New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-15

frOwscrs. Oc winds tho bugle horn. more
were fears that the Secretary Of tho Navy
might not DO able to expend tho appropriation
allowed his department for exhibiting some
thing ut tho Centennial. The Secretary had
searched in vain through all the department
for something to exhibit Under MIR. Robeson's
administration there have been several exhibi-
tons, but not such rs tho country take very
much pride in, and it would hardly pay to re-
neat them. A series OF illustrations OF the man.
ner in which repairs are conducted, showing,
for instance, how a rudder may be mended by
putting gun-boat on to it, or q cabin-window
repaired by building frigatc round it, might
be useful and entertaining to the representa-
tives of foreign governments visiting the Cen
tennia, but would lack tho charm OF novelty
for our own people. A series of Navy yarn
rolls before and after election as represent
ing the fluctuations in the labor market, would
not be destitute of interest for the student OF
politics from abroad, and if it were possible TO
compile q history of the achievements OF the
Navy under Secretary Robson in connection
with Congressional excursions, it would doubt
less he a valuable addition to the literature of
the Centennial.
Possibly all these things and many moro oc-
Cured to the active mind of the Secretary
while considering the question of expanding
the appropriation. But when his eye fell on
the Marine Band, with its scarlet trappings, he
dropped all other plans and said, "This is my
opportunity. / will exhibit the Marine Band.
al will increase the number to seventy-fve;
they shall be instructed in the mysteries of
" the drum they shall wrestlc nightly with
" the asperitics of the fife; they shall grapple
"heroically with the bugle and the horn, and
"they shall pump unutterable thunder from
"the sweet trombone. We may be weak Ill
iron -clads and almost out of fiRst-cIass frig-
" ates, but we will show the ehtete mOnarchies
"of the Old World Marine Band that
evil make their hair stand on end"
1t was with pardonablc pride, then, that
tho Secretary having fixed upon this plan,
caused it to be announced that the Marine
Band would be filed up, and that the appropri-
alton would bc expended for horns for that pur-
pose, and that on the one hundrcdth anniversary
of Our COuntry's independence it would burst
upon the world with sevcnty-fve pieces in
My!Country, tits of Thee" We do not doubt
that the Secretary has considered and decided
upon change of uniform from the loud and
aggressive scarlet to the less pronounced dark
blue. Then when tho Centennial is over and
the Secretary himself shortly after is ready to
retire upon his laurels, like Caesar Augustus,
who found Rome brick and left it marble, he
may turn over the band to his successor with
the proud boast, az found it Marine, leave
cit Ultra Marine
In the reorganization of tho band we are not
Informed whether the Secretary proposes any
change of instruments. 1t may be he intends
to concentrate the whole seycnty-tive upon
single instrument, as for instance, the from
bone 1t would be q great day for Philadel-
phia if the Marine Band should open the ex
hibition with seventy-fve trOmbOnes. And we
hazard little in saying that it would be
demonstration at which all Europe would stand
aghast. 1t might be triae monOtOnOus, but
what OF that7 So are the promises of yetrench-
ment and reform with which we have been so
highly entertained for so many years. Then
too the mOnOtOny might be varied by adding
to the seventy-five trOmboncs thousand
or two Administration organs gathered
from various parts of the country. If
that would Mt furnish variety nothing
could 1t may be objected that the
organs do not lesitimatcy belong to the Ma
rne Band; but We submit that if they have
not been playing exclusively to the Marines
for the past two years, it is only because they
could not find the Marines. All what band
that would be. We anticipate it with delight.
Again we say the country will rejoice to hear
of Secretary Robesons proposition to increase
the Marine Band and make it tho Brass Band
of the century. The Secretary has a largo ear
for music. 1t was known before that he had
il it is now known what it is for.