1482 MILITIA. [ART. 65

under the direction of the governor, be disposed of by the assistant to
the acting quartermaster general, at public auction, after a reasonable
advertisement of the sale in at least one newspaper published in the-
English language in Baltimore city, or the same be sold at private sale,
when so directed by the governor. He shall bid in the property or sus-
pend the sale whenever, in his opinion, better prices may or should be
obtained. He shall, from time to time, render to the adjutant general
a just and true account of the sales made by him, and shall turn over
to the adj'utant general the proceeds of said sales. The adjutant gen-
eral shall be responsible to the governor for all the arms, ordnance,
accoutrements, equipments and other military property which may be
issued to the State by the secretary of war in compliance with law, and
it shall thereafter be his duty to prepare returns of said arms and other
property of the United States at the times and in the manner required
by the secretary of war. The adjutant general (as acting quartermaster
general) shall, upon the order of the governor, turn into the ordnance
department of the United States army the rifles, carbines, bayonets, scab-
bards, gun-slings, belts and such other necessary accoutrements and equip-
ments, the property of the United States, and now in the possession of
the State, which may be replaced from time to time by new arms,
equipments, etc., sent by the United States in substitution therefor, and
cause the same to be shipped under instructions from the secretary of
war to the designated arsenal or depot at the expense of the United
States. When the national guard of the State shall be fully armed and
equipped with standard service magazine arms, and the standard equip-
ments and accoutrements of the United States army, he shall cause all
the remaining arms, equipments, etc., the property of the United States,
and in possession of the State, to be transferred and shipped as above
directed, (d) The adjutant general (as acting quartermaster general)
shall keep a just and true account of all expenses incurred, including
pay of officers and enlisted men, subsistence of militia, transportation
of the militia and of all the military property of the State, and such
expenses shall be audited and paid, (e) The adjutant general (as act-
ing quartermaster general) shall issue such military property as the
governor shall direct, and under his direction make purchases for that
purpose. No military property shall be issued to persons or organiza-
tions other than those belonging to the active militia, without the
approval of the adjutant general, except to such portions of the reserve
militia as may be called out by the governor. Purchases of property not
exceeding $500 in value shall be made in such manner as the adjutant
general (as acting quartermaster general) shall direct. If such pur-
chase requires an expenditure exceeding $500 and not exceeding $1,500,
the adjutant general (as acting quartermaster general) must procure
written proposals to furnish such property from at least two parties
and shall purchase such property from the lowest responsible bidder.
If such purchase shall require the expenditure of a sum exceeding
$1,500, he shall publicly advertise for sealed proposals for furnishing
such property. Such proposals shall be publicly opened by the adjutant