FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. GH. 217. 1884. 109 and smtions and with the armies in the Held; for the horses of the severatl I'4*gll1l(’I1tS of cavalry, the batteries of artillerv, and such companies ol mlhuitry and scouts as may be mounted, and for the authorized numlwr of ofliee-rs’ horses, including bedding for the animals; of straw for so|di•—rs’ lwdding; and of stationery, including blank books for the Quarre·rrn:iste·r`s Department, certificates for discharged soldiers, blank forms for the Pay and Quarterrnastefs Department, and for printing of di vision and department orders and reports, two million nine hundred thousand dollars: Provided, That hereaiter all purchases of regular and p,-,.,;,,, miscellaneous supplies for the Army furnished by the Qua.rtermaster’s Purchuseofsup- Dvlrartnicnt and by the Commissary Department for immediate USB Pu°°»°°¤dm°“°°£ shall he made by the officers of such Department, under direction of the Secretary of War, at the places nearest the points where they are needed. the conditions of cost and quality being equal: Provided also, Promo. That all purchases of said supplies, except in cases of emergency, which must be at once reported to the Secretary of War for his approval, shall he made by contract after public notice of not less than ten days for small amounts for immediate use, and of not less than from thirty to sixty days whenever, in the opinion of the Secretary of War, the circumstances of the case and conditions of the service shall warrant such extension of time. The award in every case shall be made to the lowest responsible bidder for the best and most suitable article, the right being reserved to reject any and all bids. The Quartermaster-General and Report of pruthe Comnnissary General of Subsistence shall report promptly all pur- °h*t,°° °* °“PPh°° chases of supplies made by his Department, with their cost-price and g}&V€a;° §z°"t”y place of delivery, to the Secretary of War, for transmission to Congress ’ ' annually : Provided further, That in time of peace the number of draught p,·W;¤,_ and pack animals in the Quarrermastefs Department of the Army shall . Limit tonumber not exceed six thousand, and that all transportation of stores by private °f,H*:;* mm1?- parties for the Army shall be done by contract, after due legal advcr- of méwmtlg; tisement, except in cases of emergency, which must be at once reported contract,' " to the Secretary of War for his approval. That the Secretary of War Appointment of is authorized to appoint, on the recommendation of the Quartermaster- P°“t *1 *1****::* General, as many post qunrtermaster sergeants, not to exceed eighty, ms °' °"g°°" ‘ as he may deem necessary for the interests of the service, said sergeants to be selected by examination from the most competent enlisted men of the Army who have served at least four years, and whose character and q,,,,mi,,,,ti,,,,,_ education shall fit them to take charge of public property and to act as clerks and assistants to post and other quurtermasters. Said po t quartexmustnr sergeants shall, so far as practicable, perform the duties of Duties. storeln-.·pers and clerks, in lieu of citizen employees. The post quartermastcr sergeauts shall be subject to the rules and articles of wm- and shall receive for their services the same pay and allowances as ordnance nigger and 3U0W- sergeunts. ` F or purchase of horses for the cavalry and artillery, and for the In- h P u r ch M0 of dim; scouts, and for such infantry as may be mounted, two hundred °“’°“· _ _ thousand dollars : Provided, That the number of horses purchased Pr<wi¤o;h¤ml=¤£ under this appropriation added to the number actually on hand shall not at any time exceed the number of enlisted men and Indian scouts in the mounted service: And provided further, That hereafter all pur- _1’rov·ia0; musichases of horses under appropriations for horses for the cuvulry and Mons of purchaseartillery and for the Indian scouts shall he made by contract, after legal advertisement, by the Quartcrnmsterk Department, under instructions of the Secretary of \\’ar, the horses to he inspected under the orders ol the General commanding the Army; and no horse shall be received . and paid ior until duly inspected. The C,}mu·te1·¤uaster-General shall Report., gmsé oi report to the Secretary of War promptly, for transmission to Congress g:;d=l¤¤¤°¤ °¤‘ annually, nil purchases and contracts lor horses, mules, and mxhtsry supplies for the Army made by his Department. _ In d m For incielentnl expenses, to wit : For postage; extra pay to soldiers Pun S; **1 °*· employed under the direction of the Quartermaster’s Department in the ¤·r•·etion of barracks, quarters, and storehouses, and as clerks for post
