total number of members punished was 161. The penalties attached are dismissal, suspension, light labor on the Home grounds, and confinement to limits.

Watchmen, Home police, and provost-sergeants enforce the discipline in the grounds, and the buildings are looked after by first sergeants and Home police. The system of pass privileges is very liberal, and passes are granted at any time whenever applied for, excepting to members who are confined to limits.

AMUSEMENTS.

The facilities for recreation and amusements consist in theatrical and other entertainments in Stanley Hall, a library well supplied with books, an excellent band of 17 pieces, a billiard hall, card rooms, golf, quoits, chess, backgammon, checkers, dominoes, etc. Fourteen theatrical performances are reported as having been given during the year, at a total cost of $549.75. No charge for admission to these is made to the members, nor is any required for any performance at the Home. They are all well attended. A limited number of civilian friends of managers of the theatrical troupes performing are admitted free. At some Volunteer Branches it is claimed that interest and decorum is increased by a nominal charge of 5 or 10 cents, with possibly not only a free list, but a rotation of this among special buildings, so pleasant emulation can be secured for their special night. By the way of an extension of the amusements and recreation for the old veterans, it might be well to follow the example of the Central Branch of the Volunteer Home by having a clubhouse for them, or, like the Western Branch, a base-ball park, where different base-ball teams played for a consideration during the seasonable weather and afforded the men a very popular means of amusement.

The band is a source of much pleasure to the members of the Home and to the many visitors from the city who drive out to enjoy the concerts. The band is composed of 9 members and 8 civilians, and is maintained throughout the entire year at a cost of $5,233, which includes subsistence and the other allowances of civilians. During the year they gave 249 concerts, all of which were well attended, at an average cost of about $21 per concert. This is considerably less than the concerts given at the majority of the Branches of the Volunteer Homes. The leader of the band receives a salary of $35 per month, and the civilian musicians receive the same allowance of clothing, rations, and fuel as the members, and are quartered in the Anderson Building. In the basement of the Sherman Building is located the billiard hall, containing 3 billiard, 1 pool, and 2 bagatelle tables, all in good condition and in constant use. No charge is made for the use of these tables. In the amusement rooms of the various barracks there are 27 card tables, cards being one of the favorite sources of amusement among the members.

The societies among the members are the Grand Army of the Republic, with a membership of 82, and the Spanish war veterans, with 125. The library, which is located conveniently close to the barracks, was in apparently good condition, and contained, at the date of inspection, 8,140 volumes, an increase over previous years. Its seating capacity is 80, and the average daily attendance was 260 members. They appear to have a greater desire for books of fiction, biography, and histories

of wars than for others. The ten books most read were Alice of Old Vincennes, Blennerhassett, Helmet of Navarre, Dri and I, Audry, To Have and to Hold, the works of Charles Reade and Conan Doyle, lives of McClellan, Custer, and other great generals, and civil-war histories. These books are allowed to be taken from the library on condition that they are not kept longer than fourteen days without renewal.

The desire for pets, usual among men, especially soldiers, shows no evidence here. Would not some collection of animals be interesting to the old men here, as at the California Home?

RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

In the picturesque ivy-covered chapel of the Home are held, every Sunday or holiday, the religious services for the members. The services of one Catholic chaplain at $50, one Episcopal chaplain at $50, and one Lutheran chaplain at $25 per month are engaged; who, in addition, visit the sick, attend the funerals, and attend to the other duties of their profession. None of them reside at the Home. The capacity of the chapel is 200, and the services, numbering 3 each Sunday or holiday (one of each denomination), are reported to be well attended. The chapel has been enlarged and redecorated since last inspection and is very attractive.

DISBURSEMENTS.

Since last inspection Capt. C. W. Taylor, Ninth Cavalry, was relieved as treasurer, on April 1, 1902, by Maj. Henry M. Kendall, U. S. Army, retired. Both of these officers' accounts and books were inspected to June 30, 1902, and the transactions under the two funds handled at this Home were as follows:

It is noted that the large balances kept on hand in the pension fund heretofore observed in former inspections appear to have increased, and this year's balance is $4,130.86 larger than that of last year. These balances, varying between $40,000 and $55,000, if permitted to draw interest like most of the funds, would defray the expenses for keeping the pension accounts, which are still borne by the Home fund. The expenditures in the pension fund for this year are $287.98 less than last year, and the number of pensioners reported on the rolls June 30, 1902, is 731, or an increase of 55 over last year. The balance of the pension fund on June 30, 1902, amounting to $54,726.81, pertained to 348 pensioners, 221 of whom had less than $100 to their credit; 98 had $100 and less than $500; 21 had $500 and less than $1,000, and 8 had over $1,000 to their credit.

It is also noted that the expenditures in the Home fund are less than those of last year by $29,339.23; still the cash payments in this fund exceed those of last by $10,510.11. Only a small amount of cash is kept on hand however. It is usually found that individual checks furnish one security in disbursements.

The average cost per capita for the year was $251.284 and is $39.424 more per capita than last year. The following table shows the various subheads involved:

The average cost of maintenance per capita for 1901 at the Volunteer Soldiers' Home was $133.43, and the average cost per capita for the past year for those on outdoor relief was $81.44. Do not these figures accentuate a condition which demonstrates what is the wisest policy for this Home?

It was observed that the balances of both the permanent fund and the interest account on June 30, 1902, were the largest carried for the past six years.

The following statement shows the transactions affecting the permanent fund for the past six years and for nine months of the year 1900:

The total amount contributed to the permanent fund during the year ending June 30, 1902, was as follows:

Deductions of 12 cents per month and fines
Forfeitures by deserters...

Total..

And the interest on deposits during the year

Total legitimate income for the year.

$465, 028. 31

71, 017. 31

536, 045.62

90, 430. 10

626, 475.72

The total amount expended during the year was $318,496.27, of which $60,926.42 was for construction or permanent improvements, and being deducted leaves $257,569.85 as the actual expenses for the year, thus showing the legitimate income for the year to have been $368,906.87 more than the actual expenses.

The following statement shows the receipts and disbursements under the different headings for the year ending June 30, 1902:

The treasurer's office was found to be in first-class order, and the books, records, and vouchers were well kept and accurate.

They now close their fiscal year on June 30 of each year, as has been recommended from time to time by this office. It came very slowly, like many things, but was reached at last, and makes it possible to submit this report in time for publication in the annual report of the honorable Secretary of War.

OUTDOOR RELIEF.

There were 360 men receiving outdoor relief on June 30, 1902, which was a reduction of 47 men from last year; and the average number for the year was 373 men, or 39 less than last year. Among those receiving these benefits are 139 Mexican war veterans. The total amount paid on this account was $30,378, or an average per man of $81.44 per annum, or $6.78 per month. Of the whole number on outdoor relief, 298 received $8 per month each, 60 of them $2, and 2 of them $4. This custom of supplying outdoor relief appears to be a most satisfactory arrangement both for the Home and also for the members, as it is more economical to the former, and the large number of the latter who take advantage of it bespeaks its popularity among them. Though the law authorizes it for the Volunteer Home also, it has never felt free to encourage this method, as it might become uncontrollable,

EMPLOYEES.

From the following table, showing the average daily number of employees with cost of their salaries during the year, as compared with former years, it will be observed that there has been a steady