538. Expenses at hospitals not marine hospitals.-Vouchers (on Public Health Service forms) covering the expenses of menbers of the crew sent to hospitals, which are not United States marine hospitals, and as provided in special cases by Article XIV of the United States Public Health Service Regulations, properly certified and accompanied by a full statement of the circumstances shall be forwarded by the commanding officer to the Director of the Coast and Geodetic Survey.

539. When no monthly payments are made crew.-If for any reason no payments are made to the crew for a month, the pay rolls should be prepared and forwarded as usual, showing the balance due and unpaid, but without signatures. If ony partial payments have been made, the necessary receipts for the payments made, including clothing and small stores, must appear on the rolls.

540. Pay accounts need not be balanced each month.-It is not essential that all pay accounts should be balanced at the end of the month, nor even at the end of the quarter. The regulations do not require that the petty officers and crew shall be paid at stated periods. The returns to the disbursing agent can, therefore, always be rendered promptly when mail facilities permit, and commanding officers are enjoined to see that there shall be no avoidable delay.

541. Commanding officers can not hold money of members of the crew.-Commanding officers are prohibited from receiving or caring for money (cash) that has been paid to the men on board their ships, but a member of the crew desiring to deposit cash with the commanding officer may be given a check indorsed to his order, as described below, and this check may be placed in the safe. The commanding officer will give the man his receipt for said check, to be returned by the man to the commanding officer when said check is withdrawn from deposit.

542. Funds belonging to newly shipped men.-Funds brought aboard ship by newly shipped men that they desire to place in deposit for safe-keeeping should also be exchanged for checks. When cash is exchanged for a check the commanding officer will draw the check in favor of himself and indorse it to the man's order. In drawing the check, "the object for which drawn " may be stated, "cash for pay of crew of (give name of vessel)." 543. Accounts covering supplies from a naval storekeeper.When articles of outfit, coal, or other supplies (except as hereinafter mentioned) are procured from a naval storekeeper or at any of the navy yards or naval stations, chiefs of parties will ob

tain and forward to the office duplicate invoices covering the cost and quantity of the articles so procured, duly certified, together with a property return.

(a) Commanding officers, chiefs of party, and others are directed, when requesting articles and materials from navy yards and other supply stations of that department, to inform the proper official of the yard or station what Coast and Geodetic Survey appropriation the items will be ultimately charged against. (b) Settlement for clothing and small stores procured from naval stations will be made in accordance with paragraph 364 of these regulations.

544. Accounts closed when a vessel is put out of commission. When a vessel is put out of commission and laid up, and the party disbanded, all accounts should be closed by the commanding officer as rapidly as circumstances will permit, his vouchers forwarded to Washington for settlement, and any unexpended balance of advanced funds on account of the Survey remaining in his possession transmitted direct to the disbursing agent at the earliest practicable opportunity, to the end that his accounts with that officer may be balanced without delay.

REQUISITIONS.

545. Requisitions for stationery.-To receive prompt attention, requisitions for stationery should always be made on Form 11, which should be forwarded in sufficient time for stationery to reach its destination by the time it is actually needed. Such amounts of stationery only should be carried as will last until such time as it is again practicable and convenient to obtain a new supply. In no case should a requisition exceed more than a season's supply of any item. Stationery not needed should be returned to the office at the same time that instruments or other property are being returned.

(a) Under the Postal Regulations it is not permissible to forward, under frank stationery supplies, such as pens, pencils, letterheads, envelopes, etc., when they exceed 4 pounds in weight.

(b) Printed stationery does not come under this restriction, except forms on which the printing covers less than half the sheet. (c) It is directed that, whenever possible, permanent stations and vessels anticipate their stationery requirements sufficiently in advance to make freight shipments. This is not intended to encourage stocking up excessive quantities or obtaining supplies the necessity for which is remote in order to make a freight shipment. The intention is to carefully estimate the requirements for the season far enough ahead so as to make up such a shipment. Ordinarily 50 pounds are regarded a freight shipment.

(d) Land parties are also requested to obtain their stationery supplies in freight shipments when they are in a position to conveniently handle it in such quantity.

(e) Writing ink and mucilage should be requested in freight shipments, as it is not economical to ship it otherwise. Drawing inks can be sent by mail at any time. (See par. 498.)

(f) Especial care should be used in requesting articles that deteriorate, such as rubber bands, rubber erasers, typewriter ribbons, etc.

(g) The field stations at San Francisco and Seattle are prepared to supply stationery to Pacific coast parties.

(h) All shipments of stationery will be forwarded by freight, when this method is cheaper, unless the requisition requests that all or part of the articles be sent special.

(i) The acknowledgment of the receipt of stationery from the office is not necessary.

(j) The expense of printing any articles of stationery by field parties will not be allowed.

546. Requisition for instruments and general property.— Form No. 12 will be used for making request to the office for instruments and for items of general property, which it is not expedient or practical to purchase in the field, and which may be necessary for the proper execution of official orders or instructions. This requisition form may usually be used when articles are to be shipped to the field.

(a) The requisition should be forwarded long enough in advance to allow ample time for preparing, packing, and transportation.

(b) Officers should limit their requisition to the actual require ments of the work to be done.

(c) Requisitions made for instruments, general property, or other supplies to be used within the office should be made on Form 97, or 97a. (See par. 552a.)

547. Requisition for funds. -Requisitions for funds will be made from time to time as required upon Form No. 131, and such requisition should be forwarded in ample time for receipt of reply before the funds are needed. Requisitions for amounts in excess of current requirements will be reduced in conformity with the exigencies of the case. (See par. 11.)

(a) In making requisitions for funds chiefs of party must fill in the statement on Form 13, both as to estimated expenditures and funds on hand, and dates must be used in giving the period the requisition is intended to cover. A failure to furnish this information will necessitate the requisition being returned to supply same.

548. Requisition for blank checks.-Requisitions for blank checks shall be made through official channels, on the Secretary of the Treasury, Division of Printing and Stationery, on Form No. 1231, furnished by the Treasury Department for this purpose. Six weeks should be allowed for printing and delivery, and a supply to last at least six months should be requested.

549. Requisitions for medical supplies.-Requisition for medical supplies will be made by the medical officers aboard the vessels of the service upon Form B, Navy Department, which must be approved by the commanding officer and forwarded to the Director of the Coast and Geodetic survey. (See par. 302.)

(a) The amounts required shall be based on the current supply table of the medical department of the Navy. Articles not included in the supply table or not listed in the requisition will not be furnished by the Naval Supply Depot. A separate list of such articles needed will be submitted for approval for purchase. Competitive bids will be secured when practicable. The column "On hand" in the requisition, shall always be filled out.

(b) Five copies of every requisition must be submitted and filled out in accordance with instructions on the forms and in the front of supply tables.

(c) Blank medical requisition forms may be obtained by asking for the same on the usual stationery requisition (Form 11).

(d) On the requisition blanks the initials "U. S. S." will be ruled out and the words "U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey" written in their place. In the signing and forwarding of the requisitions, they should be in the following form: (Name) Surgeon, Coast and Geodetic Survey, and (Name) Hydrographic and Geodetic Engineer, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Commanding.

550. Transportation requests.-The Department recommends the use of transporttion requests for securing railroad and steamboat transportation, and will issue them upon application. They have proved advantageous in securing through rates to the Government and in relieving officials of the necessity of advancing private funds in payment of traveling expenses. A single request may sometimes be used in procuring a round-trip ticket at through rates for transportation over an extended route. Unused portions of railroad tickets, obtained on transportation requests, should be forwarded to the Director for redemption, accompanied by a statement of the occasion for their nonuse. Full directions for their use accompany these requests. (See pars. 456, 468.)

(a) At Washington, requisition for transportation orders will be made by letter, addressed to the disbursing agent, giving the name of the railway or steamer line over which transportation is desired, and also stating the appropriation and subitem to which the transportation is chargeable. At San Francisco, Seattle, and Manila transportation orders will be obtained from the field station of the Survey.