1077. As trustee of the naval pension fund he is directed by law to cause to be invested in the registered securities of the United States, on the 1st of January and the 1st day of July of each year, so much of such fund then in the Treasury of the United States as may not be required for the payment of naval pensions for the then current fiscal year, to receive the interest in coin on such investment, and to deposit the said interest, after exchanging the same into currency, in the Treasury to the credit of that fund. (R. S., § 4753.)

1078. He is authorized to convene a board of not more than three naval officers, one of whom shall be a surgeon, to examine into the condition of an applicant for aid from the surplus income of the naval pension fund, and to recommend a suitable amount for the relief of such applicant, upon which recommendation the Secretary may issue his certificate thereof to the Commissioner of Pensions.

1079. The Secretary may also issue a like certificate to the Commissioner of Pensions upon being satisfied that an applicant for the benefit of the naval pension fund who has served as an enlisted person in the navy or marine corps for the period of twenty years, and has not been discharged for misconduct, is disabled from sea service by reason of age and infirmity, in lieu of providing him a home in the Naval Asylum at Philadelphia. (R. S., §§ 4756, 4757.)

1080. The Secretary of the Navy is also made by law the trustee of the privateer pension fund. This fund is derived from two per centum on the net amount of the prize-money arising from captured vessels and cargoes, and on the net amount of the salvage of vessels and cargoes recaptured by the private armed vessels of the United States, and is held in reserve, on the pledge of the United States, for the support and maintenance of the widows and

orphans of persons slain and for the benefit of persons wounded and disabled on board of private armed vessels of the United States in any engagement with the enemy. (R. S., 4758, 4759.)

1081. He has general charge and superintendence of all naval hospitals. He is authorized to deduct from the pay of each officer, seaman, and marine in the navy twenty cents per month, to be applied to the fund for such hospitals; also to collect and apply to the maintenance of such hospitals all fines imposed on navy officers, seamen, and marines. (R. S., $$ 4807-4809.)

1082. He is required to procure at suitable places proper sites for navy hospitals and to cause necessary buildings to be erected, having due regard to economy, and giving preference to such plans as with most convenience and least cost will admit of subsequent additions when the funds permit and circumstances require; also to provide. at one of the establishments a permanent asylum for disabled and decrepit navy officers, seamen, and marines, such asylum to be governed in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by him. (R. S., §§ 4810, 4811.)

I. THE BUREAU OF YARDS AND DOCKS.

1083. This bureau is charged with the support and maintenance of all navy-yards, naval stations, basins, docks, together with the Naval Asylum and grounds. It has in charge the preparation of plans for the construction, alteration, improvement, and repair of all buildings, docks, wharves, &c., connected therewith, and has the general direction of all matters connected with such construction and repairs. It has charge of the purchase of stores, coal, fuel, furniture; of the care and preservation of the buildings, and the general management of the expenditures for all of these and kindred purposes. It advertises for and

receives proposals for furnishing articles and supplies coming under the cognizance of the bureau, and examines and passes upon all bids and makes all contracts for the

same.

The navy-yards carried on by the Government, and so under charge of this bureau, are those at Kittery, Boston, New London, New York, League Island, Washington, Norfolk, Pensacola, and Mare Island. The Naval Asylum is at Philadelphia.

II. THE BUREAU OF EQUIPMENT AND RECRUITING.

1084. This bureau attends to the purchase and supply of the equipment and outfit of vessels, embracing coal, hemp, wire, hides, and other material for the manufacture of rope, cordage, canvas, leather; also cables, anchors, galleys, and iron for the manufacture of the same; furniture, hose, cooking and heating stoves, life-rafts, tools, and boat apparatus. It also directs and is concerned in the hire of laborers to be employed in the equipment of vessels and the manufacture of the necessary articles. It also attends to the recruiting of seamen for the navy, and to the establishment, support, and maintenance of receiving ships for the reception and discipline of recruits; also to the expenditures of the fitting up of such vessels, and to all the contingent expenses attending this service. It provides for the transportation of enlisted men, the apprehension of deserters, and the establishment of training ships for the reception and education of boys enlisted for training as sailors in the navy.

III. THE BUREAU OF CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR.

1085. This bureau has the general oversight and direction of the construction and repair of vessels for use in the naval service, and to this end has the charge of the prepar

ation of plans, the purchase of material and stores of all kinds, including tools, the care and preservation of material on hand, the hiring and pay of labor employed in the navyyards and on foreign stations in the construction and repair of vessels, the protection of white-oak and timber growing on the public domain reserved by act of Congress for the purpose of the construction of naval vessels, &c. This bureau prepares also for Congress the annual estimates for appropriations for this branch of the public expenditure. It also receives, opens, and attends to the acceptance of bids for furnishing material and supplies used in the construction and repair of vessels, and gives attention to the payments therefor.

IV. THE BUREAU OF STEAM ENGINEERING.

1086. This bureau directs and has supervision of the construction, repair, refitting, and preservation of the boilers, engines, and machinery of naval vessels of the United States, transacts the business regarding all purchases of the materials, stores, and supplies necessary for that purpose, and the care, use, and preservation of the same. It conducts experiments to test the economy, efficiency, and character of different types of machinery, and for the purpose of securing reliable data pertaining to the science of marine propulsion. It makes up the estimates for the annual appropriations for this branch of the naval service, and gives general attention to the workings of the engineer force of the navy.

V. THE BUREAU OF NAVIGATION.

1087. This bureau attends to all matters in the interests of the navigation of the vessels of the United States navy. To this end it has in charge the construction of marine compasses for the navy, and of the promotion of

appliances for testing the accuracy and deviation of such instrunients. It supplies charts, maps, and sailing direc tions for the use of the navy; also ships' libraries, containing, besides approved works on navigation, such scientific, historical, law, and miscellaneous publications as are of advantage to naval officers. It supplies nautical and astronomical instruments, apparatus for naval signals, logs, leads, and all appliances for the navigation of our vessels.

1088. Attached to this bureau is the Hydrographic Office, established by act of Congress for the improvement of the means of safe navigation of United States naval vessels, as well as vessels of the mercantile marine, by surveys and the preparation of maps, charts, sailing directions, and nautical books required by and relating to navigation.

1089. The United States Naval Observatory is also under the direction of this bureau, and the Superintendent thereof makes his annual report to the Chief thereof of astronomical work and operations. The Nautical Almanac Office is also so directed in its operations, consisting in the preparation of the Almanac and its distribution to the vessels and stations of the navy, to surveying and exploring parties of the army, the Coast Survey, the General Land Office, observatories, astronomers, and to various colleges and public institutions, especially to those in which astronomical observations or investigations are conducted.

1090. The Naval Signal Office is also attached to this bureau, and is engaged, under its direction, in experiments and operations conducive to a complete system of signals on board ship. There is also attached to this bureau the office of the Superintendent of Compasses, giving its attention to the repairs, inspection, and adjustment of compasses, and to experiments in testing under certain conditions the deviations of these instruments.

1091. The Navigation Bureau also furnishes all esti-. mates of appropriations required for these purposes and