New-York tribune., 1874-12-01
REPORT or THE OEMISSARY-GENERAL OD
THE ARMY.

TIE STORES FOR THE SUBSISTENCE or THE ARMY
MOSTLY PROCURED IN THE LARGE MARKETs-TIiE
ACCOUNTS OF THE DEPARTMEST-AMENDMEST
TO EXISTING LAWS RECOMMENDED-TIIE RELIEF
OF SUFFERERS BY THE MISSISSIPPI OVERFLOW.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3O.-The following is tho
annual report OF Brig-Gen. Shiras, CommssaryGen
oral OF Subsistence Of the Arny
In compliance with the directions OF the Hon secre-
tary OF War. communicated In the clrouars 70 'po
Chiefs of Bureaus OF the War Department OF sept D.
1874 have the honor 10 submit report OF the opera
tions OF the Subsistence Department Tor inc as hsc.
great measure procured IN the large markets. DuS
the Department has ayaied t'ef OF the
of proper qu lity could 20 adyantagsousoy n
and Bsef mas dvered az the posts
from block The officers Of the Subsistence Depart
stationed at the market centers 9f le eounJ
convenient to the location OF troops and at the heiu
quarters OF the military divisions ana departments auu
under existing laws and the orders OF the oi
War are charged with the procurement ana distribution
Dete % raIon for the dcai wear ending june 3o
len of the principal points OF purchase was 10 77lOe
cents Under tho authority OF section OF tue dci "a
Congress approved March g. 1869, the Subsistence D
has IN fiscal year furnished tobacco az cost
prices TO enlisted mcn OF the army 10 the 'diuo o'
sI42999. making the monthly average sl.9l6 -,
Within the fiscal year there were received from in
officers Of the who performed duty IN The ouDslst
euce Department s9 accounts current 2CG1 returns OF
provisions aud 9J3 returns OF comssdiy proptry,a
total 6.479 accounts current aud returns ana ~thn
the period. 329 accounts current 3O09 ietns ot
provisions LIS returns Of cOmmissiiy property
Total OF 1853 accounts current ana return were exn
med IN this Office and forwarded to the Third Auditor OF
the Treasury final set cement. Under the act or
June 23 1870 extended by the act OF June T. 1872 an
still further extended for one year by Tue act appOea
June Is, 1874. credits have been recommendcd
In cases o. % officers in the sum OF $3.50, making
total number of officers relieved under Tue operA
tiOns OF the acts cited 7s9, In the total amount OF VI!
5ls. Under the third section OF the act OF July ooi'
$40 claims amounting s235 957 for subsistence sup
plies alleged have used Uy the army or taken DY
officers for the of the army IN the late war IN inc
States ebelOn hcd in THIS 0ihre Tor rx-
animation. Seyeny-threc claims, amountin9 10 soaia.
were examined and recommended 10 tho Third Auditor
OF Treasury for payment. aud 1O9 claims amounting
to $2932 were examined and rejected. onuer loIns
of Congress of July 25 1906 and section tneo
OF the act Of March 1867, l5 certicdtes lor ooua
ton ratous 10 Union soldiers while prisoners oi war,
received and paid to the claimants as ther ieSai
heirs. These payments amounted u S5I39.
recommend that the act OF March 1873, authoriz-
ing The appointment OF conlmssart ar seiEaht De -
amended as to allow he secretary oi war U sect su
sergean;s from the enlisted men OF the army The pres
ent mode Of selection unjusty dlscrimnates against
class OF clerks and assistants VINO Tor years nave De
detained duty in the Subsistence Department. ana IN
fact are the only enlisted men in the army VINO arc
thoroughly familiar with the duties. 10 ls respectfully
recommended that Section 70 OF the act emitted, An
to increase and fix The military peace establishments
OF the United States" approved July %, lSC6, bo
amended 50 as to read as follows: ...,,-
Aud be further enacted that the Subsistence Department hereby
suo to pR @ for sale an. 3 to OF ono san5 tor % o Oh ahf OF
military for OF tie enlisted slc companies
SseeaIS ret GgIon of Var O'D''1' u
Under the operation of Section of the act entitled
"An act making appropriations for legsttiye, eX Gu,
tive and judicial expenses Of the Government Tor tho
proved May 1872 ana tue act amenda0ry thereo ap
proved June 1872 the proceeds OF the sales 0i tho
of Government and of tue sales OF every nature ex-
ceptng to officers ami soldiers OF tho army aud tApOr-
ing or surveying expeditions, author I'D by law arc
required be covered into the Treasury aud that mo
annual appropriation tor the subsistence O tue army Is
then virtually reduced by this amount which,
ordinarily. is not lncOnsiierabe. The Increasing
demand for subsistence, ana Its lndSpeusa,,
bic character IN connection with Tue comfort leal anu
eeney % 0i ,ne army ny dscncy in Se pp hT in
ia "A Uf.lNs RI
auce therefore, that the annual appropriation Tor tn5
subsistence OF the army shall not Oe impaired Oy htVluB
part thus directed back Into the treasury as reNe.
nue. without accomplishing any uSefui ehcct ana iat
the whole amount thereon snail be made available Tor
gress In view OF the foregoing cOnrdera0ns Is re.
spectfuly recommended that general law BE- Passed
exemptng the proceeds OF all sales OF Subsistence sup
plies being covered into the Treasury aud making
them Immediately available for tho purchase vi fresh
supplies replace those sod.
would respectfully call attention the fact that
supplies posts the iheadwaers of the Missouri
River fiscal year 1875 must be- purchased and
prepared shipment TO take advantage of the
June rise of that stream and that similar necessity
for purchases and shipments exists Wh regard
to Fort Pem6ina and the distant posts in Texas aud
Arizona. under the existing laws. no part OF tue
propriatiOn for the cdl year ending June 80 lo7j can
ha nned to the purchase o. the supplies referred to-
ii is recommended that the following prOyso be added
to the subsistence section OF the act making dppfOpH
atOus for the support OF the army Tor Tue Hsea year
Prod That Of the thus appropriated be
posts Upper Missouri Fort PmHa distant
By the act entitled "An act to provide for the rcefof
the persons suffering from the OyelOw OF the Mississippi
RIVER" approved April %, 1874 aud the acts supplement
ary thereto, approved May 49, 1874. and June 2j 1871
and the joint resolution approved May %. lsL cN end
lug the provisions those acts 10 The .aror, from
overflow on the TOmOlgbce, Warrior, and Alabama
Rivers, appropriations were made amounting ia tho
aggrega 10 $59lOOD. In compliance with inc laws
making these appropriations issues food TO tho suf-
ferers from overflow the rivers named were dis
continued on the lst day OF September 1874.