420. This division makes a record also of the issues of gold and currency certificates, and of their cancellation upon redemption; also of the receipt, counting, cancellation, and destruction of redeemed District of Columbia securities.

421. This division has supervision of the counting, cancellation, record, and destruction of all redeemed and mutilated United States notes and fractional currency; also of internal-revenue stamps redeemed, or those mutilated in printing. This part of its duties formerly devolved upon a distinct division, called the Currency Division, which, at a recent period, was consolidated with the Loan Division. These United States and fractional notes are received first by the Treasurer of the United States, in whose office they are put into packages, after a careful count, and cut in half. Of the legal-tender and other notes the lower halves, and of the fractional currency the left-hand halves, are sent to this division for verification of the count; the remaining halves to the corresponding divisions of the Register's office. They, therefore, undergo three separate counts, each count and record of the same being a well-devised check upon any possible scheme of fraud.

422. This division has charge also of the distinctive paper for United States notes, bonds, and currency, embracing its receipt from the superintendent at the manufactory; its issue on proper requisitions; the keeping of accounts thereof with the superintendent at the manufac tory, with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, with the various bank-note companies, with the Comptroller of the Currency, with the Treasurer of the United States, and with the Register of the Treasury; also of the keeping of a sim ilar account of all paper used for internal-revenue stamps, from the time of its receipt by the superintendent at the

manufactory until its delivery to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in stamps.

VI. THE DIVISION OF THE REVENUE MARINE.

423. In order the more efficiently to prevent smuggling, and to aid the customs officers in the collection of the revenue, the law has placed under the control of the Secretary of the Treasury a fleet of armed vessels, officered, manned, and equipped. These vessels guard the coast, the inlets, and the rivers along the sea-board; they are stationed in the harbors of our larger ports, and are ready at all times for pursuit, for the purpose of overhauling or boarding suspicious craft and incoming vessels, and for general purposes of search and observation.

424. The duties of the Secretary of the Treasury, in regard to these vessels and their employment, are administered through this division. These include the management of the service; the supervision of the building and equipment of the vessels; the determination of the class and kind of vessel; the size, rig, &c., of the same; the drawing of specifications for hulls, spars, rigging, and machinery; the advertisement of proposals to build; the examination of proposals when made; the selection of the lowest bidder, or the party with whom to enter into contract; the making of contracts for construction; the inspection and superintendence of the work as it may progress; the selection of the necessary armament, equipment, and stores of the vessels; and the examination and certification of all accounts arising from these operations, preliminary to their proper adjustment by the accounting officers.

425. This division also determines upon the repair, purchase, and sale of revenue vessels, and prepares the papers connected therewith; also upon the designation of the vessels in the service to their respective stations of

duty, and the defining of the cruising-ground of each; also upon the assignment of the officers to duty, upon the purchase of supplies, the regulation of the crew, upon the wages to be paid, and upon the complement of men for each vessel. This division also examines and certifies the accounts of the vessel, the pay-rolls and accounts of disbursements made by the collectors of customs, and of the accounts of the officers. It also examines and settles claims against the revenue-cutter service for damages by collision, for wharfage, tonnage, &c.

426. This division thus directs the management and maintenance of an armed fleet of vessels, 36 in number, employing 203 officers and about 800 men.

The officers designated by the statutes, for each vessel, are one captain, one first, one second, and one third lieutenant; and for each steam vessel, in addition, one engi neer and an assistant engineer; but the Secretary is left to his own discretion as to a modification of this number, and as to the number of petty officers and men to employ.

427. The Revenue Marine Division is charged also with all matters relating to the United States coast survey coming before the Secretary, as well as matters relating to weights and measures, upon which the Secretary is required by law to act; also those pertaining to the light-house establishment.

VII. DIVISION OF APPOINTMENTS.

428. This division has supervision of all matters relating to the appointment, removal, or suspension of all offi. cers, clerks, messengers, &c., under the control of the Treasury Department; including the examination of appli cations and recommendations for appointment or employ ment, and the preparation of commissions for appointees; the examination and investigation of all complaints and

charges against officials or employees, except when such investigation is otherwise specially directed.

429. It is charged with the preparation of reports required by law to be laid before Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury, relative to the employment and compensation of persons in various branches of the public service, and with the preparation and publication of the "United States Treasury Register."

430. It is also charged with the verification of all payrolls of the department; with the inspection of the accounts of steamboat inspectors and internal-revenue gaugers; and the examination of all estimates for salaries and compensation of officers and employees.

431. Also with the keeping of accounts of miscella neous expenditures from the appropriation for the collec tion of the revenue from customs.

432. Also with the keeping of the account of absence from duty of employees in the several bureaus and offices of the department, and the consideration of requests for leave of absence.

VIII. DIVISION OF STATIONERY, PRINTING, AND BLANKS.

433. This division is charged with the purchase and supply of stationery, blanks, and blank books for the department, sub-treasuries, depositaries, custom-houses, revenue vessels, life-saving stations, marine hospitals, light-houses, and internal-revenue offices; and with the supervision of the printing, binding, lithographing, and engraving for the department, except United States bonds and notes, United States currency, national-bank notes, and internal-revenue stamps; also with the arrangement for publication and the indexing of the several reports and tables comprising the finance report.

434. Also with the superintendence of the advertising

of the department; the examination and reference to the proper officers of the accounts for such advertising; and the subscription for newspapers and periodicals.

435. It is charged also with the preparation and deliv ery to disbursing officers of the Government of all disburs ing checks used by them, except pension checks; the custody and distribution of official postage stamps for the department; the custody and distribution of cigar stamps to officers of the customs; the examination of the accounts of those officers to see that such stamps.are properly ac counted for; and, generally, with all business connected with the foregoing.

IX. DIVISION OF SPECIAL AGENTS.

436. This division is charged with the assignment and detail of special agents, and the examination of their ac counts for compensation and travelling expenses, and the examination and reference of their reports; also with the following enumeration of duties:

437. The supervision and enforcement of the regula tions for the prevention of smuggling and frauds on the

customs revenue.

438. The supervision over the customs districts, and over the acts of customs officers and their books, papers, and records, with a view of securing uniformity in their methods of transacting business.

439. The supervision of the transportation of merchandise in bond, including the examination of the reports of collectors of customs at ports of shipment and of arrival; and the investigation of cases arising from alleged irregu larities in connection with such transportation.

440. The examination and approval of bonds for cus toms warehouses and bonded routes, and the enforcement of the laws and regulations governing the trade with Mexico