CHAPTER 26.

PROPERTY SURVEYS, SALVAGE, AND UTILIZATION OF EXCESS MATERIALS.

26-01. Surveys, definition and purpose. A survey is the formality required by Navy Regulations in disposing of naval property lost, damaged, deteriorated, obsolete, or beyond serviceable repair; or the preliminary procedure required in repairing or replacing in quarters on shore articles of furniture considered unfit for use. The objects and purposes of a survey may be stated as: (a) To fix culpable responsibility, if any, for loss or damage; (b) to determine the most advantageous disposition of property, having in mind the cost of replacement or repair and the sale or other salvage value of the original article; (c) to place on record the physical condition of property and the facts relating thereto; and (d) to furnish officially the information necessary, by reason of the disposition recommended, for adjusting the station's plant account.

26-02. Governing regulations cited. The procedure to be followed in the case of all surveys other than surveys of furniture in quarters ashore is set forth in articles 1906 to 1925, inclusive, of Navy Regulations. In the case of furniture surveys, exceptions prescribed by this bureau will be found in paragraph 25-40 herein.

26-03. Initiation of request for survey; appointment of survey officer. The head of the department or division concerned, or other officer having responsible custody, should initiate the request for a survey when such action appears necessary. "When the survey of articles on shore is necessary, such surveys shall be requested and conducted in generally the same manner as prescribed for the articles of equipage aboard a ship at a navy yard, the provisions of article 1906 being followed, as far as applicable, by heads of departments or divisions of the yard or station, electricians in charge of detached radio stations, surveying officers, and commandants. Both the request for survey and the report of survey shall contain all distinguishing marks necessary to make certain the identity of the article surveyed." (N. R. 1916.) For procedure in requesting survey of

real estate, chattels, and machinery, reference should be made to paragraph 26-05 hereinbelow. Formal request for survey of quarters furniture should be prepared by the public works officer, or other official custodian; memorandum request for survey of any article considered unfit for use may be submitted to such custodian by the occupant of the quarters. The commandant * * * shall refer them [survey requests] to the officer designated by him to survey such articles." (N. R. 1906-1.)

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26-04. Forms prescribed. "Survey requests shall be prepared on S. and A. Forms Nos. 153 and 153a, respectively, the survey reports on S. and A. Forms 154a and 154b, respectively, the whole report and request forwarded by S. and A. Form 154-1 (N.S.A. material) or 154-2 (material other than N.S.A. account or survey account material), or 154-3 (survey account material ashore), properly filled out and placed on top. All sheets should be typewritten whenever possible. Requests under each appropriation shall be numbered consecutively, beginning a new series with each fiscal year, and the surveying officers' reports shall always name the number and date of the ship's request." (N. R. 1912.) In surveys of furniture in quarters on shore, Y&D form 14 shall be used.

26-05. Surveys of real estate, chattels, and machinery. "A survey of articles carried under Title E or R shall be prepared on the forms prescribed by article 1912 by the accounting officer of the yard or station on the memorandum request of the head of the department or division concerned, and such survey shall be ordered, held, and acted upon in the same manner as for a survey held under the provisions of article 1917. Surveys on articles charged to other titles shall be acted upon in like manner, but shall be requested by the head of the department or division concerned. For each item of a survey the surveying officer shall also state the original value, or, where this can not be ascertained, he shall enter an estimated original value therefor. After approval of the report of survey, the original thereof shall be returned by the approving authority to the accounting officer, who will adjust the plant account and, if necessary to carry out the instructions of the approving authority, retain a copy and forward the original and a copy accompanied by invoices, on which all distinguishing marks and other necessary data shall be entered, to the supply officer, who will dispose of the article as recommended and approved." (N. R. 1919-1.)

26-06. Surveys on buildings destroyed by fire. "Surveys on buildings or on other structures destroyed or damaged by fire, water, or other cause shall be requested by the public works officer. Reports of such surveys shall show the original or estimated original cost and the estimated loss in value. All such reports shall be referred to the accounting officer for adjustment of plant account." (N. R. 1919-3.)

26-07. The duties of the surveying officer are specifically set forth in subparagraphs 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of article 1906, Navy Regulations; instructions relating to the determination of responsibility by surveying officers will be found in article 1907, Navy Regulations.

26-08. Approval of surveys. In subparagraphs 7, 9, and 10 of article 1906, Navy Regulations, will be found instructions for the guidance of commandants in approving reports of surveying officers. In general, commandants are authorized to approve all surveys except where sale of property is recommended and except surveys of furniture in quarters, in which excepted cases the approval of the Bureau of Yards and Docks is required on all surveys of property under its cognizance. With regard to the disposition of real estate, see Chapter 13 herein.

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26-09. Execution of recommendations on approved surveys; commandants to consider availability of funds. Upon approval by the commandant of the report the original and one copy shall be returned to the officer requesting survey, with copies of the commandant's indorsement, who will carry out the instructions of the approving authority, except that no article shall be disposed of by sale until specific authority therefor has been granted as provided in paragraph 9 of this article (N. R. 1906-7.) The foregoing instructions are not, however, to be considered as waiving any instructions contained in this manual relative to restrictions or limitations in the expenditure of allotments or allowances from appropriations under the cognizance of this bureau. The bureau's approval of a survey shall be interpreted as authorizing the action recommended, without, however, obligating the bureau to provide additional funds therefor. Commandants should give due consideration to the availability of funds at their disposal and to the needs of the station as a whole before recommending approval of items requiring expenditures for replacement or repairs;

and, in acting upon recommendations on surveys, the bureau will assume that such consideration has been given and that the execution of the recommendation will not operate to the detriment of other work more urgently required.

26-10. Salvaged material. As applied to operations under the cognizance of this bureau, salvage may be defined as the rescue or saving of property for further use or for sale. Such operations may be required in the case of burned or wrecked buildings, structures, or utilities; buildings or other structures to be razed or removed for the purpose of clearing land; sunken equipment; abandoned or decommissioned stations, buildings, or structures. The character of the salvaging operation will naturally depend upon the peculiar circumstances obtaining in any case, but, ordinarily, important points for consideration will be: (1) The proposed use for which the material is to be salvaged; (2) the time within which salvaging must be accomplished; (3) the urgency of the need for the material in other locations; and (4) the relative costs and economies involved in preparing the material for storage, shipment, or sale. Major salvaging operations will ordinarily be undertaken at the bureau's direction, and in such cases bureau authority will be required for the permanent disposition of salvaged material.

26-11. Excess material, as applying to property under the cognizance of this bureau, includes any material or equipment in excess of local needs and available for transfer. Report should be made to the bureau of the availability of such material, whenever arising, in order that necessary steps may be taken to arrange for its transfer to a station where its utilization may be possible. Such material, on being surveyed, should be appraised as to value and invoiced into store as "used material." At frequent intervals lists of such property are distributed to all stations through bureau circular letters, with a view to transferring the material to stations where it may be utilized to the maximum advantage. In this manner large savings may be effected, and the importance of keeping the bureau informed as to the existence of excess material on hand should be apparent to all concerned. The data furnished, in the case of the material and equipment listed below, should be as indicated in the several items:

Passenger automobiles: Make, type, identifying number, general condition. Motorcycles: Make, identifying number, general condition, whether with passenger sidecar or freight-carrying van, or solo.