the Civil War, Spanish-American War and the World War. Every
request is complied with, without charge, if the record is available in
the Department, and when not available the applicant is advised of the
best authentic source to seek the same. Only is respect to the records
pertaining to the Revolutionary, War of 1812, and Mexican Wars are
our records rather incomplete and the incompleteness is solely due to
the methods used in those days of making and preserving records..

CONTROL OF STATE ARMORIES

By Act of the General Assembly of 1922 (Art. 65, P. G. L., Md.)
the State Armory Commission was abolished and the direct control of
all State Armories placed with the Ranking Line Officer of the State,
to whom all applications should be made for the use of any armory,
provided, however, that when applications are disapproved by the
ranking line officer they shall be subject to review and approval of the
Board of Public Works, the Ranking Line Officer and the commanding
.officer of the unit occupying the armory concerned.

In addition to the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore City, State
owned armories are now completed in the following towns and cities
throughout the State:

Pikesville Laurel
Frederick Salisbury
Hagerstown Centreville
Cambridge Crisfield
Bel Air Annapolis
Elkton Pocomoke City
Hyattsville Silver Spring
Cumberland Kensington
Westminster Chestertown
Easton Towson
Denton

MILITIA LAW OF MARYLAND

The National Defense Act required all States to make their military
laws conform with the provisions of the Act, in so far as any State
law might have been in conflict or might have been deficient as to
certain mandatory features of the Act, to entitle any State to partici-
pate in the Federal appropriations for arming, equipping and training
the National Guard.

Accordingly, Article 65, P. G. L., Md., was repealed and re-enacted
by the Legislature at its January (1922) session in which certain
provisions of the National Defense Act have been incorporated as the
law of the State, thereby conforming to the Act.

It was also found desirable to provide for the functioning of the
Ranking Line Officer of the National Guard on active duty pay status
and to place this officer in control of the military department of the
State. The authority, prerogatives and duties heretofore held and per-
formed by the Adjutant General have, by the present law, been trans-
ferred to the Ranking Line Officer who is responsible only to the Gov-
ernor, acting for and by his direction in all matters pertaining to the
Military Department of the State,