REPORT OF THE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF SUBSISTENCE. WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF SUBSISTENCE, Washington, D. C., October 9, 1875. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the Subsistence Department for the past year. The amounts appropriated for subsistence of the Army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875, were as follows: By the Army-appropriation act of June 16, 1874.. Total...... $2,409, 000 00 150,000 00 2,559, 000 00 At the close of business on the 30th of June the following amounts were on hand: In the hands of officers... Total...... $69,044 34 73 55 69, 117 89 The balance remaining on hand at the end of the fiscal year will be little more than sufficient to pay off the indebtedness outstanding at that date. The subsistence supplies for the Army have been generally purchased by the officers of the Subsistence Department, under the orders of the Commissary-General of Subsistence, he acting under the direction of the Secretary of War. Supplies are purchased as near the point of consumption as a due regard to economy will allow; the first cost of the stores, the cost of transportation, wastage and deterioration while in transit, and the quality, all being elements considered in estimating the cost of stores at points of consumption. The main purchasing depots are at New York, Baltimore, New Orleans, Boston, Louisville, Saint Louis, Chicago, Fort Leavenworth, Saint Paul, Omaha, San Francisco, and Portland, Oreg. Supplies are also purchased by or under the supervision of the chief commissaries of the Departments of Texas, of Arizona, the district of New Mexico, and by the depot commissary at Sioux City. In Texas it has been found that but few stores (beef excepted) could be purchased economically. Portions of the flour, corn-meal, beans, vinegar, and salt required have been purchased there. It is believed that most of the pork, bacon, flour, and beans required for consumption by the troops in the Department of Arizona, during the ensuing year, can be purchased from the products of that Territory or its vicinity. Portions of those articles were so procured last year, and the chief commissary of the department has been instructed to adver tise for proposals for the entire quantities thereof required for the present year, pork and bacon for Camp Apache excepted. The greater part of the flour and portions of the beans, corn-meal, and salt required in New Mexico are purchased there under contracts made by the chief commissary of the district. Within the fiscal year 165 advertisements for proposals for fresh beef and other supplies were reported to this Office, and 217 contracts for fresh meats, 146 contracts for miscellaneous articles, 38 contracts for complete rations for recruiting-parties and recruits, and 318 contracts, consisting of written proposals and acceptances, were received and filed as required by law. The following statement, prepared from official reports received at this Office from the principal purchasing depots, and from contracts for furnishing supplies to posts in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, shows the average prices of the components of the Army ration (fresh beef excepted) for the last two fiscal years: State or Territory. The average prices of fresh beef, as per contracts in force in the last fiscal year, were as follows in the several States and Territories: Under the authority and requirements of section 6 of the act approved March 3, 1865, (sections 1149 and 1301, Revised Statutes,) the Subsistence Department, within the fiscal year, furnished tobacco, at cost prices, to enlisted men of the Army to the value of $121,984.80, making the monthly average $10,165.40. During the fiscal year there were received from 445 officers who performed duty in the Subsi stence Department— Price per pound. Within the same period there were examined in this Office, and forwarded to the Third Auditor of the Treasury for final settlement Under the act of June 23, 1870, as extended by the act of June 7, 1872, and further extended for one year by the act of June 18, 1874, credits were recommended in the cases of 19 officers in the sum of $12,934.82; making the total number of officers relieved under the acts mentioned 808, in the total amount of $237,452.65. Under the third section of the act of July, 1864, and the acts supplementary thereto, 431 claims for subsistence supplies alleged to have been furnished to the Army by loyal citizens in States not in rebellion, and receipted for by the proper officer receiving the same, or to have been taken by such officers without giving such receipts, were filed in this Office for examination; 32 such claims, amounting to $4,828.48, were examined, and recommended to the Third Auditor of the Treasury for payment; 210, amounting to $151,051.55, were rejected; 70 rejected claims were re-examined upon new evidence. Under the joint resolution of Congress of July 25, 1866, and section 3 of the act of March 3, 1873, 175 certificates for commutation of rations to Union soldiers while prisoners of war were received at this Office and paid to the claimants or their legal heirs. These payments amounted to $5,143.50. In addition to claims under the above-mentioned special acts of Congress, 243 ordinary claims, amounting to $77,202.84, have been received and examined; of which 179, amounting to $9,222.84, have been recommended for payment; 38, amounting to $4,171.83, have been rejected; and 26, amounting to $66,808.73, have been partially examined. rejected claims of this class, 70, amounting to $7,239.31, have been reexamined upon additional evidence, and recommended for payment; and 14, amounting to $4,012.45, have been again rejected. If the examination of war claims is to be continued under the act of July 4, 1864, and the acts supplementary thereto, I earnestly recommend that three temporary clerks (one of class 4, one of class 3, and one of class 2) be added to the force of this Office, the force at present authorized being inadequate to the proper performance of the work of the Bureau. The depot and purchasing commissaries at New Orleans, Louisville, Fort Leavenworth, Omaha, Saint Paul, San Francisco, and Portland, Oreg., in addition to the purchasing and depot duties, perform the duties of chief commissary of the departments in which those depots are situated. The duties of chief commissaries of divisions and departments, which consist in procuring supplies, revising requisitions and estimates, and in generally supervising affairs of the Subsistence Department, under the orders of the Commissary-General of Subsistence and their respective division and department commanders, are impor tant, and upon their proper performance depends, to a great extent, the successful and economical working of the Department. A commissary of subsistence, or an officer acting as such, is on duy |