Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-19
PAYMENT OF TROOPS,
Two Important Questions There
on Decided
MATTER OF MASTERING OUT
How The Fourth Will Make Money by
Disbaudins al Savannah.
SOME ODD ARMY REGt LiTfONs.
why Courts Martial DO .Ot rs Rule
Sit After . o'clock I'm the After
noOn-Other Notes-Ncw Manage
mcnt of White sulphur Springs.
SOME ODD ARMY REGULATIONS.

| WASHINGTON. u. c., March lS.-(Spe-
cial)-Two important questions concern
ing the payment Of troops have been con-
sidered by the Comptroller Of the Trea-
sury. and his decision. In reply to COM
munication from the Paymaster-General'
has just been made public.
| The Pavmaster-General asked %
whether enlisted men who are transferred
| from volunteer regiments TO the Hospital
| Corps Of the regular army, and who are
now being discharged are entitled 10 the
extra pay provided for by the act Of
March 3. 1899. granting pay to soldiers
| Of the regular army.
The Comptroller decides In the afiirma-
tive
The Paymaster- General asks then:
whether a volunteer soldier who served
with his regiment in Cuba, was trans
ferred sick to a hospital in the United
| States and has been discharged from the
service for disabiity-service honest and
faithful-his regiment being still in the
| service, is entitled % the extra pay pro-
vided for by the act Of March 3, lS99.'
The Comptroller quotes a decision
which he made February 2sth, based on
the act Of January p. 1899, in which he
held that the law only applied TO volun-
teers who were mustered out with their
organizations. or afterwards discharged,
if longer held TO service. The act Of
March 3. 1899. however, Overcomes all OBJ
stacles. and the Comptroller decides That
il grants to enlisted men of volunteer
organizations, who have served honestly
and faithfully, the extra pay provided in
the act, on muster out and discharge
from the service. whether before or after
the passage Of the act of January Z, 1892
or the act Of March g. 1899, without re-
gard to the muster out and discharge OF
the organization TO which they belonged"
A QUALIFICATION.
He qualities this, however, with the
| statement:
Il do not mean 20 say that soldiers OF
| volunteer ORGANIZATIONS, discharged with
| their organizations, and who have re-
ceived the one or two months iurlOugn
mentioned in the act of January J., 1879
in lieu Of which the extra pay is granted
| are now entitled TO any additional pay,
! as | do not think they are. either under
| the act Of January y, 1899, or the act oil
! March 3, 1897
The last question OF the Paymaster-
! General was
whether the act Of March 3. 1899. Is re-
troactive, and applies 10 volunteers VINO
| were discharged prior To the act OF Jahu-
| arv Y 1899 whose regiments nave Deeh
mustered out since the passage of the act
| of January y, 1899"
The COMPTROLLER says: THE question
whether said enlisted men, who are dls-
charged at their own request, ana Tor
their own convenience, are enulled 10
! extra pay is not decided
In other words. decision Is deferred.
MUSTER OUT PAY.
II has already been stated that If the
Fourth Virginia Regiment should be mus
tered out in Richmond the men would
lose a nice addition TO their nnal pay.
The general knowledge, however, or what
this nav would be is rather vague 50 a
few dalres obtained to-day at the once
/ of the paymaster general OF the army
will not be without interest.
Under a law passed last spring the pay
of enlisted men was increased - per
centum during The continuance OF the
war with Spain. This makes one Gay
nav of privates y cents, OF corporais w
rsnts Of sergeants y cents. and of first
serpeants 81. The War Department al
lows enlisted men who are mustered OUT
AZ q distance over twenty-five miles from
me Mace of enlistment one days pay
and communication Of rations at the raie
of 70 cents each for every twenty mics
Of distance to the place where the men
were mustered in. In other words, THESE
allowances are made for every twenty
miles between the place Of muster OUT
and the place of muster IN: fl1Nales' o
cents: corpOrals. 90 cents; serSeants' $l'o-'
first sergeants. $50. The place OF muster
sitafg xsffn ~ tlf
| savannah or Augusta, Ga. savannah Is
INT 6ftv miles farther than Augusta.
II i about 500 miles from Richmond 10
| savannah via the Atlantic-Coast Line
| ca tbat the privates would receive about
| coo IN corporals about S225O, sergeants
about $3.50, and first sergeants about
$3.50. ,..
Another item Of still greater import
ance has escaped general attention. ii
The men were brought TO Virginia they
would have To go into camp for several
weeks. At present they are IN tne
| trop.cs. and summer clothing suiilces' ~
they should be brought very FAR north
Tho authorities would be compelled To
issue winter clothing, including over
| coats. This would cost the men III the
ueichborhood Of so or $50 each. ana "
great deal Of the clothing would pe
yaueless TO them after muster out
RELICS OF BY-GONE DAYS.
In connection with the aho""n.e
travel pay. Major Johnson, assis'un' ="
iutant-General. said to-day that me n,o
thod of computing IT dated BACK ~ AN, az.
first DAYS of our army in thoSe u"S
travel was not SO easy as at press't.
and frequently the men walked 10 '',en
homes. Twenty miles was considered "a
n io, tourney hence one days pay was
eiyen for every twenty miles travelled,
ga 90 This was added Communication oi
| ra;ions for one day -. ,ow
| rh,s recaues another ancient Ia"
,,.hinh has remained in force In our army
y ia the law requiring that courts mar
,,.i shall only set between the houts III
NJ and ) +. NJ. Several verdicts OF
Yace,t court s-martial have been disap-
',ro,,ed by the reviewing authority DE-
49, the courts sat after 3 o'clock.
po,rsr 20 do so can only be given by the
p.asident the Secretary OF war, or the
.,,,anding general. and b. them only
40 ,hev deem the matter at issue OF
s',ch vital importance that quicker triai
.,an usual shall be held.
This law was copied from an old Eng
,ah military law. enacted at a time when
| - tho army were VIGOROUSLY