If the original communication shall not be retained in the office the record card must show that fact.

The papers pertaining to any case in this file will be contained in an envelope if practicable.

(d) The record cards and index cards used in the files above mentioned shall be of the uniform size of 8 inches long by 31⁄44 inches wide, and shall be written across the width.

(2) Precedent File. The record cards in each case, after the same shall have been disposed of, shall be referred to a clerk, who shall prepare there from "precedent cards" showing the nature of the case and the action taken thereon, provided his "precedent file" contain no card showing similar action.

(3) The method of recording the action taken upon each item of business, in respect to which a record is necessary, shall be as follows:

(a) The mail clerk, upon receiving the mail, shall place with each new communication of sufficient importance to be recorded, a blank record card and a blank index card.

(b) The case thus prepared shall be passed to the briefing clerks, one of whom shall immediately brief the communication, if not already briefed, and shall enter upon the record and index cards the name of the writer and a brief synopsis of the communication.

(c) The briefer shall also prepare such additional index and cross-reference cards as may be necessary to index the communication thoroughly.

(d) As soon as briefed the case shall be passed to the numbering clerk, by whom the original communication, all its inclosures, and the record card and index and cross-reference cards shall be stamped with the same number and date of receipt and the name of the office.

(e) The numbering clerk shall withdraw the index and crossreference cards, leaving the record cards with the cases.

The cross-reference cards will be immediately placed on the alphabetical index file, but the index cards will be arranged in numerical order and retained on the desk of the tally clerk until the case represented by them shall have been disposed of.

(f) The case, including the record card, which must invariably accompany it until it is disposed of, will next be passed to the

clerk in charge of the index file, who will search the same for previous action.

(g) If the index file discloses that any previous action has been taken, the corresponding record card or cards will be taken from the record-card file and placed with the case.

If but one old record card is found the old and the new card will be connected by writing the number of each upon the other.

If more than one old record card is found the oldest and the new card will be thus connected.

A temporary "charge card" will be substituted for each record card thus taken from the file, and will be allowed to remain therein until the record card shall have been returned.

(h) The case will next be sent, if necessary, to the clerk in charge of records of correspondence antedating the present system. Here search will be made for any prior action in the case, and if such record is found a proper notation will be placed upon the record card accompanying the case.

(i) Any previous papers that may be found and that may be pertinent to the case should be placed with it.

A temporary "charge card" should be substituted for the papers thus removed.

(j) The case will next be sent to the division or divisions in which it is to be investigated, and the answer prepared.

(k) The draft of the answer may be sent for approval or alteration to the officer who is finally to decide the case.

(1) The draft, after approval, shall be passed to a typewriter or copyist, who shall make a fair copy of the draft.

The letter, after having been compared with the draft, will then be sent to the proper official for signature.

Before the approved draft is sent to the copyist the papers that are to be retained on the files of the office will be sent to the document file.

(m) After being signed the letter will be press-copied, and the press copy will be sent to the document file to be placed with the original papers.

(n) The letter, accompanied by its record card, will next be passed to the dispatch clerk, who will withdraw the record card,

(0) The record card or cards will be passed to the tally clerk. (p) The record card will then be stamped with the date of the disposition of the case.

(4) One, or any greater number of the steps to be taken in the course of action upon a paper as above described, may be taken by the same clerk.

(5) At least once each day all record cards that have accumulated upon the desk of the tally clerk will be tallied with the index cards that have been awaiting them there.

The corresponding index cards will be stamped with the date of the disposition of the cases which they represent, and will be filed in the alphabetical index file.

The record cards will be filed in numerical order in the record card file.

(6) If for any reason a letter has been written without a draft or synopsis thereof having been entered upon the record card the press copy may be sent, immediately after mailing the letter, to a copyist, by whom it shall be copied, or a synopsis of it entered upon the corresponding record card.

(7) The index cards remaining untallied at the close of the day upon the desk of the tally clerk will show what cases have not gone out of the office.

(8) Temporary duplicates will be made of the index cards remaining untallied at the close of the day. These duplicates will be immediately placed upon the alphabetical index file and will remain there until the cases represented by them shall have been disposed of.

When this shall have been done the original index cards will be placed upon the alphabetical index file in place of the temporary duplicates, which will be withdrawn and destroyed.

(9) Each entry made upon any record card shall be authenticated by the initials of the person making the same.

(10) When the record cards pertaining to any particular case or subject exceed three in number they shall be brought together and be placed in an envelope, which shall be filed under the lowest number of the series of cards contained therein.

All the numbers of the series will be entered in order, the lowest at the top, upon the envelope.

Reference cards will be filed under all the numbers which have been made vacant by the consolidation of the cards.

(11) The three files, record cards, index cards, and documents, shall be kept, if possible, in the same room or adjoining rooms. (12) The series of numbers commenced under this system of record-keeping shall be continuous and without break for any new year.

(13) Not more than one initial shall be used for the authentication of letters submitted for official signature. This initial shall be as small as practicable, shall be placed in the upper right-hand corner of the paper, and shall be such as to identify the clerk who is responsible for the letter to the official who is to sign the same.

(14) When the papers in any case are sent out of the Bureau on request or for information pending final action in the case a card indicative of that fact shall be placed on a "suspended file," which shall be examined daily, and cases not returned within ten days shall be traced and the reason for their detention ascertained.

Such action shall be repeated with respect to any case every ten days until the papers have been again received.

(15) No record shall be made beyond a mere notation of the fact of receipt, and disposition in respect to the following matters:

(a) All papers not pertaining to the business of the Bureau at which received. Such shall forthwith be transmitted to the proper Bureau for action. In exceptional cases the person from whom the communication has been received may be informed as to the disposition made of it by the Bureau to which it was addressed.

(b) Accounts current, vouchers, returns of stores and property inventories, and inspection reports.

(c) Mere letters of transmittal, which shall forthwith be destroyed.

(d) Requests for and acknowledgment of receipt of publications and blanks.

(f) All other communications of no permanent or historical value, and which are finally disposed of by the answers thereto.

(16) In cases where there is special need for haste a red card should be placed with the communication immediately on the same being put in the channel for examination and answer, and should not be withdrawn until the case is finally disposed of. (17) In all type-written or printed communications quoted language exceeding one line in length shall be close-lined, and a paragraph shall indicate the commencement thereof, which paragraph shall terminate with the conclusion of such quotation.

(18) Each different topic treated of in the same communication issuing from any Bureau shall be separately numbered, but as a rule, to which there should be few exceptions, but one topic should be treated of in any one communication.

(19) Special attention shall be given to the matter of letterpress copies, and no copy in any degree imperfect shall be filed, but shall be replaced by a perfected one.

(20) No acknowledgment shall be made on receipt of routine reports or returns.

But in case the same shall not be received within ten days after due, a card of notification to that effect shall be sent to the officer from whom the same should have been received.

(21) Letters of transmittal shall hereafter be omitted, and in lieu thereof there may be noted on the outside of the envelope covering the inclosure and in the lower left-hand corner thereof the words " inclosures."

(22) When a telegram is sent there shall be made two press copies, the one for retention and the other for transmission as a confirmation of the message, which last shall be made upon paper headed with the name of the Bureau, and bearing underneath these words: "The following is a copy of a telegram sent you this day," and which last shall constitute a sufficient letter of advice upon the subject.

(23) No record shall be kept in any Bureau or division respecting matters of which an established record or file is kept in any other Bureau or division to which the matter covered thereby properly pertains, but information shall be obtained from the latter source on application therefor as occasion may require.