The increase in the commissioned personnel was made largely by the promotion of experienced quartermaster clerks and quartermaster sergeants to commissioned rank, and the vacancies in the grade of quartermaster sergeant were filled, as far as possible, from selected enlisted men.
Later a school for the instruction of quartermaster sergeants was organized at Marine barracks, Norfolk, and three classes were graduated therefrom.
It was necessary to make large increases in the personnel at headquarters to handle the question of supply, transportation, construction, and finance. The table below shows the strength in the office of the quartermaster on January 1, 1917, and June 30, 1918:
| Grade. | Jan. 1, 1917. | June 30, 1918. |
| Commissioned officers | 4 | 9 |
| Warrant officers | .. | 12 |
| Special assistant | .. | 1 |
| Technical engineer | .. | 1 |
| Clerical force: | ||
| Civilians | 10 | 8 |
| Enlisted (regular) | 43 | 53 |
| Enrolled (reservists) | .. | 111 |
| Total | 57 | 195 |
ADDITIONAL STOREHOUSES AND COOPERATION WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
Due to changes in the method of purchasing rations, caused by existing conditions, it became necessary to establish commissary storehouses at San Francisco, Charleston, and Baltimore, at which to maintain reserve supply stores. The Baltimore storehouse was later moved to Philadelphia. At the beginning of the war the Marine Corps had in its depots at Philadelphia, Pa., and San Francisco, Calif., a small surplus stock, which had been accumulated from the regular appropriations, sufficient to outfit 8,500 men; consequently when the war was declared against Germany and the corps was increased, first to 1,323 officers and 30,000 men (act May 22, 1917), and secondly to 3,341 officers and 75,500 men (act July 1, 1918), it was necessary to provide simultaneously clothing, equipage, food, and shelter for these men. The question of shelter is discussed in the following pages. In connection with the purchase of these supplies it must be remembered that the Army, Navy, and Allies were in the market for similar articles, and in order to determine supply and allocate demands the President first appointed a Council of National Defense, which was later superseded by the War Industries Board. The quartermaster’s department had representatives in daily attendance at the various meetings of the committees of the Council of National Defense, and later the War Industries Board. All of the above-mentioned supplies, as far as practicable, were purchased in the usual manner, by the bid and tender plan, only those articles on which no bids were received or those controlled by the War Industries Board being allocated.
There was installed in the office of the quartermaster a “follow-up” system, where record was made of all orders, contracts, purchase orders, and requests for transfer of supplies from other departments. The function of this section was to see that the supplies were delivered in accordance with contract obligations and trace delinquent deliveries. The section has proven its value, and satisfactory deliveries have been obtained, with few exceptions. From these records the quartermaster has available at all times the status of all outstanding orders as well as a concise record of completed contracts.
CANTONMENTS.
To furnish accommodations for the increased personnel, cantonments on a large scale were built at Quantico, Va., and Parris Island, S. C., and on a smaller scale at Mare Island, Calif. This work was expeditiously handled and afforded suitable temporary accommodations during the war.