REPORT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY. 43 



in buying larger quantities, even at a cheaper rate, than when only 

 sufficient supplies for immediate use are procured. Therefore only arti- 

 cles of every-day use are uow kept on hand. 



The method of procedure in issuing supplies has been changed. The 

 usage of the present time provides that the heads of dejnirtments shall 

 fde a requisition, as formerly, for whatever may bo required in his 

 work. If the articles are of a kind usually kept in stock, this requisi- 

 tion is presented to the i)roperty clerk, who attends to it and makes 

 proper entries in his books. If the articles are not in stock, the requi- 

 sition is sent to the chief clerk of the Museum, who mails proposals to 

 established firms or manufacturers for the articles required. Upon the 

 return of the proposals, the prices are inserted on the original ropiisi- 

 tion and it is sent to the Assistanfe Secretary for action. If the espendi. 

 ture be authorized, the requisition is approved and returned to the 

 chief clerk of the Museum, who makes out an order for the articles, 

 sending also a uotification to the property clerk for his guidance. The 

 firm is required to deliver the articles, with a memorandum bill, to Ihe 

 registrar, who makes an entry of them in his books and turnsthe articles 

 over to the property clerk. This oflicer deli\ers them to the ])erson 

 making the requisition, at the same time obtaining his receipt. Tin's 

 form is filed by the property clerk in his office. Itemized bills, giving 

 the number of the orders, are required to l>e presented in duplicate 

 each month. These bills are examined by the }>roperty clerk, and if 

 found to correspond to the notification in regard to (puintity and ])rice 

 are certified to by him. The proi)crty clerk retains one of the certified 

 bills and sends the other to the cliief clerk of the Museum, who com- 

 pares it with the stubs in the order-book. If it is found to corresi)ond 

 to the orders, it is referred to the Assistant Secretary, who directs that 

 it be paid. The bill is then sent to the chief clerk of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, to be transferred to official forms. The voucher i)assea 

 through the same hands as did the original bill and undergoes the same 

 scrutiny and is ready for i)ayment when it receives the approval of the 

 Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Should a curator desire to niake the selection of the articles himself, 

 as scientific apparatus, for instance, a special form giving him that 

 permission is furnished. This form, which states that the charges are 

 just and reasonable, the curator sigus, after obtaining the arti<;les, an<l 

 transmits with the bill to the pro])erty clerk, as in the case Just men- 

 tioned. Proper entries are made in the books, so that at any time it is 

 easy to ascertain the (iost of articles and the amount expended for any 

 department. It will be seen that, with so many checks and counter- 

 checks, the Museum interests are in every particular safely guarded, 

 and what may appear cunibersome routine after all greatly Ijudlitates 

 the obtaining of su])plies, accounting for the same, as well as the set- 

 tlement of bills. 



All the cases, 'luniture, etc., b(;longing to the iVruseum are stamped 



