incompetency or misconduct, revert to the grades in the corps from which they were promoted. Sec. 3, chap. V, act of July 9, 1918 (40 Stat. 879). 583. Relative rank of the Army Nurse Corps.-* Hereafter the members of the Army Nurse Corps shall have relative rank as follows: The superintendent shall have the relative rank of major; the assistant superintendents, director and assistant directors, the relative rank of captain; chief nurses, the relative rank of first lieutenant; head nurses and nurses, the relative rank of second lieutenant; and as regards medical and sanitary matters and all other work within the line of their professional duties shall have authority in and about military hospitals next after the officers of the Medical Department. The Secretary of War shall make the necessary regulations prescribing the rights and privileges conferred by such relative rank. Sec. 10, act of June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. 171), as amended by sec. 10, act of June 4, 1920 (41 Stat. 767-768). 584. Duties of Army nurses.-That rules and regulations prescribing the duties of the members of the Army Nurse Corps shall be prescribed by the Surgeon General of the United States Army, subject to the approval of the Secretary of War. Sec. 2, chap. V, act of July 9, 1919 (40 Stat. 879). 585. Matrons of post hospitals and nurses.-Hospital matrons and nurses may be employed in post or regimental hospitals in such numbers as may be necessary. R. S. 1239. The number of officers 586. Composition of the Veterinary Corps.of the Veterinary Corps shall be 175. * * Sec. 10, act of June 3, 1916 226139 Stat. 171), as amended by sec. 10, act of June 4, 1920 (41 Stat. 767). The "hire of veterinary surgeons" is provided for in recent Army appropriation acts, the last such provision being found in the act of June 5, 1920 (41 Stat. 967). By sec. 2 of act of July 29, 1861 (12 Stat. 280), one veterinary sergeant was provided with each battalion of Cavalry, and by sec. 4 of that act received the pay and allowances of a sergeant of Cavalry. By sec. 37, act of Mar. 3, 1863 (12 Stat. 737), each Cavalry regiment was provided with one veterinary surgeon with the rank of regimental sergeant major, held to be a citizen employed (Army Register, 1871), with the salary of $75 per month. Later another veterinarian was added with salary of $100, but holding the same grade, and veterinarians were attached to Artillery regiments. By sec. 2, act of Mar. 3, 1899 (30 Stat. 977), proper qualifications were required for appointment, and the pay and allowances of a second lieutenant mounted were granted to the veterinarians, first class, and pay of $75 per month and the allowances of a sergeant major to the veterinarians, second class. The grade of veterinarian, second class, was abolished by sec. 20, act of Feb. 2, 1901 (31 Stat. 753), and all veterinarians received the pay and allowances of second lieutenants, mounted. Said section 20 provided that "such number of veterinarians as the Secretary of War may authorize shall be employed to attend the animals pertaining to the Quartermaster's or other Departments not directly connected with the cavalry and artillery regiments, at a compensation not exceeding one hundred dollars per month." Retirement under the laws governing second lieutenants was provided by the act of Mar. 3, 1911 (36 Stat. 1042). Sec. 16 of the national defense act of June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. 176), which was stricken cut by the above section, read as follows: "The President is hereby authorized, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint veterinarians and assistant veterinarians in the Army, not to exceed, including veterinarians now in service, two such officers for each regiment of Cavalry, one for every three batteries of Field Artillery, one for each mounted battalion of Engineers, seventeen as inspectors of horses and mules and as veterinarians in the Quartermaster Corps, and seven as inspectors of meats for the Quartermaster Corps; and said veterinarians and assistant veterinarians shall be citizens of the United States and shall constitute the Veterinary Corps and shall be a part of the Medical Department of the Army. 587. Appointment of second lieutenants, Veterinary Corps.ments shall be made Appoint in the Veterinary Corps in the grade of second lieutenant from reserve veterinary officers between the ages of twenty- sec. 24, act of June 4, 1920 (41 Stat. 774). 588. Promotions in the Veterinary Corps.—* An officer of the Veterinary Corps shall be promoted to the grade of first lieutenant after three years' service, to the grade of captain after seven years' service, to the grade of major after fourteen years' service, to the grade of lieutenant colonel after twenty years' service, and to the grade of colonel after twenty-six years' service. To officers shall be credited their service ** and to officers of the Veterinary Corps, their governmental veterinary service rendered prior to June 3, 1916. je Sec. 10, act of June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. 171), as amended by sec. 10, act of June 4, 1920 (41 Stat. 767). * Provision for appointment and promotion in the Veterinary Corps of veterinarians of Cavalry, Field Artillery, and the Quartermaster Corps, after 15 years' service as veterinarians (captains), after five years' service as assistant veterinarians (first lieutenant), and under five years' service as assistant veterinarians (second lieutenant), as well as for appointment of probationary assistant veterinarians, reserve veterinarians, veterinary examining boards, etc., was made in sec. 16 of the national defense act of June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. 177), repealed by sec. 16, act of June 4, 1920 (41 Stat. 769). 589. Composition of the Medical Administrative Corps.-✦ The number 2261 mo of officers * *, and of the Medical Administrative Corps, one for every two 711-48 ¡CML2 84 * Sec. thousand, of the total enlisted strength of the Regular Army, authorized from Appointees 590. Appointment to the Medical Administrative Corps.—* in the Medical Administrative Corps must also have had at least five years' enlisted service in the Medical Department, and the number appointed in the grades of captain and first lieutenant under the provisions of this paragraph shall not exceed one-half of the whole number authorized for said corps. Sec. 10, act of June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. 171), as amended by sec. 10, act of June 4, 1920 (41 Stat. 767). * shall be made * 591. Appointment of second lieutenants, Medical Administration Corps.—* Appointments in the Medical Administrative Corps in the grade of second lieutenant from enlisted men of the Medical Department between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-two years, who have had at least two years' service. Sec. 24e, added to the act of June 3, 1916, by sec. 24, act of June 4, 1920 (41 Stat. 774). An officer of {}," 592. Promotion in the Medical Administrative Corps.-* the Medical Administrative Corps shall be promoted to the grade of first lieu- xi tetant after five years' service, and to the grade of captain after ten years' ( fat service. Sec. 10, act of June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. 171), as amended by sec. 10, act of June 4, 1920 (41 Stat. 767). 593. Board on serums, etc.-That the Surgeon-General of the Army, the Surgeon-General of the Navy, and the supervising Surgeon-General of the MarineHospital Service be, and they are hereby, constituted a board with authority, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, to promulgate from time to time such rules as may be necessary in the judgment of said board to govern the issue, suspension, and revocation of licenses for the maintenance of establishments for the propagation and preparation of viruses, serums, toxins, antitoxins, 2 and analogous products, applicable to the prevention and cure of diseases of man, intended for sale in the District of Columbia, or to be sent, carried, or brought for sale from any State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, into any other State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, or from the United States into any foreign country, or from any foreign country into the United States: Povided, That all licenses issued for the maintenance of establishments for the propagation and preparation in any foreign country of any virus, serum, toxin, antitoxin, or product aforesaid, for sale, barter, or exchange in the United States, shall be issued upon condition that the licentiates will permit the inspection of the establishments where said articles are propagated and prepared, in accordance with section three of this act. Sec. 4, act of July 1, 1902 (32 Stat. 729). 594. Advisory board for the Hygienic Laboratory.-That there shall be an advisory board for the hygienic laboratory provided by the Act of Congress approved March third, nineteen hundred and one, for consultation with the Surgeon-General of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service relative to the investigations to be inaugurated, and the methods of conducting the same, in said laboratory. Said board shall consist of three competent experts, to be detailed from the Army, the Navy, and the Bureau of Animal Industry by the Surgeon-General of the Army, the Surgeon-General of the Navy, and the Secretary of Agriculture, respectively, which experts, with the director of the said laboratory, shall be ex officio members of the board, and serve without additional compensation. Five other members of said board shall be appointed by the Surgeon-General of the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, who shall be skilled in laboratory work in its relation to the public health, and not in the regular employment of the Government. The said five members shall each receive compensation of ten dollars per diem while serving in conference, as aforesaid, together with allowance for actual and necessary traveling expenses and hotel expenses while in conference. Said conference is not to exceed ten days in any one fiscal year. The term of service of the five members of said board, not in the regular employment of the Government, first appointed shall be so arranged that one of said members shall retire each year, the subsequent appointments to be for a period of five years. Appointments to fill vacancies occurring in a manner other than as above provided shall be made for the unexpired term of the member whose place has become vacant. Sec. 5, act of July 1, 1902 (32 Stat. 713). The Hygienic Laboratory was provided for by act Mar. 3, 1901, sec. 1 (31 Stat. 1137). 5941. Civilian force.-For additional employees in the office of the Surgeon General, $60,000: Provided, That no person shall be employed hereunder at a rate of compensation exceeding $1,200 per annum. Act of Mar. 3, 1921 (41 Stat. 1278), making appropriations for legislative, executive, and judicial expenses: Office of Surgeon General. Legislative provision for the services of Engineer officers with the Revolutionary armies was made at a relatively early stage in the progress of the war by a resolution of Congress of June 16, 1775, which authorized the employment of Engineer officers at the headquarters of the Army and in the several departments. Col. R. Gridley was appointed Chief Engineer by General Washington, and his services were recognized and continued in that capacity by a resolution of Congress dated Jan. 16, 1776. The difficulty of obtaining trained engineers in the Continental establishment made it necessary to secure such services abroad, and the action of the American commissioners in Paris, in employing several members of the French Corps of Engineers, was approved by Congress in a resolution dated July 8, 1777. A Corps of Engineers was subsequently established by the resolution of Mar. 11, 1779, and M. Duportail, an officer of the Royal Engineers of France, was placed at its head, with the rank of brigadier general. This corps continued in service until the close of the war, not having been disbanded until Nov., 1783. A Corps of Artillerists and Engineers was established by the act of May 9, 1784 (1 Stat. 366). This organization was required to be "completed" by the act of Mar. 3, 1795 (id. 430), and an additional regiment of artillerists and engineers was added to the establishment by the act of Apr. 27, 1798 (id. 552). The seventeenth and eighteenth sections of the act of Mar. 3, 1799 (id. 755), passed in contemplation of war with France, authorized the appointment of two engineers "distinct from the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers," with the rank and pay of lieutenant colonels, and conferred power upon the President, in his discretion, to appoint an inspector of fortifications, who was to have the rank of major and was to be selected from the artillerists and engineers or from civil life. If he was appointed from the existing corps, he was to retain his office and was to rise "therein in the same manner as if he had never been appointed to the said office of inspector." The functions of the Artillerists and Engineers were dissociated by the act of Mar. 6, 1802 (2 id. 132), which created a regiment of Artillery and authorized the President to organize and establish a Corps of Engineers to consist of 1 major, 2 captains, 2 first Heutenants, 2 second lieutenants, and 10 cadets; provision was made in the same enactment for the gradual expansion of the corps by a clause conferring authority upon the President to make promotions "without regard to rank" until the corps should consist of 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant colonel, 2 majors, 4 captains, 4 first lieutenants, and 4 second lieutenants. By the act of Apr. 29, 1812 (2 id. 720), 2 captains, 2 first lieutenants, 2 second lieutenants, "to be taken from the subaltern officer of Engineers," and 1 paymaster and a company of bombardiers, sappers, and miners were added to the existing establishment. The composition of this corps was not changed by the acts of Mar. 3, 1815 (3 id. 224), and Apr. 4, 1818 (id. 426), for the reduction and reorganization of the staff, nor was its organization modified at the general reduction of Mar. 2, 1821 (id. 615). By sec. 4 of the act of July 5, 1838 (5 Stat. 257), a Corps of Topographical Engineers was established, and by sec. 2 of said act the President was authorized to increase the Corps of Engineers by the addition of 1 lieutenant colonel, 2 majors, 6 captains, 6 first lieutenants, and 6 second lieutenants, and the pay of Engineer officers was fixed at the rates established by law for officers of dragoons. By sec. 3 of the act of July 5, 1838, the paymaster authorized by the act of Apr. 12, 1808, was transferred to the Pay Department. A second company of Engineer soldiers was added to the corps by sec. 4 of the act of May 15, 1846 (9 id. 12). By the act of Mar. 3, 1851 (id. 62), the President was authorized to employ officers of Engineers on lighthouse duty, and by sec. 8 of the act of Aug. 31, 1852 (10 id. 119), officers of the corps were required to be attached to the Lighthouse Board as member and engineer secretary, respectively. By sec. 9 of the act of Mar. 3, 1853 (id. 119), lieutenants of engineers, after 14 years' continuous service, were to be entitled to the pay and allowance of captains. By sec. 3 of the act of Aug. 5, 1861 (12 id. 287), 3 first lieutenants and 3 second lieutenants were added, and the organization of 3 additional companies of Engineer soldiers was authorized by the act of Aug. 6, 1861 (id, 317); 2 lieutenant colonels and 4 majors were added to the strength of the corps "by regular promotion." The Corps of Topographical Engineers was discontinued by the act of Mar. 3, 1863 (id. 743), and its officers were merged in the Corps of Engineers. Examinations were also required, in all grades below that of field officer, as a condition precedent to promotion. The composition of the corps was fixed, by the same enactment, at 1 brigadier general, 4 colonels, 10 lieutenant colonels, 20 majors, 30 captains, 30 first lieutenants, and 10 second lieutenants. By sec. 19 of the act of July 28, 1866 (14 id. 333), the strength of the corps was fixed at 1 brigadier general, 6 colonels, 12 lieutenant colonels, 24 majors, 30 captains, 26 first lieutenants, and 10 second lieutenants. By sec. 6 of the act of Mar. 3, 1869 (15 id. 318), appointments and promotions in the several departments of the staff were suspended until otherwise directed by Congress. This requirement was removed, however, as to all officers below the grade of brigadier general by the act of June 10, 1872 (17 id. 382), and repealed as to the Chief of Engineers by the act of June 30, 1879 (21 id. 45). The Corps of Engineers was authorized by R. S. sec. 1094, and its composition was prescribed by R. S. sec. 1151, and the composition of the battalion of Engineers and of each company was prescribed by R. S. sccs. 1154 and 1155, and by the act. of July 5, 1898 (30 id. 652), the strength of the Corps of Engineers was fixed at 1 brigadier general, 7 colonels, 14 lieutenant colonels, 28 majors, 35 captains, 30 first lieutenants, and 12 second lieutenants. By sec. 22 of the act of Feb. 2, 1901 (31 Stat. 754), the strength of the department was fixed at 1 Chief of Engineers with the rank of brigadier general, 7 colonels, 14 lieutenant colonels, 28 majors, 40 captains, 40 first lieutenants, and 30 second lieutenants. The enlisted force was also increased by the addition of 2 battalions of Engineer troops. It was also provided that the troops of the 3 Engineer battallons and the officers of Engineers assigned to duty therewith should constitute a part of the line of the Army. By the act of Apr. 23, 1904 (33 Stat. 263), the strength of the corps was fixed at 1 Chief of Engineers with the rank of brigadier general, 10 colonels, 16 lieutenant colonels, 32 majors, 43 captains, 43 first lieutenants, and 43 second lieutenants. By sec. 5 of the act of Feb. 27, 1911 (36 Stat. 957), the corps was increased by 5 colonels, 6 lieutenant colonels, 19 majors, 17 captains, and 13 first lieutenants-the increase to be extended over a period of 5 years as nearly as practicable. By sec. 11, act of June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. 173), it was provided that the commissioned personnel should consist of 1 Chief of Engineers (brigadier general), 23 colonels, 30 lieutenant colonels, 72 majors, 152 captains, 148 first lieutenants, and 79 second lieutenants. That act was superseded by sec. 11, act of June 4, 1920, post, 595. It was provided by sec. 11, act of Feb. 2, 1901, and sec. 11, act of June 3, 1916, that the enlisted force of Engineers provided by these acts and the officers serving with them should be troops of the line. The Corps of Engineers is designated as a combatant arm of the Army, by sec. 2, act of June 4, 1920, post, 2118. The Corps of Topographical Engineers.-The act of Mar. 3, 1813 (2 Stat. 819), authorized the appointment of 8 topographical engineers with the rank of major of Cavalry and 8 assistants with the rank of captain of Infantry; but this force was reduced to 2 majors by the act of Mar. 3, 1815 (id. 224). By the act of Apr. 24, 1816 (id. 297), 3 majors and 2 assistants with the rank of captain were authorized for each division of the Army. On July 2, 1818, these officers were merged,, by general orders, in the Corps of Engineers. In Aug., 1818, a Topographical Bureau was established in the War Department, the duties of the bureau being performed by officers, detailed from the line. By the act of Apr. 30, 1824 (4 id. 22), civil assistants were authorized |