The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-12-31
From The Boston Advertiser.
MASSACHUSETTS, CLAIMS.

obliring attention of our friends, Is the re-
port of the Third Auditor on the claims OF
this state, for money paid for Militia services
during the late war. This report was com
municated to Congress by the Secretary of
War. in Nav last, in obedience TO a resolu-
ton of the House of Representatives, and
has been printed by order of the House
since the commencement OF the present
session.
This report was made by the third Audi
tor, Mr.. Hagner, by direction of the Secre
tarv of War in pursuance of a resolution of
the House passed in December, 1896, by
which the claim was referred to the Secre-
tary of War, with instructions to report to
the House what classes and what amount
of il might be allowed and paid upon the
principle and rules which have been applied
to the adjustment of claims OF other states
for military services during the war, and if
any parts of the claim are rejected, to state
| the reason. The Auditor was directed to
classify the items of the claim So as to show,
! LIST, those which are not warranted by the
principles of adjustment adopted in settling
! similar claims made by other states I'd,
those embraced by such principles and 3D.,
to distinguish those portions which resulted
| from calls made by the executive OF Massa-
chusetts, and those by militia officers, with
out the sanction of the executive, and to
notice whether the calls made by the exec
utive were spontaneous or made IN compll-
ance with calls from the executive of the
| United States; and in either case, whcth-
CIR he consented or refused to subject them
TO the authority of the government of the
| United States.
I The report of the auditor was made jan
uary 30th, 1923, in conformity with these
| instructions. The items of the claim are
examined in detail, classified, and accom-
panied with remarks, and extracts from the
correspondence between the executive and
other officers of this state, and those of the
| United States. The report occupies one
hundred and eighty-one closely printed
pages.
The whole amount of the claim is S643,-
$40 co. of this amount 50, 460 33 are reject
ed as consisting entirely of items of class
not allowable on principles of adjustment
applied to claims of other states. Among
these items are charge OF S4O6l, for mon
ey paid under resolution of the legisla-
ture of the state, in June, 1872, by which
the Governor was authorized to send boats
or vessels Immediately to sea, TO give notice
to all American vessels on the coast, Of the
declaration of war This expense is not
considered as properly chargeable to the
general government. Another OF the items
is of $l7,755 paid for militia called out at
Boston, Salem, and eight or ten other towns
in September and October, 1914, by order
of the governor, by regiments, by rotation,
two days successfully, for the purpose of
improving their discipline, and other objects
stated in his order. Other items disallowed
fo, hV,il a
to gun houses, and at the Arsenal at
Charlestown, S4339 ;spayments for the trans
portaton of arms and ordnance stores from
Boston to sundry towns in 1913 and 1914,
and to Boston in 1915 and 1916, S52S9; for
payments to aids-de-camp, brigade majors
and adutants, &c, 1912, and compensation
to the commissioners of sea coast defence,
the board of war, their clerks, to Col. Sum-
ner, and incidental expenses of their Offices,
$13154.
OF items partly admissible, and partly OBJ
! lectionable. the claims are classed under
the head of guards, amounting to S39,6l0,
J of which s27,711 are designated as admis-
1 slble and the rest lnadmissible. Under
| head of alarms, the claims are S37, $50, of
which S24,l are admissible For calls of
militia officers, principally in Maine, under
, =
amount to $l97 ,4S9, of which $I44, $50 are
admissible. Under the state executive
calls, including Gen. Whton's corps at
South Boston, and troops at Portland, Bath,
Wlscasset, &c. the claims amount to $685.
[ o52, of which S227,6 are designated as
admissible. For the defence of Eastport in
1872, the claims are 1895, of which $3,4II
are. designated as admissible. For militia
in the U. States service claims s., 76S, adj
missible S2,945.
OF the sum deducted from the several
items of claims as admissible, are SOL 1873
charged for clothing and S7,777 for arms,
which are stated by the auditor not to be
allowed on the principles adopted in the
settlement Of claims of other states. The
sum of $l4,056 is deducted for our pay
ments, and S23,545 for reduction of rations.
The deduction for our payments are made
for higher rates being allowed in some in
stances than were authorized by law, or for
longer periods than the services were enti-
es0" ''' Ok ROY sumo deficiency I'm the evil
cence of the services. The rations to the
militia were furnished at 20 and 25 cents,
the U. States contract price being at the
time IL cents. Smaller deductions made
under several other general heads, and
under the head of Miscellaneous S24O, 759.
Under this last head are $50, 1913 for fortifi-
cations at Boston, s, l41 for Hulks for Boston
darbor, $25,6S3 for gun carriages and ar
tillery apparatus, S32,996 for mnskets pur-
chased in 1913 and 1914, S39, 274 for gun
| powder, and $l9,249 for tents.
The aggregate amount designated as ad-
missibe is $430,746 26. The amount of
the several deductions for inadmissble
charges is S412691 a., A small portion of
these deductions are made for deficiency of
proof, but much the greater portion from the
nature of the CHARGES -