The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-03-19
AS TO THE PAY
OF VOLUNTEERS.
Virginia Soldiers Affected by a De-
cision of the Comptroller.
GREENBRIER WHITE SULPHUR
VIII BE Managed This Season by
Washington Mcn-Some Iuters ST.
ing Facts About Courts-M Martial.
Travel Pay for the Fourth,

WASHINGTON, March 1S.-Special.-A
decision has been rendered by the Comp
troller of the Treasury which affects a
large number OF soldiers in Virginia ana
North Carolina as regards their pay The
Paymaster General OF the Army asked
three questions.
The nrst is whether enlisted men VINO
are transferred from volunteer regiments
TO the Hospital Corps of the regular
army, and who are now being discharged
are entitled to the extra pay provided Tor
by the act of March 3. 1899. granting pay
10 soldiers Of the regular army.
The Comptroller decides In the aihrma-
tive.
The Paymaster General asks then
whether a volunteer soldier VINO serF-
ed with his regiment in Cuba, was trans
ferred sick to a hospital in the United
States. has been discharged from the ser
vice Tor disabiiity-service honest ana
faithful-his regiment being still in the
service. is entitled TO the extra pay pro-
yided for by the act of March g. 1899.
A RECENT DECISION.
The Comptroller quotes q decision when
he made February 18th, based on the act
OF January Y. 1892 in which he held mat
the law only applied to volunteers VINO
were mustered out with their organiza-
ti0ns. or afterwards discharged if longer
held to service The act of March 3, 1899,
however. overcomes all obstacles and
the Comptroller decides that II grants
to enlisted men Of volunteer organizations
who have served honestly and faithfully
the extra pay provided In the act, or
muster out and discharge from the SER
vice whether before or after the passage
of the act Of January y. 1899, or the act
Of March 3, 1899. without regard 10 the
muster ont and discharge OF the organHa-
ton TO which they belonged He quail
nes this, however, with this statement;
Il DO not mean 10 say that soldiers OF
volunteer organizations discharged with
their organizations and who have receiv-
ed the one or two months furlOugh men,
toned I'm the act Of January u. 1899, 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 u, 1899, or the act OF
March g. 1899"
The last question OF the Paymaster
General was:
whether the act Of Marcn ,, 1899. IS
retroactive and applies TO volunteers who
were discharged prior to the act Of JAM
uary 70. 1899. whose regiments have been
mustered out since the passage Of the act
of January y. 1892"
DECISION DEFERRED.
The Comptroller says:
"The question whether said enlisted
mon who are discharged at their own re-
quest and for their own convenience are
entitled to extra pay is not decided
In other words. decision IS deferred.
WHAT THEY WOULD LOSE.
As has already been stated I'm this cor
respondence. # the Fourth Virginia should
be mustered out I'm Richmond the men
would lose what should be nice add
tion In their nav. The general idea, how
ever of the amount which Is involved Is
rather vague so few figures obtained
to-day at the Office 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 enc day S
pay Of privates 50 cents; OF corporals. CD
cents. Of sergeants. Y cents. and OF first
sergeants, 500.
The War Department allows enlisted
men who are mustered out al distance
Of over twenty miles from the place or
enlistment one days pay and commuta-
ton Of rations at the rate Of 30 cents
each for every twenty miles Of distance
to the place where the men were mus
tered in.
In other words these allowances are
made for every twenty miles between
the places Of muster out and the place or
muster in: Privates. So cents; c. rporals.
20 cents: sergeants. sl.C2; first sergeants'
$3.50 The place of muster out FOR the
Fourth Virginia will be either Savannah
or Augusta. Ga.
THE PAY.
Savannah IS about fifty miles further
than Augusta. It is about 5oc miles from
Richmond to Savannah via the Atlantic
Coast Line. Hence the psivates will re-
ceive about 5000: corporals about s22.N'
sergeants about $3.50. and first sergeants
about $3.50
Another matter of still greater i'm
portance has escaped general attention.
II the men are brought 10 Virginia they
will have TO go into camp Cor several
weeks. At present they are IN the tropics
and summer clothing suiiices II they
should be brought so far north the au-
thorities would be compelled 10 issue
winter clothing. including heavy winter
overcoats This would cost the men in
the neighborhood Of s4O or $50 each and
the greater portion of the clothing thus
purchased would be unservicea5le after
the men leave the service.
TRAVEL PAY.
In connection with the allowance OF
travel pay Major Johnson, assistant ad-