Evening star., 1898-08-02
DUTIES OFF THE STAFF.
What the Ten Departments DO for the
Army.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
The appointment of civilians to staff Of
fees has caused much inquiry as TO the
functions of these departments, which
shows that civilians have only an imperfect
idea of the duties of the men who have
gone from their desks. their stores, law
offices and counting rooms to the front, and
who have exchanged the convent onal garb
for the blue of Uncle Sam.
There are ten staff departments. The
heads of these are known as adjutant gen
erai, inspector general, quarterraaster gen
eral, judge advocate general, SUI ,eon gen.
eral commissary general, paym ster gen.
eTal, chief of ordnance, chief o. engineer
corps and chief of signal corps. These
heacs all have the rank of brigadier gen.
eral, and each department has deputies and
assistants with ranks ranging from colonel
TO second lieutenant. There are in all 4e1
officers in the staff departments of the
United States army. of whom the largest
number. 16S, are captains and the smallest
number, TO- brigsdier generals.
The pay of the staff officers for a year
amounts in the aggregate to S1,4S7,000, di-
Fided follows:
10 brigadiers $40. 600: 80 coIoneIs. s135 900;
81 lieutenant colOnels $20S. 900; 1876 majors
S4d6.OOp: 16S captains, $423.3 1850: ST first lieu
tenants, $l1O,lvo; 10 second lieutenants, S19,-
= L.
As 10 the functions of these Offices the
adjutant general and his assistants take
the places of secretaries to the commanders
under whom they may serve.
The inspector general is the bureau of in
formation. The condition of the troops and
everything pertaining to their food cloth
ing and arms are investigated by his de-
partmeut for the benefit of the commander
in-Chief
The judge advocate is the soldier lawyer
Military criminals prosecuted by him.
and he is the one who decides all legal
questions.
The commissary department buys all the
food for the army and works with the
quartermaster's department, through which
the army receives its clothing and shelter
The qudrtermaster department also takes
care Of the troops in transit provides for
all transportation, furnishes rses, sup
plies and quarters. and men who become
ernclent in this department must have much
business capacity.
The names of the medical and pay de-
partments explain the functions of each.
The engineers department is one of the
most important in the service. 1t has
charge OF all building and construction op-
erations
The ordnance department furnishes the
army with all its fighting material ALI
ammunition, cannon ard firearms are pass
ed upon and selected by this department
The Signal Corps has charge of all army
telegraphS and telephones, and members of
the corps are attached to every body of
troops for signal or communication pur-
poses.
Many of the men who have been named
to staff positions in the cOmmissary and
quarteFTnsster's departments will doubtless
prove efficient officers, although they have
had no military training. The chief req
uisites in those departments are business
capacity and such general knowledge as
would commend man to large business
concern In the medical and law depart
ments also military training is not essen
tal. and the paymaster is just as welcome
N camp If he is appointed to the place from
bank as though he comes by way of
Vest Point