Comparative statement of estimates and appropriations, 1912-13, Navy Department-Continued. Chief clerk (additional to present salary of $2,000). Financial clerk, at $2,000 (in lieu of one clerk at $1,800 omitted) $57,800.00 $60,840.00 One clerk, at $1,600 (in lieu of one clerk at $1,200 omitted) 400.00 Three clerks, at $1,300 each (in lieu of three clerks at $1,000 each omitted). 900.00 Four clerks, at $1,200 each (in lieu of four clerks at $1,000 each omitted). 800.00 Messenger, at $840 (in lieu of assistant messenger at $720 omitted). 120.00 Three messenger boys, at $720 each (in lieu of three messenger boys at $600 omitted) Two messenger boys, at $480 each (in lieu of two messenger boys at $600 each omitted). 360.00 $240.00 Two clerks class 3 (1 new and 1 in lieu of clerk, at $1,000). Six clerks class 2 (2 new and 4 in lieu of 4 clerks, at $1,000 each). 2,400.00 2,400.00 2,000.00 2,600.00 2,200.00 Laborer (in lieu of laborer, at $600). Two messenger boys, at $600 each (1 new and 1 in lieu of messenger boy, at $400). Total.. Eight clerks, at $1,100 each (5 new, 2 in lieu of 2 clerks, at $1,000 each, and 1 in lieu of copyist, at $840).. 2,000.00 1,800.00 1,600.00 2,800.00 110,040. 00 130, 460.00 20, 420.00 16,700.00 Increase (+) and decrease (-), estimates 1913 as compared with appropriations 1912. Increase (+) and decrease (-), estimates 1913 as compared with final estimates 1912. Comparative statement of estimates and appropriations, 1912-13, Navy Department-Continued. Relief and private bills. Sundry civil bill (special estimate for printing new Navy Regulations) Total for Navy Department (exclusive of new building program)| New building program (cost of first year's work).. Grand total. $867,670.00 113, 206, 231.24 2,027,829.00 $867,670.00 116,408, 281.30 $836,740.00 110,322, 581. 24 2,027,829.00 8,088.75 $942, 240.00 113, 275, 143. 46 2,027,829.00 REPORT OF THE SOLICITOR. NAVY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR, SIR: Conformably to the instructions contained in the department's letter of the 19th of June last, the following report is submitted concerning the operations of this office for the last fiscal year. The death of the solicitor, Mr. Johnson, who was killed by lightning on the 16th of July last, was a great blow and his loss has been severely felt. With the force of the office thus reduced, it has not been possible, despite zealous and unremitting attention and industry, to dispatch the business with satisfactory promptness. As the more important matters are attended to first, however, the backwardness of the work is not regarded as serious, and in all probability it will not increase materially in the near future. The varied business of the office requires a wide range of qualifications for its handling, but the efficiency of the personnel is up to its usual standard and each member performs his duties commendably. When the number of employees, nine all told, is considered, together with the time that is required for the research and careful attention that must be devoted to the greater part of the business handled, the results accomplished are regarded as highly creditable. In a year a great number of contracts is handled, including the interpretation thereof in cases of misunderstanding between the contractors and the department, as well as the drafting, and the disbursements of public money governed thereby and the amounts involved in the numerous claims and disputes considered run high into the millions. A tabular statement of the kind customary in annual reports could be made to show the facts and figures interestingly, no doubt, but such a table would, it is believed, be of no practical value here and none is supplied. PARTIAL PAYMENTS UNDER CONTRACTS. Under the contracts for the construction of naval vessels and for certain other purposes it had long been the custom to make partial payments from time to time during the progress of the work. This practice was supposed to be entirely legal, but owing to a decision, dated October 4, 1910, by the Comptroller of the Treasury concerning a contract made by the War Department for powder, that partial payments under that contract before delivery of the material covered by such payments were in violation of the law (sec. 3648, R. S.) relating to the disbursement of public moneys, the practice of this |