(b) Every refusal to make an absolute appointment and the reason therefor, and every refusal or neglect to accept an appointment in the classified railway mail service.

(c) Every transfer into the classified railway mail service.

(d) Every separation from the classified railway mail service and the cause of such separation.

(e) Every promotion or degradation in the classified railway mail service, if such promotion or degradation be from one class to another class.

(f) Once in every six months, namely, on the 30th of June and the 31st of December of each year, the whole number of employees in each railway mail division, arranged by States and classes, showing the number of substitutes and the number of regular employees in each class in each State or Territory.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, January 4, 1889.

The above rules are hereby approved, to take effect March 15, 1889:  Provided, That such rules shall become operative and take effect in any State or Territory as soon as an eligible register for such State or Territory shall be prepared, if it shall be prior to the date above fixed.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION,
  Washington, D.C., February 8, 1889.

The PRESIDENT.

SIR:  The Commission recommends that Special Departmental Rule No. 1 be amended by adding to the exceptions from examination therein declared the following: 

  “11.  In the Department of Justice:  Assistant attorneys.

  “12.  In the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Experiment Stations: 
  Private secretary to the Director.”

Very respectfully,

CHAS LYMAN,
  United States Civil Service Commissioner.

Approved, February 11, 1889.

GROVER CLEVELAND.

UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION,
  Washington, D.C., February 9, 1889.

The PRESIDENT.

SIR:  This Commission has the honor to recommend that the order of the President fixing the places to which appointments may be made upon noncompetitive examination under General Rule III, section 2, clause (f), may be amended by including among such places the following: 

  “In the Post-Office Department:  Captain of the watch.”

This recommendation is based upon the letter of the Postmaster-General dated December 19, 1888, in which he says: 

“I would request that places in the Post-Office Department subject to noncompetitive examination be increased by including the position of captain of the watch, as the duties of the position are of such a nature that the head of the Department should be permitted to recommend for examination such person as would possess such other qualifications in addition to the merely clerical ones as would commend him to the head of the Department to fill satisfactorily such position.”

Very respectfully,