treasury (s as zh), treasurie, treserye, tresorie, tresorye

[Fr. trésorerie; Sp. & Ital. tesoreria.] 1. A place or building in which treasure is deposited; a store-place for wealth; particularly, a place where the public revenues are deposited and kept, and where money is disbursed to defray the expenses of government; also, a place where the funds of an incorporated company or private soc i ety are deposited and disbursed. 2. A department of government having control over the management, collection, and expenditure of the public revenue. (1) Treasury Department of the United States : The United States Treasury Department is the fiscal branch of the government. It controls the collection, custody, and disbursement of the public revenue, and it embraces those valuable aids to trade and commerce-the Lighthouse, Life-saving, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Marine Hospital (Quarantine), Immigration, and Navigation services. It is presided over by a Secretary of the Treasury, who directs the collection, safe-keeping, and disbursement of the revenue, submits to Congre the estimates of annual expenditures, and of the probable revenue; prepares plans for the improvement and management of the revenue, and for the support of public credit; prescribes the forms of keeping and rendering all public accounts; collects and registers statistics of commercial and manufacturing operations, and in general directs the busine of the department, in all of which he has the aid and advice of three A istant Secretaries and the a istance of a corps of bureau off i. cers who attend to matters of administrative detail in their respective services. Payments are made upon warrants i ued by the Secretary or an A istant Secretary, countersigned by either the First or Second Comptroller, and registered by the Register of the Treasury. The office of the Treasurer of the United States is a bureau of the Treasury Depart ment, and is specially charged with the custody of the public money. Other important branches of the Treasury Department are the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Bureau of the Mint, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Secret Service Division engaged in the detection and prevention of counterfeiting. 4167 the service. He prepares the annual estimate of the state expenses, and of the ways and means by which it is proposed to meet them, and lays this statement, commonly called the Budget, before the House of Commons. 3. The officers of the Treasury department. [2.] 4. A repository, storehouse, or other place for the reception of valuable objects. 5. A collection of, or a book containing (gener ally in a small compa ) valuable information or facts on any subject; anything from which wisdom, wit, or knowledge may be abundantly derived; as, a treasury of botany, a treasury of wit. *6. A treasure. "And make his chronicle as rich with prize, As is the oozy bottom of the sea With sunken wreck and sumle treasuries." Shakesp.: Henry V., 1. 2. 7. The weekly payment of actors, supers, . (The at.slang.) treasury-bench, s . The front bench or row of seats in the British House of Commons, on the right hand of the Speaker, which is appropriated to the chief members of the ministry. treasury-board, s. The five Lords Commi ioners of the Treasury. ( Eng.) treasury-note, s . A promi ory note i ued by the United States treasury. Treasury notes have been i ued at various times since 1812, but not until the act of February 25, 1862, were any of them made legal tenders. That act authorized the i ue of $150,000,000 non-interest bearing notes, payable to bearer, in denominations of not le than $5, and legal tender in payment of all debts, public and pri. vate, except duties on imports and interest on the public debt. treasury-warrant, s . A warrant or voucher i ued by the Secretary of the Treasury Department for sums disbursed by the government. Such warrants are countersigned by the First or Second Comptroller, and registered by the Register of the Treasury.