St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-05-19
NAVY SUPPLIES
Secretary Tracy Is Economical In
the Matter Of Supplies.

Secretary Tracy Is Economical in
the Matter of Supplies.
WASHINGTON, May Secretary
Tracy has turned his attention to the
matter of purchasing supplies for the
navy. and has already made an order
inaugurating considerable economic re-
form. 1t appears that the practice of
the department has been to purchase
supplies for the navy by advertisement
at the beginning of each fiscal year,
making the list of purchases extensive
enough to cover the probable needs of
the different bureaus during the entire
year. Upon inquiry, the secretary
learned that in making these pur-
,chases regard was not had for
The amount of stores on hand. This
led to the accumulation of stores
which in many cases rapidly deteriOr-
ated and caused loss to the govern
ument. To satisfy himself OH this point
Secretary Tracy has just procured a
statement of the amount of stores now
aon hand, as the advertisements for sup
piles for the next fiscal year will soon
be issued. His statement shows that
there are now on hand stores valued at
g, 800, and the secretary intends
value Of the stock to be purchased next
month. Therefore he has issued
the following circular: s'Navy De-
ipartment, Washington. May 16, 1881
The appended table gives the total
valuation of stores on hand az shore
stations at the beginning of the fiscal
year, for the respective classes COM
prising supplies of an ordinary COM
mercial nature, as reported to the pay
master general by the stOrekeeper, with
the gross amounts Of purchases and of
issues fol use under the same classes
during the first quarter. In view of the
large accumulation shown, and to pre-
vent unnecessary expenditure Of money,
it is hereby ordered that no purchases
be made of supplies pertaining to those
classes if the stores required can be OBJ
tanned by transfer from other bureaus
at the station where they are needed;
or by shipment from other stations.
To this end, all acquisitions for
such supplies shall be examined
in the light of the returns to the pay
master general. by whom they shall not
be approved for purchase. If the public
interests will be Subserved by transfer
or shipment, in cases where stores are
accumulated in undue quantities at GER
tain points, and current wants may be
met by a redistribution thereof, it is
ordered that such shipments be made to
other stations as the needs of the
service may suggest; and the paymas-
ter general is charged with the execu-
ton of this duty, after consultation with
the chiefs of the bureaus concerned.
Wherever it shall be possible to utilize
supplies differing in unimpOrtant re-
spects from those called for, such sub
stitution shall be made. 1t is further
ordered that supplies required under
classes other than those given in the
appended table shall, if practicable, be
obtained in like manner by transfer or
shipment. Freight. charges shall be
borne by the bureau receiving the sup
plies, in cases of shipment from one
station to another.
B. F. TRACY. Secretary of the Navy.
Some of the largest items i'll the list
of stores on hand are: Lumber and
timber, s127,712; metals, brass, copper,
tin, etc, S595, 429; iron bars, sos. 100;
spikes, Sl04,60S; pipes and fittings,
s129, $40: tools. s101, S12. N0twithstand-
ing this accumulation, stores Of the
kind in excess were purchased during
the last quarter to the amount of ISL
544. Moreover, at the rate of eXpend-
iture INDUCED in during the last quar-
ter enough supplies to last five years
would have accumulated if maintained
during the next fiscal year.