Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/32

 Surgeon-General.—Brig. Gen. George M. Sternberg. Has immediate direction, under the Secretary, of the administrative duties of the medical department; designates stations of medical officers and issues all orders and instructions relating to their professional duties; also directs the selection, purchase, and distribution of medical supplies of army. The Army Medical Museum is also under his direct control.

Paymaster-General.—Brig. Gen. T. H, Stanton. Is charged with the payment of the officers and enlisted men of the army.

Chief of Engineers.—Brig. Gen. John M. Wilson. Commands the Corps of Engineers, and is charged with all duties relating to construction and repair of fortifications, works of defence, military roads and bridges, and such surveys as may be required. He is also charged with river and harbor improvements and with military and geographical explorations and surveys.

Chief of Ordnance.—Brig. Gen. D. W. Flagler. Commands the ordnance department; his duties consist in providing, preserving, distributing, and accounting for every description of artillery, small arms, and all the munitions of war.

Chief Signal Officer.—Brig. Gen. A. W. Greely. Has supervision of all military signal duties, including telegraph and telephone apparatus; the use of meteorological instruments; the construction and repair and operation of military telegraph lines.

Record and Pension Office.—Brig. Gen. F. C. Ainsworth, Chief. Has the custody of the military and hospital records of the volunteer armies and the transaction of the pension and other business of the War Department connected therewith. He answers calls from the Commissioner of Pensions, the accounting officers of the Treasury, and others for information required for the adjudication of claims.

Also connected with the War Department are the Office of Publication of Records of the Rebellion, Brig. Gen. F. C. Ainsworth, Chairman of the Board; Office of Public Buildings and Grounds and Washington Monument, Col. Theodore A. Bingham in charge, and the Office of Washington Aqueduct, Lieut. Col. Alexander M. Miller in charge. The duties of these officers are sufficiently indicated by the designation of the office. The composition of the army, pay of officers, etc., will be found under the title "Army."

Colonial Commission.—Gen. Robert P. Kennedy, of Ohio; George M. Curtis, of Iowa; and George W. Watkins, of Michigan. The duty of this commission is to aid the Secretary of War in the administration of insular affairs. It will deal with the bestowal of franchises and concessions, the distribution of moneys to be spent in public improvements, and all the various issues that have arisen or are likely to arise in Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippines. The commission is to act entirely within the powers conferred by the Secretary of War, and his sanction is necessary to give effect to any line of action proposed by the commission. It is practically a new bureau in the War Department.

4. Department of Justice.—John William Griggs, Attorney-General, born in New Jersey July 10, 1849; admitted to bar in 1871; member of New Jersey General Assembly 1876-77; State senator 1882-88; inaugurated Governor of New Jersey January, 1896; resigned to take appointment as Attorney-General, Jan. 31, 1898. The Attorney-General represents the United States in matters involving legal questions, and gives advice and opinion, when so required by the President or by the heads of the Executive Departments, on questions of