EXECUTIVE MANSION, _July 8, 1884_.
In order to carry out the provisions of that portion of the act entitled
"An act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the
Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, and for other
purposes," approved July 7, 1884, which contemplates the participation
of the several Executive Departments, the Department of Agriculture, and
the Smithsonian Institution in the World's Industrial and Cotton
Centennial Exposition of 1884-85, the board heretofore appointed by
Executive order to take charge of the articles and materials to be
exhibited by these Departments, the Department of Agriculture, and the
Smithsonian Institution is hereby continued under the following
regulations and distribution of duties, viz:
The funds appropriated for such participation will be drawn from the
Treasury upon the requisition of the president of the board, and will
be disbursed and accounted for as are other public moneys under the
existing laws and regulations relating to disbursing officers.
An officer of the Army will be detailed by the Secretary of War and
an officer of the Navy will be detailed by the Secretary of the Navy to
report to the president of the board for duty as disbursing officers of
the board.
The representatives of the several Executive Departments, the
representative of the Department of Agriculture, and the representative
of the Smithsonian Institution will have charge of the matter pertaining
to their respective Departments, subject to the general advisement of
the board, and all bills will be paid by the disbursing officers upon
vouchers certified by such representatives and countersigned by the
president of the board.
The disbursing officers will render, through the president of the board,
monthly accounts current of all advances and disbursements by them to
the First Auditor of the Treasury for audit and settlement in the same
manner as are other accounts of disbursing officers of the Government.
Each representative will be held responsible to the head of his
respective Department for all public property of the United States
furnished by the head of such Department or otherwise coming to his
hands for the purposes of the exposition, and will render proper
accounts of the same to such head of Department until the property
is returned.