The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-11-16
LATE ARMY AND NAVY NEWS

Surgeon General Browne in his annual report
to the Secretary of the Navy takes occasion to
comment with regret upon the fact that vacan-
cies which have existed in the Medical Corps of
the Navy since the Civil War are yet untitled,
and that Congress has failed to adopt the De-
partment's suggestion looking to the improve
ment of the condition and pay of assistant sur
geous. During the year 1887 pension cases
were acted upon by the bureau. leaving 207 on
hand June 80 last. The number of persons
examined for the naval service, including ap-
prentice boys, during the year 1889 was 13, 444
OF this number 1896, or more than one-third,
were rejected for physical disqualifications.
The number of these rejected for color-blind-
ness was 49, q ratio of 13 in 900. The number
of patients admitted to the sick list and under
treatment during the year was 12,O29. OF this
number 5000 were on vessels aioat and recev-
ing ships, 1886 in hospitals, and 1882 at navy
yards and shore stations. The total number of
deaths in the naval service during the year was
203. OF this number Ill occurred on vessels
afloat and'receiving ships, 20 at naval hospitals
and 90 at navy yards and shore stations. The
ratio was Is in !, 1000 for the entire service.
The Pneumatic Gun Carriage Company, of
this city, on the Sth instant entered into a con-
tract with the Secretary of the Navy to install
the pneumatic gun carriages, leaders, steering,
and refrigerating apparatus, ETC., in the Terror
at the Brooklyn Navy Yard instead of at the
Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston, Mass, as
provided in the original contract. This has
been done to expedite the work, which has been
delayed by the difficulty in getting the armor
plates. The contract calls for the delivery of
all the pneumatic material within sixty days
and completion of the whole work within six
months from November s. The Depart
ment allows the company for the expense of
the change Sll 800
Gen. Howard, commanding the Division of
the East, has been requested to cooperate with
the naval forces in New York Harbor in
making a success of the grand demonstration
of welcome to the Brazilian squadron, expected
at New York next week. He has been fur
nished with memorandum of the naval pro-
gramme, and has already made arrangements
with the officers in command of the forts in
New York Harbor to participate in the cere-
monies
Those of the Navy who are hoping for an i'm
provement of the vessels of the Navy are look
ing forward with earnestness to the promotion
of Naval Constructor Hichbom to be the sue
cessor of Chief Constructor Wilson, whose re-
tirement will occur at an early date. Present
indications are that Constructor Hichborn will
be chief of the Bureau of Construction and
Repair.
The commission appointed by the War De-
partment to investigate and report on locations
for Government gun foundries are now in Blr-
mingham, Ala. They are being shown the city
and its industries and furnished with informa-
tion they seek, They will spend two days
there
Secretary of War Proctor was at Louisville
KY, yesterday inspecting the Government de-
pot. He said that Immediately upon his return
to Washington he would appoint board of
officers to consider needed improvements in
small sde-arms.
Ensign Edmund w. Ebere has been de-
tached from the Albatross, and granted three
months leave; Surg. II. NJ. Martin from the
receiving-ship Wabash, and ordered to appear
before retiring board,
Lieut.. A, C. Bakers order to the Paos has
been revoked, and he has been ordered to
special duty at the Navy Department
Secretary Tracy has gone to New York where
he will witness the launch of the new armored
cruiser Maine next Tuesday.