HAND-BOOK OF WASHINGTON. 105 tained through the Contract Office as a nccossary authority for the proper credits at the Auditor’s Office. From this office all postmasters at the ends of routes receive the statement of mail ar rangements prescribed for the respective routes. It reports weekly to the Auditor all contracts executed, and all orders affecting accounts for mail transportation; prepares the statistical ex hibits of the mail service, and the reports of the mail lettings, giving a statement of each bid; also of the contracts made, the new service origi nated, the curtailments ordered, and the additional allowances granted within the year. Finance Office.—Third Assistant Postmaster General, and twenty-one clerks. To this office are assigned the supervision and management of the financial business of the department, not de volved by law upon the Auditor, embracing ac counts with the draft offices and other depositaries of the department, the issuing of warrants and drafts in payment of balances reported by the Auditor to be due to mail contractors and other persons, the supervision of the acoounts of offices under orders to deposite their quarterly balances at designated points, and the superintendence of the rendition by postmasters of their quarterly returns of postages. It has charge of the dead-