for here the engraving of the plates and the printing of all the United States circulating notes, bonds, revenue stamps, and postage stamps are done.

[Footnote 51:  The work of each department is usually distributed among the bureaus.  Bureaus are again divided into divisions.  At the head of each bureau is a commissioner, and of each division a chief.]

Other Officers of the Treasury Department.—­Among the other leading officials of the Treasury Department are:  Comptroller of the Currency, Commissioner of Internal Revenue, General Superintendent of the Life-saving Service, Solicitor of the Treasury, Supervising Surgeon-General, and Supervising Architect.

The Life-Saving Service.—­This is one of the most important offices in the Treasury Department.  More than 2000 men are employed in the 273 stations, located generally at danger points on the oceans and the Great Lakes.  Out of the 6000 lives imperiled in the year 1910 in the disasters on water, only 53 were lost.  Of the 1463 vessels of all kinds in distress, 1407 were rendered assistance by life-savers.  It has been estimated that over 230,000 lives have been saved through this service since it was founded in 1848.

The Solicitor of the Treasury.—­The Solicitor of the Treasury is the law officer of the department, and has charge of all prosecutions by the government arising out of the counterfeiting of the government securities, or of the infringement of customs revenue, and of all suits for the collection of moneys due the United States, except those due under the internal revenue laws.

The Supervising Surgeon-General.—­The Supervising Surgeon-General superintends the twenty-two marine hospitals where our sick sailors are cared for; conducts the quarantine service of the United States, and directs the laboratories for the investigation of the causes of contagious diseases.

THE WAR DEPARTMENT.

The Secretary of War.—­The Secretary of War, under the direction of the President, has charge of the military affairs of the government.  He supervises all estimates of appropriations for the expenses of the department.[52] He has under his supervision also the military academy at West Point, all National cemeteries, and river and harbor improvement.  The chiefs of the eleven bureaus are regular army officers.

[Footnote 52:  The annual appropriation by Congress for the army alone in 1912 amounted to $90,483,403.]

     The Adjutant-General.—­The Adjutant-General issues orders for
     the muster of troops and for their movement, conducts the
     correspondence of the department, and keeps the records.

The Inspector-General.—­The Inspector-General examines and reports on all places where United States troops are stationed; on public works carried on by army officers; and on the military academy and prisons.

     The Quartermaster-General.—­Under direction of the
     Quartermaster-General the army is transported, clothed, and
     equipped.