Coast Guard for instruction in aviation at any aviation school maintained by the Army and Navy, and such officers and enlisted men shall be subject to the regulations governing such schools Id., 601. 889ff. Obtaining basic patents for manufacture and development of aircraft. To enable the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy to secure by purchase, condemnation, donation, or other wise, such basic patent or patents as they may consider necessary to the manufacture and development of aircraft in the United States and its dependencies, for governmental and civil purposes, under such regulations as the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy may prescribe, $1,000,000. Act of Mar. 4, 1917 (Pub. No. 391, 39 Stat. -).

899gg. Same-Purchase arrangements advantageous to Govern ment may be entered into-Such arrangements may be made in relation to the purchase of any basic patent connected with the manufacture and development of aircraft in the United States as in the judgment of the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy will be of the greatest advantage to the Government and to the development of the industry. Id.

889hh. Same-Bond to be required where validity of patents is in litigation. In the event there shall be pending in court litigation involving the validity of said patent or patents, bond, with good and approved security in an amount sufficient to indemnify the United States, shall be required, payable to the United States, conditioned to repay to the United States the amount paid for said patent or patents in the event said patent or patents are finally adjudged invalid. Id.

899ii. Consolidation of balances of appropriation for National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.-The balances under the sev eral items of the appropriation "National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics," carried in the Act making appropriations for the naval service for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and seventeen, approved August twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred and sixteen, are hereby consolidated into a single fund and may be expended by the committee for its purposes as stated in the paragraph of Public Act Numbered Two hundred and seventy-one, Sixty-third Congress, approved March third, nineteen hundred and fifteen, establishing the committee. Id.

890a. Enlisted force, composition of.-The total enlisted strength of the Signal Corps shall be limited and fixed from time to time by the President in accordance with the needs of the Army, and shall consist of master signal electricians; sergeants, first class; sergeants; corporals; cooks; horseshoers; private, first class; and privates; the number in each grade being fixed from time to time by the President.

The numbers in the various grades shall not exceed the following percentages of the total authorized enlisted strength of the Signal Corps, namely: Master signal electricians, two per centum; sergeants, first class, seven per centum; sergeants, ten per centum; corporals, twenty per centum. The number of privates, first class, shall not exceed twenty-five per centum of the number of privates. Sec. 13, Act of June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. 176).

(For the provision of this section immediately preceding this paragraph see paragraph 889u. For authorization for one thousand additional sergeants for detail from the Infantry, Cavalry, Field Artillery, Corps of Engineers, Coast Artillery Corps, Medical Department, and Signal Corps of the Regular Army, with corresponding organizations of the National Guard, to assist in the instruction of its personnel and the care of property, and the similar detail of one hundred additional sergeants with the disciplinary organizations at the United States Disciplinary Barracks, see paragraph 1332a.)

890b. Same-Organization of into companies, battalions, and aero squadrons.-Authority is hereby given the President to organize, in his discretion, such part of the commissioned and enlisted personnel of the Signal Corps into such number of companies, battalions, and aero squadrons as the necessities of the service may demand. Id.

890c. Same-May be mounted.-Enlisted men detailed for signal duty shall, when it is deemed necessary, be mounted on horses provided by the Government.1 Sec. 1197, R. S.

901a. Property returns to be made semiannually.-The Act of Congress approved October twelfth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, entitled "An Act to make enlisted men of the Signal Corps responsible for public property," be amended so as to read that property returns of the Signal Corps shall be rendered semiannually or more often. Act of Apr. 27, 1914 (38 Stat. 353).

901b. Settlement of accounts between other bureaus of War Department, etc., and the Signal Corps.-Hereafter in the settlement of transactions between appropriations under the Signal Corps, or between the Signal Corps and another office or bureau of the War Department, or of any other executive department of the Government, payment therefor shall be made by the proper disbursing officer of the Signal Corps, or of the office, bureau, or department concerned. Act of Aug. 29, 1916 (39 Stat. 622).

The enlisted men mentioned in this section were those detailed from the battalion of Engineers for signal duty under sec. 1196, R. S. The provision may be regarded as applicable to enlisted men of the Signal Corps as constituted under later statutes.

902a. Chaplains, appointment of.-The President is authorized to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, chaplains in the Army at the rate of not to exceed, including chaplains now in service, one for each regiment of Cavalry, Infantry, Field Artillery, and Engineers, and one for each one thousand two hundred officers and men of the Coast Artillery Corps, with rank, pay, and allowances as now authorized by law. Sec. 15, Act of June 3, 1916 (39 Stat. 176).

902b. Same-Preference to be given to applicants who have been honorably discharged from the Army.-In appointment of chaplains in the Regular Army, preference and priority shall be given to applicant veterans, if otherwise duly qualified and who shall not have passed the age of forty-one years at the time of application, who have rendered honorable war service in the Army of the United States or who have been honorably discharged from such Army. Id.

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