1. congress, in 1816, passed an act authorizing and requiring the secretary of state, once in two years, to print and publish a book called “the official register,” in which he was ordered to register the name of every officer and agent of the government, in the civil, military and naval departments, including cadets and midshipmen, together with the compensation received by each; the names of the state and county where born; and the name of the place where employed, whether at home or abroad.

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to the list of persons employed in the navy department, the secretary of the navy is required to subjoin the names, force and condition of all the ships and vessels belonging to the united states, and when and where built.

this work has been published and distributed, as the law directs, ever since the passage of the act, and is sometimes denominated “the blue book.” it is a very convenient and useful publication, as it shows in compact form the whole official force of the government in each department, together with the cost of maintaining it.

as it contains only names and dates and facts relating to persons, comparatively few would take the pains to read it, and but a small number is published. it can be found in the congressional library at washington, where twenty-five copies of each edition are deposited.