service by individuals and valued at the time; some few claims have been authenticated for property destroyed by the enemy, where officers of the army have guaranteed to the owners of such property remuneration for their losses, on account of having impressed their means of conveying such property to places of safety, as in the case of the steam boat Yellow Stone. A large number of claims have been presented for horses and other property lost in the service, while in the possession of individuals, and considered as their own property; also, for property destroyed by the enemy and by the order of the officers of our army to prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy. Claims of these descriptions are not provided for by the existing laws and we have declined acting upon them, until congress should pass some general law on the subject. The claims audited, we have classed as follows: Military, including services in the army, supplies of ever kind furnished the army, transportation of troops and stores, and all losses incurred for the benefit of the army. Naval, including services in the navy, purchase and repair of vessels, outfits and supplies. Civil, including services in the civil department, rent of offices, &c. Contingent, including printing, stationary, &c. The whole amount of claims audited, and paid by treasury orders, from the first of January last, al which time our offices were established, up to the twenty-seventh of September, inclusive, is as follows: Military claims ............. , .................$225,154 20 Naval do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27,364 73 Civil do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,587 92 Contingent claims, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,427 84 Total, . . .. . ............. . .......$267,534 69 In cases where cash has been advanced, and for supplies furnished by merchants, previous to the first of March last. - The orders have been drawn bearing an interest of eight per cent, per annum. The amount of orders of this description is fifty-nine thousand four hundred and sixty-eight dollars and forty-three cents. The accounts of Messrs. Bryan and Hall, late agents of the government at New Orleans, have been submitted to this office, and are now under consideration. The whole amount of their liabilities is seventy-seven t housand four hundred and sixty-eight dollars and seventy six cents, of which the sum of fifty-three thousand four hundred and
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