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Public bills, as stated above, other than labor, amount to...

89, 653. 70

$3, 193. 75
20, 237.53

23, 431. 28

66, 222.42

705, 686. 81

Memorandum in re analysis of figures appearing under the estimate for coal and trans

portation.

In obtaining the figures under the estimate for coal and transportation, 1912, it is necessary to consider all the allotments to the various bureaus, Statement A, Table 1, folder 1, items 47 to 50, inclusive, of the Annual Report of the Paymaster General of the Navy.

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Analysis of figures appearing under the estimate for provisions, Navy.

Records of the department show that the amount paid for classified employees amounts to $442,702.19.

This deducted from the figures in column 9, Statement A, Table 1, folder 5, viz....

Gives the amount of unclassified labor, viz.....

$1, 128, 771. 30

442, 702. 19

686, 069. 11

The miscellaneous figure is obtained by the addition of the following

figures:

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The difference of $40 from the figures shown is due to a typographical error and is offset by the same error in miscellaneous.

Analysis of figures appearing under the estimate for freight, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts.

The figure for labor is shown in column 9, Statement A, Table 1, folder 5..
The figure for public bills, column 8....

$6, 859. 24 223, 238.72

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The CHAIRMAN. Admiral, is there anything further which you desire to bring to the attention of the committee?

Admiral CowIE. I want to suggest to the committee the advisability of consolidating the appropriations. This is a matter that has been talked of for some time and I believe the more we consolidate appropriations the more it is going to simplify matters.

The CHAIRMAN. In a report it is suggested that there are two methods of consolidation. Will you please explain fully each method and how it would operate under each method? I believe it was stated in the report that there was one method that we are not prepared yet to take up?

Admiral CowIE. Yes, sir. The second method is the consolidation of all main or working appropriations for the Navy under one general appropriation, or as near one general appropriation as possible, and placing that under the Secretary's office for the purpose of making allotments to the different bureaus from time to time as necessity requires.

The CHAIRMAN. You mean the whole appropriation bill could just be put into one lump sum?

Admiral CowIE. One lump-sum appropriation for all the main or working appropriations.; the estimates, however, to be made in the usual way by the bureaus, and after the appropriation has been

made the allotments to be made by the Secretary to the several bureaus at such times and in such amounts as he deems necessary. The CHAIRMAN. If I understand you, Admiral, your suggestion that we appropriate for the maintenance of the Naval Establishment $105,000,000, if that were the amount, to the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary would just take that amount and distribute it?

Admiral CowIE. Yes, sir; I do not think that it would be advisable to make one lump-sum appropriation, but to make it in as few appropriations as possible. Some of the items could not be very well mixed up with the general appropriation. The first plan was to take the appropriations under the different bureaus and have those appropriations consolidated so that it would make a much less number. This scheme was submitted to and agreed to by the several bureaus.

The CHAIRMAN. As a concrete illustration, could you put in your hearings say, for instance, this year's estimates submitted for your bureau in the form in which you would have that done?

us.

Admiral CoWIE. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Then we would have a concrete proposition before In other words, if you were writing the naval appropriation bill for your bureau, can you give us the language in which you would express it?

Admiral CoWIE. I have that here now in two or three different forms, and I will insert that in the hearings; one is in case of the abolition of the Bureau of Equipment.

In the suggested revision of appropriations coming under the cognizance of the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts the following changes have been made in the appropriations for which estimates have been submitted:

(a) 1. All labor that is now appropriated for under "Provisions, Navy," viz, chemists, clerical inspection and messenger force, other labor in storehouses and paymasters' offices in navy yards and stations, and expenses in handling stores purchased and manufactured under "General account of advances," has been transferred to the appropriation "Maintenance, supplies and accounts." This leaves "Provisions, Navy," for the purposes implied by its name-that is, for the feeding of the men of the Navy either by the issue of rations in kind or for the commuted value of a ration.

2. It is believed that the above change will result in the more accurate accounting of provisions and certainly will simplify such accounting. At the present time a great deal of confusion exists by having the labor appropriated for under one appropriation and the material under another. This in itself is sufficient reason for such a transfer and clearly demonstrates that it is not along good business lines to have two separate appropriations.

(b) 1. The name of the appropriation now known as "Contingent, supplies and accounts" has been changed to "Maintenance, supplies and accounts.'

2. The name "contingent" is a misnomer, contingent" signifying "liable to occur, but not determinable"-"not predictable," whereas all the expenses are regular expenses which are incurred year after year. Prior to the Spanish War this appropriation was comparatively small, only about $50,000. As the Navy has grown, more large ships placed in commission, more stores handled by the storehouses, business methods and labor-saving devices introduced at the navy yards, it has been found necessary to obtain more money under this appropriation and to consider it as a main or working appropriation for the bureau. The word "maintenance," therefore, more aptly fits this appropriation.

3. By transferring the labor and other expenses to this appropriation it becomes just such an appropriation, a maintenance or upkeep appropriation for the bureau. 4. No increase in funds is asked for in excess of the estimates, simply a readjustment of the wording which will simplify accounting and avoid criticism such as was made in an editorial in the Marine Review of December, 1910.

It will be noted that the words "accounting office" are inserted in the third line; this is simply done to cover the expenses, which at present are practically nil, so that no question may be raised as these offices are developed as to expenditure under this heading.

Suggested revision of appropriations under the cognizance of the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts.

BUREAU OF SUPPLIES AND ACCOUNTS.

Provisions, Navy: For provisions and commuted rations for the seamen and marines, which commuted rations may be paid to caterers of messes, in case of death or deser tion, upon orders of the commanding officers, commuted rations for officers on sea duty (other than commissioned officers of the line, Medical and Pay Corps, chaplains, chief boatswains, chief gunners, chief carpenters, chief machinists, and chief sailmakers) and midshipmen, and commuted rations stopped on account of sick in hospital and credited to the naval hospital fund; subsistence of officers and men unavoidably detained or absent from vessels to which attached under orders (during which subsistence rations to be stopped on board ship and no credit for commutation therefor to be given); and for subsistence of female nurses, and Navy and Marine Corps general courts-martial prisoners undergoing imprisonment with sentences of dishonorable discharge from the service at the expiration of such confinement: Provided, That the Secretary of the Navy is authorized to commute rations for such general courts-martial prisoners in such amounts as seem to him proper, which may vary in accordance with the location of the naval prison, but which shall in no case exceed thirty cents per diem for each ration so commuted; and for the purchase of United States Army emergency rations as required; in all, seven million five hundred and ninety-three thousand four hundred and forty-one dollars and seventy-five cents, to be available till the close of the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and fifteen.

Maintenance, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts: For fuel, books and blanks, stationery, interior fittings for general storehouses, pay offices and accounting offices in navy yards; coffee mills and repairs thereto; expenses of naval clothing factory and machinery for same; modernizing laboratory equipment and bringing same up to date; tolls, ferriages, yeoman's stores, safes, newspapers, and other incidental expenses; labor in general storehouses, paymasters' offices, and accounting offices in navy yards and naval stations, including naval stations maintained in island possessions under the control of the United States, and expenses in handling stores purchased and manufactured under general account of advances; Provided, That the sum to be paid out of this appropriation, under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy, for chemists and for clerical, inspection, and messenger service in the general storehouses, and paymasters' offices of the navy yards and naval stations for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and fourteen, shall not exceed five hundred and twenty thousand dollars; in all, one million four hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars.

Freight, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts: All freight and express charges pertaining to the Navy Department and its bureaus, except the transportation of coal for the Bureau of Equipment, four hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

In the event of the abolishment of the Bureau of Equipment.

BUREAU OF SUPPLIES AND ACCOUNTS.

Provisions, Navy: For provisions and commuted rations for the seamen and marines, which commuted rations may be paid to caterers of messes in case of death or desertion, upon orders of the commanding officers, commuted rations for officers on sea duty (other than commissioned officers of the line, Medical and Pay Corps, chaplains, chief boatswains, chief gunners, chief carpenters, chief machinists, and chief sailmakers) and midshipmen, and commuted rations stopped on account of sick in hospital and credited to the naval hospital fund; subsistence of officers and men unavoidably detained or absent from vessels to which attached under orders (during which subsistence rations to be stopped on board ship and no credit for commutation therefor to be given); and for subsistence of female nurses, and Navy and Marine Corps general courts-martial prisoners undergoing imprisonment with sentences of dishonorable discharge from the service at the expiration of such confinement: Provided, That the Secretary of the Navy is authorized to commute rations for such general courts-martial prisoners in such amounts as seem to him proper, which may vary in accordance with the location of the naval prison, but which shall in no case exceed thirty cents per diem for each ration so commuted; and for the purchase of United States Army emergency rations as required; in all, seven million five hundred and ninety-three thousand four hundred and forty-one dollars and seventy-five cents, to be available till the close of the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and fifteen.

85873-13-3

Maintenance, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts: For fuel; the removal and transportation of ashes from ships of war; books, blanks, and stationery, including stationery for commanding and navigating officers of ships, chaplains on shore and afloat, and for the use of courts-martial on board ship; purchase, repair, and exchange of typewriters for ships; packing boxes and materials; interior fittings for general storehouses, pay offices, and accounting offices in navy yards; coffee mills and repairs thereto; expenses of naval clothing factory and machinery for same; modernizing laboratory equipment and bringing the same up to date; tolls, ferriages, yoemen's stores, safes, newspapers, and other incidental expenses; purchase of articles of equipage at home and abroad under the cognizance of the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, and for the payment of labor in equipping vessels therewith, and the manufacture of such articles in the several navy yards; musical instruments and music; mess outfits; soap on board naval vessels; and athletic outfits; labor in general storehouses, paymasters' offices, and accounting offices in navy yards and naval stations, including naval stations maintained in island possessions under the control of the United States, and expenses in handling stores purchased and manufactured under general account of advances: Provided, That the sum to be paid out of this appropriation, under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy, for chemists and for clerical, inspection, and messenger service in the general storehouses and paymasters' offices of the navy yards and naval stations for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and fourteen, shall not exceed five hundred and twenty thousand dollars; in all, one million eight hundred and two thousand four hundred dollars.

Freight, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts: All freight and express charges pertaining to the Navy Department and its bureaus, except the transportation of coal for vessels of the Navy, four hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

Coal and transportation: Coal and other fuel for steamers' and ships' use, including expenses of transportation, storage, and handling the same; water for all purposes on board naval vessels, and ice for the cooling of water, including the expenses of transportation and storage of same. Seventy-five thousand dollars of said sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, may be used for the survey and investigation by experimental tests of coal in Alaska for use on board ships of the United States Navy and for report upon coal and coal fields available for the production of coal for the use of ships of the United States Navy or any vessel of the United States; four million three hundred and seventy thousand dollars.

The CHAIRMAN. Your idea would be that we make to your bureau just one general lump-sum appropriation, and the Secretary would distribute it in your bureau, so much for coal, so much for transportation, so much for freight, etc.?

Admiral CowIE. If that appropriation was made for my bureau, the Secretary would not distribute it; it would only be where the items were brought under one general appropriation that he would distribute or make the allotments to the several bureaus. If the consolidation is to be made under the separate bureaus, the bureaus would handle those amounts as at present.

The CHAIRMAN. We are appropriating for your bureau altogether for the different divisions an aggregate sum of so much.

Admiral CowIE. My original idea was to take the aggregate amount and make an appropriation for provisions, equipment, and contingent, supplies and accounts, instead of having all the different heads. Coal, I thought, should have to be under a separate appropriation.

The CHAIRMAN. Take the three you suggest, we would appropriate an aggregate amount, and then you would apportion to the three separate items embraced such amounts as you saw fit during the year?

Admiral CowIE. Yes, sir; in accordance with the estimates. The only objection I can possibly see to that would be the question of contingent. The appropriation for "Contingent, Supplies and Accounts," is not contingent at all. It is made up of regular appropriations. Formerly the amount was $50,000, or less than that, and it

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