No. 47. WASHINGTON, March 15, 1904. I..The following orders are published to the Army for the information and guidance of all concerned: WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, March 15, 1904. ORDERS: It is the view of the Department that clerks who have had three years' efficient and meritorious service in the Philippines, and who are eligible under civil service rules, should be favorably considered for transfer to the United States when opportunities arise and when conditions make such transfers practicable and in the interest of good administration. It is desired hereafter, when practicable, to fill vacancies occurring in the Department's service in the United States by the transfer of eligible clerks from the Philippines: also to transfer from time to time clerks from the United States to the Philippines for a tour of service when such transfers may be in the interest of good administration. Attention is invited at this time to the orders of the Department of July 24, 1901 (Circular, No. 26, Headquarters of the Army, Adjutant General's Office), as follows: The Secretary of War considers that the interests of the service require that employees at large in the Department must be subject to orders in regard to transfer of station and a refusal to obey such orders will be deemed a proper and sufficient reason for discharge from the service. Under the provisions of this order those employees who have had one year's service and are physically able to work in a tropical climate are subject to transfer to the Philippines for a tour of service. The physical ability for Philippine service of a clerk nominated for transfer will be determined by physical examination and certificate of an Army surgeon. Clerks transferred to the Philippines will be allowed an increase of $200 in annual compensation to take effect on the date of leaving station in the United States, unless, with regard to those paid from the appropriation for clerks at military headquarters, conditions relating to such appropriation make it necessary to have the increase commence at a later date. Clerks so transferred will be allowed transportation and expenses en route from station in the United States to station to which assigned in the Philippines. Clerks transferred from the Philippines will be reduced 20 per cent in compensation, provided that those paid from the appropriation for clerks at military headquarters, whose compensation is graded by law, will receive a reduction approximating 20 per cent as nearly as the grades fixed by law will permit; and provided further that the compensation of classified clerks who were transferred to the Philippines from the service of the Department in the United States shall not be reduced to rates lower than those they received in the United States at the time of transfer, unless their efficiency record calls for a lower compensation. Such reduction will take effect on the date of arrival at proper station, unless, with regard to those paid from the appropriation for clerks at military headquarters, conditions relating to such appropriation make it necessary to have the reduction commence at an earlier date. Clerks so transferred will be allowed transportation and expenses en route from station in the Philippines to station in the United States to which transferred. When opportunities arise for transferring clerks to the United States nominations will be submitted to the Secretary of War, determined as far as practicable by length of service in civil positions under the Department in the Philippines. Each nomination for a transfer will state the reasons for determining the particular employee nominated, whether the transfer proposed is from the Philippines to the United States or vice versa. No employee will be transferred from the United States to the Philippines or from the Philippines to the United States, and no employee in the United States or in the Philippines will be given transportation on a U. S. Government transport, except upon authority of the Secretary of War previously obtained. ROBERT SHAW OLIVER, II--Paragraph 258 of the Regulations, as amended by General Orders, No. 121, Headquarters of the Army, Adjutant General's Office, August 14, 1903, requiring the rendition by commanding officers of companies twice each year (on the last days of September and March) of reports showing the character and scope of instruction imparted during the previous six months, is hereby revoked. BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: No. 48. WASHINGTON, March 15, 1904. I. Under the provisions of section 4, act of June 16, 1890, the President has prescribed the following rules governing purchases of discharge from the Army, and they are published for the information and guidance of all concerned: 1. In time of peace, except as hereinafter provided, any enlisted man who has completed one year's service as such and is not undergoing punishment nor under charges may obtain the privilege of purchasing his discharge, subject to the approval of the authority competent to order it. The price of purchase will be as follows: The travel allowances due on discharge will in all cases form part of the purchase price, which will, by that amount, exceed the prices given. Only complete enlistments of three years, increased or decreased by short periods in cases where soldiers were held in service or discharged before expiration of service for the convenience of the Government, will be considered in determining the ordinal number of an enlistment. 2. To obtain the privilege of purchasing his discharge the soldier will make application to department headquarters, through military channels, giving his reasons for desiring his discharge. The company commander in forwarding the appli cation will state in full the condition of the accounts of the applicant, giving a complete statement of the soldier's service, with any information which would in the light of this order bear on the granting or withholding of the privilege requested. If the statement of the soldier's accounts does not show that he has sufficient credit with the United States to cover his indebtedness to the Government, including the price of purchase, the company commander will so notify the soldier and will not forward the application until the amount of deficit has been deposited with him by the soldier. 3. Upon receipt of applications made as prescribed herein and fulfilling the given conditions, department commanders may direct the discharges requested, but where there is lacking information bearing upon the granting or withholding of the privilege requested which may be supplied from records required to be kept at the War Department, or where the department commander for any reason deems it inadvisable to take final action thereon, he will forward the application with his remarks to the Adjutant General for the action of the War Department. 4. Where a soldier makes application for discharge by purchase on account of dependency of near relatives not covered by section II of this order and shows in connection therewith that a state of actual destitution exists, and that he has to the extent of his opportunities and ability made contributions to the support of such relatives which have proved insufficient to meet their necessities, the authority competent to order the discharge may, in his discretion, remit such part of the purchase price of discharge as may seem to him proper and necessary by reason of the inability of the soldier to pay the full amount. In this class of cases no advance deposit will be required of the soldier prior to forwarding his application, but upon receipt of the order authorizing his discharge the soldier must deposit with the company commander an amount suffi |