175, aggregating $99,869.82. Final action was taken during the fiscal year on 1,135, amounting to $93,614.02. There remained on hand at the close of the fiscal year 40 claims and accounts, amounting to $6,255.80.

Confederate horse claims.-Under the law in effect at the beginning of the fiscal year the time for filing these claims expired April 27, 1906. The deficiency act approved May 30, 1908, extended the time for twelve months from date of passage of the act, with the proviso that all claims not presented within that time shall be forever barred. Four hundred and fifteen claims were on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year and 70 received during the fiscal year, a total of 485. Of these, 66 were approved and payment authorized and 27 disallowed, a total of 93, leaving on hand awaiting action at the close of the fiscal year 392 claims. At the beginning of the fiscal year $65,923.55 remained for settlement of these claims. The 66 settled amounted to $8,653, leaving a balance of $57,270.55 at the close of the fiscal year. Damages to private property.-At the beginning of the fiscal year there were on file in this office 27 claims for damages and loss of private property of citizens, for which the Government was equitably responsible, but for the payment of which no appropriation was available. These claims had been investigated by boards of officers or

officers specially detailed for the purpose, and the aggregate amount determined to be justly due to the claimants was $4,705.45. This amount was included in the annual estimates of appropriations required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909. In the deficiency act approved May 30, 1908, Congress appropriated the money to pay these claims and $1,096.90 additional to pay other similar damage claims which had been presented to the department too late to be included in the annual estimates to Congress. All the above-mentioned claims on file in the office have been transmitted to the Auditor for the War Department for settlement.

Claims under the act of July 4, 1864.-No action has been taken during the year upon the 81 claims reported as on hand awaiting action at the beginning of the fiscal year.

During the year 68 claims which had been finally considered and disallowed by the Quartermaster-General were transmitted to the Court of Claims or to the Department of Justice upon calls therefor for use as evidence before the Court of Claims in the further investigation of the claims under the provisions of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1883.

NEWSPAPERS AND PERIODICALS FOR ENLISTED MEN.

Under provisions of paragraph 337, Army Regulations, 1904, there was expended during the fiscal year the sum of $5,552.51 for the supply of newspapers and periodicals for the use of enlisted men at the army posts in the United States, Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska.

During the fiscal year the supply of newspapers and periodicals for 71 main recruiting stations was authorized at a cost of $10 for each station, and provisions were made for the supply of these recruiting stations with reading matter at a cost of $710 during the current fiscal

year.

NATIONAL CEMETERIES.

New cemetery.-A new national cemetery has been established at Greeneville, Tenn., as authorized by an act of Congress approved June 12, 1906. Being the burial place of the remains of former President Johnson, it has been designated in his honor the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery.

Classes of cemeteries, number of interments, etc.-There are 26 first, 20 second, 16 third, and 22 fourth class cemeteries; total 84.

The total number of interments in all national cemeteries on June 30, 1908, was: Known, 205, 125; unknown, 152,207; a total of 357,332, being an increase of 1,967 during the fiscal year.

During the fiscal year 13,943 white marble headstones have been furnished to mark the graves of soldiers, sailors, and marines in national and other cemeteries, and of civilians buried in national and post cemeteries.

For decorating the graves of soldiers and sailors of the Union Army and Navy in national cemeteries, 210,000 flags, 8 by 10 inches, were purchased as authorized in the army appropriation act approved March 2, 1907.

Bringing home remains. One hundred and forty-seven remains were brought from the Philippine Islands and Cuba to the United States; of these 93 were shipped home or delivered to friends for

burial, 32 were buried in the San Francisco National Cemetery and 19 in the Arlington National Cemetery, and 3 remained in the Presidio of San Francisco morgue, awaiting disposition.

Buildings and grounds.-Necessary repairs have been made and the grounds, roads, walks, and drives kept in good condition. New lodges are urgently needed at some of the cemeteries, but for these estimates will be submitted with explanation for each case.

The following special appropriations in the sundry civil act of March 4, 1907, have been or are being used for the purposes for which made: Arlington, Va., $10,000 for grading, draining, making roads, etc.; Knoxville, Tenn., $1,500 for new sidewalk on street adjacent to cemetery; Greeneville, Tenn., $32,000 for erection of lodge, outbuildings, inclosing walls, etc.; Vicksburg, Miss., $10,000; Port Hudson, La., $10,000; Barrancas, Fla., $32,000, and Fort Scott, Kans., $17,500, for repairs to Government road to cemetery, and Keokuk, Iowa, $1,500 for city approach to cemetery.

Monument on Isle St. Michel.-The army appropriation act approved July 12, 1906, appropriated $20,000 for a monument on Isle St. Michel (Crab Island), Lake Champlain, to commemorate the battles of Lake Champlain, Valcours Island, and Plattsburg. A monument of suitable and handsome design has been contracted for and is now being erected.

Superintendents of national cemeteries.-There are 76 superintendents, of whom 26 are of the first, 20 of the second, 16 of the third, and 14 of the fourth class. There are 6 assistant superintendents on duty awaiting appointment as superintendent. The pay of superintendents is, first class, $75; second class, $70; third class, $65; fourth class, $60 per month, and in addition they receive quarters and fuel. The pay of these superintendents is fixed by a law passed in 1872, when living conditions were different from now, and the cemeteries contained a considerably less number of graves, monuments, etc., and were probably not so much visited. It is believed the pay of these employees should be increased to range from $100 to $75 per month. The total increased cost to the Government would be but $6,420.

INCREASE OF THE CORPS.

In the Quartermaster-General's annual reports for the past four fiscal years, representations have been made of the need for an increased number of officers of the Quartermaster's Department. In the annual report for the fiscal year 1907 (p. 3), effort was made to give a comprehensive view of the magnitude of the department's work and field of operations, and (p. 49) of the pressing necessity for an increase of officers, to which attention is invited, and careful consideration of the need for an increase of the number of officers for the department is urged.

INCREASE OF THE CORPS COMPARED WITH INCREASE OF THE ARMY.

On January 1, 1898, with a total enlisted strength of 26,610 men, practically no foreign possessions to look after, no duties such as the transport service, and comparatively little building, the army required 57 officers of the Quartermaster's Department. The present authorized strength of the army, including the Hospital Corps, which must be sheltered and supplied, is 86,751, an increase of about