STATEMENT OF GENERAL BINGHAM AS TO QUARTERMASTER'S DEPART. MENT, SHOWING ITS PRESENT AND PAST RELATIVE STRENGTH WITH THAT OF THE ARMY. Memorandum in reference to the Quartermaster's Department. In 1860 the Quartermaster's Department was composed of the following officers: 1 brigadier-general, 2 colonels, 2 lieutenant-colonels, 4 majors, 28 captains, 7 military store-keepers-44 in all. The authorized strength of the Army in 1860 was 12,931, officers and enlisted men. The appropriations for the Quartermaster's Department for that year amounted to $5,607,309.20. By the act of July 28, 1866, the Quartermaster's Department was fixed for a peace establishment as follows: 1 brigadier-general, 6 colonels, 10 lieutenant-colonels, 12 majors, 30 captains, 16 military store-keepers75 in all. Promotion in the Department was stopped by section 6 of the act of March 3, 1869, and the number of officers now is as follows: 1 brigadiergeneral, 5 colonels, 9 lieutenant-colonels, 14 majors, 30 captains, 9 military store-keepers-68 in all. The authorized strength of the Army now is 32,554 officers and enlisted men. The appropriations for the Quartermaster's Department amount to $15,248,508.81 for this fiscal year. It thus appears that the strength of the Army is now more than two and one-half times greater than in 1860; that the appropriations for the Quartermaster's Department are nearly three times greater; while the Quartermaster's Department is only a little more than 50 per cent. in excess of its strength in 1860. By the act of July 15, 1870, (chapter 294,) the incompetent and inefficient officers of the line of the Army were mustered out of the service, and promotion was restored. No such process of weeding out was applied to the Quartermaster's Department, and there now remain in it a number of officers who are not competent to perform the duties of their grade. Their work necessarily falls on others. The number of officers in the Department is much less than would be employed by a private corporation in managing business of equal magnitude, covering the same extent of territory, and is believed to be not greater than the necessities of the service require; yet the efficiency of the Department would be increased if authority of law be given for the retirement or withdrawal from active service of those who are incapable of performing their duties and by restoring promotion to the Department. J. D. BINGHAM, WASHINGTON, D. C., February 11, 1874. Quartermaster U. S. A. STATEMENT OF QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL AS TO AMOUNT OF PAY FOR FUEL, FORAGE, AND QUARTERS. WAR DEPARTMENT, QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, D. C., February 16, 1874. SIR: In reply to your letter of inquiry of the 14th instant, I have the honor to inform you that it would be impossible to ascertain exactly the cost of the several items included in your questions, without going into all the voluminous reports, returns, and vouchers of the officers in charge of property at the various military stations, and also all those of the officers who purchase and ship supplies. I therefore furnish an estimate made up from the original notes for estimates of the Quartermaster's Department for the year 1873-74—the present fiscal yearwhich will be found to be approximately correct, and sufficient, without doubt, for the purpose of the inquiry. 1. Forage: Total quantity for officers' horses is estimated as equivalent to 7,655 tons of hay at $20.... 408,937 bushels of oats, at 70 cents.. Total forage... $153, 100 00 286, 255 90 439, 355 90 II. Fuel: The total quantity of fuel estimated for issue to officers is equivalent to 58,021 cords of wood; average cost, $7 per cord; total, $406,147. III. The rent of quarters for officers not living in barracks belonging to the United States, is estimated at $307,000. IV. The total cost to the Quartermaster's Department of advertising contracts and sales is estimated at an amount not to exceed $60,000. An accurate statement as to the cost of advertising can probably be obtained from the War Department, (Bureau of Advertising and Printing Accounts.) I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster-General, Brevet Major-General, U. S. A. Hon. JOHN COBURN, Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, House of Representatives. STATEMENT OF THE QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL, SHOWING THE SUMS PAID FOR QUARTERS OF OFFICERS IN WASHINGTON, &C. WAR DEPARTMENT, QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, D. C., January 20, 1874. SIR: In compliance with your request of the 17th instant, I have the honor to submit herewith a statement of the amount ($122,412.20) paid by the Quartermaster's Department for rent of quarters for officers of the Army, in this city, during the past two years, 1872 and 1873; showing the amount paid for quarters for each officer separately, and the monthly rate. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster-General, Breret Major General, U. S. A. Hon. JOHN COBURN, Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, House of Representatives. A statement of the amount paid by the Quartermaster's Department for rent of quarters for officers of the Army in Washington, District of Columbia, during the years 1872 ană 1873. Major F. T. Dent, (February to May 15, 1873) 72.00 1, 170 00 252 00 Colonel W. McK. Dunn, (January to June, 1872; November 7, 1872, to Decem ber 7, 1873). 90 00 Colonel J. C. McCoy. 1,692 00 Colonel R. B. Marcy, (January to April, 1872; June, 1872, to December, 1873). Major J. A. Winthrop, (January to August, 1872; November, 1872, to December, 1873).. 1,728 00 1,584 00 Major T. M. Vincent Major T. L. Casey. Major O. A. Mack Major E. G. Beckwith. 72 00 Major J. P. Martin 1,728 00 Major J. H. Eaton. Colonel W. D. Whipple, (March to December, 1873). Major W. D. Whipple, (Jannary, 1872, to February, 1873). 1,008 00 900 00 Major R. Saxton, January 1 to May 15, 1872) Major M. I. Ludington. Major J. G. Parke. Major F. H. Larned. Major Alexander, (January to April, 1872). Major F. J. Dodge, (January to April, 1872). Major J. Taylor, (March to July, 1872). Major A. J. Dallas, (August 8 to 28, 1872). Major F. U. Farquhar, (June 21 to July 31, 1872) 72.00 Colonel O. M. Poe, (May, 1873, to December, 1873) 96 00 Major T. F. Barr, (August to October, 1872) A statement of the amount paid by the Quartermaster's Department for rent for quarters for officers of the Army in Washington, D. C.-Continued. Lieutenant J. A. Sladen. Lieutenant Bradley. Captain C. J. Dickey, (February 5, 1872, to March, 1873). Captain E. D. Baker, (December 23 to 31, 1873). Lieutenant H. H. C. Dunwoody, (August 22, 1872, to December, 1873.. Lieutenant R D. Potts, (August to December, 1872) .. Lieutenant Dyer, (October 14 to December 31, 1873). Lieutenant A. W. Greely. Captain Brown. (March 15 to April 1, 1872; October 19, 1872, to August, 1873) 54 00 34.00 36.00 36 00 36 00 * 20 918 00 592 20 14.40 586 20 1-0.00 92 40 Lieutenant Adams, (January, 1872). Lieutenant Smith, (February to April, 1872; June, 1872, to June, 1873) Lieutenant C. W. Larned, (December 24 to 31, 1873) . Lieutenant W. H. Clapp, (January 25 to 31, 1872; February 15 to 21, 1872) Lieutenant T. C. Davenport, (December 24, 1872, to February 13, 1873) Acting Assistant Surgeon Stanton, (January, 1872, to December, 1873) WAR DEPARTMENT, QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR: In compliance with your request, I have the honor to submit the following statement of the annual expenditures of the Quartermaster's Department, for rent of buildings occupied as quarters by officers of the Army, and rent of buildings hired for purposes of storage, offices, stabling, &c., at the headquarters of the several military divisions and departments of the Army. Also, a similar statement of the rents paid in this city: The annual amount paid for rents at Washington for officers' quarters is $62,616 and for other buildings $48,160.08, making a total of $110,776.08. In reference to the expenditure by the Quartermaster's Department on account of the Signal Corps of the Army, it is estimated at $123,325 per annum. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN COBURN, J. D. BINGHAM, Acting Quartermaster-General, Brevet Brigadier-General, U. S. A. Chairman Committee on Military Affairs, House of Representatives. |