QUARTERMASTER. In the United States Army, a commissioned officer serving in the quar termaster's department at an army post or in a regiment : in which latter instance he is a regimental officer, usually of lieutenant's rank, detailed by the commanding officer to perform the duties of regimental quartermaster. He is assisted by the regimental' quartermaster-ser geant, and is responsible for the proper assign ment of quarters for officers, men, animals, and stores, and the superintendence mid procuration of all regimental supplies. There is a quarter master-scrgca»-t to each company, battery, or troop. The Quartermaster's Department at Washington, D. C., is one of the most important bureaus of the War Department, and is charged with the duty of providing means of transportation of every character which may he needed in the movement of troops and material of war. It furnishes also all public animals employed in the service of the army. the forage consumed by them. wagons and all articles necessary for their use, except the equipment of cavalry and artillery. It furnishes clothing, camp and garrison equipage, barracks, storehouses, and other buildings: constructs and repairs roads, railways, bridges; builds and charters ships, boats, docks, and wharves needed for military purposes; and attends to all mat ters not expressly assigned to some other bureau. TheQuartermaster's Department in 1902 consisted of 1 quartermaster-general, with rank of briga dier-general ; 4 assistant quartermaster-generals, with the rank of colonel; S deputy quartermaster generals, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel ; 14 quartermasters, with the rank of major; and 31 assistant quartermasters, with the rank of cap tain (including 1 military store-keeper). Under
the terms of the Army Act of 1901, vacancies in this and other staff departments which cannot be tilled by promotion within the department will be filled by details of line officers.
In the British Army regimental quartermas ters are usually non-commissioned or warrant offi cers of long service, who receive the commission of honorary lieutenant with their appointment of quartermaster. They combine subsistence with their regular quartermaster's duties, being responsible for the quantity of all food supplies required by the regiment or corps with which they serve. There are no company or troop quar termaster-sergeants, color-sergeants (q.v.) of companies being responsible for that branch of work. There is also a quartermaster-general with a staff. See ARMY ORGANIZATION.
In the navy and merchant service a quarter master is a petty officer who assists in the navi gation of the ship. At sea he superintends the steering of the helmsman, looks out for the log, writes up the 'columns' in the log book, and has charge of the navigator's stores. He also keeps a lookout with his spy glass both in port and at sea, reporting such occurrences as are of interest to the commanding officer or officer of the deck.