REPORT OF THE QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL. QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR: I have the honor to submit the annual report of the operations of the Quartermaster's Department for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1901: FINANCIAL STATEMENT. By acts of Congress approved May 26 and June 6, 1900, there was appropriated for the regular service of the Quartermaster's Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901, the sum of...... During the fiscal year there was deposited to the credit of appropriations, 1900-1901, amounts received from sales to officers, etc.. There was placed to the credit of appropriations by Treasury transfer warrants the sum of ........... Making a total of....... $54, 316, 917.00 2,773, 978. 62 Of this there was remitted to disbursing officers. There was paid out on account of settlements made at Treasury for claims and accounts 12, 600, 000. 00 69,690, 895.62 $50, 268, 314. 94 88,868. 67 50, 357, 183. 61 Leaving a balance on July 1, 1901, available for payment of On July 1, 1900, there remained on hand from appropriation for On July 1, 1900, there remained on hand from deficiency appropriation "January 1, 1899," the sum of... During the year there was placed to credit of this appropriation from proceeds of sales to officers, etc., the sum of.. Making a total of.. 19, 333, 712.01 100,000.00 100,000.00 2,310, 931. 32 210, 241.79 2,521, 173. 11 On July 1, 1900, there was on hand from regular appropriations for the service of the Quartermaster's Department pertaining to fiscal year ending June 30, 1900, the sum of And from appropriations pertaining to previous fiscal years the sum of . And from appropriations for special and indefinite purposes, certified claims, etc. $382, 571. 41 $17,041, 617. 43 16, 038, 671. 81 471, 673. 04 Making a total balance on hand of these appropriations of.... 33, 551, 962. 28 For specific purposes there was appropriated during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901. During the year there was deposited and transferred to credit of appropriations, other than those of 1901, as shown above, including the sum of $626,851.21 for Pacific roads for years 1899, 1900, and 1901, and also the sum of $1,657.06 for transportation of volunteers, war with Spain, and the sum of $801.08 for reimbursement for bringing home remains of officers and others... 5, 512, 887. 44 5,895, 458. 85 Making a total on hand from these appropriations of Of said amounts there was remitted to disbursing officers the sum of.. 39, 447, 421. 13 $5, 220, 014. 69 Remitted to officers and paid out on Treasury settlements from ap- From appropriation military roads and bridges, Alaska From appropriations previous fiscal years and from indefinite and Total..... Balance remaining in Treasury June 30, 1901, of appropriations for the regular service of the Quartermaster's Department for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1901.. And of appropriations for previous fiscal years and for indefinite and special appropriations Total.. 50, 357, 183. 61 6, 897, 999.90 57, 561, 183. 99 19, 333, 712. 01 12, 699, 644. 27 32, 033, 356. 28 Of the $200,000 appropriated by act of December 18, 1897, for "Relief of people in mining regions of Alaska," there has been charged against the same on the books of this office during the fiscal year 1901 the sum of $2,597.18. Of the $50,000,000 appropriated by act of March 9, 1898, for "National defense," there has been charged against the same on the books of this office during the fiscal year the sum of $277.21. DUTIES OF THE QUARTERMASTER'S DEPARTMENT. Under existing laws the Quartermaster's Department, under the direction of the Secretary of War, provides the Army with military > stores and supplies requisite for its use, such as clothing and equipage, tents, band instruments, tableware and mess furniture, equipments for post bakeries, fuel, forage, stationery, lumber, straw for bedding for men and animals, all materials for camp and for shelter for troops and stores, furniture for barracks, such as bunks, benches, chairs, tables, lockers, heating and cooking stoves for use in public barracks and quarters, tools for mechanics and laborers in the Quartermaster's Department, furniture, text-books, papers, and equipment for post schools, reading matter for post libraries, wagons, ambulances, carts, saddles, harness, water supply, sewerage, plumbing, illuminating supplies, and heating for all military posts and buildings. The Department is also charged with the duty of providing transportation, by land and water, for troops, munitions of war, equipments, and all articles of military supplies from the place of purchase to the several armies, garrisons, posts, and recruiting places. Under act of Congress amending section 1661, Revised Statutes, for arming and equipping the militia, this Department supplies quartermaster stores, clothing, and equipage to the militia of the several States and Territories, and transports the same to said States and Territories. It also furnishes transportation for ordnance and ordnance stores issued by the United States to the militia of the several States and Territories. It also transports the property for other Executive Departments on requisitions, payments therefor being made by the respective Departments to the carriers upon accounts forwarded through the Quartermaster-General's Office for that purpose. This Department prepares the necessary plans and constructs all buildings at military posts, such as barracks, quarters, storehouses, hospitals, etc.; builds wharves; constructs and repairs roads for military purposes; builds all necessary military bridges; provides, by hire or purchase, grounds for military encampments and buildings; contracts for all horses for cavalry, artillery, and for the Indian scouts, and for such infantry and members of the hospital corps in the field campaigns as may be required to be mounted; pays for all incidental expenses of the military service which are not provided by other corps. The care and maintenance of national cemeteries is an additional duty of this Department. It also provides suitable headstones to mark the graves of all soldiers, sailors, or marines who served during the late war, including those who have been buried in private cemeteries and other burial places. Section 1139, Revised Statutes, makes it the duty of the QuartermasterGeneral, under the direction of the Secretary of War, to prescribe and enforce a system of accountability for all quartermaster supplies furnished the Army, its officers, seamen, and marines. CLOTHING AND EQUIPAGE. The sum of $10,951,479.53 was available during the past fiscal year for use in providing clothing and equipage supplies for the Army and militia. Of this amount $9,383,846.25 was remitted to officers of the Department and requisition for $7,596.61 issued on settlements made by Treasury on account of claims, leaving a balance on hand June 30, 1901, of $1,560,036.67. The Department during the past fiscal year has promptly met all demands made upon it for the various articles of clothing and equipage WAR 1901-VOL 1, PT II- -17 supplies, and special care has been taken to have such supplies conform to existing standards and specifications. Attention is invited to the report of the officer on duty in this office who is charged with clothing matters for detailed information showing in consolidated form the various articles of clothing and equipage supplies that were purchased or manufactured, sold and shipped to the Army, including troops on duty in Cuba, Hawaii, Philippines, and Alaska; also the issues made to the governors of the States and Territories for use of the militia during the last fiscal year. There were issued to the latter supplies amounting to $320,896.90. There were also issued to the militia of the District of Columbia, under the act approved March 1, 1899, supplies amounting to $2,981.33, which sum will not be reimbursed. There were also sold to the militia during the fiscal year, under the act approved February 24, 1897, clothing and equipage supplies to the amount of $7,187.83. Under the act of Congress approved May 26, 1900, making appropriation for the support of the Regular and Volunteer Army for the fiscal year 1900-1901, which provides for the replacement of such quartermaster supplies as were furnished by the States and brought into the service of the United States by volunteer troops during the recent war with Spain, claims for clothing and other quartermaster stores in kind to the value of $293,417.33 have been allowed by this Department up to June 30, 1901, and supplies representing this amount have been turned over to the governors of the respective States and Territories interested, in settlement. No issues of clothing and equipage were made to the Apache prisoners of war located at Fort Sill, Okla., it being the intention to make these Indians self-supporting. KHAKI CLOTHING. The khaki clothing manufactured for issue to the troops is now very satisfactory. The khaki material is the very best the Department can secure, and the color is almost wholly proof against the effects of sun, washing, and perspiration. The khaki dyed cotton shirts sent to the Philippines have not proven a success, but experiments on this line are being continued. Experiments are also being made with khaki dye for woolen fabrics for shirts; 500 of these shirts, so soon as manufactured, will be sent to the Philippines for trial by the troops. Reports have been received showing that the riding breeches, made of khaki material and issued to the troops in Cuba for trial, have given general satisfaction, and are superior to the mounted khaki trousers now supplied. BLANKETS FOR TROPICAL SERVICE. After satisfactory trial it has been determined to supply the army serving in the tropical countries with woolen blankets of a lighter weight. Specifications have, therefore, been prepared for a blanket to weigh 3 pounds, the warp of same to be composed of cotton and the woof of high one-half blood wool. Contract has already been made for these blankets, and 10,000 of them will be sent to the Philippines at an early date. |