III. Officers ordering transportation of wagons, ambulances, cannon, caissons, gun carriages, &c., will be particular to state in the bill of lading whether they are to be transported whole or taken apart. In shipments by rail, the number of animals, bales of hay and their weight, of pieces of lumber and measurement thereof, should be expressed in the bill of lading in numbers, in addition to the same in car-loads. The weight of different descriptions of goods must be given separately. When, in an invoice covering a variety of articles, or a number of packages, the total weight only is expressed, the officer receiving the property must, in certifying to its correctness, write out the weight delivered in words as well as in figures.

IV. Erasures, interlineation, or alterations in bills of lading must be explained thereon by the issuing or other competent officer.

V. Officers making shipments will at the time of shipping furnish the carrier with the original bill of lading, which upon the delivery of the property will be receipted by the officer receiving the same, and returned to the carrier with such indorsement as may be necessary to insure settlement for the service. The original bill of lading, receipted, alone will be received in settlement, and in no case will a second original bill of lading be issued for the same shipment.

VI. Duplicate and triplicate copies of the bill of lading will be promptly transmitted by mail to the consignee, and upon the receipt of the property the duplicate will be receipted and returned by mail to the officer making the shipment. The triplicate will be retained by the officer receiving the property. A copy, or quadruplicate, will be retained in book form by the consigned for his information.

VII. In the absence of failure of any officer to receipt for property consigned to him, the officer signing should make a full explanation over his signature, showing that he is duly authorized to receive and receipt for the same, and why the consignee does not receipt therefor. Agents or clerks are not authorized to receipt bills of lading.

VIII. Loss and damage to Government property will be deducted in settlement from the voucher issued to the carrier, and officers receipting for property must indorse on the bill of lading the kinds of property lost or damaged, and its full value, including transportation. When the amount of the damage to property cannot be readily asceriving officer should promptly call a board of survey on the same, and duly notify the carrier that he may, if he desires, be present with witnesses to protect his interest. The bill of lading should not be signed until the amount of damage is decided upon by the report of the board of survey, when an indorsement of their decisionupon the bill of lading.

IX. Quartermasters will be governed in the settlement of claims for transfer and ferriage by existing instructions and decisions of the Quartermaster-General.

X. Bills of lading for through shipments will only be settled with the last carried entitled to payment. Quartermasters should exercise care that no second claim is presented by roads performing part of the through transportation. The last carrier will be held responsible for all loss or damage, and such loss or damage will be deducted in making settlement for the service.

XI. The distance by the shortest practicable route, whether over one or many roads, will govern the rate charged. Transportation by water being generally the cheapest should be used when consistent with the interest of the service, and all transportation should be

2 R R-SERIES III, VOL V