The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-29
VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS.
JHE OUARTERVASTER hND ORD
xLNcI DIPiRTnENTS or STATE.
lieutenant knights Report Showing
Their Present tondition--kecom-
mcnds the Services ola Clerk.

The annual report OF the Adjutant
General has Just been issued from tho
printer in pamphlet form. The report OF
The AdJu,ant General proper has been
published in run some time ago IN tho
columns OF The Times. and the same
can be said a. to the report OF tho as
sistant Inspector General Tho report IS
accompanied by some tabuiatcd state
monis as 10 the respective strength OF
the various organizations. the quarter
master supplies and ordnance stores IS
sued. etc. An appendix contains q de-
tailed statement from Major william j..
Simons. Of tho First Battalion, ARTILLERY,
as 10 his experience al IOcahautas.
LIEUTENANT KNIGHTS REPORT
Another interesting document, cm-
iraccd in the report OF the Adjutant
General. is chat Of First Lieutenant John
r. Knight. Third Calvary. T.. $. a., who
s. on duty with the Virginia Volunteers
and is in charge Of the Quartcrmasier
and Ordnance Departments of the state.
in hts report he has the following 90
cav as 90 the present condition and
needs OF those two important depart
ments.
on July 1. 1904. there was from tho
farming and Equipping OF Militia Fund
Of the National Government. 20 the credit
OF Virginia N.ga2lN which. together with
the apn0fti0nmcnt 035i.@D then due and
available for use during year ending June
80. lsq5 made a total credit OF Virginia
Of Sl533al.
OF this Sum, purchases were made OF
ouariermafter supplies during the fiscal
year. amounting 20 ss.9fl59. and Of ord
nance and ordnance stores, amounting
20 Si.599Q2. g. total OF Sl04755l. There
fore the balance TO the credit OF the
state ON July /. 1895. was f.sdS02 TO
this is added the npportoumcnt, SDs7l.a'
IA. and j.. II. FUND.-. for fiscal gear end
Ing June $40. 1906. making total OF S'-
tla3I 90 De expended during the com
ing year for quartermastcr supplies and
ordnance aad ordnance stores for the
use az the Virginia Volunteers.
OF this amount. there should always be
held in reserve for emergencies "a small
amount az about y3.000-for purchase OF
extra arms ammunition. or equipment
All replacing and repairing OF unsef-
Viceahle uniforms. equipments. and ac-
coutromouts. and the purchase OF blank
and fixed ammunition for ceremonial
and practice purposes. are made from
this fund During the year ending this
date there We're IN the States service
27f9 enlisted men. and Sl-..lA5l 10 meet
all the expenses above enumerated, or an
average OF S44 per man iu stores only.
This amount is far 700 small for The
maintenance of The state troops in use-
fui and effective condition
METHOD OF SUPPLY
Heretofore stores have been shipped,
upon the reluIsition OF tho Commander
in-Chicf direct 90 organizations requiring
them from the several government dee
pots and areouals.
This system ls Objectionable as ~ cause
unnecessary and annoying delays in re-
turning receipts to the proper government
officers. due to "a lack of familiarity, ON
tho part of the volunteer officers. in the
routine handling of Government bills of
ladlng. A more satisfactory arrangement
would be- thc establishment in this city OF
"a general supply depot where all stores
purchased of the government would DE
sent and tlen distribution to the Noiun-
re.rs De made from this point such an
arrangement would greatly simplify ana
facilitate the clerical work of these two
departments. in the rendering Of the pro-
per returns to the Government and would
he more satisfactory TO the volunteers
than the present system. The expense
attendant upon such "a change would Doe
nominal
MISUNDERSTANDING FOR STATE AND
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY.
Section ag of the Code requires all oiii-
GERS receiving public property for mile
tary use shall. on tine Est day of April
and October of each year. make 10 fun
return OF am such property for which DEE
IS accountable, in such form ass may he
prescribed. and shall forward the Same to
the Adiuiant-Gcntral within iiIrtn nil7
Of such dates
A general matteuton 20 this law ON the
part OF officers of the Virginia volunteer,
has delayed and hampercd the work oi
this office during the year. especially DID
regard 10 q compliance with the last two
clauscsc of Section 3s2 of the Code
Section 2H of The Code fixes ihc perso-
nal resp0n sihnity of officers for ihe proper
care of state and Government property.
Sections sii. 3iS. 3i9 $780, a5l and 1872 relaie
10 the same subject and yet ihe iuil re-
alization of this responsibility seems in
many instances. to Dee totally lacking.
Officers accept the honor of commission
conferred Dog tlc Communicates
and the rceD0neIlNfv for property aiIch-
dant thereup0n. stiN. Boo case of loss or
damage Co such property DO ""NiN Nf
worse than useless for the AHlulanl-'en
oral and Aff0ruay-Ge General t0 take tne
steps contemplated in section $50 of the
code. Whaf is tho remedy. thcnt Under
the nrCeon. laN. fher is none For that
reason DO is recommended that law le
enacted. requiring of each company
troop. or battery officer who gives reccint
for state or Government property, "a Zoo -
I'm the sum Df $1,000 with two acceplt ''
bondsmen. of any battalion stan officer
"a bond OF $1,000 with three bondemon. of
any rccimfnfal staff officer bond oi
$1,000. With four 0r five houlsmen. such
borle. when satisfactory to The Military
BOARD of tho state. 90 Dee filed with some
designated STATE official at the CAPITOL
It is firmly believed that sucn la"
would result boz an immense saving 20 ihe
state and q better preservation OF her
property.
REMARKS.
During One past year. efforts have been
.,,5e 40 r-r,niv strictly with an require
rocnts ~ iho Jaw. in the administration OF
The affairs of The two Departments. tAe
clerical work requisite thereto I" "'".'-
darf. and NOR. than One person can 10
tho services Of "a competent cl'.h' N'
salary Of tH. arc absolutely necessary
without such ail the work ot The Once
must necessarily iar behind