Regulations for the government of the United States Navy (1865)

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Section 8.

Paymasters.

543 The Paymaster when ordered to a vessel will, in addition to the duties prescribed in the "Instructions for the government of Inspectors in charge of stores, Naval Storekeepers, Paymasters, and Assistant Paymasters," and in the "Rules in regard to the transaction of business at the office of the Fourth Auditor," carefully examine the bread-rooms, store-rooms and issue-room, and report immediately to the Commanding Officer any defect in their arrangement or construction that he may discover.

544 He will make requisitions for money, and for such provisions, clothing, small stores, and other articles as may be needed ; but such requisitions are at all times to be subject to the approval of the Commanding Officer of the vessel, and the revision and approval of the senior officer present in command.

545 When he shall present a requisition for money, for the approval of his Commanding Officer, or such Commanding Officer shall direct him to prepare a requisition for his approval, the Paymaster shall present a statement of the amount of public money then in his possession ; and the Commanding Officer shall not direct or approve a requisition for a larger sum than may appear to be necessary for the public interests, in addition to such unexpended balance as may have been reported already on hand.

546 If a requisition of a Paymaster for money require the approval of an officer superior or senior to his immediate Commanding Officer, it is hereby made the duty of such superior or senior to exact of the Commanding Officer of the vessel or navy yard to which the Paymaster may belong, a written statement of the amount of money reported to be in the hands of the Paymaster, and also specifying the particular objects and amounts under their appropriate heads of appropriation for which the money is wanted.

547 In all cases where a Paymaster shall have received, or shall have been duly authorized or directed to pay over, any public money without the previous knowledge or sanction of his immediate Commanding Officer, it shall be the duty of such Paymaster to report forthwith to his Commanding Officer the amount so received or paid, and the authority under which he acted.

548 No money which may be placed in charge of a Paymaster by order of, or authority from, his commanding or other superior officer, or of the Treasury or Navy Department, is to be used or paid away by him without the sanction or approval of either his immediate Commanding Officer, the Commander of the squadron or station to which he belongs, the Fourth Auditor of the Treasury, the Second Comptroller of the Treasury, or the Secretary of the Navy.

549 Whenever provisions or any other articles for which the Paymaster is responsible, are sent out of the vessel, he will procure from the Commander an order in wilting, that proper account of and receipt for them may be taken.

550 He shall report to the Commanding Officer any articles which may be received in his department that he may think of improper quality, deficient in quantity, or requiring additional means for their preservation.

551 He shall make no changes upon the muster-roll of the vessel unless he shall receive information from the Commanding Officer of the promotion, resignation, dismissal, or death, or an order for the discharge, transfer, or change of rating, of any person borne upon it.

552 The accounts of men transferred will be made out in conformity to the regulations of the Treasury Department, and must accompany the men. They are to be sent by the Paymaster making the transfer to the Paymaster of the vessel, navy yard, or station to which the transfer is made, who will, after comparing them, receipt one copy and return it to the Paymaster who made the transfer, as a voucher for the settlement of his accounts. The transfer of accounts must in all cases be made through the Commanding Officers.

553 One copy of all bills or accounts is to be left with the officer who approves the same, to be transmitted to the department; but duplicates or triplicates of all such bills or accounts, after their approval by the proper officers, and payment by the Paymaster, are to be left in the possession of the Paymaster making the payment, as they are necessary vouchers for the settlement of his accounts, and for the safety of his sureties.

554 The Paymaster will only issue clothing and small stores and money to Petty Officers and persons of inferior ratings, in such quantities or sums, and at such times, as shall be directed in writing by the Commanding Officer; and all issues made shall be receipted for, or certified to, at the time, in the presence of a commission or warrant officer, and the receipts be witnessed or certified by him.

555 Whenever it is absolutely necessary upon foreign stations to purchase clothing, he shall take care that the articles be, as nearly as possible, of the same kind and quality as those furnished by the United States; and no more shall be purchased than shall be sufficient to meet the existing exigency.

556 When articles are furnished packed in bales, packages, or casks, for preservation, which cannot be opened without injury, they need not be opened to ascertain their contents, but the Paymaster will receipt for them according to their marks. And whenever they shall be opened it shall be in the presence of an officer, and their contents then compared with the invoice, and, if found to vary from it, a survey shall be held to authenticate the facts.

557 Articles of clothing which shall be found damaged by regular survey may be valued by the surveying officers, and issued by him in the same manner as other clothing, at the reduced prices fixed by the surveying officers.

558 The messes of the ship's company may, with the approbation of the Commanding Officer, relinquish one complete ration in a mess of eight, and two in messes of not less than fourteen persons, for not less than three months, unless sooner detached, or unless their terms of service should expire in less than three months; and they may receive the established value in money from the Paymaster when in port, at such times (not oftener than once a month) as the Commanding Officer may direct.

559 He shall not pay money to any person in debt to the United States, except for stopped rations.

560 He shall make no change in the daily allowance of provisions, except by the written order of the Commanding Officer.

561 He shall make monthly reports to the Commanding Officer of all expenditure of provisions, and quarterly reports of the expenditures of money, clothing, and small stores in his department, and of the quantity of each kind remaining on board, and the length of time for which there is a supply.

562 He shall draw and negotiate all bills of exchange, in conformity with such instructions as the Secretary of the Navy may give upon the subject.

563 He shall report quarterly, or oftener, if required, to the Commanding Officer of the vessel, the expiration of service of the men which will occur in each subsequent month in each rating, giving the number only in each rating. (Form No. 20, Appendix )

564 Having received the effects of any officer, or other person who may have died, deserted, or been captured, together with an inventory of the same, he shall carefully preserve them until directed by the Commanding Officer to deliver them to the owner, his heirs, or representatives, or to sell by public auction the effects of deserters, or persons who may have died in debt to the United States.

565 When the stores on hand will admit of it, without an undue reduction of any article, he will, when ordered by the Commanding Officer, issue to officers. messes such articles of the public stores as they may require for their own use on board ship, at ration prices, whenever such articles bear exorbitant prices in the market, or cannot otherwise be obtained.

566 Whenever a Pay Agent shall be authorized to make advances of pay to officers bound on a cruise, it shall be the duty of the Paymaster of the vessel to furnish to such Agent, as his guide, a correct list, signed by himself and approved by the Commanding Officer, of all the officers entitled to an advance of pay, which list must exhibit their names, rank, and yearly pay.

567 Where there is no Pay Agent, traveling expenses incurred by an officer under an order of the Navy Department, or senior Commanding Officer, shall be paid by the Paymaster upon the order of the Commanding Officer of the station.

568 The Paymaster shall furnish clothing and small-stores to marines when embarked, upon a requisition signed by the Commanding Officer of the Marine Guard, and approved by the Commanding Officer of the vessel.

569 He will furnish to the Paymaster of the Marine Corps a statement of the account of any marine whose name is borne upon his books, who may die, desert, or be transferred to a shore station.

570 When attached to a receiving vessel, he shall receipt for all recruits considered fit for service, and certify that he has charged to them, respectively, the amounts rendered as advance by the Recruiting Officer.

571 He shall preserve as vouchers all orders given by Commanding Officers of receiving vessels to furnish clothing or small-stores to persons indebted to the United States.

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