employés of their respective departments, asking for information, to inclose official stamps for return-postage. In reply to the first inquiry, I have respectfully to report that the official postage stamps furnished for use of the Quartermaster-General's Office are used exclusively for payment of postage on mail-matter sent from the Office, and such stamps are not furnished to any officers or employés of the Department outside of it. By authority of the Secretary of War Mr. H. H. Parmenter, a clerk in this Office, was designated to take charge of and account to the Quartermaster-General for the official postage-stamps and stamped envelopes furnished the Quartermaster-General's Office, and the following is a list of clerks in this Office who are supplied with official stamped envelopes for official use: A. W. Lattimore, H. Borbeck, G. E. Davis, R. J. Woodburn, Charles King, J. J. Washburn, Charles Ebert, F. B. Holden. In reply to the last inquiry contained in the resolution, I would respectfully state that this Office has not inclosed stamps for return-postage to any persons of whom information has been solicited, the law not being understood by this Office to authorize such use of official postagestamps. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR. J. D. BINGHAM, Brevet Brigadier-General, U. S. A. OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF SUBSISTENCE, Washington City, January 7, 1874. SIR: In compliance with the requirements of Senate resolution of the 5th instant, referred by you to this Office for report, I have the honor to state that but one person (Mr. Charles T. Eldridge, clerk of class 2, in this Bureau) is furnished with official postage-stamps required for the use of this Office, and it is not customary when letters are written to persons not officers or employés, asking for information, to inclose official stamps for return-postage.* Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR. A. B. EATON, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., January 7, 1874. SIR Referring to the Senate resolution of the 5th instant, I have the honor to state that official postage-stamps are not furnished to any of ficers or employés connected with this Bureau for the payment of postage on official correspondence; they are used only for the prepayment of postage on letters and packages sent from this office, upon all of *Was never done in a single instance. which the necessary stamps are affixed by the clerk in whose charge they have been placed. Since July 1, 1873, three hundred and seventyfive (375) official stamped envelopes have been furnished to Assistant Surgeons J. J. Woodward, J. S. Billings, and George A. Otis, for their use in official correspondence. In not a single instance have official postage stamps or stamped envelopes been inclosed in letters to any person for return postage. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR. J. K. BARNES, Surgeon-General. WAR DEPARTMENT, BUREAU MEDICAL STATISTICS, Washington, D. C., January 9, 1874. SIR: In compliance with the requirements of a resolution of the United States Senate, of January 5, 1874, I have the honor to report that there is but one officer in or connected with this Bureau who is furnished with official postage-stamps for the payment of postage on official correspondence. It has not been the custom of this Office to inclose official stamps for return postage, in letters to persons not connected with the Department asking for information. I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. H. BAXTER, Chief Medical Purveyor, U. S. A. The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR. PAYMASTER-GENERAL'S OFFICE, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 7, 1874. SIR: In reply to the resolution of the Senate of the 5th instant, referred to this Office for report, I have the honor to state that the official postage-stamps furnished this Office are kept in charge of the postage. clerk, M. W. Bartlett, by whom they are affixed to official communica tions and papers. Stamps for return postage have never been inclosed in letters from this Office. Letters of the nature indicated in the resolution of the Senate seldom, if ever, became necessary. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR. BENJ. ALVORD, Paymaster-General, U. S. A. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, SIR: In reply to your reference of the resolution of the Senate of the 5th January, calling for information respecting official postage-stamps, I have the honor to report as follows: All postage-stamps and stamped envelopes received at this Office are placed in the custody of a clerk, Mr. P. J. Dempsey, designated for the purpose, who has the charge of stamping and mailing letters and docu ments. In November, a supply of stamps for the month of December was sent to officers in charge of works, based upon their estimates, to prepay postage on official communications to the Chief of Engineers. This, however, has not been repeated. It is not customary when letters are written to persons not connected with the Department, asking for information, to inclose official stamps for return postage. I would remark, however, that in sending out valuable documents, where an acknowledgment is required, a returnenvelope stamped with a printed address to the Chief of Engineers, and containing a printed form of receipt to be signed, has in some cases been inclosed with the document. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. A. HUMPHREYS, Brigadier-General and Chief of Engineers. Hon. W. W. BELKNAP, ORDNANCE OFFICE, January 7, 1874. Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War. The Chief of Ordnance is furnished by the War Department with postage-stamps for the official correspondence sent from this Office. Postage stamps are not inclosed in any letters sent from this Office to pay return-postage. By order of the Chief of Ordnance. S. V. BENÉT, WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIR: In compliance with requirements of Senate resolution of January 5, in reference to the use of official stamps by departments, I have the honor to report that the number of officers and employés, in or connected with this Office at the various stations of observation throughout the country, who are furnished with official postage-stamps for the purpose of paying postage on official correspondence, is 112; and to state that it is not customary, nor has it been done in any instance, where letters are written to persons not officers or employés of this Office, asking for information, to inclose official stamps for return-postage. Very respectfully, your obedieut servant, ALBERT J. MYER, Brevet Brigadier-General, assigned Chief Signal-Officer of the Army. The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR, Washington, D. C. S. Ex. 16-2 In compliance with a Senate resolution of January 5, 1874, information in relation to officers or employés furnished with official postage-stamps. JANUARY 13, 1:74.-Ordered to lie on the table and be printed. NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 9, 1874. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of a resolution adopted by the Senate on the 5th instant, as follows: Resolved, That the Secretary of State, of the Treasury, of War, of the Navy, of the Interior Department, the Postmaster-General, and the Attorney-General, be requested to furnish the Senate with the number of officers and employés in or connected with their respective Departments (classified so as to designate the name of the office) who are furnished, directly or otherwise, with official postage-stamps for the purpose of paying postage on official correspondence, and also to state whether or not it is customary when letters are written to persons not officers or employés of their respective Departments, asking for official information, to inclose official stamps for return postage. In compliance with the resolution, I respectfully transmit herewith a list of the offices which have been furnished with official postagestamps for official correspondence. It is not customary, when letters are written to persons not officers or employés of this Department, asking for information, to inclose official stamps for return postage. This Department has very little, if any, of such correspondence, except with the officers or employés of other Departments of the Government. Very respectfully, &c., Hon. M. H. CARPENTER, GEO. M. ROBESON, President pro tempore of the United States Senate. List of officers, or offices, to whom official postage-stamps have been furnished for official correspondence. The eight bureaus of the Navy Department, including Naval Observatory, Hydrographic Office, Nautical Almanac Office, Signal Office, naval hospitals. |