Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1873.djvu/22

702 has been largely increased, and the biennial examination of pensioners, made in September last, also entailed upon its clerical force much additional labor. Some delay has thus been caused in the ordinary routine business of the office, but it is confidently believed that the force now employed will soon be equal to the demands made upon it. The biennial examinations above referred to were so recently made, that, at the date of the Commissioners report, sufficient returns therefrom had not been received upon which to base an opinion as to the probable result with respect to the annual pension appropriation.

The Commissioner represents the necessity for a re-organization of the office by creating heads of divisions, whose duties shall be defined by law, and whose compensation shall be commensurate with the responsibility imposed upon them.

The amount that will probably be required for the pension service during the next fiscal year is $30,480,000. The same amount was asked for and appropriated for the current fiscal year. There would have been a considerable decrease in the amount now asked for had it not been for the new legislation contained in the act of March 3, 1873. Under that act widows of officers are entitled to additional pension on account of minor children by such officers, and a single minor child of a deceased soldier is also entitled to additional pension. In both of these cases, hitherto unprovided for, arrears of the additional pension are due since July 25, 1866. A considerable sum will also be required to satisfy claims on account of permanent specific disabilities for the increased rates provided for in said act.

During the past year this office has steadily pursued the course of work laid down for it by law. The library of the Bureau has received important accessions, especially of foreign educational reports and literature. About 7,000 volumes and 36,000 pamphlets, published by the Bureau, have been distributed during the past year.

In accordance with the expressed wishes of the Department of State and of the General Director of the Vienna Exposition, the Bureau of Education, during the winter of 1872-'73, took measures to procure and forward to the exposition specimens of school-books, charts, school furniture, educational reports, catalogues of libraries, and other appropriate matter. These were duly exhibited in Group XXVI of the exposition, with additional material collected by similar efforts; and the collection thus gathered in Vienna has, during the past summer, been an object of profound interest to the great assembly of educators, scientists, and intelligent observers who visited that city. As a recognition, in the words of the awards, of its "distinguished services in the cause of education, and for important contributions to the exposition," a grand diploma of honor (the highest prize given) was awarded to the Bureau.