The whole of the Patent Office building will soon be needed, if it is
not already, for the accommodation of the business of the Patent Office.
PENSIONS.
The amount paid for pensions in the last fiscal year was $30,169,340, an
amount larger by $3,708,434 than was paid during the preceding year. Of
this amount $2,313,409 were paid under the act of Congress of February
17, 1871, to survivors of the War of 1812. The annual increase of
pensions by the legislation of Congress has more than kept pace with the
natural yearly losses from the rolls. The act of Congress of June 8,
1872, has added an estimated amount of $750,000 per annum to the rolls,
without increasing the number of pensioners. We can not, therefore, look
for any substantial decrease in the expenditures of this Department for
some time to come, or so long as Congress continues to so change the
rates of pension.
The whole number of soldiers enlisted in the War of the Rebellion was
2,688,523. The total number of claims for invalid pensions is 176,000,
being but 6 per cent of the whole number of enlisted men. The total
number of claims on hand at the beginning of the year was 91,689; the
number received during the year was 26,574; the number disposed of was
39,178, making a net gain of 12,604.
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