The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-12
ITS PART WELL
Excellent Work of the Navy Pay
Department.
NO DELAY IN SUPPLIES
Everythiug Secured was of the Best
Quality and Wa Bought at Bot
tom Pricss-Promptness
and Economy.

washington. Nov. 11.-In an unosten-
tatious way. the pay department Of the
navy played a most important part in
the war. as appears from the annual
report Of Paymaster General Edwin
Stewart. Aside from the mere dis
bursements of funds In wages and SAL
aries, the pay department is charged
with the procurement of all supplies
for the a The paymaster general
says hat the outbreak OF hostilities
found the supply Of the navy depart
ment organized under a system that,
for more than eight years. had been
in process Of thoughtful development.
Later the strain OF the war was met
easily. During the period of active
operations, 1893 vessels were furnished
and kept supplied with all necessary
stores. A base OF supplies was estab-
lished at Key West early in March,
and stores for 500 men for three months
were kept at hand. Supplies for 1000
men at Mare Island. for 1000 at Nor
folk and for 1900 at New York were
also accumulated. Before the out
break of wal early I'm April. Admiral
Dewey was directed to buy the collier
Nanshan and supply ship Zeafiro, the
latter loaded with provisions, so that
when the war broke out the As'atic
squadron was In possession of fve
months supplies. Early in May the
Pekin was dispatched from San Fran
cisco with three months additional sup
plies. A week after her purchase. on
May Z. the refrigerating steamer Sup
ply sailed for Cuba, loaded with fresh
meat. fruit. ice and other supplies.
The Celtic and Glacier were also pur-
ahngaA and CnapnilN smiled IN GnnnlV
the fleet with fresh meat and vege-
tables. Dewey's fleet was not forgotten
for a refrigeratino steamer was started
in June to Join him with n million and
a quarter pounds of fresh food.
In the matter of supplying clothing,
too, the bureau DID some excellent
work. being obliged to supply over a
million garments to meet the needs OF
the naval militia and the revenue n
lighthouse services which had been
transferred to the navy. Notwith-
standing the haste. the supplies Sc
cured were the best of their kind. while
the prices paid were. in most cases. no
higher. and in many cases lower tina
before the commencement OF hostil-
tiles.
During the past fiscal year the total
expenditures fer additions to the navy
were S22. 1S2 1926. of which amount
81. O41. 052 was paid or account Of con-
struction OF now ships. Repairs for
ships cost 80. 923 s93. and the mainten-
ance OF ships in commission, including
r%ations. cost s11 .633 1913.
The paymaster general makes quite
an argument 10 demonstrate IA the
promptness and economy with which
supplies were secured in the rush Incl
dent 10 the war were largely due 10 the
naval supply fund. which enabled the
bureau to carry a large line of articles
i'm stock.
or the navy yards. he said that all the
available space in the principal yards
Is now overcrowded. and that unless
additional s~torehouses are provided,
the supply department will be greatly
hammered. To meet immediate re-
uuirements he recommends that the
pay corps he increased at once by ~
passed assistant ~paymasters y Is as
sistants. while with this II win be nee
essary in the future to add 40 to the
corps.