Appointments, promotions, etc. 1890, v. 26, p. 653; 1207, amended. 214, 916. That all appointments and promotions in the Signal Sec. 7, Oct. 1, Corps after this reorganization shall be made after examR. S., secs. 1206, ination and approval under sections twelve hundred and six and twelve hundred and seven of the Revised Statutes, which are hereby amended so as to be applicable to and to provide for the promotion of the lieutenants of the Signal Corps in the same manner as they now apply to the Corps of Engineers and the Ordnance Corps; and all vacancies which may hereafter exist in the grade of first heutenant in the Signal Corps shall be filled by transfer from the line of the Army, after competitive examination and recommendation by a board of officers of the Signal Corps to be appointed by the Secretary of War. Sec. 7, act of October 1, 1890 (26 Stat. L., 653). Signal Corps to remain part of lishment. 917. That the civilian duties now performed by the Signal Military Estab Corps of the Army shall hereafter devolve upon a bureau Sec. 1. Oct. 1, to be known as the Weather Bureau, which, on and after 1890, v. 26, p. 653. July first, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, shall be estab lished in and attached to the Department of Agriculture, and the Signal Corps of the Army shall remain a part of the Military Establishment under the direction of the Secretary of War, and all estimates for its support shall be included with other estimates for the support of the Military Establishment. Sec. 1, ibid. Force of Weather Bureau. Sec. 4, ibid. 918. That the Weather Bureau shall hereafter consist of one Chief of Weather Bureau and such civilian employees as Congress may annually provide for and as may be neces sary to properly perform the duties devolving on said bureau by law, and the chief of said bureau shall receive an annual compensation of four thousand five hundred dollars, and be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate: Provided, That the Chief Signal Officer of the Army may, in the discretion of Details from the President, be detailed to take charge of said bureau, Army. and in like manner other officers of the Army, not exceed ing four, expert in the duties of the weather service may be assigned to duty with the Weather Bureau, and while so serving shall receive the pay and allowances to which they are entitled by law. Sec. 4, ibid. Enlisted men. Signal Corps to 919. That the enlisted force of the Signal Corps of the Army shall hereafter consist of fifty sergeants, of which ten shall be of the first class, with pay of hospital stewards. Sec. 8, ibid. 920. That on and after July first, eighteen hundred for with the and ninety-one, the appropriations for the support of the be appropriated Army. Sec. 9 Oct. 1, Signal Corps of the Army shall be made with those of other 1890, v. 26, p. 654. staff corps of the Army. Sec. 9, ibid. etc., to make re erty. 921. That, from and after the passage of this act, every Enlisted men, officer of the Signal Corps, every non-commissioned officer turns of propor private of the Signal Corps, and all other officers, agents, Oct 12, 1888, v. or persons who now have in possession, or may hereafter 25, p. 552. receive or may be intrusted with any stores or supplies, shall, quarterly or more often, if so directed, and in such manner and on such forms as may be prescribed by the Chief Signal Officer, make true and correct returns to the Chief Signal Officer of all Signal Service property and all other supplies and stores of every kind received by or intrusted to them and each of them, or which may, in any manner, come into their and each of their possession or charge. Act of October 12, 1888 (25 Stat. L., 552). 1 922. The Chief Signal Officer, subject to the approval of the Secretary of War, is hereby authorized and directed to draw up and enforce in his Bureau a system of rules and regulations for the government of the Signal Bureau, and of all persons in said Bureau, and for the safe-keeping and preservation of all Signal Service property of every kind, and to direct and prescribe the kind, number, and form, of all returns and reports, and to enforce compliance therewith. Ibid. MILITARY TELEGRAPH-LINES. Officer to control; defrayed; report. 923. For completing the construction, and for mainte- Chief Signal nance and use of military telegraph-lines on the Indian and expenses, how Mexican frontiers, and for the connection of military posts Mar. 3, 1875, v. and stations, for the better protection of immigration and 18. p. 388. the frontier settlements from depredations, especially in the State of Texas, the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona, and the Indian Territory, eighty-eight thousand dollars: 2 Act of March 3, 1875 (18 Stat. L., 388). Provided, That on Provided, That on and after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and eighty-three, all moneys received for the transmission of 22, p. 616. Section 10 of the act of October 1, 1890 (26 Stat. L., 655), contains the provision that the President is authorized to appoint on or before March first, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, a board of three officials, which board shall be charged with the duty of examining the classes and kinds of property and the amount of moneys pertaining to and in the possession of the Signal Corps, and said board shall as soon as practicable make the Secretary of War a report setting forth the amount of moneys and the quantities and kinds of property more suitable for the work of the Weather Bureau and not necessary for the use of the Signal Corps, and what part of said property will be suitable and necessary for the Signal Corps, and upon the approval of said report by the Secretary of War the property and moneys which shall be decided to properly pertain to the Weather Bureau work shall be transferred to such bureau, and to the custody of the Secretary of Agriculture, while the remaining prop. erty and funds shall continue in the possession of the Signal Corps. The act of March 3, 1875, contained a provision authorizing the Secretary of War "to pay the expenses of operating and keeping in repair the said telegraph-lines out of any money received for dispatches sent over said lines; any balance remaining after the payment of such expenses to be covered into the Treasury as a miscellaneous receipt; the money received in any one fiscal year to be used only in payment for the expenses of that year. And a full report of the receipts and expenditures in connection with the said telegraph lines shall be made quarterly to the Secretary of War, through the Chief Signal Officer. And the Chief Signal Officer shall have the charge and control of said lines of telegraph in the construction, repair, and operation of the same." Receipts to be paid into Treas ury Mar. 3, 1883, v. private dispatches over any and all telegraph-lines owned or operated by the United States, shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States, as required by section thirtysix hundred and seventeen of the Revised Statutes; and all acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed. Act of March 3, 1883 (22 Stat. L., 616). Construction of 924. That the construction of new lines of telegraph shall Aug. 7, 1882, v. be under the supervision and direction of the several mili22, p. 319. tary commanders, subject to the approval of the Secretary of War. Act of August 7, 1882 (22 Stat. L., 319). new lines. Injury to telegraph-lines &c., interference with 925. That any person or persons who shall willfully or of United States, maliciously injure or destroy any of the works or property working, obstruc or material of any telegraphic line constructed and owned, June 23, 1874, v. or in process of construction, by the United States, or that tion, &c., penalty. 18, p. 250. may be hereafter constructed and owned or occupied and controlled by the United States, or who shall willfully or maliciously interfere in any way with the working or use of any such telegraphic line, or who shall willfully or maliciously obstruct, hinder, or delay the transmission of any communication over any such telegraphic line, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof in any district court of the United States having jurisdic tion of the same, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, or with imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or with both, in the discretion of the court. Act of June 23, 1874 (18 Stat. L., 250). CHAPTER XXIV. Par. THE RECORD AND PENSION OFFICE. Par. 926. Record and Pension Office; 929. Military histories of regi duties. 927. Revolutionary, military rec ords, etc. 928. All revolutionary, army records, etc., to be transferred to the Secretary of War. ments may be furnished Pension Office, ment, estab May 9, 1892, v. 926. That the division organized by the Secretary of Record and War in his office for the preservation and custody of the War Depart records of the volunteer armies under the name of the rec- lished. ord and pension division is hereby established as now 27, p. 27. organized, and shall hereafter be known as the Record and Pension Office of the War Department; and the President is hereby authorized to select an officer of the Army whom he may consider to be especially well qualified for the performance of the duties hereinafter specified and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint him in the Army to be chief of said office, who shall have the rank, pay, and allowances of a colonel and shall, under the Secretary of War, have charge of the military and Duties. hospital records of the volunteer armies and the pension and other business of the War Department connected therewith; and all laws or parts of laws inconsistent with the terms of this act are hereby repealed. Act of May 9, 1892 (27 Stat. L., 27). 927. Whereas the military records of the American Rev- Revolutionary military records. olution and of the war of eighteen hundred and twelve are now preserved in different Executive Departments of the Government and are not easily accessible; and Whereas it is important that they should be collected in one Department, where they could be easily consulted and properly arranged for use: Therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the military records of the American Revolution and of the War Depart ment. war of eighteen hundred and twelve, now preserved in the Transfer to Treasury and Interior Departments, be transferred to the War Department, to be preserved in the Record and Pension Division of that Department, and that they shall be properly indexed and arranged for use. Act of July 27, 1892 (27 Stat. L., 275). July 27, 1892, v. 27, p. 275. All Revolutionary army rec ferred to Secre tary of War. Aug. 18, 1894, v. 28, p. 403. 928. That all military records, such as muster and pay ords, etc., trans- rolls, orders, and reports relating to the personnel or the operations of the armies of the Revolutionary war and of the war of eighteen hundred and twelve, now in any of the Executive Departments, shall be transferred to the Secretary of War to be preserved, indexed and prepared for publication. Act of August 18, 1894 (28 Stat. L., 403). Military histories of regiments States. 929. And the Secretary of War shall, upon the applica may be furnished tion of the Governor of any State, furnish to such GovMar. 2, 1895, v. ernor a transcript of the military history of any regiment or company of his State, under such regulations as the Secretary of War may prescribe, at the expense of such State. Act of March 2, 1895 (28 Stat. L.,788). 28, p. 788. This provision was repeated in the act of May 28, 1896 (29 Stat. L., 161). |